Our Commitment to You
DSS is committed to ensuring that you have the tools and support needed to continue your Lehigh educational experience. If you have questions or concerns about navigating learning in the remote environment, please contact us via phone at 610-758-4152 or via email at indss@lehigh.edu.
Tips for Transitioning to Remote Learning
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When and where will you do your school work in your current living environment? Consider your environment/surroundings to determine a safe (i.e. social distancing) yet distraction-reduced location for you to study.
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Creating a consistent routine is important -- whether it means falling back on a version of your routine from the first half of the semester or creating a new routine. Be mindful of when you wake up, eat, attend class, study, do school work, exercise, go to bed, and engage in social time and downtime.
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Engage in your courses EVERY day. Because the content may be delivered in a method you’re not used to, you will likely need to spend more time on learning the content than you usually require. More review of notes, more reading, and employing more active study methods to stay engaged while learning alone are important strategies.
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Use scheduled class time wisely. Use regularly scheduled class time to watch recorded lectures, review posted readings on CourseSite, post a blog, etc. This will help with time management, accountability, and keeping on top of course work. For those classes that will not meet regularly and place more emphasis on independent work (i.e. assignments given on a Sunday that are due the following Sunday), it will be helpful to chunk the work/readings throughout the week as if your class was meeting as originally scheduled.
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Remember to continue to keep up with assigned readings as per your course syllabi. Keeping track of course assignments, due dates, and instructor expectations is key to success for both online and face-to-face classes. With exam and assignment due dates fluctuating, it is essential to be organized. Update your working calendar as you receive notification of due dates and calendar changes.
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Create email folders for each course and dump any communication into that folder to manage the huge influx of digital information.
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Communication with your instructor is essential in an online learning environment. Visit Course Site regularly to stay aware of new materials, activities, and assignments. Stay connected with your professors. Email any questions you may have regarding the class material. Many instructors are offering virtual office hours. In email correspondence, phrase questions to require only a brief response. Faculty members may be more likely to respond quickly if they know they can answer quickly.
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Discuss your accommodations, particularly extra time for testing, with your instructors. If your instructors are creating online timed exams, it is essential that you reach out to your professors to remind them of your testing accommodations and discuss how they will be provided. Most online learning platforms allow faculty to easily extend the time of their exams for students who have extra time, but faculty will need to be reminded to make this adjustment, so please reach out to professors as soon as possible. If you have an accommodation for distraction-reduced testing, you will be responsible for finding an environment that works for you. Careful planning may be necessary to ensure that you have a quiet space in which to take your exam in a busy household. DSS and LTS are available to instructors and students to consult about unique circumstances. If you have questions or concerns about accommodated testing in the online environment, speak with your professor and contact DSS at indss@lehigh.edu.
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Practice with the technology. Be sure to fully understand the technological expectations for each course by carefully reading communications from your faculty which may include emails, Course Site, and updated course expectations in the syllabus. Make a list of these technologies and become familiar with and practice using them. Don’t wait unto the day of an exam or assignment due date, to practice using the software you will be using for the course. If you need immediate assistance with technology or with LU Apps, contact the LTS help desk by phone at 610-758-4357 or via text at 610-616-5910. You can find more information or a link to login and submit a ticket at Library and Technology Services Help.
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Participation may still be a key component of instruction. Your instructor may ask you to participate in interactive activities, such as Zoom sessions or an online discussion forum. You will be most successful when you are fully present, when you engage in discussions, and when you take opportunities to ask and answer questions.
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It can be isolating to go from an active college student on a busy campus to sitting at home with no one to interact with but email and the LMS. In our new remote reality, most of us will be spending more time online than ever before. Try to avoid digital overload and spend some time safely social distancing outside as permitted, using technology to stay engaged with family and friends, cooking, gardening, or something else to stay mentally healthy during this stressful experience. A balanced level of socially connectedness will be important. Use Facetime, Group Chat, social media, etc to stay connected to classmates, teammates, friends, club members, etc. We all benefit from a strong support system.
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Continue to utilize campus resources. For example, the Writing and Math Center and Center for Academic Success offer Zoom appointments. Please see individual websites for instructions.
Center for Academic Success Tutoring
Writing and Math Center Tutoring
University Counseling and Psychological Services
13. For more tips, visit LTS' Preparing for Remote Learning: Ten Crucial Steps for Lehigh Students.