The following message was sent on February 11 to all DKU Undergraduate Students from Marcia France, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Noah Pickus, Dean of Undergraduate Curricular Affairs and Faculty Development
Dear Students:
We hope this email finds you and your family well. We know that this has been a difficult and unsettling time for everyone, between concerns for the health and safety of our friends and families and disruption to our usual routines. Like you, we are eager to get our courses going again. Our intent is for most DKU session 3 courses to be completed online, and possibly for session 4 courses to be completed in that way as well if necessary. We are monitoring the situation very closely. The health and safety of every member of the DKU community is our first priority. If we feel that we can safely return to in-person instruction on the DKU campus during session 4, we will do so. In the meantime, we appreciate your support during this extraordinary – and temporary – situation.
Please know that we remain committed to providing the same DKU-quality education in this new format as we were delivering in Kunshan. Every unique challenge provides a unique opportunity, and DKU’s online courses will offer their own benefits, including:
- Flexibility: You’ll have the freedom to manage your own schedules and to work at the times and in the places that you prefer. You get to pause and rewind, to review your notes, or to conduct additional reading or research and then return to the lecture or discussion. Students often report finding it much easier to retain what they’ve studied in an online format.
- Quality: Communicating your ideas clearly, responding to feedback, and managing projects in a virtual world are just the skills needed in the modern workplace. You and your professor will have the time to craft better arguments and to analyze the work of your peers. You’ll also get intensive feedback on your writing and dedicated attention from faculty who actively nurture relationships with you.
- Community: Many students find it easier to concentrate and to participate in online class discussions. You’ll have more time to find your way into a conversation, to make your unique contribution, and to draw in your classmates. Team projects often function better online and online discussion forums can foster an especially strong sense of community.
- Really Rooted Globalism: You’ll participate in a virtual global conversation with your faculty and peers while you are also embedded in very specific local contexts – a distinct way of experiencing being rooted and being global at the same time. This is a unique opportunity to test out one of DKU’s core principles – and to see what the world can learn from us.
We recognize that internet access may vary by location and some students may not be able to access each course fully. We are committed to finding alternative solutions to help faculty and students who encounter IT difficulties. Students who experience problems should contact the IT Help Desk at service-desk@dukekunshan.edu.cn. All DKU students will be enrolled in a new Sakai site that will contain how-to guides for online learning tools, including using resources on Sakai and Zoom.
This link is to a memo that covers the following subjects:
- Spring Schedule
- General Guidance
- Technology
- Course Scheduling
- Changes in Syllabi
- Laboratory and Other Courses That Require Hands-On Work
- Textbooks
- Academic Integrity
- ARC and WLS
We will be holding an online forum to answer student questions and address any concerns next week. Please look for announcements.
NOTE: an improved VPN system for China-based users is being implemented and you will receive updates shortly. Zoom Pro is also now available for all DKU faculty and students, which should allow for improved performance compared to what some of you might have experienced in the past. You will also be receiving further guidance on accessing Zoom and WebEx (as a back-up to Zoom).
Marcia France, Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Noah Pickus, Dean of Undergraduate Curricular Affairs and Faculty Development
