Policy for Approval of Online and Web-Enhanced Courses

1. There will be only one official course outline for each course. The same course outline is used for all teaching methods, i.e., traditional classroom, web-enhanced, and online courses or sections. Items 1-18 on the course outline should reflect the general nature of the course regardless of the teaching method used. Courses with online or web-enhanced sections must complete a separate addendum to the course outline. The Official Course Outline should be updated and placed on the most current form ONLY during the ongoing Division Course Review or for major revisions to the course.

2. The Instructor must submit the Technology Mediated Instruction Addendum attached to a copy of the Official Course Outline to the Division Dean for approval. The Division Dean’s Office then submits the addendum and course outline to the Curriculum Office. The Curriculum Secretary will submit the addendum and course outline to the Distance Learning Subcommittee.

3. The Distance Learning Subcommittee will conduct a separate review of all online or web-enhanced course outline addenda to ensure that instructors have accurately completed the form and met required guidelines.

4. When the Distance Learning Committee has approved the course, it will be forwarded to CAPAC or the CAPAC Chair for approval. Current CAPAC approved courses that plan to offer a new online or web-enhanced section are considered “Minor Revisions”. The CAPAC Chair reviews and approves minor revisions. New courses with an online or web-enhanced section must be reviewed and approved by CAPAC.

5. The following resources are available in the CAPAC Handbook: “Guidelines for Good Practice: Technology Mediated Instruction” (1997) and “Guidelines for Good Practice: Effective Instructor-Student Contact in Distance Learning” (1999). The CAPAC Handbook is available in the Division Dean’s Office and Curriculum Office.

6. The Distance Learning Committee recommends that any instructor planning to develop an online course for the first time should contact the Educational Technologist, Learning Resources and Instructional Technology Division.