Created in partnership between the Center for Teaching & Learning and the Online Learning Initiative.
Surveying students about technology access and other barriers
Students may be facing barriers to engaging with remote coursework, including limited internet access, access to devices, differing time zones, and changing family responsibilities.
To determine your students' access and the best strategies for your course, consider a brief student survey. As this can entail collecting sensitive information, please be sure to use a secure Penn-approved platform such as Canvas. You can find a sample survey on Canvas (please enroll in the course to preview it). This survey can be imported into your Canvas course and adjusted to suit your class.
Also consider ways to check in with students throughout the semester to evaluate strategies and in case students’ situations change.
Getting Help
If you need further help beyond the resources here, contact the instructional technology support for your school.
Upcoming workshops on teaching.
Recordings and notes from prior Workshops on Teaching Remotely.
You can also contact the Center for Teaching & Learning for questions about how to meet your course goals using the available technologies.