Keep Teaching Site Launches, Providing Resources for Remote, Hybrid Teaching

Whit Pruitt, University Relations

Even though face-to-face (in-person) teaching continues in the classroom, some courses are being conducted remotely or in a hybrid manner. The Keep Teaching resource includes information and links to training opportunities on various topics related to teaching and learning in remote and hybrid formats.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Faculty at the the University of Arkansas have a new one-stop online resource for planning and teaching remote and hybrid courses with the launch of the "Keep Teaching" site.

"Our faculty have done a tremendous job maintaining our university's high quality of instruction in a remote setting, and we want to ensure they have the resources and knowledge to continue excelling no matter the mode of delivery," said Charles Robinson, interim provost and vice chancellor for student and academic affairs. "The Keep Teaching site was created with this in mind."

The site is divided into three primary sections:

• Policies and Guidelines

• For Your Syllabus

• Best Practices

Policies and Guidelines includes information such as defining different modes of instruction, faculty expectations for remote and hybrid courses, and technology and software standards. For Your Syllabus offers information to communicate to students regarding expectations for attendance and participation, disability-related accommodations and face coverings. And Best Practices provides details on how to plan for remote courses, maintaining mental and physical health, and remote teaching insights from faculty, staff and students from the spring semester.

The Keep Teaching resource also includes information and links to training opportunities on various topics related to teaching and learning in remote and hybrid formats.

The site was created by the Remote Teaching Task Force that convened this summer and was appointed by Terry Martin, senior vice provost for academic affairs.

Remote Teaching Task Force

• Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education and task force co-chair
• Don Johnson, co-director of the Teaching and Faculty Support Center and task force co-chair
• Steve Beaupre, associate dean of social sciences, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
• Paul Calleja, assistant department head, College of Education and Health Professions
• Norm Dennis, senior associate dean, College of Engineering
• John Folan, department head, Fay Jones School of Architecture
• Jeannie Hulen, associate dean of fine arts, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
• Laura James, director, Center for Educational Access
• Kate Mamiseishvili, associate dean, College of Education and Health Professions
• Kim Petrone, assistant teaching professor, Walton College of Business
• Molly Rapert, director, Walton College of Business Center for Teaching Effectiveness
• Lona Robertson, associate dean, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
• Lauren Simon, associate professor, Walton College of Business
• Shelly Walters, associate director, Instructional Design and Support Services, Global Campus
• Kathryn Zawisza, director of academic technology and innovation, IT Services

"I want to thank the task force and all involved for their contributions to this project," Robinson said. "They worked tirelessly to put together an incredible product that will be invaluable for our campus this fall."

Ann Gallaher, assistant to the vice provost for distance education, assisted the task force. The site was developed by University Relations' digital design and development team, led by Chris Nixon.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.