Get Started

Here you will find best practices for teaching in online, residential, and blended contexts along with information on technology tools to support remote or blended teaching. We are here to help. If you cannot easily find what you need, please contact your school's local academic support staff, the HUIT Service Desk, your local IT support, or reach out to VPAL with suggestions for additional resources to include on this site.

Review Harvard’s Policies

Get details about Harvard’s public health policies: Harvard maintains a COVID-19 Information site, with updated policies on closures, restrictions, and options.
Check with your department: Your department may issue guidelines about their expectations for classes.
Review the rules and best practices for classroom session recordings and transcripts - and the Q&A for Faculty regarding Zoom classroom recordings.
Prepare against the possibility of Zoom bombing: Zoom bombing is when meetings are purposefully (and often offensively) disrupted. Because of the potentially upsetting nature of Zoom bombing incidents, you should secure your Zoom meeting in advance. If Zoom bombing does occur, end the Zoom meeting immediately for everyone and move to a previously communicated Plan B.
Understand copyright considerations when shifting courses from in-person to online. In summary, if it was okay to do in class, it is often okay to do in a fully online classroom environment, especially when your online access is limited to the same enrolled students. Please always take accessibility needs into account.

Create a communication plan: make sure your syllabus and course website tell students how and when they can contact you (email, online office hours, etc.), and how and when they can expect to receive your reply.
Share your Emergency Instruction Plan B: Make sure students know what to do if your live online course or event is Zoom bombed.