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Covid-19 Update 17 August: Teaching update

Covid-19 Update 17 August: Teaching update

by Rob Ayres -
Number of replies: 0

Kia ora koutou

Thank you for your patience and generosity as we navigate the transition back into lockdown. You will be aware that on Friday the government announced that the Auckland Region will remain at Alert Level 3 and the remainder of New Zealand will remain at Alert Level 2 for a further 11 days. The government has said that cabinet will check in on progress on Friday 21 August, with a formal review by Cabinet on Monday 24th August, with a view to implement any change from midnight, Wednesday 26th August, 2020. Your safety and wellbeing are our primary concern, along with providing teaching alternatives that will support your learning as well as possible.

We appreciate that this is not what any of us wanted, and will not be an easy change for some of you, whereas for others the move into lockdown brings little impact. Regardless, we are aware that there are, and will be, changes to the way in which you are able to engage with your courses and the teaching resources. As a result we have made the following adjustments to our teaching approach over the next few weeks. These changes are summarised below:

1.       The Carey campus at 473 Great South Road is currently closed. The library is open for click and collect Monday – Friday 10am to 1pm. Email the library (library@carey.ac.nz) if you have any questions. Remember, many books and journals are available via e-book through the online catalogue.

2.       Weekly taught classes during semester weeks 5 and 6 (17th through 28th August) will be fully taught online. Course materials and classes will be primarily facilitated via CareyOnline (Moodle) and Zoom during this time. Specific information for Zoom session times and participation expectations should be available on your CareyOnline course pages. If you have any questions please contact your course teacher directly.

3.       Undergraduate block courses. The block course for Intro to Preaching (7-11 Sept) and Children’s Ministry (31 Aug – 4 Sept) are (at this stage) proceeding as originally planned, on campus as per the dates originally published. Your block course teachers should be in touch ahead of the block course.
The block courses for Christian Spirituality and Making Life Work (Intermission) will not proceed on campus but will be facilitated online. Christian Spirituality will be facilitated over 27 and 28 August ONLINE. Please check on the block course pages in CareyOnline, or with the teachers over the next few days for specific information.  
Post-graduate block courses. These courses will continue on-site as scheduled:  Research Methods (14-16 Sept), Isaiah (7-9 Sept) and Inner Healing (31 Aug – 4 Sept). However, the Integrative Theology (26-28 Aug) block course will be facilitated online and not on campus.

If you are having difficulty understanding how to access course materials, Zoom classes and/or any other resources please do not hesitate to get in touch with your course teachers, Neroli (neroli.hollis@carey.ac.nz) or any one of the library team.

Clearly, if the situation changes with regard to Covid-19 and Alert Level restrictions we may need to revisit these decisions. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Your class teachers and Neroli are good first ports of call! Please continue to check CareyOnline for any important Covid-related updates. Take care, look out for each other over the coming weeks, and above all else remember that “He will watch over your life, the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore” Ps 121:7b-8.

Ngā mihi nui