Online Course Approval Process: Detailed Overview

1. Faculty Skills Development & Research:

Faculty should examine their own skills regarding online teaching (including technology) and gather research. 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.

Blackboard: 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 Online Teaching Support Staff strongly recommend that before attempting to teach online, you use Blackboard for your current on-campus courses - Get started with Blackboard.

Online Course Consultation: View the Online Course Consultation website (this website contains resources on how to transition your course to the online or hybrid format, along with aspects to consider regarding site and course design). 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?
• 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?

Library: Read "What distance education instructors need to know about Chabot Library Services"

DE Guidelines: Read the Guidelines for Distance Education Review (from the curriculum handbook).

Consult with Experienced Colleagues: Contact colleagues on-campus with experience in online delivery, as well as colleagues at other campuses already offering similar curricula in online/hybrid formats (these contacts will need to be documented in your proposal). Involve members of your subdivision, ask them to share the strengths and weaknesses of possible media and delivery approaches.

Faculty Website (optional): You may also want to create a Faculty Website in order to provide information to your students online (outside of Blackboard).

Review the proposal formally with your division colleagues and Dean. 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 online course proposal.

After your proposal is approved by your colleagues, submit your proposal to your Division Dean (signature will be required).

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. 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. Use criticism constructively; look for existing, successful implementations at other institutions as evidence online delivery modes CAN be offered effectively

First-time online/hybrid instructors are required to demonstrate their course site to their COOL review team (sometimes there will be different COOL members on your review team for the demonstration part of the process).

Please prepare course site with the overall organization plus 2 weeks of content. You will meet with the members of your COOL review team to present this Course Demonstration. We also encourage you to share the course with your colleagues, but this isn't required. Feedback will be provided both at your meeting and following the final committee vote.

If you have any questions regarding Online Teaching, course site design and Blackboard, please complete the Online Teaching/Blackboard Support Request form 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 Online Teaching/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 only; not every item will apply to your course goals. A copy of the completed Formative Evaluation will be submitted to Academic Services, the COOL Chair, and the Curriculum Chair. Note that the Formative Evaluation is not part of the regular Course Observation required through your divisions.