If you notice an error in any of these documents or would like to request specific class meeting days, please email us.
Inclement weather, illness, personal matters or other circumstances can impact our course schedules. Here are some suggestions–from easy to heavy lift–on how to stay on track when the unexpected arises. Of course, each of these requires the use of electricity! In a power outage, we’ll need to resort to other ideas. Or, just stay safe and warm!
Invite students to email you a non-conventional reading response that is short and non-replicable. For instance you could ask students to:
At Furman, every student is automatically enrolled in Moodle courses and each faculty member determines how to best use the course management system (CMS) in their class. You can ask students to:
Want to explore Moodle further? Contact Jean Childress and/or click here.
Upload course readings and invite students (or student teams) to annotate them with questions, connections, or links to resources that provide more detail. Other free web or document annotation platforms include Hypothes.is (used by Furman colleagues) and NowComment.
If you are ready to hold class remotely you may want to investigate Zoom. The interface includes video conferencing, a chat window, screen sharing, and whiteboard features that make snow day meetings or classes almost seamless. Students join via a link you provide. To request a license, please email Susan Dunnavant.
The Furman University Libraries offers many opportunities for collaboration and classroom support. If you plan to use research assignments in your classes, the Outreach Services Librarians are your best resource for designing and implementing those assignments. They provide invaluable help for faculty in crafting research assignments and for students in conducting research. Each academic department, major, and minor has a Library Liaison who is available to support your teaching and research.
The Writing & Media Lab (WML) is Furman’s writing center and multimedia composition center. The WML helps students through one-on-one consultations about writing assignments, video projects, presentations, and more. The staff of the WML can also help you plan, design, and implement multimedia assignments in your classes. If you’re interested in asking your students to create a video, podcast, or other multimedia composition project, contact Jean Schwab, WML Coordinator, for a consultation about your assignment.
The Writing Program at Furman supports a vibrant culture of writing among both students and faculty. Throughout their four-year experience and in every major, students have numerous opportunities to hone their writing skills. Furman endeavors to train students to write effectively in multiple genres; to choose the right style, medium, and evidence for the situation; and to participate successfully in professional environments after graduation.
The Blended Learning Studio (BLS) is a resource for faculty and students, which provides a space for creating instructional videos and supplemental materials for class. Lecture capture, student project support, screencasting help, and other requests are supported. The BLS is also the home of the Furman Lightboard, a teaching tool for instructional video that allows lecturers to write on a board while facing their students. It significantly improves lecture capture by eliminating the problem of the whiteboard, which requires instructors to turn away from their students to write. There is also little to no post-production, so the process is quick. Contact Information Technology Services (ITS) for an appointment to talk about how you might use the Lightboard in your classes.
Information Technology & Services (ITS) connects you with many technology and teaching resources on campus. From workshops and technology support to collaborating on using technology in your classes effectively, ITS can partner with you. The ITS website has Faculty & Staff Resources as well as a list of available services and collaboration tools.