Is This a Policy: Y Responsible Office: Academic Affairs Approved By: President's Council Approved Date: 5/1/2013 Effective Date: 5/1/2013 Category: Academics Description/Purpose: The Saint Francis University Distance Education Policy Manual is intended as a resource for faculty teaching online courses at Saint Francis University (SFU). The purpose of this manual is to:
This guide was written by the Committee on Distance Education which was later merged and renamed the Contemporary Instruction, Learning, and Resources Committee. This document was approved by the SFU Faculty Senate. This guide will be accessible to faculty via my.francis.edu. Procedures: Consequence: Details: Definitions Pertaining to Distance Education Distance education is a formal educational process in which some or all of the instruction occurs when the learner and the instructor are not in the same place at the same time. According to Middle States Commission on Higher Education, "an institution must provide students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations" (Standards 2022). Programs delivered through online modalities must meet academic and learning support standards and be comparable to those offered in face-to-face formats. Student learning objectives and outcomes should be consistent across comparable offerings, regardless of modality.
Currently, SFU offers distance education through fully online and hybrid courses. The format of courses is listed in the Schedule of Classes. For the purposes of this document, the term "online" will refer to both fully online and hybrid courses. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Academic Standards for Distance Education Programs and Courses SFU provides quality distance learning opportunities for students in support of the vision, mission, and values of the University. SFU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and as such, programs offered online will meet the standards of that body as well as the standards of any specific program accrediting agencies as required. All courses offered online are held to the same rigorous academic standards as face-to-face courses and are assessed accordingly, with additional standards of design and presentation imposed. Saint Francis University is an active institutional member of SARA (the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement), which allows participating postsecondary institutions to offer interstate distance education in SARA member states. The University follows SARA policies and standards, including guidelines for the evaluations of distance education and annual data reporting on exclusively distance education enrollments. Distance Education Programs Programs offered online will be consistent with the role and mission of SFU and the offering academic units. Only courses and programs which have been approved through established institutional procedures will be offered online. Selection of programs to be offered online is the purview of the appropriate academic unit. The academic unit will provide oversight of a program that is offered online to ensure currency of the program, its courses, and resources. Each program will be coherent and complete and will result in learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the degree awarded. As necessary and appropriate, an online program will be approved by state, regional, or other agencies or associations relevant to the conduct of academic programs at SFU. Online programs will also meet the same requirements as face-to-face programs holding specialized accreditations. Once a program is implemented, the offering academic unit and the University commit to support the continuation of the program for a period sufficient to enable admitted students to complete the program. Distance Education Courses Courses delivered online will be SFU academic department courses approved through the established SFU curriculum approval process, carrying the same curriculum prerequisites, and expected outcomes as traditional face-to-face courses. There will be no distinction in rigor, quality, or standards of excellence between courses offered online and those offered face-to-face. All online courses must meet the same requirements for instructional time as face-to-face courses as defined in the Faculty Handbook. Academic departments will retain responsibility for and control over decisions regarding courses originating in their department. The initial decision about whether a departments course is suited for online delivery lies with the department as does the decision regarding suitability for delivery in a modified semester format (that is, other than the traditional 14-week semester). Before any course is developed for online delivery in a traditional or modified format, approval from the originating department must be secured and documented. Specific approval for each variation of the modified semester format is required. Documentation of approval will be maintained by the CETL. Associated forms and processes will be reviewed by the Contemporary Instruction, Learning, and Resources Committee and updated as needed. Regardless of the delivery mode of a course, faculty members teaching established departmental courses are to be guided by the departmental outlines set up for these courses. Current syllabi for all courses must be on file in the Office of Academic Affairs and in that of the respective department chair. When a fully online course is offered in an accelerated format (less than 14 weeks), the course must be made available to students in advance of the course's official start date. This provides students with sufficient time to develop familiarity with the online course environment, address technical issues, and complete introductory activities before moving into course content. Programs are responsible for informing their faculty and students of the early release procedures. Faculty Certification to Teach Online Courses Any faculty member who wishes to teach online for SFU must be adequately prepared to manage the technical and pedagogical challenges of the format. To ensure that this is so, faculty must be certified based on professional development and experience in online course design and delivery. Faculty will also have to demonstrate competency in using the university learning management system and any other technology required of a specific course. It is incumbent upon the department chair to refer potential online instructors to the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) to discuss