Creighton College of Arts & Sciences

 

Distance Education Policy

 

The Policies and Procedures set forth herein are consistent with the principles and practices described in the University Quality in Distance Education Programs Policy 4.1.2. The College of Arts and Sciences' Distance Education Policies and Procedures incorporate measures to insure quality in distance education as mandated by University policy. The College policy primarily defines the type of courses covered by its policy, the approval processes that such courses must undergo and the criteria used to judge such the acceptability of such courses.

 

1.                  These policies apply to all courses that use information technology to deliver course content in a non-traditional way. Presently, these policies cover the following: web-based or on-line courses, courses with a technological component that substitutes for classroom contact hours, and courses delivered via satellite.  All these courses are included under the name “distance.”·

2.                  All distance courses should serve a curricular and programmatic need.

3.                  Oversight and approval of distance courses in the College of Arts and Sciences will be an activity of the Curriculum Committee. The ATC Subcommittee on Policy is charged with providing approval criteria to be used by the Curriculum Committee.

4.                  Existing distance courses, new courses created for distance, as well as existing courses converting to distance, must be approved by the Curriculum Committee. No course bearing an Arts and Sciences designation currently scheduled to be offered (e.g. summer and/or fall, 2000) may be taught in a distance format if it has not be reviewed and approved by the Dean according to the criteria and procedures outlined in this policy. This also includes any newly developed independent study course to be taught in a distance format or any current "extension" or independent study course offered through another venue (e.g.  University College's Independent Study Program) which is revised to meet the definition of distance as used in this document.

5.                  Course approval requests must clearly stipulate when the course would be offered, specifically summer session or the regular academic year. Approval for a course taught in one time frame does not automatically transfer to the other. For example, a course approved to be taught in the summer session may not be taught in the regular academic year unless it had approval to be taught in this time frame (and vice versa). If a proposal stipulates both or either the summer/regular academic year, then the course may be offered at either time.

6.                  While distance courses are not to be held to a "higher" standard than regular courses, they must be held to an additional standard appropriate to their status as distance courses. As such, any approved distance course which has not been taught for more than three academic years (or three summers) will be considered as having lost its approval, and must be resubmitted for review/approval.**

7.                   

a. Approved distance courses of the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum are intended primarily to serve students residing too far from campus to attend classroom offerings. 
b. CCAS traditional students demonstrating need may, with the written approval of the CCAS Associate Dean, enroll in approved distance courses of the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum that are taught in venues other than CCAS (e.g. Nursing, University College's non-traditional students). Examples of need include scheduling conflicts, graduation concerns, and summer work conflicts.  Accumulated credit for such courses will be treated like transient study, the total number of both not to exceed 12 semester hours.

c.  CCAS traditional students must have prior written approval of the CCAS Associate Dean to take any new or revised independent study course if it is offered as a distance course regardless of the venue in which the course is offered. The 12 hour limit (including transient study) applies to these courses.
d.  Proposals for courses, or sections thereof, serving traditional students must be forwarded to the Dean and will be evaluated on the pedagogical benefits and educational outcomes gained by the students from this particular mode of delivery.

8.                  All distance courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences must include interaction between faculty member and students. Here interaction is interpreted according to the University’s Quality in Distance Education Programs policy statement (4.1.2.) Category II: Interactions, and the specific guidelines of the College of Arts and Sciences course approval procedures.

9.                  Distance courses must be identified as such in all schedules of courses and the method of delivery identified. Also, the course syllabus must clearly indicate that the course is taught in a distance format.

10.              Following the University's Quality in Distance Education Programs policy (4.1.2.) statement (4.1.2.) Category III: Assessment and Measurement, distance courses must be evaluated and assessed by the venue in which they are taught, according to the College’s normal guidelines for evaluation and assessment.

11.              Venues in which distance courses are taught, including the College itself, must demonstrate the existence of student support systems and services as defined in the University's "Quality in Distance Education Programs" policy statement, Category V: Student Support systems and services.

12.              The Dean of the College reserves the right to amend or suspend any portion of this Policy during the probationary period(s), as well as to suspend the entire policy at any time if such action is deemed to be in the best interests of the College. In the event that the Dean suspends this policy, no course bearing an Arts and Sciences designation may be offered in a distance format (as defined in this policy) without the advance, written approval of the Dean.

 

**NOTE: In practice this provision would not take effect for any course until after the review to take place in spring, 2002, and so does not "prejudice" any currently proposed course.

 

Approved as Probationary Policy, April 5, 2000

Reviewed and approved by Executive Council, May 2, 2002

Approved by Dean Austin, May 2, 2002

Scheduled for review prior to May 2, 2005

 


· Note: Courses that use technology but do not use it to substitute for classroom contact hours are not covered by these policies. The list of courses covered by these policies can be expanded by the committee.