Information about corona/COVID-19 regarding teaching and examination

In the following, we have compiled all information concerning the current COVID-19 situation so that information relevant to the lecturers at the Department of Politics and Society and the Department of Sociology and Social Work can be found here with links to websites with important information.

AAU Corona website

AAU’s overall information site for employees on COVID-19 (in Danish and English): https://www.aau.dk/coronavirus/medarbejdere-employees/

The lecturer’s responsibilities

The lecturer’s responsibilities are:

• To ensure safe distances in the teaching area according to authority recommendations.
• To ensure a reasonable amount of time to get in and out of classrooms (seminar rooms and auditoriums).
• To ensure enough time for designated students to disinfect tables between lectures.
• The lecturer must designate students to disinfect the tables. On each row, the student to the left (seen from the lecturer’s perspective) has the assignment. Campus Service (CAS) will place containers with disinfective wipes in the classroom.
• To remind students of using the hand sanitizer dispensers outside the classrooms.
• To be familiarized with ”Coronasmitte: Undervisernes huskeliste”/”Corona infection: lecturers to-do-list" (Appendix 1 – in Danish and English)
• On the first day, coordinators designate students to be instructed in the use of the IT-equipment for combined teaching with 50 % of the class being physically present and the other 50% joining digitally via streaming.

Information on handling COVID-19 related matters by semester start and during the autumn semester 2020 

Educational Law at the Study Service department at AAU has produced a guideline containing:

• Precautionary measures for students who are infected with or show symptoms of COVID-19.
• Guidelines to the departments on handling students, who are prevented from attending classes and exams due to circumstances directly related to COVID-19.

Please see Vejledning om håndtering af studerende, der er forhindret i at deltage i undervisning og eksamen på grund af forhold, der er direkte relateret til COVID-19 [Guidance on dealing with students who are prevented from attending classes and exams due to matters directly related to COVID-19] by Study Service. Please note that the document is available in Danish only.

Teaching

Teaching takes place in various ways depending on the program and semester, and the following models are in use:

• Dividing students into clusters (see below).
• 50 % of students online and 50 % of students psychically present (combined teaching).
• Streaming between rooms. 
• Online teaching/exercises.

Teaching 50/50

Streaming in ”our own” seminar rooms: the departments have purchased IT-equipment in terms of fixed camera bars. They will be installed in the seminar rooms as soon as possible.

For streaming, the IT-equipment “Polycom Studio” is used. IT Support are currently working on a manual.

During the first lecture a student assistant is able to come and instruct the students in using the IT-equipment, so that the designated students can support the lecturer in streaming the lecture.
The student assistant will contact the coordinators on the relevant semesters.

”Teaching in clusters” (Note: only relevant to some programs and semesters)

The latest corona guidelines from UFM allows for universities to deviate from the distance requirement of one meter in order for more teaching to be conducted with physical attendance. Clusters are formed in some programs and semesters, where the study board has found it to be relevant.

Teaching takes place in clusters of approx. 30 students. It is required, that students keep to their own cluster, that a student is part of only one cluster, and that the distance requirement of one meter is maintained between the different clusters as well as between clusters and the lecturer. Note that the distance requirement of 2 meters to a lecturer must be maintained, as you lecturers will meet more clusters of students.

The clusters only apply in the classrooms. In the canteen and other open areas, the distance requirement of one meter applies.

Project groups must be formed within the clusters.

CAS makes preparations for the clusters by dividing classrooms into zones. The zones will be marked on the tables with stickers. CAS has bought armbands in a variety of colors that can be used for identification purposes among new students. These can be requested with Mary Christensen, CAS, mch@adm.aau.dk.

NOTE: Students in programs that do not use clusters must spread out in the classrooms so that only every other chair is used.

Appendix 1

"Corona infection: lecturers"-to-do-list will also be available in all classrooms.

In the following, we have compiled all information concerning the current COVID-19 situation including links to relevant and important websites. The document also addresses what is expected of you as students at Aalborg University.

