Abstract:

In mid-March 2020 faculty, staff, and students in Universities started working remotely and had to adapt to their "new normal". Many tools and technologies were already in place (Learning Management Systems (LMS), videoconferencing platforms, plagiarism detection software, virtual computer labs to access software, etc.). However, many new tools needed to be procured and implemented to support learning and teaching, business operations, and research. Universities had to modify their policies and procedures to sustain cyber security and safety.

There are still many uncertainties in how the new Fall 2020 semester will unfold, but it is clear that such IT challenges as supporting end users remotely, providing reliable connectivity outside of office, managing additional cyber security risks, providing reliable and cost-effective access to tools and technologies to faculty, staff, and students, facilitating acquisition of new digital skills, etc. will be here to stay. In this paper, I will provide selected examples of technologies that were successfully implemented in a variety of academic fields and share several modifications in information and instructional technologies policies that needed to be made due to challenges presented by COVID-19. Presented challenges and opportunities might facilitate decision-making for colleagues in a variety of settings.

Keywords:

COVID, information and instructional technologies, IT challenges and opportunities.