Remote teaching and conducting examinations - Order No. 110

Order No. 110 of the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 27 May 2020 on providing teaching classes in a remote mode and method of conducting examinations and credit assessment.

Pursuant to Art.52.3 of the resolution No. 37 of the Senate of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 16 April 2019 Statutes of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Biuletyn Prawny UMK of 2019, item 120) and Art.2.1 of the Order No. 109 of the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 27 May 2020 on preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among members of the community of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Biuletyn Prawny UMK of 2020, item 200 it is ordered as follows:

Article 1

1. Until the end of the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020, the principles of providing teaching classes in a remote mode and the principles of conducting exams and credit assessments, hereinafter referred to as the principles, shall be in force at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
2. The principles shall apply to the provision in a remote mode in the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, hereinafter referred to as the University, of classes and conducting examinations and credit assessments resulting from the curricula in higher education- 1-cycle degree programs, 2-cycle degree programs, long-cycle master's degree programs, doctoral studies, doctoral schools, postgraduate studies and other forms of learning.
3. Remote classes can be delivered in an on-line (synchronous) or off-line (asynchronous) mode. The classes may be taught in a remote mode regardless of whether such a mode is provided for in the learning program or curriculum (study program).
4. The classes referred to in Art.1.2 shall not be subject to the reduction in the number of ECTS credits laid down in the learning program or curriculum (study program) which may be obtained as part of learning with the use of methods and techniques of distance learning with the exception of the fields of study for which the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education defines the standards of education preparing for the profession of doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, midwife, laboratory diagnostician, physiotherapist and medical rescuer.
5. Physical education classes shall be conducted in a remote mode in the existing class groups by the respective units delivering classes in the Toruń campus and the Bydgoszcz campus of the University.
6. Credit assessments and examinations in a foreign language provided by the Foreign Languages Center in the Toruń campus and by the Centre for Specialist Languages in Medicine in the Bydgoszcz campus shall be conducted in a remote mode.

Article 2

1. The decision on determining the subjects and classes to be taught in a remote mode by academic teachers and persons employed by the University under civil-law contracts shall be made by the dean of the faculty at which the courses are taught or the director of the didactic unit at the University.
2. Information on the subjects and classes to be taught in a remote mode and teachers conducting the said classes shall be posted and updated without delay by the dean on the faculty website.

Article 3

1. The teacher conducting didactic classes in a remote mode shall be obliged to prepare appropriate teaching materials necessary to obtain learning outcomes assigned to a given subject.
2. The teacher conducting teaching classes in a remote mode shall be responsible for the substantive content included in the materials for these classes.
3. The teacher conducting the class shall be obliged to inform the participants of a given group without delay about the chosen mode of remote teaching by means of e-mail sent via the USOS-web system.
4. The teacher shall keep the participants informed about the stages of course implementation on an ongoing basis and shall provide the participants with the feedback on their learning progress.
5. The teacher conducting teaching classes in a remote mode shall provide appropriate methods for the verification of learning outcomes and shall regularly monitor and document the learning process of the course participants.
6. Where external tools are used, the teacher conducting the class shall also be responsible for:

1)      making the tool available in compliance with the law, including in particular copyright and personal data protection law;

2)      providing access to the tool for class participants in compliance with the law and free of charge;

3)      proper securing and archiving of teaching materials and the course in terms of verification of the learning outcomes achieved by the participants and the assessments by accreditation committees.

7. When organizing the class in a remote mode, the teacher should take into account technical limitations of the participants. In the event of technical limitations which make it impossible to participate in a distance learning class, the participant is obliged to report this fact without delay to the teacher and arrange with him/her other rules of settling the student’s work within the framework of a given subject.
8. The student has the right to receive support from the teacher delivering the class and the University ( via the University Centre for IT Services (pl. Uniwersyteckie Centrum Komputerowe)) in operating the system supporting the learning process in a remote mode.
9. The student is obliged to:

1)      participate in the teaching class organized in a remote mode in accordance with the rules laid down by the teacher conducting the class pursuant to the study rules subject to Art. 3.7,

2)      do all the assignments specified by the teacher delivering the class.