AAU Corona website

AAU’s overall information site for students on COVID-19 (in Danish and English): https://www.aau.dk/coronavirus/studerende-students/

► Please watch the video: Forebyg coronasmitte på campus (“Prevent Corona spreading on Campus”) (in Danish with English subtitles) 

Best Corona-behavior

As a student, you must help maintain the best corona-behavior:

• Keep your distance according to authority recommendations.
• Take your time getting in and out of classrooms (auditoriums and seminar rooms).
• Sanitize your hands – disinfection dispensers are found outside all classrooms.

Teaching

As the lectures prepared for the autumn semester 2020 have been adapted to the current corona-situation, parts of the teaching will be held online, and a number of precautions will affect classroom teaching. Teaching will be conducted in various ways depending on the program you are enrolled in and following models are in use:

• Dividing students into clusters (see below)
• 50 % of students online and 50 % of students psychically present (combined teaching)
• Streaming between rooms
• Online teaching/exercises

Because of the special circumstances surrounding this semester, lectures will be held throughout the day and may occur late afternoon or in the evening.

”Designated students”

You, as students, can expect a supporting role in the following:

• After each class, designated students will be responsible for disinfecting tables. On each row, the student to the left (seen from the lecturer’s perspective) has the assignment. There will be containers with disinfective wipes in the classroom.
• In case of combined teaching, with which 50% of the class is physically present, while the remaining 50% participate via streaming, the teacher will designate students, who are physically present. Student assistants will guide the designated students in handling the IT equipment, thereby enabling them to support the lecturer with the streaming.

”Teaching in clusters” (Note: only relevant to some programs and semesters)

The latest corona guidelines from UFM allows for universities to deviate from the distance requirement of one meter in order for more teaching to be conducted with physical attendance. Clusters are formed in some programs, where the study board has found it to be relevant.

Teaching takes place in clusters of approx. 30 students. It is required, that students keep to their own cluster, that a student is part of only one cluster, and that the distance requirement of one meter is maintained between the different clusters as well as between clusters and the lecturer. Note that the distance requirement of 2 meters to a lecturer must be maintained, as the lecturer will meet more clusters of students.

The clusters only apply in the classrooms. In the canteen and other open areas, the distance requirement of one meter applies.

Project groups must be formed within the clusters.

Seminar rooms and auditoriums will be divided into zones, which will be marked on the tables. There will be a corona-guide on the door of the classroom.

NOTE: Students in programs that do not use clusters must spread out in the classrooms so that only every other chair is used.

The clusters may be equipped with armbands in different colors illustrating to which cluster the students belong.

The study secretary will inform students of their cluster, if the cluster model is in use on their semester.

Alcohol restrictions for events for - and with – students in the autumn semester 2020

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, AAU has formed a non-alcohol policy for students this semester. This applies to both events on campus and on rented locations. The restrictions are valid till January 31, 2021.

Precautions if you as a student experience symptoms of COVID-19

Students who have symptoms that could indicate COVID-19 (fever, sore throat, muscle pain, dry cough, etc.) should not show up at the university. If you have symptoms of corona infection you should go home in quarantine until 48 hours after the symptoms have ended.  

You should inform your department. Please send an email to corona-syg@id.aau.dk.

We recommend that you contact your doctor and take a COVID-19 test.

If you are confirmed infected with coronavirus

• Inform inform the department as well as any close contacts at AAU. Please send an email to corona-syg@id.aau.dk.
• Follow the authorities' guidelines for close contact detection with regard to close contacts outside AAU.

• Return to the university – recovered/free from infection: 
  ♦ You have not had any symptoms, you must self-isolate for seven days after being tested.
  ♦ As long as you have been symptom-free for 48 hours, you can consider yourself as being free from infection.

