On Wednesday, March 11, Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley held a webinar with college presidents about transitioning face-to-face course instruction online in response to COVID-19.
The Chancellor’s Office has provided the ability for all colleges to convert in-person classes to online, and more than 41 colleges have made this transition or are preparing to shift to expanded delivery of online instruction in the coming days. Many colleges are using upcoming scheduled spring breaks to make this transition.
“The California Community Colleges has long been a leader in online education, and I am urging colleges to increase their ability to use this option during this emergency and in future emergencies and to limit in person contacts,” Chancellor Oakley said. “Our colleges are no strangers to disasters, unfortunately, and they are working diligently to help communities get through this crisis and they will play critical roles during recovery.”
Colleges can utilize an emergency approval process to convert all possible courses online, with some colleges navigating this process in parallel with their transition. The Chancellor’s Office is ensuring maximum flexibility to ensure that colleges can act swiftly and prioritize the safety and health of their students and community.
“We are positioned to support colleges during this transition by leveraging statewide infrastructure, including Canvas and cloud-based online student support platforms,” said CVC-OEI Executive Director Jory Hadsell. “We are also providing resources and expertise in response to college needs, with a primary goal of easing the transition for students.”
Resources available to help faculty, staff and students during this transition include:
- CVC-OEI Emergency Preparedness Resources
- Instructional, Student Services and Shared College Resource Information
- Student Online Readiness Modules
Specific resources for students new to online instruction include:
- Introduction to Online Learning
- Getting Tech Ready
- Communication Skills for Online Learning
- Canvas Overview
- Upload Your Canvas Profile
- Communicate with Your Instructors and Peers
The Chancellor’s Office is continually updating its website with information about COVID-19, including public health information, emergency planning resources and communications to colleges.
California Community Colleges faculty, staff and administrators can also find resources and information within the Vision Resource Center. Create an account or log in. Under the “Connect” menu, visit “All Communities” and look for the “CCC | COVID-19 Resources, Tools and Discussion”. Select the community and then “Join Community” to access the content within.
For online instruction support requests, please contact CVC-OEI at support@cvc.edu.