College of the Redwoods
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE
Date: 1/28/13
1. Division: Humanities and Communications
2. Course ID and Number: Reading 10
3. Course Title: Book of the Year Discussion Group
SHORT TITLE (appears on student transcripts; limited to 30 characters, including spaces): BOTY Discussion Group
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 distance education course meets the needs of students who might otherwise be unable
to attend on-campus classes due to preferences, time, place, family, work or other
responsibilities. Online courses offer students the flexibility to participate where and when it
suits them.
An online experience also allows students the opportunity to discuss their understanding of
and responses to the themes and topics covered without interruption or distraction. Sharpening
both critical thinking and communication skills, online discussions tend to be more personal as
well as thoughtful.
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.
Reading 10 course content is delivered primarily through textbook readings and weekly
asyncronous discussion through MyCR. Discussions are planned to help students think
critically, read closely and respond thoughtfully fostering both engagement and reflection.
Students are also required to develop a strong thesis-driven argument in a written essay or
digital presentation which must then be revised in response to instructor feedback. This gives
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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them the opportunity to not only explore a topic in depth but also to incorporate a reader's
responses into their efforts, improving both writing and thinking processes and practices.
In addition to the required text, online resources (articles, websites, videos and blogs) are
provided. Course goals and outcomes are clearly defined and aligned with content.
CR's Distance Education department has tutorials and provides tech support for both online
students and teachers.
The assigned texts and reading schedule is identical to the F2F course. Weekly reading and
writing assignments are also identical. Furthermore, students are held to the same grading
standards and rubrics as in the classroom. Interactions among students and with the instructor
merely moves from F2F to an online platform. The instructor furnishes a substantive weekly
prompt about the current theme to focus students’ thoughts and discussion. Discussion board
participation is monitored daily and graded weekly.
8. To illustrate the description in #7, describe what students in this course may do in a typical week of this course.
During a typical week, a Discussion Board prompt related to the text and its themes is posted
Sunday evening along with the week's assigned reading schedule. Students post an initial
response to this prompt by Thursday evening and then at least two more postings in
response to what their classmates and the instructor have posted by next Sunday evening at
which time another week's discussion opens. Late posting are allowed but graded
accordingly.
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.
In addition to posting weekly discussion prompts, the instructor is an active participant in
each weeks activities, responding to student entries, directing attention back to the text, drawing
out themes and issues, answering questions and guiding arguments. Announcements are sent
out weekly, and the instructor replies within 48 hours to posts in the Discussion Forum, MyCR
messages, emails and phone calls. This policy is posted in the syllabus sent to students before
the course officially opens each semester. If the instructor must be out of contact briefly for an
unexpected reason, students are notified by email and on the course website. The instructor is
also available by telephone, private email, F2F during regular office hours and by appointment.
10. Describe the nature and frequency of student-student interactions in this course.
Student-student interactions occur mainly in the discussion forums. For full credit, students
are required to submit three postings in each of the 10 discussion forums. The first posting
should respond to the posted prompt. The second two postings should thoughtfully respond to
other student postings. Responses should reflect an understanding of the required reading
material, critical thinking on the prompts, and valid support of views. This process provides
numerous opportunities student-student interactions as well as instructor-student interaction.
11. Describe how you will identify and respond to students experiencing difficulty in this course.
The instructor will respond to student needs through email, MyCR messages, class
announcements, by telephone or F2F if requested. Instructors will also telephone students if
necessary. Students have access to an assigned online advisor and the CR distance education
website for further assistance. The CR tech support office helps with problems and questions
regarding technology. The Distance Education homepage has information about online courses,
MyCR, tutoring and resources.
12. Will exam proctoring be required?
No
Yes
If yes, who will proctor exams?
13. Describe how assessments are used in this course to ensure that student work is evaluated effectively and
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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accurately.
Multiple assessment strategies are used to measure content knowledge, skills and
performance. Examples of course assessments include assessing discussion forum postings,
essays and online presentations. Students are required to be both motivated, independent and
persistent. Grades are updated weekly, feedback is given regularly, and everyone is encouraged
to improve. Essays are evaluated against the current English 150 rubric.
14. Describe the equipment and staff resources necessary to support the course for students and instructors.
To support this course, it is necessary to have a distance education support staff available
providing support and helping with MyCR trouble-shooting. The distance education advisor
helps both the instructor as well as struggling students. Free online tutoring is also important for
distance education learners.
15. Describe the contingency plan for this course if access to the delivery system is interrupted.
If access to the delivery system is interrupted, due dates can be modified. The instructor will
attempt to contact students, be reasonable and consider all factors on an individual basis.
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
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.
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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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: Vincent Peloso
Tel. Ext: 4565
Approvals:
Department Chair:
Dean, Distance Education MaryGrace McGovern
Division Chair/Director: Rachel Anderson
Date: 1/28/13
Review Date:
Review Date: 1/29/13
Review Date: 1/29/13
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Yes
Date: 02.08.13
Academic Senate Approval Date: 03.01.13
Board of Trustees Approval Date: 04.02.13
Curriculum Approval: 01.23.09
Academic Senate Approval: 03.04.09
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