Preparing for Spring 2021

Though flexible teaching practices can be implemented at any time and for any course, for Spring 2021, you should assume that some of your students will be participating remotely. It is also likely that many faculty will be teaching remotely. All courses should therefore be designed to be online, even if it may be possible to interact with students in person from time to time.

First, review the Blueprints page to get an idea of what flexible teaching may look like for your course.

If you are not sure where to start, or are worried you will not be able to design your flexible course in time, the Course Design Planner can help you navigate the guides and get started in four weeks.

Then, work through the three Flexible Teaching Guides which will walk you through the process of redesigning, gathering materials for and delivering your spring course(s).

Attend a workshop to gain hands-on experience on various flexible teaching topics. If you are unable to attend, we post videos of recorded workshops.

If you have any questions that are not answered in the FAQ, stop by our open office hours. Learning Innovation staff members are available typically Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3 p.m. EDT to answer your questions and work with you one-on-one.

At its best, flexible teaching successfully combines the design, organization and deep preparation of online courses, the agility and choice of hybrid/blended courses and the student connection and engagement of face-to-face courses. 

While Learning Innovation crafted this site for Duke faculty and for a Duke audience, we also want the Duke teaching community to know that there is a wide and growing body of resources available beyond Duke. You will find links to many of these resources alongside the content we have created within the guides themselves, and we have identified some broad references and resources for those who want to explore further below.