DECSC

Minutes 11-13-2003

Time/Location

12-1pm, Bldg. 2400 

Present

Kathleen Allen, Fe Baran, Desmond Chun, Arlene DeLeon, Jerry Egusa, Cynthia Hicks, Scott Hildreth, Zarir Marawala (chair), Minta Peterson, Lynn Sandoval, Wanda Wong, Sherri Yeager.

Guests

Ken Grace

Approval of Minutes.

Defining Committee Members (Cynthia)

The Faculty Senate has been asked to take the lead in revising the Collegial Consultation policy document, so they are asking each committee, including Curriculum Committee and the Distance Education Curriculum Committee to revise their pages. The document includes formalizing the DECSC membership. Revisions are due to Chad Glen on December 11. [Cynthia handed out copies of the document].

Update on DECSC email group and website (Minta)

Minta transferred most of the content from the old DECSC website to the new template, which includes all of the proposals in one easy-to-view location. As per Minta's request, ITS has also set up an alias email account, CC-DECSC@chabotcollege.edu (or just CC-DECSC in Groupwise). When anyone sends an email to this address, each member of the DECSC committee will receive it.

Upcoming meeting with VP of Academic Services

Zarir announced that he will meet with the Vice President of Academic Services, Ron Taylor to discuss the quality & strength of the DECSC committee. Zarir will also discuss the need to have a committed, staffed, campus-wide test center.  This would provide an avenue for online courses in which the instructor prefers to have on-campus tests.

Proposals in Progress:

• CAS 50 - Brichacek (online) - Assuming all approvals, "May be offered in DE delivery format" will be added to the CAS 50 catalogue description for Fall 2004. Zarir confirmed that Anne's proposal is okay.  Outcome: as per email 12/10 from Cynthia Hicks, CAS 50 has been approved. Follow-up email from Kaaren Krueg 3/3/2004:  I have received the signed forms.
• CAS 50 - Odom (online) - Outcome: as per email 12/10 from Cynthia Hicks, CAS 50 has been approved. Follow-up email from Kaaren Krueg 3/3/2004:  I have received the signed forms.
• Nutrition 7 & 8 - Grace (online) - Ken - I have students perform 3 internet searches.  [member] How do you handle cheating? Ken - it is a similar scenario with traditional on-campus classes: a student could show up to class and pretend to be someone else. Zarir - To benefit those who may not be familiar with your with online courses, could you provide more information? Ken - I use multiple choice and writing questions. Scott - do you plan to use discussions? Ken - I have tried using the discussion board but receive little response from the students. Scott - I suggest stating the use of the discussion board as a requirement in your syllabus. Also, encourage summaries rather than "I agree" answers. Have students respond to 1 posting and explain why they like/dislike/agree/disagree. This encourages the teaching of others and there is a rich sharing of what is important. Ken - I notice that students love group activities. Scott - yes, let's use the technology to teach us what we already know works. In Blackboard, you can view usage statistics and can sort by users. Minta - an example of encouraging discussions is rather than "provide examples," (where a student might just copy the same ideas as another student posting), write "provide your own examples." Desmond - you can taylor-make a project for each team. Blackboard shows when students are online. Zarir - a hybrid provides more a more flexible schedule. Outcome: discussion continued online].
• History 8 - Yeager (online) - As Sherri explained at the last meeting, she is beginning with a publisher course (via Course Compass) because that is what she is comfortable with and the publisher representative is providing her an easier time conceptualizing the concept of online teaching, and they have promised that they will show students how to use the system at her orientation meeting. Sherri has decided to make the orientation meetings optional. Zarir - you can also make them required, then change to optional later. Minta - just as a heads up, we converted all of the publisher courses to our own server and none of them provided a packaged file to upload to our own server - each instructor had to begin with a fresh course cartridge, which does not include all the changes they made. Scott - use your power as a faculty member/consumer to make sure the publisher owns up to their responsibility and you won't use their products until everything is ironed out. Get the representative to make a 3-way call including Minta. Minta - get their promises in writing. Scott - my textbook chapters don't match the course cartridge. Zarir - I recommend that you go with course compass because you are oriented with it. Sherri - I can conceptualize the process this way. Minta - go with what you are comfortable with, but be aware of publisher false promises. Zarir - DECSC will take a vote online. Jerry - Scott, how are you handling the mismatch? Scott - I am still spending more time with my online course than my regular courses. Students want to sell the book back. If I go with a new book, students are stuck with a $100 book. Publisher content is beneficial because why duplicate what's already been created (i.e. test banks).
• History 7 - Moniz (online) - Zarir asked committee for any other comments and there were none, so a vote was taken. Outcome: Recommend approval.

General discussion:  Norman - many issues with real-tie chat. In Blackboard it is "clunky" and does not keep track of student interactions. Sherri - is dial-up an issue? Scott - it is a problem with graphics. Zarir - Chabot used to provide ASP service, why don't we look into offering it again? Scott - we can assume most students already have their internet access & email account, because those are requirements for taking an online course (as stated in the class schedule).

• Psychology-Counseling 13 - Harbin (online) - Minta sent email to Carey that chat is a funtion available within Blackboard; however, the discussion board is a much more recommended method of communication over chat. Zarir will email Carey about Yahoo. [last agenda: reviewed online.  Given the recommendations provided online (concerns with the use of chat/yahoo groups) Zarir recommended that we invite Corey Harbin to the next DECSC meeting.
• Speech 11 - Deane (online) - Zarir has not received a tracking form yet.
• CSCI 8 & 41 - Desmond (online) - Desmond inquired on his proposals. Zarir confirmed that he has paperwork for CSCI 8 but not for 41. Desmond will find paperwork and email proposals.

Next meeting

Thursday, December 11, noon, DSPS (2400).

 Minutes taken by Minta.