Teaching in 2021

Email to Academic Staff from Professor Grady Venville, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) on 29 October 2020.

Dear colleagues

Thank you so much for your ongoing efforts and commitment to the exceptional education that ANU provides to our talented students.

Semester 1 2021 might still seem a long way off, but I have received a number of questions about the approach ANU will take to teaching next year. Academic Board recently discussed the approach to teaching in 2021 and noted that we expect the ANU COVID Safe Campus alert level system will remain low for the foreseeable future; however, we must continue our flexible approach in case the situation rapidly changes as we have seen this year.

With this in mind, we need to start preparing for Semester 1 2021 to continue with the hybrid model of teaching that accommodates both students on campus and students studying remotely. We also need to be prepared to move to fully remote teaching should the ANU COVID Safe Campus alert level change.

Given COVID levels are currently very low in the ACT, we encourage you to plan more face to face activities where they are possible in a COVID-safe way.  Many of our students are looking forward to getting back on campus and seeing their teachers and the other students in their classes. 

We have received thoughtful feedback from students about our rapid transition to remote and then hybrid models of teaching through 2020. I encourage you to have a look at the feedback from the SWiRL and TWiRL and WHiRRL surveys conducted in Semester 1 2020. And here is a terrific blog post that summarises the main themes about what we can learn from Semester 1, 2020. 

Now is a great opportunity to try something different, to optimise what you do to engage your students in their learning and put any newly discovered remote or interactive teaching skills to good use. We have great expertise on campus, so talk to your colleagues, share tips and hints or work together to support each other to make more radical changes.  I find I learn so much from my colleagues every day.

The Centre for Learning and Teaching is able to help you prepare for hybrid teaching in 2021.  Please check out information on their range of training courses and sign up for their social media, newsletter or a coffee course.

You can visit the Teaching Remotely Wattle site which has helpful information and self-paced modules to support you with multi-mode teaching, communication with students, planning remote lectures, remote assessments and other resources. For your ease of reference I have also included below some key end of semester dates from the Registrar's Office, a few of which have been adjusted based on colleagues' feedback about delivering the latter stages of this academic year.

Key dates

Please see the University calendar which is being updated to reflect adjusted dates or contact the Division of Student Administration, Office of the Registrar with any questions or suggestions.

As we get close to the end of the academic year, please consider sending a personal message to your students studying remotely in Victoria or internationally and say 'well done', or give them some encouragement.  You may also take the opportunity to tell someone what a great teacher they are.  We have so many talented colleagues and you'll make their day!

Kind regards

Grady

Professor Grady Venville
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
The Australian National University
Office of the Vice-Chancellor | Chancelry 10 East Road | The Australian National University | Canberra ACT 2601
T: + 61 2 6125 4873 | W: www.anu.edu.au

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