April 23, 2020 Meeting
Agenda
Taft College Distance Learning and Education Committee
AGENDA
Thursday April 23, 2020
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Via Zoom
https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/96002186463
Meeting ID: 960-0218-6463
Call to Order
Public Commentary
Action Items
- Approval of March 13, 2020 Minutes ACTION
Reports
- None
Old Business
- None
New Business
- Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form ACTION
Discussion Items
- None
Other
Adjournment
Next Meeting: May 11, 2020
Minutes
Taft College Distance Learning and Education Committee
MINUTES
Thursday April 23, 2020
4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Via Zoom
Call to Order: Bledsoe, 4:02 pm
In Attendance: Amar Abbott, Nicole Avina, Adam Bledsoe, Jill Brown, Geoffrey Dyer, Chris Flachmann, Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, Steven McDaniel, Leslie Minor, Joy Reynolds
Public Commentary: None
Action Items
- Approval of Minutes
- April 13, 2020 minutes
- Minutes adopted by unanimous consent
- April 13, 2020 minutes
Reports: None
Old Business: None
New Business:
- Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form
Discussion:
Adam Bledsoe reviewed the draft of the Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form with the committee.
Committee discussed if this form would be needed retroactively for the Spring 2020 semester. Clarification was given that the form is needed for courses in Summer and Fall 2020.
Question was raised about courses that have been previously approved for distance learning but have not been recently taught in that format. Math 2130 and Math 2140 were cited as examples. Clarification was given that previously approved courses are still eligible for distance learning if the Distance Learning Form is updated when the COR is updated.
Question was asked if course is taught in the distance learning format under the Emergency Distance Learning Form, could it continue to be taught in distance learning if faculty feel that the format is a good fit. Clarification was given that faculty would have to complete and submit the traditional Distance Learning Approval Form to continue to teach the course via distance learning in a non-emergency situation.
Question #5 on the form regarding how course outcomes identified in the Course Outline of Record (COR) must be met in the distance learning environment was examined. The committee discussed if clarifying language should be added or if the language should remain similar to the original Distance Learning Approval Form. The committee noted that the most common error made by faculty when completing the Distance Learning Approval Form is omitting how potential challenge in meeting all course outcomes can be met in distance learning.
It was therefore recommended the following statements be added to the form as a checkbox:
- After review of the COR, there are no potential challenges anticipated to meeting the course outcomes.
- After review of the COR, I anticipate the following challenges to meeting the course outcomes:
Question #7 on the form regarding regular effective instructor/student contact was examined. The committee noted that form needs to more explicitly state the need for student to student interaction. Discussion on placing clarifying language in both the required and syllabus recommendations. The committee recommended the following language be added at end of the paragraph in question #7 before “recommended”:
- Additionally, all distance education courses are required to include opportunities for students to interact with one another, as student to student interactions are part of the definition of regular effective contact as stated in Title 5 section 55204.
The language in the Title 5 regulations were referenced: “Any portion of a course conducted through distance education includes regular effective contact between instructor and students, and among students, 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. Regular effective contact is an academic and professional matter pursuant to sections 53200 et seq.”
Committee discussed if there was a need for a separate form or if it would be more efficient just to add an additional checkbox to the original form that stated the course is only approved in emergency situations. Committee felt a separate form helped clarify that approval is only applicable in an emergency and lessened the opportunity for mistakes to be made when completing form.
Committee discussed if an expiration date on form was necessary. Will question #2 that asks faculty to identify which semester the course is temporarily approved create confusion? Would it be more efficient to add clarifying language to question #1 and then simply renew form at the time of the courses COR revision? The committee recommended to remove question #2 and to change the language in question #1 to:
- “No, this course should only be considered applicable for distance education for the duration of any emergency declared by the WKCCD Board of Trustees and will not be a regular offering via distance education.”
The committee additionally recommended that language be added to the end of question #1 that if faculty are seeking ongoing approval for distance learning, they should complete and submit the traditional Distance Learning Approval Form.
- Dyer motioned to approve the Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form with revisions suggested by the committee.
- Kulzer-Reyes seconded.
- Motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Items: None
Other: None
Adjournment