Each proposed or existing course, if delivered by distance education, shall be separately reviewed and approved by the curriculum committee prior to being offered. [Education Code 55213]

Distance Education is the use of technological devices to bring the teaching and learning process to students who are at a different location(s) and/or at different time(s) from the instructor. In this context distance education includes online and/or hybrid courses utilizing the Internet and possibly other technologies such as CD-Rom, video, audio, and interactive exercises.

Division Chair Date

Dean, Instructional Services Date

Chair, Technology Mediated Instruction Date

DIRECTIONS:

This form fulfills three objectives: 1) It justifies the need for the course to be taught in online or hybrid format; 2) it assures that the educational objectives of the course can indeed be achieved via distance delivery; and 3) it makes clear how students will be able to communicate with the instructor. It is the instructor’s responsibility to read the Distance Education Guidebook for more information about policies and guidance for filling out this form.

These are legal requirements of all Distance Education courses, and this form is your opportunity to attest that your course can fully comply with these requirements. The more thorough your responses and rationale are, the more readily the course can be approved. The remainder of this document will provide guidelines, regulations, and support available.

Address the following questions. This is a document template, so the fields will expand as you type. Use as many pages as necessary to fully answer each question. Please also attach a current course outline.

RATIONALE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION FORMAT:

1. Describe the rationale for offering THIS SPECIFIC COURSE as either a hybrid or online course as opposed to using only traditional classroom-based approaches. See Distance Education Guidebook for more information.

INSTRUCTIONAL TIME:

As in a traditional course, you are expected to fulfill the hours of instruction required by the number of course units specified in the course outline on file.

Note: Homework assignments and exams cannot be counted towards hours of instruction.

2(a) Based on the official course outline on file, how much TOTAL instructional time is required for this course (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)?

(Example: A 3 unit lecture class requires 48 hours)

2(b) How much of this instructional time will be delivered online?

(Example: A 3 unit lecture class taught as a 50% hybrid would be 24 hours online)

2(c)   How will you adapt the traditional instructional materials in THIS SPECIFIC COURSE to be delivered online? What methods of presentation (e.g., discussion boards, powerpoints, audio, video, podcasts, webinars, etc.) will be used to fulfill the online instructional time? For hybrid courses please indicate which methods will be delivered online vs. in the classroom. 

HOMEWORK:

All courses (DE or traditional) must meet the criteria in Section 58003.1. In both situations, the students will need to engage in an additional two hours per week of “homework” for each 1 hour of “classroom” time in order to meet the Carnegie Unit requirements for academic credit. Homework assignments and exams CANNOT be counted towards hours of instruction.

3(a) Based on the official course outline on file, how much TOTAL Homework time is required for this course

(Example: A 3 hour lecture class requires 96 hours of homework)

3(b) What types of assignments (e.g., documents reviewed on Blackboard/WebCT, internet research, reading assignments, projects, etc.) will be used to fulfill this time?

EVALUATION:

As with a traditional course, examinations, tests, and quizzes should follow the guidelines specified in the Full-Time and Adjunct Handbook. For further explanation on how these guidelines apply to distance education, as well as approaches and available support, see Distance Education Guidebook for more information.

4. Describe the Course Evaluation and Testing Methods.

INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTIONS:

Per Title 5 regulations (55376), all approved courses offered at distance shall include regular weekly contact between instructor and students.

Additionally, the District REQUIRES that ONLINE courses also include the following:

• One on-campus, face to face orientation session within the first week of the term. Faculty must provide alternative orientation for students unable to attend the face to face orientation.

• One contact between student and instructor after orientation session and before census day

See Distance Education Guidebook for further explanation, approaches, and available support.

5(a) Method(s) of Regular Weekly Contact (please check all that apply and

include synchronous and/or asynchronous communication).

5(b) Method(s) of Intervention for Students Not Meeting Course Expectations:

(please check all that apply)

If an online course complete the following:

5(c) Method(s) of Contact Prior to Census Day in addition to the required face-to-face orientation (please check all that apply).