Due to a snow storm impacting the region, UMBC will close at midnight Sunday Jan.25 and re-open tentatively at 5 a.m. Wednesday, Jan . 28. This updated article from last winter provides helpful tips for preparing and maintaining your courses.

With Mother Nature bringing heavy winter weather for the start of the spring 2026 semester, the first day of class may look somewhat different than planned. Preparing a Go Online (GO) Kit can help launch a smooth transition to a virtual classroom when in-person classes aren't an option. Here are five steps to help you stay on track.

1. Stay connected and up-to-date on issues impacting whether your class is canceled or postponed.

• Sign up for UMBC Emergency Alerts to receive text notifications about closures, delays, or campus-wide emergencies.
• Follow Campus Announcements on myUMBC to stay up to date on any university-wide decisions affecting classes.

2. Identify instructional technologies you can use to support course content distribution, active learning, and assessment.

Familiarize yourself with instructional technologies that support academic continuity using online teaching strategies and tools -- three tools may be very helpful starting points:

• Blackboard for content distribution, assessments, and asynchronous discussions.
• Copy content from any Blackboard course or organization
• Create rich Documents with text and visual elements and knowledge check questions
• Control how content is displayed with robust release conditions 
• Interact with students using Discussions
• Create assignments, tests, or forms
• Quickly generate rubrics and test banks using your own course content with Blackboard's AI Design Assistant
• YuJa for asynchronous video updates/mini-lectures.
• Record (or upload) and edit videos with a variety of quizzing options 
• Share media with your students
• Ensure accessibility with captioning or language translation
• Web conferencing tools for live class sessions. 
• UMBC currently offers Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex
• Consider making synchronous optional in the event of network difficulties due to weather conditions. 

3. When classes are canceled or postponed, communicate expectations and next steps with students.

• Notify students as soon as possible about schedule changes and how instruction will continue.
• Use Blackboard Announcements, Messages, or your PeopleSoft roster to send UMBC communication to your class.
• Keep TAs and graders informed about any adjustments.

4. Provide clear instructions for coursework and assignments.

• Ensure students know how to access learning materials and submit their work:
• Will you upload files to Blackboard, send files via email or share documents through Box or Google Drive? 
• TIP: Using Blackboard lets you scan for accessibility via Ally.
• Set expectations for deadlines, participation, and communication while remote.
• Do you want students to email their work to you?
• Will students use Blackboard or another type of tool to submit their work?

5. Keep students updated on grading and feedback

• Let students know how they will receive their grades, whether through:
• Blackboard gradebook for assignment scores and feedback.
• Integrated third-party tools, which may offer grade synchronization back to Blackboard.
• Spreadsheets or alternative tools for tracking progress need to keep FERPA and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) confidentiality in mind.
• Ensure that students have access to feedback even when in-person meetings aren't possible. You can embed feedback in Blackboard assignments, including audio & video (up to 5 minutes).

Week 1 Tips

Keep Week 1 expectations manageable and focused on getting started.

• Share essential materials first: Get your syllabus and Week 1 content to students via Blackboard or email. 
• Focus on orientation activities that help students understand your course without requiring complex technology:
• Will you post a welcome announcement or video introduction?
• Will students complete a brief introductory discussion board or survey?
• Should students review the syllabus and complete a syllabus quiz?

• Set realistic expectations for Week 1 participation and deadlines. Winter weather might interrupt access to power or internet for some students.

A GO Kit can be a handy addition to your teaching and technology portfolio, no matter how classes might be postponed (or canceled) in the future. Taking time to prepare a plan now means you'll be ready to launch your course with confidence, whatever comes your way.

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection | What's new in Ultra?
• Open a ticket via RT | Request a consult with instructional technology staff
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• PIVOT | Academic Continuity | FDC's Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources

• More Information about 5 Steps to Prepare Your Go Online (GO) Kit for Week 1 Winter Weather Disruptions