Criterion 1: Helping
Students Learn
MINUTES
MARCH 4, 2003
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Truman Bashore, Ruth Barney, Maggie Myers, Becky Telford,
Ann Miller, and Iden Smith
MINUTES:
The minutes of the February 18 meeting were approved as submitted.
MEETING WITH
VICE-PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION
The chair reported that he had met with the Vice-President of Education
and communicated the recommendations that the team developed at its last
meeting. All of the team’s recommendations were discussed. There was no
commitment on the use of a postcard to inform online students of start-up
procedures. The Vice-President expressed a concern about having Deans
visit course sites, but did indicate a concern about the quality of online
courses. The checklist for advisors to use when discussing online courses
with students and a “Best Practices” session during fall duty days seemed
acceptable.
CHECKLIST FOR
ADVISORS
Maggie Myers will work on a checklist for advisors to use when discussing
online courses with students.
POSTCARD WITH
START-UP PROCEDURES
Ruth Barney will work on the text for a postcard which tells students how
to begin an online course. The text discussed was something like the
following:
“You have
registered for an online course at Edison. You have the responsibility to
make initial contact with your instructor. Go to the Edison Web site and
go to the link …”
The checklist and
the postcard mentioned above should be presented to the faculty at the
next Academic Senate meeting.
TEXT FOR THE
SCHEDULE BOOKLET
The team decided that the start-up procedure for online courses should be
included in the schedule booklet at the beginning of the listing of online
courses. Since the booklet for fall is near completion, the chair will
contact Terri Jacomet about whether the inclusion is possible at this
point. Ann Miller will write the text that is to be included.
BEST PRACTICES
SESSION FOR FALL DUTY DAYS
The team discussed ideas for a “Best Practices” session during fall
duty days. Some suggestions included:
- Ask Brad Reed
to do a session on getting a class started. He has an early exercise
where students must demonstrate basic computer skills.
- Ask Ann Miller
to do a session on developing a Blackboard site.
- Ask Janice
Michael to do a session on how to incorporate variety into courses. A
title like “Beyond the Discussion Board” was mentioned.
- Ask TR Ruddick
to do a session on communications since his students do not seem to have
problems in this area. Ask how he facilitates the discussion board.
It was suggested
that the session be videotaped. A copy could be placed in the library and
copies could be provided to faculty who are considering teaching online
courses.
MEETING WITH
CQI DISTANCE LEARNING COMMITTEE
Some of the issues that are being discussed by this team seem to
overlap those that are the responsibility of the CQI Distance Learning
Committee. The chair will contact Brad Reed to discuss having a combined
meeting or having him attend one of this team’s meetings.
