Distance Education

Definitions

Distance Education
Distance education means education that uses one or more of the technologies listed below to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor(s) and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and instructor(s) either synchronously or asynchronously. Technologies that may be used to offer distance education include: (1) the internet, (2) one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communication devices, (3) audio conference, (4) other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in this definition. Distance education does not include correspondence courses.

Regular Interaction
Interaction between a student and instructor(s) is ensured by, prior to the student’s completion of a course or competency: (1) providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency and (2) monitoring the student’s academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.

Substantive Interaction
Engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following: (1) providing direct instruction, (2) assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework, (3) providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency, (4) facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency, or (5) other instructional activities approved by the District’s or program’s accrediting agency.

Course Approval 

The review and approval of new and existing distance education courses shall follow the curriculum approval procedures outlined in Administrative Procedure 4020, Program, Curriculum and Course Development. Distance education courses shall be approved under the same conditions and criteria as all other courses, by the District College's Curriculum Committee.

Duration of Approval
All distance education courses approved under this procedure will continue to be in effect unless there are substantive changes in the course outline of record that are reviewed and approved under the same conditions and criteria as all other courses, by the District College’s Curriculum Committee. In instances of short-term emergency, face-to-face courses may be temporarily moved to an online modality for the duration of the emergency. Upon end of the emergency situation the courses will revert to their original mode of instruction.

Addendum to Course Outline
The course outline of record or an addendum to the official course outline of record for any new or existing course provided through distance education must be approved according to the District College's curriculum approval procedures. The addendum must address the following:

• How course outcomes will be achieved in a distance education mode (including possible changes in modality in case of emergencies);
• How the portion of instruction delivered via distance education meets the requirement for regular and substantive interaction; and
• The course design and all course materials must be accessible to every student, including students with disabilities.

Faculty Selection and Workload
Instructors of course sections delivered through distance education are individuals responsible for delivering course content who meet the qualifications for instruction established by the District’s accrediting agency. Instructors will be selected in accordance with the relevant sections of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the VCCCD and AFT Local 1828. Distance education (DE) faculty must be certified to teach distance education prior to being assigned a distance education course.

Certification

When approving distance education courses, the District College’s Curriculum Committee will certify the following:

Course Quality Standards
The same standards of course quality are applied to the distance education courses as are applied to in-person classes.

Course Quality Determinations
Determinations and judgments about the quality of the distance education course are made with the full involvement of the District College’s Curriculum Committee approval procedures.

Establishing Regular and Substantive Faculty-Initiated Contact

Each section of the course that is delivered through distance education will include regular and substantive interaction between the instructor(s) and students, as well as among students, as described in the course outline of record, either synchronously or asynchronously, through group or individual meetings, orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study sessions, field trips, library workshops, telephone contact, voice mail, e-mail, or other activities. College faculty and staff can refer to their local Distance Education Handbooks for best practices regarding regular and substantive interaction.

Accessibility
Each course that is delivered through distance education must comply with Section 508 accessibility guidelines.

Proctoring

Distance education courses may require exams to be taken in a proctored setting. Faculty members will clearly communicate in their syllabi any proctoring requirements along with options to complete.

Test Proctoring Fees
There is no authority that permits the District to charge students a fee to cover the costs associated with having someone present while students are taking tests, quizzes, exams.

Verification of Student Identity

Consistent with federal regulations pertaining to federal financial aid eligibility, the District must authenticate or verify that the student who registers in a distance education course is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the academic credit. The District will provide to each student at the time of registration a statement of the process in place to protect student privacy and estimated additional student charges associated with verification of student identity, if any.

The Chief Instructional Officer shall ensure the institution utilizes one or more of these methods to authenticate or verify student identity:

1. Secure login and password to enable authenticated access to student information and course management system.
2. Proctored examinations.
3. New or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification.

The Chief Instructional Officer shall establish procedures for providing a statement of the process in place to protect student privacy and estimated additional student charges associated with verification of student identity, if any, to each student at the time of registration.