Reminder to all instructors: the students are not OK, their living situation is not normal, doing exams online is challenging enough (students don’t have home offices, some have spotty WiFi nvd no WiFi (leading to family discussions on when & where WiFi can be used).

Some faculties have done a great job to accommodate the extra stress. Ie @ubcscience made all their exams 5-30% (whatever benefits students) while @UBC_Arts did not

This will lead to inequities as not everyone is equipped. I know of students with final exams worth 66% (66! ). Why does this matter? Students are not at their best (some student marks are reduced by 50% from earlier in the term).

Be kind. Really think about what students can and should learn at this point in their courses. Challenge them but with the extra security that marks are secondary

Design exams that are open book so that you don’t need to use some sort of “spyware” (this leads to heightened anxiety in our own household at a time when none of us needs more anxiety) + cameras use up more bandwidth! & students are worried abt WiFi cutting out as it is

These are not normal times. We are not buisness as normal except online. STOP treating us/them this way.

Finally I loved @UBCmedicine guiding principles for supervision of grad students which can apply to courses. The first one: Do No Harm