Remote Teaching and Learning Task Force
In order to protect the health of the URI community, slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and ensure the continuity of education for our students, the University is transitioning to remote delivery of all classes for the rest of the spring semester. We recognize that this requires an unprecedented rapid response on the part of faculty who are currently teaching students in face-to-face or hybrid classes. We also recognize that faculty provide instruction using a full range of pedagogical approaches appropriate to the distinctive attributes of the discipline and course learning outcomes and will come to this transition with varying levels of familiarity with remote instruction tools and techniques. We are committed to working with faculty as they make this transition, supporting their adoption of strategies they identify as best suited to achieve the learning outcomes for their courses, and doing our best to ensure that resources are available to assist faculty in this transition in educational delivery.
Given this context, we announce the formation of a temporary Remote Teaching and Learning Task Force to support the URI teaching community and serve as a liaison to faculty from various disciplines, departments, and colleges. The Task Force will comprise faculty and key knowledgeable staff representing a cross-section of disciplines, remote teaching skill levels, and pedagogical experiences in a broad array of courses learning goals and approaches. The Task Force will be chaired by Dr. Anne Veeger, Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Initiatives.
The purposes of the Task Force are to serve as a faculty resource to:
- help identify and solve emerging problems that will certainly arise during this abrupt transition;
- identify gaps in university resources and services, respond to existing challenges, and propose
- potential solutions or resources that might help to address those challenges;
- Support open lines of communication regarding needs of faculty, available resources, and student concerns; and,
- Provide ideas and expertise to address instructional needs in experiential, lab, studio, capstone, performance, etc., based courses that are likely to be especially complex to deliver remotely.
Task Force Members
Anne Veeger, Vice Provost, Academic & Faculty Initiatives (Chair)
Sue Adams, Human Development & Family Studies
Jennifer Burgess, Director, Academic Enhancement Center
Danielle Dennis, Director, School of Education
Megan Echevarria, Modern & Classical Languages and Literatures
Linda Forrester, Lab Manager, Biological Sciences
Peggy Frazier, Music
Diane Goldsmith, DIrector, Advancement of Teaching and Learning
Mike Honhart, History, Fac Sen Committee on Technology & Infrastructure
Marc Hutchison, Political Science
Amanda Izenstark, University Libraries
Heather Johnson, Writing & Rhetoric, Director, Writing Across URI
Leonard Kahn, Physics
Bing Lin, Business
Diane Martins, Nursing
Colleen Mouw, Oceanography.
Kelly Orr, Pharmacy
Michelle Rogers-Estable, Director, IT Teaching & Learning
Art Spivack, Oceanography
Jay Walsh, Executive Director AAUP