A top priority of the University of South Carolina is the health and safety of our campus community, particularly during a flu outbreak. A number of steps for protecting yourself and the University community from the H1N1 flu virus have been published on the University website.

University Technology Services recommends that you plan for alternative methods of communicating, teaching, and working with students in the event of a flu outbreak or high absenteeism due to illness.

Plan Ahead

There are a number of challenges to teaching during flu outbreaks. But most can be addressed through planning and preparation:

1. Plan for alternate methods of communication and course delivery with your students:
   • Create course materials and assignments for students to access and complete should you be absent from class
   • Provide students with access to information presented in class should they be absent due to illness
   • Devise fair and equitable processes for students to complete assignments or examinations should they be absent due to illness
   • Communicate and clarify these procedures with your students in a timely fashion by adding this information to your syllabus, or providing handouts
   
   
2. Know your Blackboard - The University Blackboard system is ready for you to use, and provides a quick method for communication and course delivery. It is also a premier tool for online delivery of learning materials that your students can access through the Internet.
   • You and your students can access Blackboard at: Blackboard.sc.edu
   • All classes assigned to you are already set up, including a complete student roster. Blackboard has both an "Announcement" feature and built-in email that are tied to the class roster. You can create a message in Blackboard and send it to all students, or a select group
   • Blackboard is a great tool for online delivery of lectures, class assignments, examinations, grades, and learning materials (such as articles, papers, video, and links to online resources). You can use Blackboard to continue teaching your class even if regular sessions cannot meet in a physical classroom

UTS maintains a number of helpful documents on how to effectively use Blackboard for communication and online course delivery at our Teaching and Technology site. If you are new to Blackboard, you may want to first visit our Tools for Maintaining Classroom Activities During a Flu Outbreak.

We also offer training and support for online presentation tools, such as Adobe Presenter (that works with Microsoft PowerPoint) or Adobe Connect (a web-communication tool). Using these tools, you can pre-record class lectures and presentations and save them to Blackboard, where your students can access them. For more information on using these tools, contact our Teaching and Technology staff at 777-6015.

If You are Ill, or if a Flu Outbreak Occurs

• First and foremost: manage your own health.
  If you become ill, you should contact your primary care physician, and follow the guidelines from the Student Health Center.

• Second: Visit the UTS site: Tools for Maintaining Classroom Activities During a Flu Outbreak.

The University of South Carolina will keep members of its community informed of health risks, operational changes, or closures through its home page at www.sc.edu.
Announcements may also be made through your college or department website, and local media such as television and radio stations.

Keep your students informed of links to University information, any class schedule changes, and any assignments you may wish to provide for them. Once again, Blackboard is a primary tool you can use for communicating with your students.