Attendance
Discussions work best when we can all get together at the same time, so please try to make our synchronous discussions. However, I do understand that this is an unusual (and unusually difficult) time for all of us. If you can’t make a class discussion, please watch the recording of the class (available under the relevant week on CCLE) and submit about a page (500 words) of reflection on some or all of the topics we touched on in the live discussion.
It’s best if you can make it to the guest lectures synchronously (that way you can ask questions), but it is not required. You may also view the lectures as recordings, available on CCLE under the relevant week.
The third hour of class, the “swing space,” is intended for one-on-one or group meetings, or for class activities. Please try to keep this time free. But, again, if you can’t be there, we can usually find a way for you to get caught up.
Late work
In my opinion, this is not the time for me to get on your case about deadlines. I do want you to try to stay on top of them, however, because receiving your weekly assignments assures me that you’re remaining engaged and that your work isn’t piling up to overwhelm you at the end of the quarter.
If you are not going to make a deadline, please let me know so that we can work out a solution. Again, my priority is really just keeping you from getting buried underneath an end-of-quarter onslaught of work.
Privacy
Zoom-based classes are new for many of us! So it’s natural that we might not share a common understanding of appropriate privacy protections. It’s important to talk about it.
I will be adhering to UCLA’s guidance on privacy in Zoom classes. Some highlights:
Recording
I will be recording our discussions, so that you can go back and refer to them later. But I will not make those recordings publicly available. Instead, I’ll place them on our password-protected CCLE site, within the file for the appropriate week.
When the class divides into breakout groups, those breakout-group discussions will not be recorded.
UCLA’s guidelines forbid students from making their own recordings of Zoom meetings.
I will not record text-based Zoom chats.
I will not record one-on-one conversations.
I will record guest lectures, and if the speaker is willing, I will make that recording publicly available, embedded on our course site for the relevant week. If the speaker prefers the lecture remains private, that recording will, like our discussion, be stored on our CCLE site.
Your privacy on Zoom
It’s nice for me to be able to see your face during discussions, but you may turn your video off if you’re not comfortable leaving it on. (It would be helpful if you’d add a photo of yourself, or an avatar, or even your pet, so I’m not speaking to a blank screen!) You may also use a virtual background.
You may use a pseudonym on your Zoom ID. Just let me know what it is so I know who I’m talking to!
Please don’t share the link to our Zoom discussions with non-course members. We don’t want Zoom-bombers!
Accessibility
I take accessibility seriously. I am by no means an expert (I may need your help), but every time I teach I learn something new about how best to accommodate students. I aim to teach in accordance with universal design principles, which treat accessibility not as an add-on, but as a core function that makes the experience better for everyone.
UCLA does not make live-captioning technology available for classes unless students specifically request it through CAE. However, if you find it easier to follow captioned video, you can live-caption video by installing Web Captioner on your own computer. In addition, when I post Zoom recordings to CCLE, a transcript and captions will be automatically generated.
Here is UCLA’s recommended accessibility statement, which I endorse: Students needing academic accommodations based on a disability should contact the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) at (310)825-1501 or in person at Murphy Hall A255. When possible, students should contact the CAE within the first two weeks of the term as reasonable notice is needed to coordinate accommodations.
In addition to CAE accommodations, I am willing to work with you to accommodate other accessibility needs. Online learning is new to us all, and I will likely need your help to co-design accommodations, but I am happy to do so; just get in touch.
Life stuff
You don’t need me to tell you that these are incredibly stressful times. UCLA maintains a centralized list of resources available for students in need. UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services is open and providing all services through telehealth. You may also wish to be aware of free crisis counseling hotlines. For financial emergencies, UCLA can offer short-term loans as well as a range of other services for students experiencing economic crisis.
Many of my students have experienced crisis while in my class; you would not be the first and need not feel shame. I am not trained to, and cannot, provide counseling. But if something in your life is interfering with your ability to complete your work for me, it is very helpful if you tell me that this is the case. Together, we can develop a plan to help you successfully complete the class.