Committee on Online Learning (COOL)

Online Course Approval Process Overview

The process below applies to all faculty, whether you are interested in teaching a course that is already offered in online/hybrid format or one that is new to the online delivery.

• View the Online Course Consultation website
• Obtain required forms (contain specific questions to answer, steps, and which signatures required)

1. Research:

• First and foremost, read the Guidelines for Distance Education Review from the Curriculum Handbook.
• Contact colleagues on-campus with experience in online delivery, as well as colleagues at other campuses already offering similar curricula in online/hybrid formats.
• Gather information on available resources, including costs. Involve members of your subdivision, sharing the strengths and weaknesses of possible media and delivery approaches:
• Blackboard: It is strongly recommended that before attempting to teach online, you use Blackboard for your current on-campus courses - Get started with Blackboard.
• Faculty Website: You may also want to create a Faculty Website in order to provide information to your students online (outside of Blackboard).
• Library:  "What distance education instructors need to know about Chabot Library Services"
• Online Learning Student Support (includes Blackboard support for students)
• Crash Course in Copyright
• Accessibility
• Review resources on online teaching (there are many offered online). These resources not only provide structure but present fantastic ideas for encouraging an effective online environment.

Some key questions you might want to focus upon include:

• Who will be taking this class? What learning skills will be required for students to be successful?
• What are the MOST important concepts, demonstrations, discussions, and activities that you do in this class in its current on-campus format? How will you accomplish these via distance delivery modes? If a fully online delivery mode might not be optimal, how can you architect a hybrid class with flexible on-campus meetings, or create alternative assignments that will encourage equivalent learning?
• Where is this class being offered in similar online or hybrid online modes? What can we emulate? What additional technologies or services will be required?

2. Faculty Skills Assessment Development

Faculty should examine their own skills regarding technology and online learning. If the proposed course will involve the use of new technologies, the faculty member should define a timeline and roadmap of training required before the course may be delivered effectively.

Select from the many training opportunities created for instructors:

• Enroll in an online course at a college or university: search for online courses through the California Virtual Campus!
• Talk to a faculty member already delivering an online or hybrid course and get first-hand impressions of the strengths and weaknesses of particular technologies.
• Find out who will support the technology when implemented, and what skills you must have as an online instructor to maintain the systems selected.
• Blackboard is the supported Online Course Management System at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District. If you choose to use Blackboard, check out the resources available to students and instructors. If you plan to teach with Blackboard, the COOL and CWS strongly recommend that before attempting to teach online, you use Blackboard for your current on-campus courses - Get started with Blackboard.

3. Proposal Creation

Working with members of the Committee on Online Learning, divisional colleagues, experienced online faculty, CWS staff, and administration, create a proposal for your online course. Be sure to obtain the current  proposal form and view previously submitted proposals before you write your proposal.

This proposal should be shared with subdivision colleagues and your dean. Use the following questions as a guide to the key issues to be discussed in your justification, focusing on the students who will take the course. (The proposal form will list the specific questions to answer).

• How will the online course meet existing (or new) course outline requirements?
• What combination of resources will be required for students?
• How will you assess the success of the delivery modes?

4. Division/ Subdivision Review

Review the proposal formally with your division colleagues. Consider testing the ideas involved with an online or hybrid online section in "sub-sections" of current on-campus classes, offering students the opportunity to participate with online resources, and sharing the results with divisional colleagues concerned with issues of retention and quality. Where possible, consider using the same assessment instruments as on-campus classes to facilitate comparisons of student success.

• Note that formal review means more than casual consultation in the hallway; we suggest that a meeting be called with all subdivision colleagues invited, and a formal vote be taken about the curriculum proposal.
• If colleagues in the subdivision are not in favor of the proposal as formulated, seek ways to explore online delivery with existing classes to gain data and input about the viability of the approaches. Look for other similar sections already offered across the state and country, and gather data from instructors in those sections. But do not allow lack of understanding and familiarity with the online medium to be a roadblock to innovation. Criticism of the approach should be based not upon, "I don't think it will work" but rather upon specific pieces of the course content and outline that are not addressed in the proposed format.
• Colleague may disagree about whether the proposed delivery modes will be effective in helping our students achieve success. They may disagree about whether the institution can support the proposed class as designed. But disagreement about implementation does not mean that the proposal may not be workable. Use criticism constructively; look for existing, successful implementations at other institutions as evidence online delivery modes CAN be offered effectively.

5. Submission of the Proposal to the Committee On Online Learning

Proposals must be submitted to the COOL for review. The following are deadlines for submitting proposals to the COOL chair:

• The second Monday in September for courses to be offered in the spring
• The first Monday in February for courses to be offered in the summer or fall.

The proposal will be reviewed by members of the COOL Committee. You will be notified if you are required to make any revisions.

5B. Course Demonstration (for first-time online instructors only)

First-time online instructors are required to demonstrate their course site to members of the COOL Committee. For questions regarding site building and Blackboard, please complete a Faculty Blackboard Support Request or email bbhelp@chabotcollege.edu.

6. Formative Evaluation

Approximately two weeks before your course “goes live,” you are required to have your course reviewed by the Instructional Designer. This can be completed in-person or online.  The Instructional Designer will complete The Formative Evaluation checklist. Once your course is ready for the Formative Evaluation, please use the Blackboard Support Request form and indicate in the comments box "Formative Evaluation" and the CRN of the course that should be reviewed.

The Formative Evaluation checklist is intended as a guide; not every item will apply to your course goals. A copy of the Formative Evaluation will be submitted to Academic Services and the COOL Chair.