ACC Distance Learning Best Practices Update
ACC DL Best Practices Subcommittee Report
During the summer of 2006, the Distance Learning Best Practices Committee, a sub-committee of the Distance Learning Committee, was created. Committee members were appointed by Donetta Goodall, Vice President of Academic Transfer and General & Developmental Education, and Mike Midgley, Vice President of Workforce Education and Business Development, to look at Best Practices for Distance Learning Courses at ACC.
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- Faculty:
- Sheila Ammons, Accounting
- Teresa Ashley, Library Services
- Tina Buck, English, Instructional Development Services
- Matthew Daude Laurents, Philosophy
- Cecile Durish, Government
- Scott Gibby, Foreign Language
- Leigh Kilman, Library Services
- Mary Kohls, Computer Information Systems
- Al Purcell, History
- Pauline VanMeurs, Emergency Medical Services Professions
- Voncille Wright, Student Services Dean, RGC
- Staff:
- Robert Bermea, Distance Learning Director, was selected Committee Chair.
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Over the course of several meetings held during the summer, the following major topics in regards to Best Practices arose:
- Training
- Course Information
- Communication
- Assessment
- Institutional Issues
For each of these topics, the committee came up with action items, recommendations, and implementation issues; however, an issue arose as to how to tie everything together in one document. A committee member suggested tying these items to the SACS Distance Education Policy Statement; hence, our direction was set. What follows are the documents that the committee developed.
Note: ACC DL Best Practices is in no way meant to affect the content covered in a course.
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Older Documents:
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In preparation for a meeting with Mike Midgley, Robert Bermea looked at the major topics discussed during early meetings, as well as at the documents created by the committee, and came up with a list of short and long range actions that the college can undertake to meet Distance Learning Best Practices.
- Short range actions that faculty can undertake:
- Provide students with course (section) expectations
- Provide students with information about courses via syllabus, course notes, etc.
- Interact with students
- Refer students to appropriate college resources and support services
DL will develop a webpage with links to the college resources, processes, and departments listed on the SACS Best Practices document. Faculty will link to this page from their syllabus/course information documents.
- Long range actions that faculty and the college can undertake:
- Provide faculty training in regards to teaching via Distance Learning
- Use technology appropriately for the DL delivery mode
- Make sure DL courses are comparable (or better) to on-campus courses
- Make sure college resources support both DL faculty and students
Robert then looked at the SACS Distance Education Policy Statement and correlated these short and long range actions with each policy statement. The following draft document will be reviewed by the DL Best Practices Committee:
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ACC Distance Learning Best Practices puts in place the college's (and SACS) expectations for how a Distance Learning course is developed/revised, delivered, and evaluated. A process for implementing ACC DL Best Practices has also been developed, and shows that the college is complying with SACS, our accreditation agency.
The Distance Learning Best Practices Committee puts forward these recommendations and looks for guidance from ACAC on how to proceed.
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Mike Midgley
Vice President, Workforce Education & Business Development
- Five discussion items brought up in a meeting with Robert Bermea (5/16/07):
- Peer Review
The DL Best Practices Committee needs to take ownership and be more aggressive in discussing and implementing a Peer Review process for Distance Learning courses. The college can look (institution says) at the "method of delivery" for a DL course, while allowing Academic Freedom for content delivery.
- Rubric
The college needs to look at a Best Practices rubric, similar to Chico State College's Rubric for Online Instruction. (See the October 2006 Article of Interest.)
- Training
Distance Learning instructors should receive training in both technology usage and DL pedagogy. Faculty should not teach Distance Learning courses until they go through training. Review the college's current training options and determine applicability. In areas that are lacking, develop or locate resources to assist faculty in the design and delivery of Distance Learning courses.
- Resources
Develop resources (Bb / pedagogy) for further implementation of Distance Learning courses such as Hybrids: HYD are Distance Learning Hybrids; HYC are Classroom Hybrids. How does this tie in with course redesign?
- Resources
What online resources does the college offer for faculty, staff and students?
- Adobe Connect (Breeze) for VisCom and other PC or software-based courses—look into offering Live/Synchronous DL classes.
- Online Tutoring — currently using SMARTHINKING—are there others?
- Online Testing — currently using Question Mark
- ACC Student Online Services
Donetta Goodall
Vice President, Academic Transfer & General & Developmental Education
- Five discussion items brought up in a meeting with Robert Bermea (6/13/07):
- Student Evaluation of Distance Learning Courses
- Increase the number of students completing DL Faculty Evaluations.
- Student concerns voiced during faculty evaluations should be weighed accordingly; large number of concerns raised and not addressed by faculty member should determine if a person is allowed to teach Distance Learning.
- Workshops for Students on Taking a DL Course
- Develop a workshop that provides new DL students with information on what to expect when taking a Distance Learning course, including what to expect from a DL faculty member.
- Require all students to take this workshop before signing up for a DL course. Create a database that would track students who took the course.
- Using knowledge acquired in the workshop, a student could fill out an DL evaluation that indicates whether a faculty member used DL Best Practices.
- Peer Review
Peer review is important. The college should look into incorporating peer review in the implementation process. This review would look at best practices, processes, and procedures.
- Built-in Cycle for Review
- Look at Distance Learning courses on a regular cycle to ensure stated objectives are met and that technologies and pedagogy are current.
- While program review would be a good time for the department to review DL courses, 5 years is too long a time period between reviews—perhaps every three years. This would also include refilling DL Course Approval Forms.
- There needs to be accountability at the departmental level to ensure the process happens.
- Communication
How are office hours being handled by DL faculty? Is technology—chats, instant messaging, live chats, etc.—being used effectively for holding office hours and communicating with students?
- Student on DL Best Practices Committee
Add an ACC student to DL Best Practices Committee.
- Short Range Action Items
Look at items listed on short term action items. They can be phased in rather quickly.
- Faculty Mentoring and Training
Look at ongoing training for faculty on Distance Learning technologies. Also provide mentoring to faculty on DL teaching strategies such as interaction.
- Underserved populations
Look into providing courses to underserved populations such as area's prison population. Could Distance Learning technologies be used to meet this need? Developmental courses could be offered to this population.
- Distance Learning Counselor
Work with new Distance Learning Counselor to disseminate information to other ACC counselors and advisors in order to better service and support DL students.
- Provide more information
Create DL bookmarks and (update) DL brochure to provide students with DL information. Add information to ACC "Dashboard" about Distance Learning.
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