DE

Guidelines for Distance Education Curriculum Review

(Excerpted from the Chabot College Curriculum Handbook)

Background

Chabot College’s Distance Education Review and Approval Process is the result of the collaborative efforts of the DE Curriculum Support Committee (DECSC), the Curriculum Committee, the Academic Senate, the division Deans, and the VP of Academic Services. Input from all of the above was solicited and considered as the policy was being developed. The final version of the policy has been approved by the Curriculum Committee and by the Faculty Senate.

In brief, the process calls for all faculty planning to

teach for the first time a course or a section of a course in DE or on-line format, or
change the approved delivery of a course they are currently teaching in DE format

to present a DE course delivery plan to the DE Curriculum Support Committee. Please submit electronically.

There are three primary reasons for this.

First, faculty in the past have not been aware of the latest DE support systems available on campus, and miscommunication with the Distance Education Center and confusion among students have resulted.
In addition, faculty have not always been aware of new technologies and successful applications by colleagues that might enhance their DE delivery plan and contribute to greater student success and satisfaction.
Finally, we have found that faculty who present delivery plans contribute to the overall knowledge base about distance education and, thus, to the quality of all distance education offerings.

Title 5 requires a separate DE approval process, and we have had a DE approval process in place for a number of years. Faculty whose DE delivery plans have been approved under a past process do not need to get their DE delivery plans approved again (unless they change an approved delivery plan). Faculty teaching a DE delivery course whose delivery plan has NOT been approved must discuss the DE delivery plan with the DECSC in order to assure the DE delivery course will be scheduled in the future. The process to follow in such instances follows.

The DE Curriculum Support Committee

The Distance Education Curriculum Support Committee (DECSC) includes Instructional Technology Center support staff and faculty from many disciplines experienced with and interested in expanding the role of distance education at Chabot College. As a subcommittee of Chabot’s Curriculum Committee, the group is charged with the task of assisting faculty with their delivery plans in order to maximize quality and student success. The DECSC is committed to assisting all faculty in offering successful DE and online courses by informing faculty of:

the variety of possible delivery models;
past experience with DE courses at Chabot;
student capabilities and challenges with DE and on-line formats;
the capabilities of our campus to support delivery expectations.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the DECSC, please contact the Curriculum Committee chair, currently Cindy Hicks. If you have questions about the Distance Education Review and Approval Process, please contact your Division’s Curriculum Committee representative or your Dean.

The Distance Education Review and Approval Process

DE review and approval focus on the DE delivery plan. Other aspects of proposed curricula are reviewed and approved according to the curriculum approval process set forth in the Curriculum Handbook which is available in Division Offices.

I. Proposal for a New Course with a DE Delivery Option

The new course should be proposed according to the process set forth in the Curriculum Handbook.
The DE delivery plan must be presented to the DECSC. Upon request from the faculty member, the DECSC will meet face-to-face with the faculty member or work with the faculty member online at any phase of the development of the delivery plan.
The DECSC will either recommend to the Curriculum Committee approval of the final DE delivery plan or recommend to the faculty member revisions to the DE delivery plan. The Curriculum Committee, appropriate Deans, and the Office of Academic Services will be notified of the DECSC’s recommendation.
Once the DECSC recommends approval of the DE delivery plan, the plan and checklist should appear with the course outline in the Division’s Curriculum Presentation Packet.
Final approval of DE delivery plans rests with the Curriculum Committee. If the faculty member does not agree with the subcommittee’s recommendation, he/she may present the delivery plan and rationale for approval to the Curriculum Committee.

II. Proposal to Add a DE Delivery Option to an Existing Course

The existing course outline should be updated to the latest format set forth in the Curriculum Handbook. The following should be added at the end of the catalog description: (May be offered in Distance Education delivery format).
The DE delivery plan must be presented to the DECSC. Upon request from the faculty member, the DECSC will meet face-to-face with the faculty member or work with the faculty member online at any phase of the development of the delivery plan.
The DECSC will either recommend to the Curriculum Committee approval of the final DE delivery plan or recommend to the faculty member revisions to the DE delivery plan. The Curriculum Committee, appropriate Deans, and the Office of Academic Services will be notified of the DECSC’s recommendation.
Once the DECSC recommends approval of the DE delivery plan, the plan and checklist should appear with the updated course outline in the Division’s Curriculum Presentation Packet.
Final approval of DE delivery plans rests with the Curriculum Committee. If the faculty member does not agree with the subcommittee’s recommendation, he/she may present the delivery plan and rationale for approval to the Curriculum Committee.
Once approved, the class may be scheduled and offered in DE delivery format. The Schedule of Classes’ printing deadline and the necessary support services timeline guide when the class will first be offered. Ordinarily, classes approved for DE delivery format in the Fall or Spring may be offered in the next Fall semester.

III. Proposal to Teach for the First Time a Section of an Existing Course Already Approved for DE Delivery

and

IV. Proposal to Change the Approved Delivery of a Course Currently Being Taught in DE Format

The DE delivery plan must be presented to the DECSC. Upon request from the faculty member, the DECSC will meet face-to-face with the faculty member or work with the faculty member online at any phase of the development of the delivery plan.
The DECSC will either recommend to the Curriculum Committee approval of the final DE delivery plan or recommend to the faculty member revisions to the DE delivery plan. The Curriculum Committee, appropriate Deans, and the Office of Academic Services will be notified of the DECSC’s recommendation.
Final approval of DE delivery plans rests with the Curriculum Committee. If the faculty member does not agree with the subcommittee’s recommendation, he/she may present the delivery plan and rationale for approval to the Curriculum Committee.
Once approved, the class may be scheduled and offered in DE delivery format. The Schedule of Classes’ printing deadline and necessary support services timeline guide when the class will first be offered. Ordinarily, classes approved for DE delivery format in the Fall or Spring may be offered in the next Fall semester.
It is understood that unplanned schedule changes and other exigencies may require Deans to assign faculty to DE sections who may not have the opportunity to present their DE delivery plans to the DECSC. In these instances, the Deans should identify a faculty member experienced with DE delivery at Chabot College who can serve as a “mentor,” willing to work with the prospective instructor and assist with the DE course delivery. (A list of mentors is available from the DECSC.) The DE course delivery plan must still be presented to the DECSC as soon as possible in the term.

Summary

All faculty who are planning to teach a course or a section of a course in DE or on-line format or who are planning to change the approved delivery of a course they are currently teaching in DE or on-line format must present a DE course delivery proposal to the DE Curriculum Support Subcommittee. Guidelines for proposals are discussed in the following section; in addition, course delivery proposals, resources, and current DE Subcommittee members are online at http://www.chabotcollege.edu/DECSC/. Contact the DECSC chair to arrange to meet with the DECSC. Please note that all faculty teaching DE courses must have an active email account.

All faculty submitting proposals for distance education delivery must submit both the Checklist/Tracking Form and the Proposal Form (the following four pages) to the DECSC chair.