As we approach September, we want to update you on PAL session delivery for this academic year.
Having liaised with senior colleagues in your faculties, it has been agreed that PAL sessions will return to face to face delivery for semester 1 (21-22). This will apply to all programmes within the BU Business School, Faculty of Science & Technology and the Faculty of Media & Communication.
* In the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, PAL will be delivered face to face wherever possible, but there may be variation between programmes based on placements and cohort size. Delivery mode will be confirmed before the start of term.
We have included a couple of FAQs below:
Q: Why has the decision been made to deliver PAL face-to-face?
The decision has been made in line with ‘course delivery plans for September 2021’ as part of BU’s commitment to providing our students with the best learning experience.
Q: How will this work if my programme is taking a blended approach with my teaching?
Faculty timetabling teams will have taken into consideration other timetabled sessions on the day of your PAL session, for both you and your group. You should not have a PAL session timetabled straight after/before a session of a different format e.g. - a face to face PAL session straight after an online lecture. In the unlikely event that you do find a clash, please contact your [http://.https://libguides.bournemouth.ac.uk/palcentral/timetabling]faculty timetabling team. [http://.https://libguides.bournemouth.ac.uk/palcentral/timetabling]
Q: Will we be operating on Microsoft Teams in 21-22?
MS Teams has been integral in our communications during the pandemic, and when PAL sessions were delivered online, MS Teams proved to have many useful functions for PAL. We intend to set up a personal channel for each PAL Leader and their group so the benefits of Teams (such as file sharing, being a space to discuss in between sessions, use of apps for polls and surveys etc) can still be used.
Q: Is PAL likely to return to online delivery?
Although we have good reason to be optimistic about the start of the new academic year, your safety is our priority and we will be led by government guidance. Should this mean that we need to adjust our plans, then we will communicate any changes to you as soon as we are able to.
It is important that PAL Leaders are comfortable using MS Teams in the event of PAL sessions being delivered online. Guidance on using MS Teams can be found on PAL Central here.
Q: How can I signpost students when I am not familiar with the campus myself?
We are aware that some of you have expressed concern over not being familiar with the campus yourselves, but rest assured that this has been at the forefront of the university planning for a return to on campus delivery. There are BU webpages that offer guidance to on campus services and facilities here and the Central PAL Team are developing some useful materials to help you.
A full list of FAQs can be found on PAL Central here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us! We are here to support you and will be further developing our support and guidance.
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