Check out These Drexel Resources for Online Learning

Check out These Drexel Resources for Online Learning

Please visit the ‘Drexel’s Response to Coronavirus’ website for the latest information on campus preparations and responses regarding COVID-19.

As Drexel University faculty, staff and students know, all finals for winter term were held online, all courses for spring term will be online and the campus closed March 20, except for employees who need to be there for critical operations or to help with delivering online education.

This is unlike anything the University has ever done before, and it’s all in the name of protecting the Drexel community from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

“Our foremost strategy is to enhance social distancing by moving to the remote delivery of classes,” President John Fry said in a recent address to the Drexel community. “We know we can do this, and do it well, because Drexel began online education in 1996 and we are leaders in the field. Drexel University Online already provides high-quality, impactful and engaging remote education for more than 7,000 online students. Now we’re just taking it up a notch.”

For most Drexel faculty, professional staff and students, everything from how they work to how they teach to how they learn is going to be moved online.

In addition to reading the March 20 message entitled “Resources for Campus Closure and Remote Work,” DrexelNow recommends the following list of Drexel resources for those working remotely.

Remember: Drexel IT is here to Help

Thankfully, Drexel IT has provided a technology resource page for those working remotely, and it’s full of information for faculty, students and staff related to best practices, policies and regulations and other helpful links.

If you haven’t already, make sure that you have set up your multi-factor authentication (for DrexelOne, Drexel Email and VPN) and virtual private network, or VPN (used for services like  SiteCore and Virtual/Remote Desktop). 

Per Drexel IT’s “Connect remotely to Drexel resources & services” site, all Dragons have access to:

Faculty and staff also can use:

And if you have any difficulties, you can submit a Help Ticket or email consult@drexel.edu. Here’s a page of all of the ways Drexel IT can support you, from instructional support to information security to instructional media services.  

Familiarize Yourself with Zoom

You’ll likely be doing a lot of work on Zoom, an online meeting and video-conferencing service, since Drexel holds a University-wide license for students, faculty and professional staff. With built-in collaboration tools, team chat, HD video, telephone-only and reservations-less conferencing, Zoom has a lot to offer — if you know how to use it.

Drexel IT has a Zoom F.A.Q. page, which is being updated daily. Refer to it to learn how many people can join a Drexel Zoom meeting, the best practices and recommendations for running a successful Zoom meeting and Zoom system and network bandwidth requirements, along with other useful information. For more specific Drexel Zoom tutorials, check out this Drexel Instructional Technology Blog post.

Every day from now until March 24, Drexel VCap will be hosting weekday “Drexel Zoom Primer” webinars at 10 a.m. for any employee with active Zoom accounts. Register here first.

Don’t Forget There Are Other Web Conferencing Options

If you’ve got the basics of Zoom down, that’s great — but what if you get asked to use something else? Don’t worry. IT has you covered with information guides and instructions for Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Microsoft Teams. Read this Drexel Instructional Technology Blog post about the pros and cons of each.

Still Need to Use The Libraries? You Don’t Need to Be on Campus.

First, bookmark this page of Drexel University Libraries’ COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates on Resources & Services and check back for the most up-to-date information.

Now, the W. W. Hagerty Library, Hahnemann Library, Queen Lane Library and Library Learning Terrace are closed. But even if you can’t physically go to the libraries, you should absolutely still use it as a resource. Libraries staff will continue to provide remote services to help the Drexel community.

What is available?

What isn’t available?

  • All E-ZBorrow services are suspended, and all E-ZBorrow loan periods have been extended until the Drexel Libraries reopens.  

Be sure to also check out the Libraries’ COVID-19 information resource guide and other guides and tutorials.