certification at SFU. Upon certification, the instructor will be added to the list of instructors who are eligible to teach online. Documentation of certification will be maintained by the CETL. Associated forms will be reviewed by the Contemporary Instruction, Learning, and Resources Committee and updated as needed. Regardless of delivery mechanism, academic departments will retain control of faculty selection for their courses based on content expertise, academic credentials, and any other criteria set forth by the department. Therefore, in addition to becoming certified to teach online at SFU, an instructor must also receive approval to teach a specific course from the department in which that course originates. A. Online Instructor Certification Course The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) offers the Online Instructor Certification Course. This is a six-week fully online course delivered through the learning management system. Individuals completing the course will be certified to teach online for SFU in accordance with the policies set forth in this Distance Education Policy Manual and approved by the Faculty Senate. The course covers the following main topics:
B. Alternative Certification The CETL recommends that all instructors take the six-week Online Instructor Certification Course to become certified to teach online at Saint Francis University. I. Orientation: The potential online instructor must participate in an orientation that introduces them to Saint Francis University's academic policies, online teaching expectations, and support services available to students and instructors. II. Course Design Assessment: The potential online instructor must demonstrate knowledge of effective course design and online teaching pedagogy. This assessment will be created by the CETL and similar to a signature assessment used in the Online Instructor Certification Course. III. Technology Skill Assessment: The potential online instructor must demonstrate the ability to use technologies needed to build and teach online courses. This includes but is not limited to using the learning management system at Saint Francis University. Assessment directions will be provided by the CETL. If one of these three requirements is not completed on time or is not satisfactory, then the instructor will be required to take the Online Instructor Certification Course or Learning Management System training before teaching at Saint Francis University. Deadlines will be set collaboratively by the department and the CETL based on when the instructor is scheduled to teach. Approved by Faculty Senate on February 9, 2021. C. Continued Professional Development As advances are made in online teaching pedagogy and technology, it is recommended that online instructors participate in continuing education and training to produce quality online courses that engage students.
Online Course Development and Review Developing a quality online course requires a significant amount of time to plan curriculum, organize course structure, and create content and engaging activities. Development of a new online course should begin at least 18 weeks prior to the official course start date and should be guided by the "SFU Online Course Review Checklist." CETL personnel are available for instructional design and technological assistance throughout the development process. Online instructors are strongly encouraged to initiate contact with the CETL as early in the development process as possible. To ensure that online courses meet the quality standards for design and delivery cited above, each fully online course will be reviewed by an instructional designer in the CETL. Instructors will be notified through their SFU email that their course is up for review by an instructional designer and will be provided an updated copy of the SFU Online Course Review Checklist. The instructor will receive comments, compliments, and suggestions about the components of the course related to the review checklist. If the course is missing required elements, the instructor will update the course prior to making the course available to students and can work with the instructional designer if additional assistance is needed. Documentation of course reviews will be maintained by the CETL. Associated forms and processes will be reviewed by the Contemporary Instruction, Learning, and Resources Committee and updated as needed. Faculty Evaluations Faculty members teaching distance education courses will be evaluated using established SFU procedures and instruments. Faculty who teach fully online courses are required to use the electronic IDEA (Individual Development and Educational Assessment) Student Ratings of Instruction system as outlined in the SFU Faculty Handbook. Student access to the appropriate form will be provided via a weblink in the course site. It is the instructors responsibility to provide this access, accompanied by a statement explaining the purpose of the evaluation and how the results will be used, and to strongly encourage students to participate in the evaluation process. The CETL provides instruction in the use and administration of online faculty evaluations at the request of the department chair and/or instructor. CETL staff members are also available for consultation to interpret and address results. Course Evaluations In order to help guide continuous improvement in online course design and delivery, students will be invited to provide feedback via a standard set of questions for online courses provided in the IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction. Questions specific to online courses will address effectiveness and efficiency of course design, course site organization, communication, and interaction. Additional items may be developed as deemed appropriate by the course instructor. Records of the course evaluations will be maintained by the CETL. Associated forms and processes will be reviewed by the Contemporary Instruction, Learning, and Resources Committee and updated as needed. Course Enrollments A high level of student-instructor interaction is essential for quality online courses. Appropriate enrollment caps in online courses should be based on pedagogical considerations and negotiated between instructors and administrators within the academic units, just as they are for traditional courses. If uncertain, the following initial enrollment caps may be used as a guide, with the understanding that enrollment caps may be adjusted for subsequent offerings of a specific course.
