Back to the classroom

The physical teaching is now reopening and many lecturers will be returning - or have already returned - to the classroom. Here you’ll get an overview of some of the practical issues you need to be aware of in your face-to-face teaching.

Who will be disinfecting the rooms?

All rooms will be cleaned once a day, but the lecturer as well as the students are responsible for disinfecting the rooms before they leave. The lecturer is responsible for initiating the disinfection process.  As a lecturer, you must therefore do the following when you have completed your teaching:

  1. Start by disinfecting your hands before touching the disinfection equipment. There will be both disinfection spray and disinfection equipment available in the room.
  2. Disinfect the tables and chairs (not the fabric surfaces) that you have used yourself. Remember to disinfect all contact surfaces (table edges, underneath the table, armrests, etc.) Use the disinfectant spray for all surfaces. Leave the surface moist but not wet.
  3. Inform your students that they must disinfect their tables and chairs following the same guidelines.
  4. Initiate the disinfection of all other contact surfaces (hand railings, door handles, sockets) either by you or the students.
  5. Leave the room tidy - do not leave trash, paper, etc. on the tables.

What about distancing requirements?

Prior to the start of the semester, all lecture theatres and classrooms were inspected and dimensioned so that they fit the number of students attending the physical classes in the room in question.

In each classroom and lecture theatre, you will find an overview of how the students should be seated depending on whether you are teaching a fixed group of students (permanent classes), a joint lecture, etc. The students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the seating overview. Find out more about the local guidelines at your department by contacting the head of department secretariat.

Remember that as a rule, there should be a two-metre distance between you and the front row of students.

What should I do if the students are sitting too close or if there are too many people in the room?

As mentioned, all rooms have been dimensioned so that they can accommodate the number of students who are to follow the physical teaching. If you find that there are too many students in the room or that the students are sitting too close together, it is your responsibility to interrupt the teaching. If this happens, you must inform your head of department and your director of studies.

What about face masks?

At the moment, it is not Aarhus University’s recommendation that students or staff wear face masks. However, the university is closely monitoring the health authorities’ recommendations.

How do I go through the guidelines with my students?

All lecturers will get access to slides containing good advice and guidelines that you can share with your students before you start teaching. You will receive the slides from your director of studies as soon as they are ready.

Streaming - what do I do?

In this semester, most of the teaching at Aarhus BSS must be streamed. The streaming takes place via Zoom. Before the class, it is therefore important that you set up the class as a Zoom meeting in Blackboard - just as you did during the first lockdown. When you have set up the Zoom meeting in Blackboard, the students can access the link and follow the class online.

All you have to do when you arrive in the classroom is to plug the streaming cable into your computer and follow the instructions on the table. In the classroom, you will also find instructions for which cable to use. If you need technical assistance in the classroom, please contact your local IT Support on the number stated in the room.

Please note that it will be marked on the blackboard where you should write in order for your writing to be recorded.

Find Guidelines for streaming and admission of teaching on the staff portal. Please note that the pages will be updated continuously as IT expands the various services. So remember to keep up-to-date.

What should I do if a student has tested positive?

If one of your students has tested positive for COVID-19, you will be notified by your department (either your head of department, director of studies or head of department secretariat).

The school’s COVID-19 response team and the dean are responsible for assessing whether further actions should be taken (e.g. sending home students or cancelling classes). Naturally, you will be informed as soon as possible about any further actions.