Strategies for Unexpected Class Cancellations 

Create Asynchronous Learning Opportunities  

Transform in-class activities into asynchronous learning experiences that students can complete independently. These strategies can address a full-class cancellation or help individual students catch up on learning after an absence.   

• Post course materials on Canvas – Share slides, readings, handouts, worksheets or links to videos that align with course content. Ask students to respond to course materials through discussion boards, a canvas assignment or another reflection activities, or in an activity during your next class period. 
• Convert a planned discussion into a discussion forum– Ask students to reflect on the day’s content, respond to a prompt, or engage in peer discussions. 
• Assign a visual summary – Have students create a visual representation (e.g., a diagram, chart, or infographic) of a concept they’ve learned so far. 
• Encourage student-generated questions – Have students create questions based on the reading or lecture material to quiz each other or for future assessments. 

Foster Creative Exploration of Course Concepts 

Instead of directly replicating classroom activities, you could consider this an opportunity to engage students with course concepts in novel and memorable ways. These alternative approaches can often lead to deeper understanding and unexpected insights. 

Course Concepts in the Wild – Encourage students to connect course material with real-world examples by finding an example of how course concepts are treated in popular media. Students find and share a recent article, video, podcast episode, or other media piece that relates to ideas addressed in your class, along with some comments about how it connects to course material.  

Microfiction Challenge – Have students write a short piece (under 300 words, or even a 6-word story!) illustrating a key concept. In this task, students will select a core idea or principle from the lesson and weave it into a narrative. The goal is for students to illustrate the concept in action, making it tangible and relatable through storytelling. This exercise allows for diverse interpretations and encourages creative thinking while reinforcing course material. The microfiction can be shared with peers for feedback or discussion in the next class. 

Examples: 

• Create a narrative in which a character reflects on a scientific discovery or historical event. 
• Write a story where a character faces a moral dilemma, struggles with their identity, or contemplates societal influence. 
• Craft a story that demonstrates how a mathematical model or design solution could be applied in a real-world scenario. 

Conceptual Challenge – Ask students to apply a concept or principle from the class to a novel or hypothetical scenario. Students will describe how the concept might manifest or be relevant in this new context, explaining their reasoning and the process they followed to adapt their knowledge. This challenge encourages students to think critically and flexibly, making connections between theoretical content and practical or imagined situations. 

Examples: 

• Describe how a health principle could be applied in a different context (e.g., nutrition in space). 
• Explain how a philosophical argument might unfold in a different historical period. 
• Illustrate how a theory of human behavior could be applied to a fictional or hypothetical situation. 

Explore Resources in the KU Libraries  

• Library Research Guides – KU Library Guides 
• Video Tutorials – Library Tutorials 
• Research Support – Library Research Support 
• Databases – Library Databases 

Communicate Expectations Clearly 

No matter what you decide to do, make sure you provide timely and clear communication of your expectations to your students.  

• Post updates and announcements on Canvas to inform students of any changes to assignments or upcoming deadlines. 
• Provide clear guidance on how to prioritize asynchronous work instead of canceled class. 
• Remind students of any upcoming exams, quizzes, or due dates and how the cancellation will affect those. 

Do you have creative and effective ideas for maintaining learning momentum when classes are disrupted? Email us at cte@ku.edu