Distance Learning: Guidelines for Online Course Developers
NOTE: All Hybrid Courses with less than 20 hours of classroom contact need to have the same approval process as a fully online course.
Course developers must create their online course materials in
accordance with these guidelines. The guidelines satisfy or exceed
the various accreditation criteria of the New England Association
of Schools and Colleges. In addition to these guidelines, course
developers should arrange with the Distributed Learning Office for
training sessions for online course development at the start and
throughout the development process.
Faculty who develop courses for delivery over computer networks
(online delivery) need to provide information and materials in a
manner different from and in some cases in addition to what they
may be accustomed to producing for traditional classroom teaching.
The following is a series of items to be considered for such course
preparation.
- As course developers most often do not have the opportunity to meet the students who take their course, it is essential that they take into consideration the characteristics of the students who are likely to be enrolled. The developed course should be developed considering diversity in the student base and address different learning styles.
- Once a course is developed, the designer will maintain intellectual ownership of the course materials while Fitchburg State College will maintain and host the course offering in a Blackboard shell.
- Prior to the development of the course to be offered, designers will need to complete the approval process.
- The purpose of the course as a whole as well as the activities required within the course should be completely understood by the student. Thus, there should be a clear statement of intended learning outcomes and clear expectations of course activities.
- Appropriate examples and grading rubrics should be demonstrated to students where appropriate.
- The course developer should take into consideration all the resources necessary to the student and access to these resources.
- Throughout the development designers will have access to training and support in areas of design and building content within the Blackboard learning management system.
- The course should be designed with regular and meaningful student interaction, in such a manner as to allow assessment of student work on a regular basis. This not only helps the Instructor to identify when students may need assistance, it also allows students to monitor their progress. A developed course should include at least one formally organized communication with the instructor each week.
- All course material will be delivered using the Blackboard learning management system unless otherwise authorized and communicated with the Distance Education Office at FSC.
- Any copyrighted material may only be copied on to the program if permission from the copyright owner is received specifically for this use. The course developer is responsible for obtaining this permission. Information about obtaining copyright permission may be obtained from Print Services. If permission has not been granted, the course developer may provide a single copy of a work to be included in a reference library for student access. (Copyrighted materials must be documented and signed off on by the designer demonstrating approval or necessary research as discussed in the TEACH Act.) Note that an online instructor may place a link on their course to a site where copyrighted material is appropriately displayed.
- Testing may be accomplished online through the use of timed tests. By limiting the time available to the student for objective tests, students will not have time to complete a test and also consult notes, or texts. The course developer can provide a battery of questions, which can be used by the authoring program to randomly create a series of different tests so that students will not be able to share with one another the test questions. It may also be possible to arrange for a proctor to oversee testing of distant students.
- Testing may also be accomplished through essays. When course developers use essay tests, it is essential that they be developed in such a manner that they may be evaluated through the use of clear criteria, also to be established by the developer. This is necessary, as the student’s tutor/mentor will have the responsibility of conducting the evaluation of a students work. However, in order to maintain consistency throughout the program, it is essential that all tutor/mentors be evaluating student work using the same criteria.
- Writing assignments should also be developed in such a fashion that they may be evaluated through the use of clear criteria established by the course developer. The reasoning for this is the same as presented in the previous paragraph. A developed course should include at least four assessment projects (papers, tests, quizzes…)
- Course developers are encouraged to include examples when they assign writing or other creative tasks. Not only would this clarify to students what is expected and thereby limit questions to Instructors- it should also provide students with a template for their work, ensuring a greater likelihood of appropriate work.
- Throughout the semester, Faculty have access to technical support as well as support from the Distance Education Coordinator, as do the students. It might be helpful to post the related contact information for students to view. Also, faculty are encouraged to make students aware of the demo course available to all students as an introduction or review to Blackboard.
- Online instructors are expected to communicate with their students in a meaningful and interactive fashion.
- Online instructors are expected to update their communications with students at least twice weekly.
- Online courses should include at least four graded elements of feedback.
- Instructors are encouraged to provide introductions to each unit’s work.
These guidelines satisfy or exceed the recommendations of the New
England Association of Schools and Colleges for Distance Learning
Programs.
Resource:
NEASC.org. Best Practices for Electronically Offered Programs.
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