For teaching staff

These pages aim to provide teaching staff with all the information and guidance they need to resume the delivery of teaching.

Teaching in the Academic Year 2021/22

The primary mode of education delivery at the University of Sussex is through in-person teaching. This will continue as far as possible.

However, as long as the global pandemic continues, there will be a need for some adjustments. The University will use experience and feedback from the pandemic to inform how we teach our students.

Our commitment is:

  • The health, safety and wellbeing of staff and students is our key priority and will remain at the centre of our planning and decision-making. All staff and students should ensure they comply with health and safety advice at all times.
  • We will help and support colleagues and students to be on campus where it is safe to do so.

Will we still be offering students a blended teaching experience?

We expect the vast majority of teaching, learning and research to be in-person and on campus. Our education offer is normally blended, because we provide students with learning resources and opportunities that may be in-person and online, We will continue to provide a blended experience but the predominant mode of teaching will return to in-person teaching,

What if students can’t attend in person? 

Options for supporting students who cannot attend in-person

There are a limited number of reasons for which students are permitted to delay their return to in-person attendance, and students will identify these (where relevant) during registration/re-registration.

For students who cannot return to campus temporarily there are a number of options for modules to support them, and the best option is dependant on several factors e.g. learning outcomes, subject material, type of teaching session etc. Where there are students needing to study remotely, we want to encourage Module Convenors to adjust the provision for these students in a way that would provide the best experience. We recognise that for some students who are having to remotely access learning that this might mean some modules are experienced differently.

We encourage Module Convenors to discuss the options with their Director of Teaching and Learning to help with consistency and this way we can also ensure sharing of practice. Schools are now able to identify students whose return to in-person study will be delayed.

Some options for supporting students who cannot attend in-person temporarily might include:

  • directing remote students to watch the Panopto recording after a teaching session and have pre- and post-teaching resources to engage in. Students could also be signposted to office hours where these are being made available remotely
  • students watching the session live via Zoom/Panopto and having a route provided for asking questions (e.g. a Canvas forum)
  • the tutor could use Zoom during an in-person class to include all students in all activities (‘dual mode’)

For students who are able to attend the campus but are temporarily isolating they should report their absence in the usual way, be registered as Absence Notified, and should be informed of how they can best maintain their learning. This should be similar to how a student would be supported to continue their learning before Covid if they were unwell for a period of time.

What if I have concerns about delivering in-person teaching?

If you are struggling in any way about returning to work on campus, speak to your line manager. Managers are asked to work with all their staff, listening to the challenges faced, considering with staff feasible plans for campus working.

Are there any systems I need to be aware of to help plan teaching?   

If for any reason, such as any new government guidance, it is deemed necessary to limit room capacities at any point during the academic year, lecturers are encouraged to make use of the Sign-Up system to plan teaching.

Will we have large lectures?

There will be minimal restrictions in terms of returning to large lectures. As ever, this will be in accordance with Government guidance and Health & Safety guidance.

How will we manage practicals? 

Module conveners may wish to use the Sign-Up system to plan for how many students will attend. Risk assessments for practicals should be reviewed as normal. There is detailed guidance for specific activities on the H&S Covid Resource pages that cover teaching spaces, offices/ low hazard spaces, laboratories and research involving face to face work with human participants.

How do I deliver teaching to students in-person and online, if being used?  

There are guidelines available for Dual Mode (simultaneous delivery).

Thought should be given to what mode of delivery is best suited to the session

For example, if a lecture is in-person and recorded, students who are not able to make the lecture can still meet the learning outcomes by watching the recording (see ‘Recording of teaching activities and other uses of Panopto’). If the cohort is divided into groups, the Sign-Up system should be used to ascertain the number of in-person or on-line seminar groups. It might be that some sessions are better delivered online.

How will assessments take place? 

All assessments are being planned so that they will not normally require in-person attendance. Some exceptions may be necessary e.g., to meet requirements of an external professional body. Where this is the case Schools should discuss the assessment with ADQE, via their Curriculum and Assessment Officer and Director of Teaching and Learning. Clear guidance will need to be communicated to students. 

What if the numbers of Covid-19 cases on campus increase? 

As the pandemic continues, there is the potential for the situation to change and develop. We will keep you up to date on any adjustments we need to make to teaching delivery in the event of an outbreak (see most recent Government Guidance) and alternative delivery scenarios will come into effect in the event that we do need to adapt.

We will continue to follow Government guidelines and, if required, we will be able to deliver the curriculum online, ensuring students are able to meet the module learning outcomes. 

You will also find:

If you have any questions relating to our plans, email covidquestions@sussex.ac.uk.