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 Committee On Online Learning (COOL), the Curriculum Committee, the Academic Senate, the division Deans, and the VP of Academic Services. Input from all groups 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.

The process calls for all faculty planning to do either of the following to present their course delivery plan to the COOL:

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

There are three primary reasons for this.

1. First, faculty in the past have not been aware of the latest Online Teaching support systems available on campus, and miscommunication with the Online Teaching Support Staff and confusion among students have resulted.
2. 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.
3. 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 COOL

The COOL includes Online Teaching 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 COOL 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.