College of the Redwoods
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL
DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE
Renewable every five years
Date: Feb. 1, 2009
1. Division: Math, Science, and Engineering
2. Course ID and Number: GEOL 1
3. Course Title: Physical Geology
4. Distance Education Method:
Instructional TV on cable
Interactive TV on videoconference
Online
5. Describe in detail how this course will apply the same standards of course quality as a traditional
classroom course (attach course outline and syllabus).
The sections will have the lecture component (3 hours per week) delivered online via
CR's Learning Management System (Blackboard ) and a lab component (3 hours per
week) delivered in person at a campus site. These sections will use the same
textbook and course packet as the face-to-face sections, and the reading schedule
will be identical. The lab component will remain the same as the traditional face-toface sections. Activities and assignments (activities, exams, lab activities, lab
reports, etc.) and assessments will be identical in content to the face-to-face sections.
The lecture portion will include lecture documents (pdf or html) with figures that are
described in both text and with captions. These may be augmented with web links,
provided accessibility criteria are satisfied. Some materials will be submitted online
through the LMS, but others will be submitted weekly when students attends the lab
session. Students will be provided with the same lecture materials, study guides,
exam reviews, and external links as are used in the face-to-face sections.
Specific Details of the online lecutre delivery are as follows:
A. Lecture notes would be text-based. They will be generated using Microsoft Word
or equivalent, but will be saved as a PDF file. The PDF file format will be used
consistently for all content posting because
and students do
not have to own Word or other software; the PDF reader is a free download.
PDF files’ content would principally be text but would also include captioned
illustrations and images where beneficial.
B. When a new lecture is posted to Blackboard a formal announcement is made in
Blackboard that a new lecture is available (this announcement is also sent to
students via email).
C. A new discussion board forum is created for each new lecture, and the threads
on that discussion board are linked specifically to topics raised in the lecture.
Students can explore their questions regarding the lecture by posting new threads or
replying to existing discussions.
D. Students initiate most new threads in these discussion forums; however, the
instructor is constantly interacting (replying to posts in order to expand or
clarify/correct student responses).
Curriculum Approval: April 8, 2005 (rev.11/8/05)
Academic Senate Approval: May 6, 2005
May 29, 2016
E. In addition, if the instructor identifies that important topic(s) from the lecture
haven’t yet been covered in a forum, then the instructor will initiate a thread on that
topic. Students are informed early in the semester that they should pay particularly
careful attention to instructor-initiated threads; their replies ensure thorough
coverage over the breadth of a lecture’s many topics.
F. Since “Geol 1 DE” is a “hybrid” course, those topics and discussions best
handled “face-to-face” will also be presented by the instructor as part of the lab. This
will include hands-on activities, demonstrations, and presentation of rich media
(video, animations, etc.). Currently Geol-1 lab activities are extensions of lecture
content and discussions, and this will continue in this hybrid venue.
6. Describe how this course will include regular effective contact between the instructor and students.
Regular effective contact between the instructor will continue in the weekly face-toface lab component and it will also remain in the online lecture component by
utilizing the Blackboard Discussion Board, and it may utilize the "Groups" feature to
further enhance effectiveness of this form of student-student and student-instructor
interaction. Students enrolled in the online lecture component will receive a
component of their grade based on their participation in such discussions.
Since discussion board forum participation is required, and points are assigned for
student posts, most students “jump in” to the interactive mode of learning via active
and engaged discussions. However, the instructor watches for students who are not
meeting the required number of posts, then individually contacts such students (via
email) and reminds them to participate in this required portion of the course.
One-on-one interaction occurs via email (principally) but they can also contact the
instructor by telephone, (number is in the syllabus and and the Instructor Profile in
Blackboard), and the instructor will encourage students to call if they wish.
Also, many interactions in the discussion board forums become one-on-one since
many specific student question posts are directly answered by the instructor as reply
posts.
7. Describe how standard methods of assessment will be adapted to the distance education format.
As outlined in #5 above, assessments in this class remain the same as in face-to-face
sections, with comments and suggestions from the instructor given either
electronically and/or through comments and suggestions provided in person (in the
lab component) and through written comments on work submitted through the lab
component. Reports that combine lecture concepts and lab data collection and
analyses will be submitted through the lab component.
Some assignments can and will use Blackboard submission tools . However, since
this Geol 1 DE course is a “hybrid” course, other assignments will be turned in during
the face-to-face meetings. Major exams could (and preferably will) be delivered during
the face-to-face meetings.
Submitted by: David Bazard, Mark Renner Tel. Ext: 4224 and 2340 Date: 1 Feb 2009
Approvals:
Department Chair: Karen Reiss
Distance Education Coordinator: Mark Winter
Division Chair/Director: Dave Bazard
Review Date: 02/02/08
Review Date: 02/02/08
Review Date: 02/03/08
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Yes
Date: 2.27.9
Academic Senate Approval Date: 3.6.9 Board of Trustees Approval Date: 4.6.9
Curriculum Approval: April 8, 2005 (rev.11/8/05)
Academic Senate Approval: May 6, 2005
May 29, 2016