Remote Learning at Rhodes College

• Faculty Guidelines for Remote Learning (from Dean Amy Jasperson, Faculty Development)
• Student Guidelines for Remote Learning
• Tips for Classroom and Lab Teaching Scenarios (from Information Services)

Rhodes College is using Zoom videoconferencing to teach classes online and host online office hours for the Fall 2020 semester, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Zoom 
  • Login with your Rhodes network ID and password. All Rhodes faculty, staff, and students have a Zoom licensed Pro account. Each account can conduct sessions of unlimited duration with up to 300 people.
  • Scheduling/Creating a Zoom Link for your Live Classroom (Rhodes PDF)
  • Scheduling/Creating a Zoom Link (Zoom Tutorial Video)
• Microsoft Teams 
  • An alternate or backup for Zoom - similar conferencing tool available to Rhodes network IDs.

As per Section 3 of Zoom Terms of Service: You may not post, modify, distribute, or reproduce in any way copyrighted material, trademarks, rights of publicity, or other proprietary rights without obtaining the prior written consent of the owner of such proprietary rights. Zoom may deny access to the Services to any User who is alleged to infringe another party's copyright

If you are sharing a material containing copyright such as DVD, Zoom may deny you access to use the service.

For detailed information about Zoom's Terms of Service, please refer to this link: https://zoom.us/terms

• Sharing your screen
• Creating a Poll
• Using the Whiteboard
• Breakout Rooms

The nature of technology today is such that our usage blurs the lines between our work lives and our personal lives. Information Services understands that the Rhodes accounts for Zoom and Teams may be used for personal videoconferencing as well as academic/professional connectivity. However, please also note that Zoom and Teams are both covered under our Computer Usage Policies, specifically under User Privileges and User Responsibilities. Violation of any portion of the Computer Usage Policies will result in suspension of one’s privileges for use of Rhodes computers and information technology services until the appropriate dean or vice president approves reauthorization of access to equipment and services.

• Transcription for Cloud Recordings
• About Closed Captioning

NOTE: While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all videos and audio recordings on publicly available websites must be captioned and/or have a transcript, it is not required for private access on Canvas or Box. However, best practice would be for all college-distributed content to be accessible with transcripts or captioning, especially since persons with accessibility needs are not always registered with Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Please work with Melissa Butler for further details (butlerm@rhodes.edu)

• Using Canvas Conferences for Video Conferencing with Students
• Microsoft Teams - Creating Classes, Adding Students, and Creating Channels
• Microsoft Teams - Using Assignments
• Microsoft Teams - Scheduling and Hosting Class, Recording, and Screen Sharing

Canvas Instructor Guide

Canvas Student Guide

Term Dates and Publishing Courses in Canvas

• Barret Library is committed to the continued support for research, teaching, and technology needs of the faculty and our students. Please view this research guide for more information on research needs and services available.
• https://archive.org/details/nationalemergencylibrary

• Comcast COVID-19 response: 
  • Eligible new customers will receive 60 days of Internet Essentials service, the nation’s largest, most comprehensive internet adoption program for low-income households, without charge. 
• Charter Communications
  • Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
• AT&T COVID-19 response:
  • They are automatically waiving home Internet data overage charges for AT&T Internet customers through September 30. That means new and existing AT&T Fiber and AT&T Internet customers can use unlimited data and won’t see overage charges on their home Internet bill through September 30.
• Verizon COVID-19 response:
  • Verizon extends low-income internet offer through 2020 and continues to work with customers impacted by COVID-19 to provide the best financial options available now and moving forward.
• Sprint COVID-19 response
• T-Mobile COVID-19 response

• Conduct your zoom sessions close to, or in the same room as your wireless router in your home.
• Reboot the router when connectivity is particularly bad. To do so - unplug it from power and wait a few minutes, then plug it back in (just like a computer, restarts are helpful here).
• Review your Internet service provider subscription – you may be eligible to increase your wifi speed for less than what you currently pay.
• Have students turn off their video to lessen the drain on their and others’ bandwidth.
• If you or students are having trouble with Zoom audio, have them use the Zoom dial-in phone numbers to call in from a landline or cell phone to join the session.
• Reduce other wireless usage in your home to ensure that you have the most bandwidth available to you (e.g. others using the network to upload/download files, view streaming video, or listen to streaming audio service). 
• Consider purchasing a wireless booster device or mesh wifi device if you have poor wireless strength in an area of the house where you are working/teaching.
• Test your current speed with https://www.speedtest.net. Average speeds at home could be between 20-80 Mbps depending on your subscription. On campus speeds average about 250-400 Mbps.
• Test you speed with these FCC Speedtest mobile apps:
  • Get the iOS version at: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fcc-speed-test/id794322383 
  • Get the Android version at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en_US 

Forward your desk phone calls to other numbers:

1. Login to RingCentral (link to https://login.ringcentral.com) then click Single Sign-On to login with your Rhodes ID. NOTE: On the Mac, do not use Safari. 
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Call Handling and Forwarding. 
4. Download Ring Central app to answer calls on your mobile device.
5. To learn more: https://support.ringcentral.com/s/article/9758?language=en_US 

Rhodes College COVID-19 Updates