Mesa Community College
Center for Teaching and Learning
The CTL provides faculty with the means to innovatively and collaboratively advance the process of education.
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Distance Learning: A Two-Semester Program
Each spring semester select residential and adjunct faculty participate in the Distance Learning Mentoring Group (DLMG). DLMG faculty learn from one another as they develop their first web-based distance learning course during the first semester. They pilot the course during their second semester.
The course being developing as part of DLMG is one not currently offered on-line at MCC. Participation of a faculty member in DLMG requires the support of his/her departmental chairman.
DLMG grant recipients are required to attend meetings every Thursday from 4 to 5:45 P.M. during the spring Development Semester. These meetings, which are led by Dr. Peggy Johnson, focus on distance learning-related issues including curriculum design, technology options, course management logistics, and other pertinent topics. Faculty are expected to work on their online course at least six to eight hours per week during the development phase of DLMG.
The Development Semester
Compensation
During the spring semester that a residential faculty member is part of DLMG, he/she receives reassigned time equal to the number of credit hours of the proposed course. Residential faculty must make arrangements to receive reassigned time through their department chairs. Under no circumstances will the Distance Learning Office provide a course overload, special services contract to residential faculty for participation in the DLMG program.
Adjunct faculty will receive a special services contract for their spring DLMG semester equal to the credit hours of the proposed course.
Responsibility
Before a course can be offered on-line, grant recipients must demonstrate to the Distance Learning Mentoring Group (DLMG) that the course is substantially complete and ready to be deployed prior to the start of the semester. For a class to be “substantially complete,” grant recipients must have decided on a method of delivering the course (WebCT, stand-alone website, etc…) and have the following information located somewhere on the course website:
- Course homepage
- Course syllabus that includes:
- Description of all assignments
- Due dates for all assignments
- Clear guidelines informing students how to turn in assignments and/or take exams
- A clear policy informing students of the expected turnaround time for responding to general e-mails and returning assignments
- Teaching materials to be used in the course (textbook, websites, etc…)
- At least one sample assignment
- At least one sample assessment
The Pilot Semester
The semester following course development is the pilot semester for the online course (usually the subsequent fall semester). Each DLMG faculty member pilots his/her completed courses with an enrollment cap of 10 students. The instructor may choose to allow a larger class size.
DLMG faculty will include a course evaluation survey at the end of their pilot semester (consider the end-of-course survey identified at this site http://ctl.mc.maricopa.edu/blogcast/?p=23#more-23. Results will be shared with the DLMG mentor so that suggestions may be made for improving the course.
Residential faculty members pilot the course as part of their regular course load. Adjunct faculty receive a contract to teach the course. After the pilot phase, the particular policy of the applicable academic department determines future enrollment caps.
Required Computer Skills
Faculty who are selected for the DLMG program must have basic to intermediate computer skills.
Basic skills
Basic computer skills include:
- know where files are stored on the computer and how they are organized
- how to create a "folder" or directory
- how to copy and paste a file
- know the differences between a “floppy” disc drive, cd drive, zip drive and hard drive
- what file extensions are (such as, .doc .html .jpg) and how they identify a file’s format and/or uses
- what an Internet browser is and how to use it
- the difference between a file that is “on-line” and a file that resides on a local computer
- how to copy and paste text or a graphic from one document to another
- how to compose and send an e-mail from an MCC e-mail account
- how to send an e-mail attachment
Intermediate Skills
The following intermediate skills are desired, but not required:
- familiarity with the MyMCC portal and its tools
- the basic parts of an html page (including imbedded objects such as pictures and how the page finds them).
- how to link pages within a website AND pages outside of a website—including the difference between absolute and relative links.
- how to upload or download a document using FTP, Secure Shell or some other file transfer program.
- the difference between “Standard” e-mail (e-mail sent and received via Netscape Mail, Outlook, Eudora, etc…) and “web-based” e-mail (e-mail sent and received via a web-browser.)
- how to configure an e-mail editor to receive and send MCC e-mail from my home and/or office
Improving Your Computer Skills
MCC’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers numerous workshops to help faculty members develop and nurture the above listed skills.
In addition, it is highly recommended that potential grant recipients successfully complete the online CIS 236 Web-Based Teaching and Learning I course Instructional Technologies and Learning Communities course offered by the CTL. For further information on CIS 236, contact Shelley Rodrigo at (480) 461-7780 or email Shelley at rrodrigo@mail.mc.maricopa.edu
For general technological help and information regarding computer workshops and classes, please contact Peggy Johnson.
E-Mail: johnson@mail.mc.maricopa.edu
Phone: 461-7703
For workshops scheduled in the CTL, go here: http://ctl.mc.maricopa.edu/regsys/
Selection Criteria
Decisions regarding selection of DLMG faculty are based on the following criteria:
- Student demand for the course
- Proposed course is not currently offered on-line at MCC
- Relevance to departmental instructional plan
- Innovation
- Sound pedagogical approach to distance delivery
- Realistic plan, timeline, and goals
- Relevance to MCC Distance Learning Mission "to offer all-inclusive distance degrees or certificate programs"
- Transferability, applications to occupational certificate or degree, or prerequisite courses
- Ability to reach underserved populations
- Preparation and training of applicant