Appendix 8: eLearning

eLearning is defined as the conducting of teaching and learning activities in environments, media, or formats in which the majority of the teaching and learning takes place by means of telecommunication or media technology. This typically refers to online and blended learning delivery formats.

Enrollment Management

Online

In general, the range of enrollments for online courses should be between 15 and 39 students. The precise number of students permitted in any given section will be determined by these guidelines and recommendations, and by the Academic Administrators.

Section Enrollment Caps

Academic departments have the primary responsibility for section enrollments.

Academic departments determine enrollment caps for each section based on the above recommendation, as well as content- or instructor-specific limitations.

In determining enrollment cap numbers, it is important that a department consider the attrition that online courses may experience; 10% to 20% attrition is not unusual. As a result, it may be helpful to set a higher enrollment cap for eLearning course sections to ensure that sections are properly filled.

Minimum & Maximum Enrollments

A minimum enrollment of 15 students will be required for an online section to be offered. When there is a need for sections to be offered with section counts lower than the recommended minimum, departments should coordinate with the Division of eLearning and other appropriate College departments or areas.

Each online section will be limited to a maximum enrollment of 39 students. If a course section reaches an enrollment of 40 or more students, a new course section of that course should be created.

Blended/Hybrid

Blended learning (also labeled hybrid or mixed instruction) refers to courses that provide a mix of in-person instruction with online activity. There is no single model for blended learning. The phrase encompasses a wide range of approaches.

Traditional hybrid courses replace classroom seat time (once or twice a week) with specific online learning activities and assessments. Traditional hybrid sections should be limited to 15 to 39 students, similar to online sections.

Other hybrid course models (e.g., learning emporium and others) may require other enrollment strategies and practices. Initial pilots of these models will require agreement from the Associate Dean, School Dean, the Director of eLearning, and the Provost's Office. If proven successful, the Discussion Team will need to review and approve the associated workload and compensation associated with these hybrid course models.

Faculty Teaching Assignments

Faculty Workload

Using the enrollment cap information stated above, a full-time faculty member's teaching assignment should follow the stated parameters as noted in Appendix 2, Faculty Workload.

Faculty who teach an eLearning course as part of their assigned teaching load or as overload should have the necessary skills, training, and certification to effectively teach and engage students in such delivery modes. Training and certification should be completed prior to giving eLearning teaching assignments.

Faculty should establish as part of their syllabus, communication expectations with students, indicating, for example, how quickly a response is likely to be received after a student inquiry. Responding to student inquiries within one business day is recommended.

Faculty Requests for an Online-Only Teaching Assignment

Full-time may request or be assigned to teach their entire teaching assignment online. Administrative approval should be based upon student needs and enrollment patterns, taking into account the need for a balance of delivery options for students, as well as department or division resources and requirements.

Prior to an online-only assignment

• The faculty member must demonstrate competency in the use of proposed technology including effective pedagogies for the Online environment. Competency will be determined by Department faculty and the Academic Administrator in conjunction with the Division of eLearning.
• The faculty member must show evidence of success by having successfully conducted a minimum of one online course for an academic year (two semesters).
• Faculty requesting to teach a full load online will work with their Academic Administrator in consultation with the Dean, regarding work for service and professional development. The documentation will be filed in the Dean's office.

If a faculty member has fulfilled these two requirements, they will submit a current copy of the form Request for an Online-Only Teaching Assignment and Agreement to her or his Academic Administrator.

The faculty member must ensure that sufficient lead-time has been provided to make recommendations and plans for effective course/program scheduling.

The form includes a statement of how the faculty member will contribute to other faculty duties outside of teaching. It requires signature approval from the Academic Administrator and Dean. Copies of approved Requests for an Online-Only Teaching Assignment will be kept by the Department and the Provost's Office (coupled with the salary load document).

Faculty Overload

Overload teaching assignments should follow the stated policy procedures (#C4S01) as delineated in section 2.8 Overload Policy and Procedures. Faculty assigned to an eLearning course development project should have limited overload teaching assignments – a single course section or less – as agreed on by the Academic Administrator and the Division of eLearning. Where possible, no overload teaching assignments should be given to those participating in a development project, to ensure adequate time and effort is given in teaching and development tasks.

Compensation

Regular Teaching Assignments

Compensation for courses taught as part of full-time faculty members' regular teaching assignments should be considered part of their contractual base salaries. Adjunct faculty are compensated using the approved adjunct instructional rate.

Overload Teaching Assignments

Teaching compensation for courses taught above a full-time faculty member's regular teaching assignment is paid at the part-time instructional rate. As defined by the nature of their employment, adjunct faculty do not have overload assignments.

Online Course Review

Online course reviews are currently conducted only by approved full-time faculty members. Faculty who review a course will receive $250 one-time stipend when the review is submitted. Faculty reviewers will be required to attend annual training workshops to be considered active reviewers.

Course Development

The Academic Administrator of the appropriate school, in coordination with the Division of eLearning, will select faculty to participate in approved course development projects. Generally, a minimum of two faculty members will be associated with each course development project. These faculty members join a development team, which also includes the following instructional development professionals: Academic Administrator, Project Manager, Instructional Designer(s), and Media Developers.

Course development projects are typically organized into one of three annual development cycles (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Depending on the parameters of the project, it is anticipated that each cycle would take 3-9 months to complete. Each development cycle is organized into four (4) development phases: 1) planning, 2) design, 3) development and 4) pilot/revise.

Compensation for course development work is dependent on the nature of the project and the contribution of time and effort. Where additional time and effort are required above the contracted scope of work, an addendum to the contract, and additional compensation may be negotiated.

New or redesign course development projects may include the following: 1) a reassigned teaching load (up to one course for two semesters) and 2) overload development compensation. Overload development compensation is limited to a maximum of $6,000 per project. Payments are made as one-time fractions of total compensation based upon receipt of approved deliverables and associated time and effort contributions. The Division of eLearning will reimburse the adjunct teaching pool monies for teaching reassigned time.

Development compensation is processed in the form of one-time payments and will require the necessary signatures indicating that the required scope of work has been completed as contracted before any payment is processed.