What to do if you are a close contact to a person who has tested positive for novel coronavirus

When you are told that you are a close contact of a person who is infected with novel coronavirus, you must contact Coronaopsporing (Corona Tracking), a division of the Danish Patient Safety Authority, which can refer you for testing. Once you have been referred for testing, go to coronaprover.dk and book times for two tests:

• First test: Book a time for your first test as soon as possible after your referral, but please note that the first test should be done a minimum of four days after your initial close contact with the infected person. If you have had close contact with an infected person for some time, e.g. because you live together, you should book a time for the first test as soon as possible.
• Second test: The second test should be done two days after the first test. If more than six days have elapsed since you last had close contact with the infected person, you do not need two tests. In that case, you only have to book a time for one test

► Check the leaflet

Students, who feel symptoms of COVID-19 while at campus, should return home and follow the guidelines above.

You may not return to the university until you have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.

► Check the precautions

In order to ensure continued high quality and to provide students at the Department of Politics and Society and the Department of Sociology and Social Work the best setting for them to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and competences in the upcoming exams, the following guidelines have been prepared. From a professional point of view, you will of course conduct the exam as you normally would, but below you will find a guide to the conduct of exams online in connection with the ordinary exams as well as re-examinations in the spring semester 2020.

The "Rules for Conducting Exams in the Spring Semester 2020" are an appendix to the rules of the Examination Order, which also apply to the conduct of exams online. The updated rules are available at this link. 

Regarding All Written Exams

The examiner is as usual responsible for ensuring that the exam assignment has been quality assured and uploaded in time.
Regarding Oral Exams. 

The study secretary is responsible for preparing the following:

• Sending information to students regarding how to hand in the "Solemn Declaration"
• In the absence of a "Solemn Declaration", the study secretary will contact the student with a reminder. The study secretary informs the examiners which students have not submitted the form prior to the exam and therefore cannot take the exam
• Notifying the relevant student(s) and internal/external examiners of the exam in Microsoft Teams by using the Outlook calendar
• Ensuring that students’ phone numbers are obtained
• Aligning with the Study Board the length of the intervals between the examinations, including whether extra time should be allocated in the exam plan in the event that a group wishes to receive the assessments individually
• As a rule, the exams are public meaning that guests who wish to attend the examination may attend. The examination is conducted in a "digital examination room", and it is possible for guests to attend the examination. In order to attend an examination, guests must contact the study secretary, who must then ensure that guests gain access to the public part of the exam in the software used for the exam (Microsoft Teams).

Preparation of all oral exams and alignment between the internal- and external examiner:

• Camera MUST be used for the examination!
• Be sure you have downloaded Microsoft Teams
• Test your equipment well in advance by joining the meeting - preferably two days before the exam. Check that audio, camera, share-screen features and Internet connection work optimally on both PC/Mac and mobile phone in case one of the devices shows system failure. If necessary, restart your PC/Mac.
• You have the opportunity to test your equipment with an IT supporter on weekdays between 8.30am-10.30am and 13.00-15.00pm. Access to the test (Access only with AAU login).
• Contact ITS Support if you encounter any problems.
  At the internal- and external examiners’ preliminary meeting agreements are reached to ensure that notes are obtained during the exam (normal procedure). It would be advisable to bring a notepad as well as a copy of the grading scale. 
• To avoid technical problems, the students are encouraged to send exam presentations (e.g.
  PowerPoints) to the examiners at least 24 hours before the exam via the ‘Reply to all” function in the
  meeting invitation in the Outlook calendar (in case of technical issues during the exam). The screensharing
  function in Microsoft Teams may be used (as a starting point) in the exam situation.
• Discuss how you will relate to the possibility of cancelling the exam if cheating is suspected.