Article 4

1. In the event that the mode of teaching is changed to a remote one, it is possible to adjust the requirements for conducting the credit assessment of classes and examinations to the changed mode of delivering classes. The teacher conducting the class shall enter the said changes into the syllabus.
2. The adjustment of the requirements referred to in Art. 4.1 shall be made by the course coordinator, in consultation with the course participants, taking into account the chosen form of remote teaching and ensuring the verification of the achievement of all learning outcomes defined in the syllabus.
3. The adjustment of the requirements referred to in Art. 4.1 requires the acceptance of persons supervising the proper conduct of the teaching process referred to in Art. 11.1.

Article 5

1. Classes which are delivered in a remote mode shall be conducted in this mode until their completion provided that the learning outcomes specified for these classes can be achieved remotely.
2. Examinations and credit assessments completing the course shall be conducted according to the information provided in the course syllabus and in the following mode:

1)   remote – asynchronous consisting in assigning by the teacher of tasks to be carried out by students, including, among others, papers, essays;

2)   remote pursuant to the principles laid down in Art.6;

3)   remote pursuant to the principles laid down in Art.7 or

4)   traditional pursuant to the principles laid down in Art.8

- pursuant to the organisation of the academic year 2019/2020 in force in the University and the principles of safety and sanitary regime save Art. 5.3.

3. International students, regardless of their place of residence, shall have the right to take examinations and credit assessments completing classes referred to in Art. 5.1 in a remote asynchronous mode or under the principles laid down in Art.6 and Art.7.

Article 6

1. The course instructor may, on his/ her own initiative or in individual cases at the request of the student, decide to verify the achieved learning outcomes set out in the curriculum, in an oral form with the use of information technology by means of a synchronous videoconference. The teacher shall indicate the platform on which the examination or credit assessment is to take place and the date of the examination or credit assessment (including the day and time).
2. The verification referred to in Art. 6.1 shall be conducted by the class instructor responsible for the verification of learning outcomes in accordance with the study plan, hereinafter referred to as the examiner.
3. The student may proceed with the verification referred to in Art. 6.1 subject to:

1)      the consent given by the examiner to such verification where the student has applied for such verification,

2)      establishing a connection with the examiner via the platform referred to in Art. 6.1 on the date set by the examiner.

4. Before proceeding with the verification referred to in Art.6.1, the examiner shall check the identity of the student by means of a visual inspection of the student's identity card via a video connection.
5. Registration of the verification of the learning outcomes shall be done by the examiner by drawing up a report from the course of the examination or credit assessment.
6. In the event that the examiner has doubts regarding the independence and objectivity of the examination/credit assessment, the examiner may discontinue the examination/credit assessment.
7. In the event that the examination or credit assessment is discontinued due to technical problems, the student shall inform the examiner about these via the USOS mail without delay.
8. In cases referred to in Art. 6.6 and Art. 6.7 the examination/credit assessment shall be invalidated by the examiner.

Article 7

1. The dean may decide to verify the achieved learning outcomes set forth in the curriculum in writing with the use of information technology at the request of the course instructor, or in special cases, at the request of the student with the opinion of the course instructor submitted to the dean. The examiner shall indicate the platform on which the examination or credit assessment shall take place and the date of the examination or credit assessment (including the date and time).
2. The examiner shall organise the examination or credit assessment referred to in Art. 7.1in such a way ensuring the independence of the student's work and the control of the course of the examination/credit assessment.
3. Registration of the verification of the learning outcomes shall be done by the examiner by drawing up a report from the course of the examination or credit assessment.
4. In the event that the examiner has doubts regarding independence and objectivity of the examination/credit assessment, the examiner may discontinue the said.
5. In the event that the examination or credit assessment is discontinued due to technical problems, the student shall inform the examiner about these via the USOS mail without delay.
6. In cases referred to in Art. 7.4 and Art. 7.5 the examination/credit assessmen shall be invalidated by the examiner.

