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:
- Drexel Learn
- Collaboration
- Other Learning Technologies
Faculty and staff also can use:
- Collaboration
- Other Learning Technologies
- Telecom
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?
- You may continue to place interlibrary loan (ILL) requests via ILLiad. Libraries staff will try to provide electronic versions of all content requested via ILL.
- You can still request assistance from Libraries staff via remote information assistance. The “live chat” on the right side of the Libraries homepage is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also leave messages for Libraries staff by phone or email, and expect to get a response during staffed hours.
- You can still consult with Subject Librarians, and you can also schedule an online consultation with them.
- You still have 24/7 access to authoritative online information resources for everything from journal articles, ebooks, databases and streaming videos.
- Faculty may request a review of their syllabi to confirm access options for assigned course materials.
- Libraries staff also compiled a list of resources and services to help students and teaching faculty and staff transition to remote instruction.
- University Archives staff are available to answer questions and provide remote reference and other services.
What isn’t available?
- All E-ZBorrow services are suspended, and all E-ZBorrow loan periods have been extended until the Drexel Libraries reopens.
- You can’t borrow and/or return physical library materials. But all loan periods for items you already took out have been extended until June 11. If you need a loan period beyond this date, contact libassist@drexel.libanswers.com.
- Access to physical course reserve materials is suspended until further notice. But the Libraries’ subject specialists will work with faculty to find online alternatives to replace physical resources.
Be sure to also check out the Libraries’ COVID-19 information resource guide and other guides and tutorials.