Academic Calendar Adherence for Online Courses All online courses offered by the university are required to adhere to the official academic calendar for each semester as published in the University Catalog. The academic calendar provides key dates for full-semester courses, as well and Module I and Module II courses. For online courses scheduled during fall and and spring terms, Module I and II courses follow specific, predetermined dates that do not observe traditional semester breaks given the accelerated format of the course. Full-semester online courses, however, must follow the entire academic calendar, including observing scheduled breaks such as fall break, spring break, Thanksgiving, and Easter. As such, due dates for course submissions must not fall during these scheduled breaks. Examples of due date adherence to the academic calendar:
Full-semester online courses are required to administer a final as defined by the final examinations policy during the scheduled Final Exam Week. Faculty must ensure that the instructional hours necessary for credit requirements are met in all formats regardless of the number or length of breaks. Adherence to these guidelines ensures academic rigor and consistency in all instructional modalities offered by the university. Copyright Compliance Instructors developing and teaching online courses agree to follow copyright laws and the Saint Francis University Copyright Policy. Instructors should not include third-party copyrighted material unless appropriate approval (in writing) is provided, or royalty fees were paid for such materials. The librarians can assist faculty with finding materials that are free to use in online courses or available through the SFU Library's resources. Intellectual Property Please refer to the Saint Francis University Intellectual Property Ownership Policy for guidelines on who owns intellectual property and who may use it. Online Course Delivery System Online courses will be delivered using the official university learning management system, Canvas. The rationale for using one system is to provide a familiar and consistent environment for students taking online courses, for instructors who are developing them, and for those who support the instructors and students. Instructors can link to other online resources, including textbook sites, from within a Canvas course site. Canvas is maintained and supported through the CETL in conjunction with IT services and is accessible via a link on the my.francis.edu portal at https://my.francis.edu/ICS/ or by direct address at https://saintfrancis.instructure.com/. An SFU username and password are needed to access Canvas. This is provided to instructors and students by IT Services. The CETL offers faculty training and support for Canvas through the following:
The CETL maintains a Canvas Orientation Course to help students become familiar with the system and its tools. Students will be automatically enrolled in the course upon being admitted to the University. This self-paced and optional orientation will introduce students to the Canvas interface and provide information about common tools used in the online course environment. The student will have access to the course for the duration of their enrollment in the university. For information regarding Canvas training and support, please contact: Support for Distance Education Distance Education at SFU is supported through the combined efforts of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Francis Worldwide School of Continuing Studies, Information Technology Services (ITS), the Center for Academic Success (CAS), and specific departments and programs offering online courses. Library Resources and Support In order to meet the research and information needs of its distance education faculty and students, the SFU Library provides students and employees with access to its electronic resources, course reserves, reference assistance, and other library services via its website at https://www.francis.edu/library. Arrangements for the creation of course specific library resources and instructional services such as information literacy training can be made by contacting Library Services. Accessibility Services To be in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all programs, services, and activities offered by SFU must be accessible to and usable by persons with documented disabilities who have met the technical and academic standards for admission. Online programs support the Universitys commitment to ensuring an equitable academic experience for students with disabilities and will be responsive to requests for reasonable accommodations, regardless of the type of instructional delivery system being utilized. Online courses are required to be ADA compliant. For assistance with issues regarding accessibility and learning accommodations, please contact: A PDF version of the Distance Education Policy Manual. A PDF version of the Course Review Checklist.
Revised and updated 11/09/24. |
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