Internet or Web-Based Course Policy

McNeese State University

Revised October 6, 2009

This policy is to be included in the F/S Handbook in the Academic Practices and Procedures Section.

Faculty who teach online courses using the Internet must adhere to the most recent Web-based Course Policy. The McNeese web page has the most recent policy. The Director of Electronic Learning provides materials and training relevant to Internet or web-based courses and may be reached at hware@mcneese.edu.

The following pertain to online course delivery:

Steps completed before the course is offered:

Training: Any faculty member using the Internet for course delivery must have participated in appropriate training for such delivery methods. At a minimum, the faculty member must demonstrate competency in appropriate technical methods and an understanding of pedagogy as related to web-based instruction. It is suggested that accepted models of web-based instruction be viewed prior to course development. The Director of Electronic Learning provides information on training and available models and resources for Internet instruction.
Complete Introduction to Online Course Design: The instructor of any new courses after fall 2005 is required to successfully complete the online course, Introduction to Online Course Design. After the Request to offer Internet Courses form has been approved, the instructor will be enrolled in the training course. Within the context of the training, the faculty member develops completely the proposed course prior to the semester being offered.
Completed Course Review by E-Learning Advisory Team: The completed course is reviewed by the E-Learning Advisory Team (ELAT) for approval or with recommendations for improvement. Any course which does not receive the E-Learning Advisory Team approval may not be taught online.
Note about ongoing review: All courses are subject to review by the E-Learning Advisory Team for approval or with recommendations for improvement on a continuing basis. The online training course is available and is recommended for instructors who may need to make updates in course design.
Learning Outcomes Approved: All web-based courses must have course content and methods for measuring learning outcomes approved by the appropriate curriculum coordinator, department head, and dean. A justification for offering a course via the Internet must be included in the request for approval.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Online Courses must be made available at least two days prior to the start of a new semester or session.
Instructors take the following steps to make sure that they make their courses available to students: Enter each individual course, enter the Control panel, enter settings, click on Course Availability, next to Make Course Available click “Yes”. Then click Submit.
Instructors take the following steps to make sure that they make their OLD courses Unavailable to students at the end of the semester or after students have finished making up “I” grades: Enter each individual course, enter the Control panel, enter settings, click on Course Availability, next to Make Course Available click “No”. Then click Submit.
Archiving courses and deleting them:

In order to archive a course, an instructor should create a folder called Archives.
The instructor should click on Archive Course, and click Submit.
The instructor should then click on the right mouse button and select SAVE AS to save the file to the Archive Course folder.
The instructor should double-check that the file is saved.
The instructor should send a list of old files to hware@mcneese.edu to be deleted.

Web courses are designated as “W” course sections in the University Class Schedule. “W” courses have no on-campus components required; they are FULLY online courses.
Web Hybrid courses or listed as “WH” course sections in the University Class Schedule. “WH” courses usually have some on-campus components required such as the first class meeting and exams required on campus or proctored at another campus.

Required Course Components

The following Standard Components for Web-based Courses (Both “W” and “WH”) (independent of course content) must be included in the course.

A course syllabus that is adapted to reflect online learning, that contains student outcomes and their related assessments and that references academic integrity.
Breadth and scope of the course that is comparable to the course as it would be delivered in traditional format.
A detailed description of how to submit assignments.
A technical help page which directs students to appropriate resources for assistance.
A student resources page containing hyperlink(s) to university resources designed for students who are seeking help or support. The web page that contains hyperlinks to the Library, etc. is currently included in the course links.
Instructor Contact Information: Students must be provided opportunity for private contact and communication with the course instructor. Contact information should include campus office hours, telephone number, email address, fax number (if available), and mailing address.
Each Internet course must require interaction among the students, and between faculty and students. An online discussion forum would be an example of this. Online discussion sessions should be frequent and should require interaction from all students for successful completion of the course.
Each Internet course must provide the students with a calendar for assignment completion to help pace the student through the course. Due to the nature of web-based courses, students need a guide and calendar for completion of assignments.
All Internet courses should use the current Learning Management System (i.e. Blackboard) or a delivery system approved by the System Administrator and reviewed by the E-Learning Advisory Team. All Internet courses are password protected and each student enrolled in the course shall be given a user name and password to the course. All grades are to be kept confidential; students must be informed of the method for posting grades.
Faculty teaching web-based courses should enroll the department head, dean, and vice president for academic affairs in the courses to allow access upon request.
Students in e-learning courses will complete the Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) on a web-based evaluation. The web-based evaluations will have two parts for each course, one for the evaluation of the instruction of the course and one for the evaluation of the e-learning environment of the course. Each student will receive two e-mails for each e-learning course in which they are enrolled and may also receive up to two reminders during each part.

Part 1---SEI for the Instruction of the course:
Email will contain: Survey location URL, password, and administration begin and end dates
Email will be sent: Begin date for the administration period
Reminders: Up to two reminders may be sent during the administration period

Part 2---SEI for the E-learning environment of the course:
Email will contain: Survey location URL, password, and administration begin and end dates
Email will be sent: Soon after the end date of Part 1
Reminders: Up to two reminders may be sent during the administration period
Each course must include the following statement: Students in online courses will be asked to post written work and to engage in written dialogue with other class members. The student should be aware that although confidentiality within the course environment is encouraged, it is possible that users in and outside the course may have access to course content. Students have the obligation to comply with the McNeese Academic Integrity Policy.

Internet or Web-based Course Exams:

Students in “WH” online courses may take proctored exams on the McNeese campus, proctored at another university or online via Blackboard’s assessment tools. In all cases, information about time and place for exams must be clearly communicated to the student. Exam dates must be announced in the course syllabus and/or calendar.
In the case of “W” courses, exams are usually administered using Blackboard assessment tools. The instructor must understand the security issues involved in remote testing and must take steps to secure the exams. The Director of Electronic Learning can help with this, providing information and training for testing tools such as Respondus Lockdown Browser software.
Assessment in online courses should take a variety of forms. Products, files, quality and depth of online discussion contributions, group projects, diagrams, drawings, essays, reports—all these are worthwhile and worthy of evaluation. The instructor should be open to changing teaching, learning, and evaluation techniques in the online environment.

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