Guiding Principles for Completely Online Courses and Programs:
Western New England College, School of Business
Introduction
Western New England College now offers completely online courses and
programs as an alternative method of delivering its curricula. As a result,
there is a need to clarify the processes for delivery and evaluation.
Completely Online Courses and Programs
Baseline
General:
- Course documentation (e.g. credit hours; scheduled offerings; records)
maintained by the Academic Course Scheduler and the Student Administrative
Services Offices
- Program documentation (e.g.degree audits) maintained by the appropriate
Academic DeanUs Office
- Responsibility for program and course content resides with the relevant
Academic Dean, Department Chair and Faculty
- Responsibility for overall administrative activity resides with the
appropriate Academic Dean, the Director of Continuing Education, and the
Provost
- Evaluation procedures are in place for course/program delivery, quality
and effectiveness (e.g. Online Course Evaluation)
- Evaluation procedures are in place for student participation, patterns of
online usage, and learning (e.g. Manhattan log file; Online Course
Evaluation)
- Minimum technology competencies of students are announced
- Students will be advised whether the course and/or program is asynchronous
or synchronous, and to determine their self-motivation and commitment to
learn completely online
- Students advised about the need for access to a computer (e.g. ability to
type, download software, save documents, online times)
Faculty issues:
- Technology requirements for instructor and students are documented
- Access to library resources are available and staff support in place
- Asynchronous and/or synchronous interaction between the instructor and
student and student-to-student is available through Manhattan
- Instructor is trained and supported as needed by the Educational
Technology Center in using the Manhattan software
- Technical support "Help" is available to instructor and students,
including nights and weekends
- Decision whether teaching an online course is on-load or off-load is
determined by the instructor and the appropriate Dean
- Procedures are in place to guarantee security of student work when
requested by the instructor
Student issues:
- Policy for tuition/fees and registration are established and readily
available
- Courses must be approved for the studentUs plan of study (e.g. degree
audit) by an academic advisor
Course Content
- Course and content is approved by the appropriate academic chair and
faculty for delivery completely online
- Course is comparable in rigor, depth, and breadth to traditionally
delivered courses
- Syllabus is available for review prior to the course and is comprehensive
enough for students to determine if they can successfully complete the
course, learn of any special requirements (e.g. software, mandatory online
meetings)
- Instructional goals and learning outcomes are clearly articulated in the
syllabus
- Course is organized in a coherent, sequential manner
- Assignments are clear and understandable to the student
- Course promotes active learning through student interaction with the
instructor and with class peers when appropriate
- Course is designed to utilize the unique resources for completely online
delivery
Evaluation
Student learning
- Authentic student work, such as papers, chats, examinations are retained
in the course management software Manhattan and may be used for the
instructorUs and departmental assessment
- Video and/or audio tapes of student performance may be retained for
periodic departmental assessment
- Monitoring/proctoring sites are arranged if needed
Instructor evaluation
- The delivery of a completely online course is included as part of the
instructorUs annual review of teaching effectiveness, pursuant to the
Faculty Handbook
- Online student evaluation of the instructor and course is administered
near the end of each course
Course evaluation
- Course is evaluated on a regular basis as are other traditionally
delivered courses.
- Appropriate portions of the online evaluation relevant to other
departments, such as the use of technology, technological services, use of
library, must be made available to those departments
- Course evaluation is part of the departmental program review
- Evaluation given completely online at the end of the course to assess
details such as:
* Course content and design
* Quality of instruction
* Quality of student/instructor and/or student/student interaction
* Technical assistance and use of technology
* Overall effectiveness of the course
Program evaluation
General
- Annual evaluation of programs delivered completely on line occurs each of
the first three years by a committee of relevant faculty and the Director of
Continuing Education, organized and directed by the Provost.
- This annual evaluation might also include the extent to which demonstrated
student learning matches intended outcomes of general education and the
major in degree programs
- All programs, including those delivered completely on line, are reviewed
on the Program Review schedule provided by the Provost
Student input
- Administration of the same end-of-program survey given to graduating
seniors in traditional programs (e.g. Graduating Senior Survey; BUS 450
Survey)
Other measures
- Student retention rates, including variations over time
- Student satisfaction, as measured by periodic surveys
- Faculty satisfaction, as measured by periodic surveys and focus groups
- Extension of services to new markets, as reported in enrollment records
and student surveys
- Cost effectiveness of the program as compared to campus-based alternatives
- Measures of student usage of library and learning resources and
assignments that require them
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Approved 1/28/03 Continuous Improvement Task Force (CITF), School of Business
Approved 2/4/03 Faculty, School of Business