SMCC Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Course Schedule and Modality Guidelines as of June 1, 2020
806 sections | 344 in-person (43%) | 127 hybrid (16%) | 291 online (36%) | 44 misc (5%)
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to inform the college community as to our strategic approach to the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 course schedules at South Mountain Community College (SMCC). We will publish updated versions of this document on July 1 and August 1 as changing circumstances dictate. We aspire to deliver extraordinary student learning opportunities while prioritizing the safety, health, and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.
Goals:
Offer a range of instructional delivery methods that are responsive to the needs of our students.
Retain the ability to offer in-person instruction where possible, with student safety as a priority.
Allow for courses to shift modalities in response to external forces (pandemic-related or otherwise) while retaining the highest quality of instruction and providing clear expectations to students.
Guiding Principles
- Equity - A student-centered, learning-focused approach in which student learning needs and personalization of learning come first.
- Flexibility - SMCC will offer and schedule required courses in a suitable learning environment so that all students can create a schedule that allows them to balance their academic work with their personal life and needs. Schedules will reflect the nature of the degree program and be offered in a variety of modalities and in a variety of scheduling timeframes.
- Fairness - An inclusive, open, transparent process that incorporates input from all faculty, staff and students.
Instructional Delivery Methods
South Mountain Community College will offer a range of instructional delivery methods for the fall semester. Currently, 43% of our courses are scheduled to be offered in-person/on-campus, 16% are scheduled as hybrid, 36% are scheduled as online (officially termed “internet”), and 5% are scheduled as private instruction or field experience. These percentages are expected to shift in response to changing circumstances. For example, many faculty are currently considering migrating in-person classes to the new Live Online format, detailed below.
SMCC will offer the following instructional delivery methods for the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters.
- In-person: Class meeting days and times will be listed in the schedule and will be held on campus. With healthy and safety in mind, in-person classes will be capped at 16 students per class. Exceptions will be allowed only if faculty are able to divide the class to meet in groups no larger than 16 students. An example might be for a science lab class of 24 students, 12 students would meet on Monday, 12 students would meet on Wednesday.
- Live Online: Classes will meet synchronously at the time listed in the class schedule on a virtual platform. This new modality was created to meet the changing needs of our community, providing the best of "in-person" instruction in an online environment. (ex: Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet)
- Hybrid: Part of the class will be held online without a set time to attend. The other part will occur in an in-person format on campus on the days and times listed in the class schedule.
- Hybrid/Virtual: Part of the class will be held online without a set time to attend. The other part will occur at the time listed in the class schedule in a virtual format using a virtual platform.
- Internet: The entire class will be held online without set meeting days or times to attend.
Our strategic approach to scheduling will evolve and adapt in response to local, state and federal guidelines, in addition to recommendations and best practices provided by MCCCD and other reputable authorities.
Although our current times are challenging and uncharted, we are eager to address all obstacles swiftly and with our student's best interests at heart.
Sincerely,
Clyne G. H. Namuo, Ph.D.
Vice President of Learning
South Mountain Community College