Class Implementation from May 7 (2nd Official Communication)

Date: April 17, 2020

Class implementation from May 7 (2nd official communication)

From: The President of Kyoto Institute of Technology
   Kiyotaka Morisako
    

1.Basic Policy

 On April 7, the government declared a state of emergency over seven prefectures, including Osaka and Hyogo; the state of emergency was subsequently expanded nationwide on April 16. In light of the ongoing outbreak of the infection, we have determined that there is a high possibility that the state of emergency and the requests for self-restraint will continue after May 7 and have, therefore,decided to conduct all classes of the first semester online (distance learning).
 In the event that the government and the local authorities determine that safety has been sufficiently secured, face-to-face classes may be restored; however, even in that case, notification will be given well in advance.

2.Notes on attending classes

(1)Academic calendar

 Academic Calendar 2020-2021(PDF)

(2)Start period of classes, syllabus changes etc.

 Due to the full-scale shift to online classes, depending on the course, it may be difficult to hold the class itself and it may be necessary to “Suspend the class this year” or to “Change to second semester”.
 Be sure to check this kind of information on the “Class Information” of the Student Information Portal. If you need to modify your course registration, please do so during the course registration confirmation / modification period from April 25th to 27th.
 In addition, be sure to check the syllabus as the content of some classes may change significantly due to the online implementation.

(3)Classes from April 13 to May 1

 During the above period, instructors will, in principle, give assignments through Moodle (equivalent to one class.) As the assignments may be given through the student information portal, be sure to check the “Class Information”. For submission of reports, please follow your instructor’s advice. As of April 17, there are courses for which assignments have not been given yet, so please continue to check regularly.

(4)Online classes from May 7

 The methods of conducting classes are broadly divided into on-demand classes (e.g. exchanging materials / documents using Moodle) and simultaneous delivery classes (e.g. live video classes using WebEx). Although it depends on the course, the following are the main patterns.
 Class content and implementation method will be notified onMoodle; please be sure to check early, follow the instructions of your instructor and make the necessary preparations before attending the class.
 The operation status and trouble regarding the online class system will be notified using the following Twitter account. Please do not contact the university office.
Kyoto Institute of Technology Center for Information Science
 https://twitter.com/cis_kit

1)Moodle use (1) Implementation not bound by timetable
   Check the weekly Moodle topics. Lecture materials (pdf, videos, etc.) will be available. Download them for preparatory study and viewing. If you have any questions, ask the instructor through the forum or email. Submit an assignment through Moodle by the deadline. You can use the forum to ask and answer questions with instructors and other students.。

2)Moodle use (2) Implementation according to timetable
   Check the weekly Moodle topics. Lecture materials (pdf, videos, etc.) will be available, so make sure you have enough time to prepare and watch before class
   If you have any questions, ask the instructor through the forum or email.
   During class, instructors or TAs (graduate students who are assistants) respond to questions in real time through chats and forums. Voting and small tests may be held.
   After class hours, submit the assignment through Moodle by the deadline.

3)WebEx use (1) Live lectures according to timetable
   Having at hand the lecture materials (pdf) and textbooks distributed in advance, take the lecture only by listening to the instructor’s voice. You can also listen to the lecture on your smartphone. The following are also possible.
   ・Before attending, ask questions in advance using Moodle
   ・While attending, use Moodle / WebEx for voting, Q&A and group discussion
   ・After attending, submit an assignment using Moodle

4)WebEx use (2) Live lectures according to timetable
   While viewing the lecture materials (pdf, ppt), take the lecture mainly by sound. It is desirable to prepare a personal computer or a tablet. The following are also possible.
   ・Before attending, ask questions in advance using Moodle
   ・While attending, use Moodle / WebEx for voting, Q&A and group discussion
   ・After attending, submit an assignment using Moodle

5)WebEx use (3) Live lectures according to timetable
   While the instructor is writing on a whiteboard, etc., take the lecture as if you were present in the lecture room. In this case also, it is desirable to prepare a personal computer or tablet. The following are also possible.
   ・Before attending, ask questions in advance using Moodle
   ・While attending, use Moodle / WebEx for voting, Q & A and group discussion
   ・After attending, submit an assignment using Moodle

(5)Inter-University Liberal Arts Education Courses

1)On April 23, the drawing results for the courses will be announced. Please check the course registration web system.
2)As an alternative measure for the classes canceled on April 13, 20 and 27, the following information will be posted on the class information of the Student Information Portal on April 27th. Please submit the assignments following the instructions for each course.
   ・Educational materials (explanatory materials and reference materials regarding the content of the lectures)
   ・Learning method using educational materials
   ・Assignments (content of report assignments that students are required to submit)
   ・Submission deadline / submission method of assignments
   ・Contact information, contact method, etc. for any questions about the content of the lectures

3)For classes on and after May 11th, lecture materials and assignments will be posted on the class information of the Student Information Portal. Please follow the instructions for each course and proceed with the learning assignments.
4)The last lecture of the Inter-University Liberal Arts Education Courses is scheduled for July 27 and the examination is scheduled for August 3.
5)The following summer intensive courses, which overlap with our school schedule, will be handled so as not to suffer any disadvantages, such as by dealing with assignments; registration is, therefore, possible.
  ”Topics of Biosciences”
  ”U.S. and China, Now and the Future(Liberal Arts Seminar)”
  ”Development Psychology”
  ”Chronobiology”

(6)Taking online classes

 As this requires attending classes without going out, it is dependent on the Internet environment at home or residence. In order to create a comfortable learning environment, please prepare an internet environment such as a laptop computer, tablet terminal device, optical line or Wi-Fi router.
 In the unlikely event that you are unable to satisfactorily attend a course due to the reception device or internet environment, the instructor will support accordingly with Moodle so that you will not be disadvantaged. Please consult with the instructor in charge.

(7)Grade evaluation

 According to the academic calendar, regular examination is scheduled for August 31 to September 4. We will inform you one month in advance (early August) whether or not it will be held in the lecture room. If the regular examination is not held, evaluation will take place by other means, such as reports.

(8)Copyright issues related to online classes

 The copyright of all copyrighted materials used in online classes is specially licensed for educational purposes only. Specify the citation when using it in reports. Do not copy the data for any purpose other than to be used for answering questions. Be sure not to disclose or provide the copied data to third parties using SNS. Please note that violation of the above, constitutes a violation of the copyright law.

3. Inquiries about online classes

(1)Inquiries about Moodle and WebEx

 Please refer to the following URL regarding the use of distance learning tools.
 KIT Information literacy guidance
 https://moodle.cis.kit.ac.jp/course/view.php?id=37749.
 Please note that the Center for Information Science is currently facing an increasing number of inquiries. For any questions, please use the below website.
Helpdesk https://helpdesk.cis.kit.ac.jp/
By using the helpdesk, a receipt number is issued, which allows you to check the status of your inquiry.

(2)Inquiries about the undergraduate or graduate programs

 Undergraduate students should contact the study advisor of each program. Contact by phone or email is possible. Please refer to the Student Information Portal for the study advisors’ contact information.
 Graduate students should consult with the director of the program or their supervisor.

(3)Other inquiries about registration, classes in general, common courses

 Post your questions on the common Secretariat Moodle “Forum” for courses.
 https://moodle.cis.kit.ac.jp/enrol/index.php?id=53369
 Please select the appropriate topic according to the content.