College of the Redwoods
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE
Date: 1-30-2014
1. Division: Arts, Languages, and Social Sciences
2. Course ID and Number: POLSC 10
3. Course Title: US Government & Politics
SHORT TITLE (appears on student transcripts; limited to 30 characters, including spaces): US Government &
Politics
4. Please select the distance education method that best describes how the course content will be delivered to most
students taking this class:
CTV
DE 52: One-way video and two-way interactive audio (delivered video and telephone)
ITV
DE 51: Simultaneous Interaction: Two-way interactive video and two-way interactive audio
Online
DE 71: Internet based - Simultaneous Interaction: Session under supervision of instructor not available
by line of sight using the Internet with immediate opportunity for exchange between
participants.
DE 72: Internet based - Delayed Interaction: Session under supervision of instructor not available by
line of sight using the Internet without the immediate involvement of the instructor.
Other
DE 53: Simultaneous Interaction: Two-way interactive audio only
DE 60: Text One Way
DE 70: Audio One Way
5. Attach course syllabus to this proposal.
6. What perceived need will this distance education course address?
This course is needed to transfer from a California Community College and is required for other programs in
these colleges. The student need is sometimes greater than the physical classroom space at CR, and some
students in the district live in remote areas where Distance Education is the most practical means of education.
7. Describe in detail how the course content will be delivered and how students will engage this content. Be sure to
describe the specific technologies and/or software to be used.
This course will be delivered via whatever Course Learning Management software CR has adopted at the time.
Examples include but are not limited to Sakai, Blackboard, Moodle, and WebCT. The course will utilize the
Announcement, Discussion Forums, Lessons, Tests & Quizzes, Assignments, and Messages functions to interact
with students on a regular weekly schedule and several other times per week. Weekly lessons will include
instructor-prepared materials (text-based, audio files, and/or video files) in addition to any publisher-created
materials. The instructor will be available for one-on-one contact with students via email or phone for specific
activities like the major writing assignments and exams.
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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8. To illustrate the description in #7, describe what students in this course may do in a typical week of this course.
Do weekly reading indicated in the Syllabus. Read the weekly General Announcement and go to the weekly
Lesson. Click on icons to take the reading Quiz, read commentaries on the readings, respond to a prompt to
make a substantive posting to one or two weekly Discussion Forums and make two cross-postings to other
students, and complete Assignments like News Analyses or Response Papers. Work on part of a major project
like an essay; for an essay this might be deciding on a topic (in consultation with the professor), developing a
thesis, writing an outline, or writing an introduction or conclusion.
9. Title V mandates “regular and effective” contact between DE students and the instructor. Describe the nature and
frequency of instructor-student interactions in this course.
Instructions to students will be detailed and clear. Students will be encouraged to email the instructor with any
questions or concerns. The instructor will check Messages and Discussion Boards several times per week and
respond promptly. Students will submit assignments based on clear instructions at least twice per semester and
receive grading and feedback in a timely manner. Students will complete at least one major examination per
semester and receive grading and feedback in a timely manner.
10. Describe the nature and frequency of student-student interactions in this course.
Students will make weekly substantive cross-postings to other students on Discussion Forums. Students will be
encouraged to assist one another with the process of major projects. Students may be required or encouraged
to work in groups.
11. Describe how you will identify and respond to students experiencing difficulty in this course.
From the beginning of the semester, the instructor will be pro-active in contacting students who fail to log-in or
begin to fall behind. Students who submit unsatisfactory written work will be referred to tutorial services.
Students will be encouraged to post questions in Discussion Forums and to email or call the instructor to discuss
problems. The instructor will provide continuing feedback about Assignments and Projects and in Discussion
Forms.
12. Will exam proctoring be required?
No
Yes
If yes, who will proctor exams? DSPS if necessary for special accommodations.
13. Describe how assessments are used in this course to ensure that student work is evaluated effectively and
accurately.
Weekly quizzes and Discussion Forums will track student engagement in readings. Brief written assignments will
enable the instructor to evaluate writing skills. Essay examination and writing assignments will allow
assessment of student engagement with and understanding of major concepts and issues included in the course.
14. Describe the equipment and staff resources necessary to support the course for students and instructors.
Hardware and software infrastructures necessary for the smooth and efficient operation of the virtual
classroom, and sufficient and competent technical support staff available on a frequent basis are required.
Computer facilities for the instructor which are completely capable of performing all instructional duties in a
real-time format are also needed. Orientation and training for students to ensure that they have the technical
skills and hardware to participate fully in Distance instruction are necessary for student success. Tutorial
support online and DSPS support as appropriate and necessary. Support staff adequate for doing registration,
maintaining rosters and course records, and completing and reporting out the grading process are also required.
15. Describe the contingency plan for this course if access to the delivery system is interrupted.
Students will be contacted by email or phone and assignment deadlines adjusted as needed.
16. Both state and federal law require community colleges to design courses to ensure access for students with
disabilities, including compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Please indicate the steps taken to
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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ensure accessibility by checking the Yes, No, or NA boxes below. For further assistance with accessibility and
assistive technology, please contact DSP&S.
Yes
No
NA
Requirement and Purpose
1. The course delivery provides a text equivalent for all non-text elements such as images,
animations, applets, audio/video files and art. This will enable a screen reader to read the text
equivalent to a blind student.
2. The course delivery provides descriptions for important graphics if they are not fully described
through alternative text or in a document’s content. The description would inform a blind student
of what a picture represented.
3. The course delivery ensures that information conveyed by the use of color is also understandable
without color. For example, so a blind or color-blind student could understand a color-coded
representation of DNA.
4. The course delivery provides textual equivalents to audio information (captioning). The text will
enable deaf students to know what others are hearing.
5. The course delivery provides an alternative audio description for multimedia presentations. The
sound will enable blind students to know what others are seeing.
6. The course delivery ensures that moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating objects or pages
may be paused or frozen. The movement can be distracting for students with certain disabilities.
7. If using faculty web site vs. college provided course management system, the web site identifies,
by labeling or other appropriate means, row and column headers. The identification will enable
screen readers to discern the headers, which disclose the purpose of the data in the rows and
columns.
Yes
No
NA
Requirement and Purpose
8. If using faculty web site vs. college provided course management system, the web site provides
title frames and includes sufficient information as to their purpose and relationship to each other.
This will help blind students understand the organizational purpose of the frame.
9. If using faculty web site vs. college provided course management system, the instructor has
ensured, through HiSoftware’s “Cynthia Says” http://www.cynthiasays.com/ or other appropriate
verification, the usability of pages, and will attach to this proposal evaluation printouts of Section
508 and WCAG—Priority 1 compliance.
10. My course syllabus recommends that students who require accommodations for a disability, such
as accessible formatting of course materials, contact me immediately. Example: “In compliance
with equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you
may require as a student with a disability. Students are encouraged to contact Disabled Students
Programs and Services (DSP&S) for disability verification and for determination of reasonable
academic accommodations.”
Submitted by: Ryan Emenaker
Approvals:
Department Chair:
Dean, Distance Education M Winter
Division Chair/Director: Tracey Thomas
Tel. Ext: 4306
Date: 3/14/2014
Review Date:
Review Date: 3/23/14
Review Date: 3/24/14
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Yes
Date: 04.11.14
Academic Senate Approval Date: 04.18.14
Board of Trustees Approval Date: 05.06.14
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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