Additional points of attention in a group exam

• Prior to the conduct of group exams, you should agree how you will make sure that all students contribute to the presentation, answer questions and participate in the discussion. Communicate these expectations to the students before the exam commences. 
• Prior to the group exam, you must establish how students wish to receive their assessments after the examination – individually or in groups. The student has the right to receive the evaluation without the presence of other examinees.
• For group exams, the Chat function in Microsoft Teams is used to make comments or indicate when the students want to say something. 
• In general, for group exams the students should sit alone in each their room. However, if they wish to sit together as a group during the exam, the group should discuss this with the supervisor during the last supervisor meeting before the exam. It is the responsibility of the student to assess whether it would be the best solution for the group to sit in the same room during the exam. It is recommended that no more than 2 people sit together in a group exam and access the exam from one computer.
  For bigger groups it is recommended that each group member use their own computer and sit in each their room.
  The group should test and ensure that it is technically possible to sit together in the same room, before the group discusses this with the supervisor. Before the group goes into dialog with the supervisor regarding sitting together, they should consider and assess the following:
  1. Is the internet connection stable enough for everyone to be connected at the same time?
  2. Are there any challenges regarding the sound/echo? 3. Is the quality of the camera and the picture good enough when several people will access the exam from the same computer? The supervisor can reject the suggestion, if the supervisor does not find it suitable. 
• A guideline as to how you find the phone numbers of the students can be found below (Appendix).

The examination

• To join the meeting in Microsoft Teams - press the 'deltag i Microsoft Teams-møde' link found in theOutlook invitation/notification of meeting. 
• The examination includes time for a preliminary meeting between the internal- and external examiners. The examiners will join the Microsoft Teams meeting at the starting time, and when the examiners are ready, the student(s) are invited/called up from MS Teams. Students can be invited from a Team Meeting by using the ‘show participants’ button in the menu bar, upon which the participant window is displayed on the right side of the screen. Hold the cursor over the student name and right-click ("Request to participate"). (Alternatively, it can be arranged that the student will access the Teams-meeting by clicking the link in the Outlook invitation, and that the preliminary meeting and the assessment is done via telephone). 
• If necessary, explain the format of the exam to the students prior to the beginning of the examination.
• At the beginning of the examination, students must pan the camera around the room to demonstrate that they are alone in the room. However, during group exams it can be arranged for students to sit together in the same room. This should be arranged before the exam. The student must show her or his student card on request. 
• Decide to take a timeout during the exam and check with the students if they find that the examination is proceeding as planned or if changes need to be made. 
• Deliberation: The examiners can remove the student from the MS Teams meeting by right-clicking the student’s name and selecting 'remove participant' (or the student leaves the virtual meeting). The examiners invites the student back into MS Teams by right clicking the name and selecting "request to join”. (Alternatively, examiners deliberate by phone, while the student wait in Teams).

Note in case of technical challenges

• If there are technical challenges in the conduct of oral exams, the examiners must compensate the students by allowing extra time for examination. The examiners decide, on the basis of a professional assessment, how much extra time is to be added. If the exam cannot be carried out due to technical challenges, the exam may be held either digitally or physically at later time (cf. Rules for Conducting Exams in the Spring Semester 2020). 
• The external examiner is responsible for taking time on outages and interruptions of the exam. 
• In the case of technical breakdowns, the external examiner calls up the internal examiner by phone to agree on how to proceed.

Please note:

On the homepage of IT Support there are likewise developed guidelines for the use of Microsoft TEAMS during examinations. Please be aware, that there can be conflicting instructions between the centrally developed and the locally developed guidelines. Especially concerning using channels in Teams and the assessment process. The Institute for Politics and Society and The Institute for Sociology and Social Work encourage all examiners to use the notifications for meetings sent by the study secretary via Outlook, where there is only made one notification for one meeting and not two, as mentioned in the guideline on the homepage of IT Support.

Guide to Microsoft Teams
 

► Introduction to how external examiners access Microsoft Teams: (Only available in Danish)

► Introduction to how external lecturers log on to AAU Microsoft Teams: (Only available in Danish)

► Master Guide to Microsoft Teams         

Additional useful links

► Digital Exam 

► ITS, guides for distance learning, teaching and meetings       

► Digitally Supported Learning Center (CDUL)

APPENDIX 1

You can find the phone numbers of the students in ‘Digital Eksamen’ (use Google Chrome or Firefox as a browser).
Open ’Digital Eksamen’ → Press the specific module (‘kursus’) for the exam → then press the button ’Vis detaljer for alle besvarelser’. Under ’gruppenavn’ the specific group will appear with the student names and study numbers. Below on the page under the headline Set of questions (‘Opgavesæt’), the phone numbers of the students will appear.