Texas Tech University

Tools for Learning, Teaching, and Working Remotely at Texas Tech

image of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

IT Resources and Guidelines

To plan for operational and learning continuity in the event of an extenuating institutional situation requiring university closure, such as a pandemic outbreak or natural disaster, faculty and students may be asked to teach and attend courses remotely, perhaps on short notice. Staff may also be directed to temporarily work remotely, so that education, research, and business operations can continue during the situation. To aid in preparing for such an event, we offer these IT resources and considerations.

Learning/Teaching:

Faculty and students would leverage Blackboard, the university's learning management system, for online instruction. Courses could also utilize our online meeting spaces, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Skype for Business, and Microsoft Teams, for connecting students and faculty. For those not familiar with these tools, TTU also has a number of Zoom licenses available at no cost to the departments during this time. Ensuring that adequate devices, network connectivity, and peripherals (webcams, headsets, microphones) are readily available will be paramount. Be sure to update operating systems and software to the latest versions and connect to TTU email frequently to stay in touch with faculty and students.

Working:

Faculty, researchers and staff will encounter many of the same challenges while attempting to work remotely. In addition, you should ensure that communication lines remain open to stay in contact with your team. For telephone service, the free mobile Skype for Business App is available in the app stores. The app provides the ability to receive and make calls using your TTU phone number and to join online meetings. For file storage, it is best to move these files to one of the university's cloud/server-based storage solutions, such as OneDrive for Business or SharePoint.

Guidelines

Be Prepared!

  • Beware of cybercriminals and scams
  • Adequate Internet Access
  • Move required work files to your OneDrive for Business (secure) platform
  • Review technology tools and select those that you will use; prepare your computer appropriately
  • Test your microphone, video, and network connection on a regular basis
  • Password protect any home computer that might be used for working at home in an extenuating circumstance
  • If you do not have adequate hardware at home, speak to your supervisor.  Institutional resources may be available under such circumstances.