13.7 Online Course Guidelines

Online-Hybrid Course Proposal Policy

Faculty may request to provide instruction in the nontraditional (other than face to face) delivery methods hereinafter referred to as Online or Hybrid course delivery. Online courses shall be totally online while hybrid courses are a combination of traditional and online delivery. Hybrid courses must meet face to face a minimum of thirty percent of the course time.

The purpose for providing these delivery options is to provide the most effective and efficient means of course delivery when both the instructor and the institution deem an alternative method is needed. This approval process does not replace the approval process for a course offering through the governance policies of the College. The same course being offered in an alternate delivery format must fulfill the same requirements and meet the same General Education, Skills, Global, etc. The alternate delivery formats must be approved by the Academic Policies Committee (APC).

Course approval alternatives:

When submitting a new or amended course for approval by APC the documentation may request that the course be approved to be offered in the traditional, hybrid, and/or the online format in different semesters, sections by the same or different instructors.
A course that was previously approved by APC that is only requesting an update to approve additional delivery formats may request an expedited approved by APC and the faculty.

Note: This step is necessary to meet the HLC standards of (a) appropriateness to the institution’s mission and purpose; (2) The institution’s plans for developing, sustaining and, if appropriate, expanding on-line learning offerings are integrated into its regular planning and evaluation processes; and (3) on-line learning is incorporated into the institution’s governance and academic oversight.

Course /Section format

Any course that has been approved by the Faculty upon its recommendation by APC may be taught in one of the approved formats providing:

Ownership of the material as developed belongs to the faculty member who produced it. The College does not maintain the right to reuse the material in another hybrid or online course without consent of the faculty member.
The faculty member and the Academic Dean/Dean of Faculty/VPEP agree on the rationale and qualifications guidelines for offering the course in other than the traditional delivery format.
The faculty member is deemed by the Academic Dean/Dean of FacultyVPEP to be appropriately trained and proficient in the online/hybrid delivery format and the use of the course management system (Blackboard).
Enrollments in online/hybrid courses shall not exceed those that would be expected in a traditional course.
Adequate institutional resources exist in supporting academic and technology resources.

Note: This step is necessary to meet the HLC standards of (4) Curricula for the institution’s on-line learning offerings are coherent, cohesive, and comparable in academic rigor to programs offered in traditional instructional formats; (6) Faculty responsible for delivering the on-line learning curricula and evaluating the students’ success in achieving the on-line learning goals are appropriately qualified and effectively supported; (7) The institution provides effective student and academic services to support students enrolled in online learning offerings; (8) The institution provides sufficient resources to support and, if appropriate, expand its on-line learning offerings; and(9)The institution assures the integrity of its on-line learning offerings.

Assessment and Evaluation

The appropriate Committee(s) shall regularly assess the comparability and student outcomes of the courses offered in any of the three formats as part of the regular Program Review process.
Annually the Library and IT Committee shall assess the technology needs, the adequacy of College resources in meeting those needs, and make recommendations for additional resources that they identify as minimally necessary for online/hybrid course offerings

This assessment shall be based on:
1. The Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education (On-Line Learning) of the HLC
2. The Guidelines of Quality Matters – A National Benchmark for Online Course Design (https://www.qualitymatters.org/)
  
  Note: This step is necessary to meet the HLC standards of (4) Curricula for the institution’s on-line learning offerings are coherent, cohesive, and comparable in academic rigor to programs offered in traditional instructional formats; (5) The institution evaluates the effectiveness of its on-line learning offerings, including the extent to which the on-line learning goals are achieved, and uses the results of its evaluations to enhance the attainment of the goals; and(9)The institution assures the integrity of its on-line learning offerings.

Approved April 2015

Online-Hybrid Faculty Guidelines

Criteria for determining who is appropriately trained and proficient in (1) both the online and hybrid delivery model and (2) the use of the Course Management System (Blackboard).

Delivery Expertise

Faculty must have demonstrated their competence in teaching the proposed hybrid or online course in the traditional setting.
Faculty must show some indication of formal training and experience in teaching hybrid and/or online courses. This may be documented through:
- External training site offered by a professional development course(s) or formal coursework; or
- Formal training and experience at another post-secondary institution; or
- Successful completion of in-house training.

Course Management System Expertise

Faculty must demonstrate their level of competence through a review of their prior development, implementation and execution of a traditional course using the College’s course management system in a prior semester long course.
- Competence will be based on an analysis of the following:
  - Understanding of the proposed delivery methodology (traditional, hybrid vs online). o Course overview is easily located.
  - Syllabus that is posted contains all of the suggested elements of a syllabus.
  - Course goals and learning objectives are clearly stated in terms understandable to students.
  - Learning modules or some other content organization is visible and logical.
  - Several forms on assessment using the tools in the course management system are present in the course.
  - Some instructional materials, other than that contained in the textbook, are present with appropriate directions for the students to use them (internet links, publications, photos, etc.).
  - Types of learning activities selected are consistent with achievement of learning outcomes.
Faculty will demonstrate to the satisfaction of an assigned peer reviewer that they have explored the course tools available and have considered which they would use if the course reviewed in step 1 were to become hybrid or online. This demonstration would include examples of how a module would be presented and the assessment completed under the new delivery format. This demonstration will include:
- Course overview expanded
  - Instructional methodology is explained to students including deadlines
  - Course policies are clearly stated and identified. These policies address:
    1. American with Disabilities Act
    2. Attendance
    3. Copyright policies
    4. Course week definition
    5. Online workload
    6. Plagiarism
    7. Third party software and FERPA
  - Minimal student technical skills expectations
  - Course grading policies
- Instructor introduction and instructions for students to build their profile in the class roster are included.
- Instructor contact information including “office” hours. “Office” hours must include a statement as to how frequently the faculty member will be checking the course management system and email.
- Types of materials, activities and means of student engagement are clearly defined.
- Explanation of the course management tools that will be used and where students can obtain further info on the tools.

Approved April 2015