Cancellation of classes, 2020
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
3F, Quezon Hall, Diliman, Quezon City
Tele/Fax: (632) 962-6345; 9818722; 9818500 local 2528
Email:
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
3F, Quezon Hall, Diliman, Quezon City
Tele/Fax: (632) 962-6345; 9818722; 9818500 local 2528
Email:
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
20 March 2020
Memorandum No. OVPAA 2020-38
For: UP System Faculty
(through the Chancellors, Vice-Presidents for Academic Affairs, the
Deans, Institute Directors and Department Chairs)
From: Maria Cynthia Rose Banzon Bautista
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Re: SUSPENSION OF CLASSES IN ALL UP CONSTITUENT UNIVERSITIES EXCEPT UP OPEN UNIVERSITY
LIFTING OF DEADLINE FOR DROPPING AND FILING OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER AY 2019-2020
_________________________________________________________________
On the Suspension of Technology-Supported Learning
In light of the enhanced community quarantine over the entire Luzon and the imposition of similar measures in other regions of the country, classes both residential and online and alternative learning activities in the UP System (except UP Open University) are suspended until 14 April 2020 while the University assesses the situation and decides on how best to facilitate learning and manage academic requirements in the time of COVID-19. Since the situation remains very fluid, the University’s academic response to the crisis will be crafted iteratively and disseminated accordingly.
In the meantime, the faculty is urged to continue exploring alternative delivery modes apart from online tools and to learn to optimize the use of online tools from home, if feasible. They are also expected to use the time to calibrate their courses beyond the stipulated 23 March 2020 deadline for the submission of revised syllabi in OVPAA Memorandum No. 2020-35—which is now lifted. In addition, faculty members and officials are encouraged to share creative strategies or thoughts on how to move forward by email with their Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs cc
In the course of calibrating courses, the faculty may take the following considerations into account:
o The University’s education site subscription to ZOOM will be available within the next few days. This will enable hosting and attendance of formal and informal meetings, classes and webinars even after the projected mid-April end of the lockdown as long as the UP System faculty, staff and students use their up.edu.ph addresses, gadgets and access to the internet. The epidemiological pattern of the disease suggests that it may peak around May and begin its decline thereafter. However, the period of decline will not necessarily imply a return to normalcy in the next few months.
OVPAA Memorandum 2020-31 and 2020-35 directed the faculty to utilize UP’s learning management system and other platforms for uploading learning materials, assessment tools and student submissions, and interacting with students. The period of suspension is also a time to further enhance the use of these platforms in preparation for the lifting of the suspension of classes.
The suspension is also the time for the faculty to get to know each of their students more and take their situation into account when calibrating their courses.
o There are different types of technology-supported learning activities, from “low-tech” options (e.g. Q&A via SMS, printed worksheets) to online activities (e.g. blogs, online quizzes, discussion fora, webinars), that may be utilized given the varying conditions of our campuses and students. The Webinar Series that UPOU is offering to the faculty of other UP Constituent Units will discuss these and general principles in the design of technology-supported learning.
o In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Universities worldwide confront the same challenge of enabling learning in the midst of disruption, albeit under different conditions depending on the level of development of their societies. Recommendations of fellow academics on how to deal with the crisis are worth noting. Consider, for instance, some of the tips of University of Washington Professor Penas on Pedagogy in Time of Epidemic that is available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/12HaENU4tIZZYC16d4neyIDF3TAs6DEi15aYuw500P7M/mobilebasic:
1) Prioritize: What do students really need to know for the next few weeks? This is really difficult, and, once again, it means that the quality of teaching and learning will suffer. But these are NOT normal circumstances.
2) Stay in contact with students, and stay transparent. Talk to them about why you’re prioritizing certain things or asking them to read or do certain things. Most of us do that in our face-to-face teaching anyway, and it improves student buy-in because they know content and delivery are purposeful.
3) Make assignments lower or no stakes if you’re using a new platform. Get students used to just using the platform. Then you can do something higher stakes. Do not ask students to do a high stakes exam or assignment on a new platform.
o There are also various online discipline-specific resources that faculty can explore, such as the STEM video education library of the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) at https://www.jove.com/blog/educator-blog/jove-offers-free-access-to-extensive-stem-education-video-library-to-aid-remote-teaching-learning-as-covid-19-pandemic-shuts-down-classrooms-around-the-world/
On the Lifting of Deadlines
The deadline for dropping and leave of absence for the second semester 2019-2020 is hereby lifted. The new deadlines will be announced in subsequent memos.
Thank you and please stay safe.
[THE MEMO ABOVE SUPERCEDES THE PREVIOUS MEMO, POSTED BELOW]
12 March 2020MEMORANDUM NO. LND 2020-025
TO: ALL UNITS
FROM: PROF. LARRY N. DIGAL, PhD
Chancellor
SUBJECT: CANCELLATION OF CLASSES AND IMMEDIATE SHIFT TO ONLINE OR TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENTS, EFFECTIVE TOMORROW, 13 MARCH 2020, UNTIL AFTER THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IS LIFTED
In accordance with the Davao City Government Guidelines No. 07 for Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), ALL classes are hereby CANCELLED effective tomorrow, 13 March 2020. All faculty are advised to immediately shift to online mode or take-home assignments UNTIL AFTER the public health emergency is lifted. A copy of the Davao City Guidelines No. 7 is hereby attached for your reference.
Thank you.
References:
Davao City Goverment Guidelines No. 7, click here http://bit.ly/2IJ13kF
Memorandum from the Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, click here http://bit.ly/2IKHclf