Article 8

1. Examinations and credit assessments completing the classes referred to in Art.1.1 shall be held in the traditional mode if, due to the student's technical limitations or the specific nature of the course, they cannot be conducted remotely.
2. In the event of technical limitations which make it impossible for the student to participate in the examination or credit assessment in a remote mode, the student is obliged to report this fact immediately to the teacher and agree with the teacher the rules for the examination or credit assessment conducted in the traditional mode.

Article 9

1. The following tools are recommended for remote teaching:

1) Moodle e-learning platform;

2) BigBlueButton video conferencing system;

3) Microsoft Teams.

2. Technical support for teachers conducting teaching activities in a remote mode with the use of the tools referred to in Art.9.1 shall be provided by the University Centre for IT Support (pl. Uniwersyteckie Centrum Informatyczne).

Article 10

1. The schedule of delivering classes in a remote mode shall be determined by the faculty dean or the director of the university didactic unit.
2. Office hours and consultations of staff members shall take place in a remote mode. The staff member shall inform class participants via the USOSweb about the dates and mode of consultations provided in a remote mode.
3. After 1 June 2020, consultations may also be held in the traditional mode provided that a meeting is arranged in advance and the sanitary regime is observed.

Article 11

1. Supervision over the proper provision of the teaching process with the use of remote modes of teaching shall be exercised by the dean of the faculty in consultation with the head of doctoral studies - in the scope of education in doctoral studies; the head of the doctoral school - in the scope of education in doctoral schools; the head of post-graduate studies - in the scope of education in post-graduate studies.
2. An employee of the dean’s office designated by the dean or an office employee of the university didactic unit designated by its director (remote learning coordinator) shall keep records of the classes and instructors who provide teaching in a remote mode in relevant degree programs.

Article 12

1. Teachers who have started conducting classes in a remote mode may complete the learning process before the date provided for in Order No. 70 of the NCU Rector of 30 May 2019 on the organization of the academic year 2019/2020 (Biuletyn Prawny UMK of 2019, item 189) on the condition that they have provided the participants with the opportunity to achieve the expected learning outcomes.
2. Teaching classes delivered in a remote mode in the summer semester shall be settled in accordance with the original allotment of teaching classes as set out in the individual workload sheet of an academic teacher on condition that participants have been provided with the opportunity to achieve learning outcomes prescribed for the course and that the class has been entered into the records and approved pursuant to the principles laid down in Art.12.3 and Art. 12.4.
3. An academic teacher conducting classes in a remote mode shall submit immediately after the completion of all the classes delivered in a remote and traditional mode scheduled for the academic year 2019/2020 a written report on the completion of the said classes to the dean or the director of the university didactic unit respectively drawn up in accordance with a model specified by the dean or director of the university didactic unit.
4. The dean or director of the university didactic unit respectively, shall confirm the provision of the classes on the basis of the report referred to in Art. 12.3 and pursuant to the separate regulations in force at the University.
5. In the case of classes conducted in a remote mode by persons employed by the University under civil law contracts, the provisions of Art. 12.3 and Art. 12.4 shall apply accordingly.

Article 13

1. Subject to Art. 13.2 the Dean in consultation with the supervisor of the internship may decide to shorten the duration of the internship covered by the curriculum and specify some other alternative way of achieving the expected learning outcomes or may take a decision to recognise the existing internship and specify the method of completing the missing learning outcomes resulting from the internship. This provision shall apply to internships started by students and the internships that have not yet been started.
2. In the academic year 2019/2020 classes or groups of classes delivered in the form of vocational internships in degree programmes preparing for the teaching profession and in post-graduate programmes preparing for the teaching profession that started before 1 October 2019 and finish in the academic year 2019/2020 may be pursued by means of distance learning methods and techniques.

Article 14

In the period referred to in Art.1.1 order No. 25 of the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 21 March 2016 on the principles of assigning and conducting classes with the use of distance learning methods and techniques at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń shall not apply (Biuletyn Prawny UMK of 2016, item 87)

Article 15

1. Order No. 60 of the NCU Rector of 10 April 2020 on providing teaching classes in a remote mode is repealed (Biuletyn Prawny UMK of 2020, item 118 as amended).
2. The order becomes effective as of 27 May 2020.

R E C T O R

Prof. dr hab. Andrzej Tretyn

Order No. 110