April 13, 2010
ACADEMIC MEDIA SERVICES
Academic Course Policy for courses delivered via videoconference and other
interactive technologies by AMS
Support for the academic programs of WSU through the delivery of academic courses
constitutes the highest priority in the use of AMS videoconferencing technology.
Existing university policies which apply to credit courses also apply to courses
delivered via AMS.
AMS VIDEOCONFERENCING PROCEDURES
Enrollment
Students will be enrolled where they take videoconferencing courses, except when
program oversight requires otherwise, regardless of where the courses originate.
Course Approval
Washington State University’s Videoconferencing System is composed of multiple
entities working collaboratively to provide unified videoconferencing services to all of
Washington State University. Academic Media Services (AMS) acts as the central
coordinating entity for the WSU Videoconferencing System. AMS is authorized to
offer any catalog course with the advance approval of the cognizant chair, academic
dean and the appropriate branch campus dean. All courses must be scheduled
through the Registrar’s Office and an SLN number must be created for each location
prior to advertising or offering the courses.
Courses requesting a live videostreaming component must have at least one distance
student enrolled to use this delivery method. A separate SLN is required for addition
of a live videostreaming section.
Course Scheduling
Courses using videoconferencing technology are requested directly through AMS
using an online course request form system following the Registrar’s course
submission guidelines. Initial course request forms should be submitted to AMS 4
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weeks prior to the opening of priority registration for that semester
(http://www.schedules.wsu.edu/Schedules/Apps/HomePage.ASP). Course requests
received less than 4 weeks prior to a semester start will not be accommodated on the
system until after 10th day of the requested semester. Courses with an approved
origination site but are pending approval for late requested additional sites will be
accommodated by archive videostreaming technology only.
Multi-WSU location courses are coordinated centrally by AMS support services to
ensure that classroom and transmission facilities are available throughout the WSU
System. Requests for locations other than the four WSU campuses must be initially
coordinated and contracted by the requesting department. AMS will work with
identified third party locations to validate connectivity and compatibility for approved
WSU courses.
No receive location will be added to a course until an SLN is generated by the
Registrar’s office and approval is acquired from the appropriate receiving authority.
AMS will attempt to schedule any requested course into an AMS managed facility and
provide technical and on-site support at no additional costs. Courses requested to
use departmental/college facilities and equipment must sign and understand the AMS
policies for use of these facilities for videoconference instruction.
It is important, that, whenever possible, AMS courses be scheduled within the same
framework and timing as the normal campus fall, spring and summer time schedules.
Schedules that vary from site to site create scheduling conflicts.
Failure to follow the published deadlines may result in a limited selection of suitable
time periods or classrooms available at a particular site. Late or delayed requests, not
published in the time schedule, will limit the announcement of the course to the
students and faculty and decrease the number of enrollments.
Courses that directly support approved programs at the WSU Campuses and other
sites are given priority for specific time periods. These priorities are established by
the participating campuses and departments
Funding
Funding for faculty and instructional support of an individual course is supported by
the site requesting the course. Technical funding of the transmission system,
classroom facilities, and operations personnel is supported centrally within AMS
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facilities with no additional charges to the requesters. Exceptions to these rules exist
in special circumstances where services are provided to sites or programs that are not
centrally funded.
Expenses for course delivery to locations other than the four WSU campuses are the
responsibility of the requesting department. These can include, but are not limited to,
personnel support, room fees, and recordings.
Instructional Support
Faculty travel is approved and funded by the department. Faculty must notify AMS
support personnel and the Academic Scheduler or Academic Coordinator of any travel
plans as far in advance as possible to ensure proper notifications and
accommodations are scheduled. The system is not available for faculty travel during
the first week of classes.
Academic and student support for each class is provided by the department or the
local site. Direct classroom support during a course is provided by a scheduled
videoconference technician. Photocopying, exam proctoring, and material transfer are
coordinated through each individual location.
WSU provides a courier between Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver to
support the transportation of WSU material. AMS videoconference course materials
utilizing this system should be routed through the local videoconference support
personnel to insure priority routing, logging and tracking. Exams, quizzes, handouts,
and other course related material is received daily and made available as the course
requires. Other sites receive material by US Mail with possible longer delivery times.
Please plan accordingly.
Faculty Interaction
Specific topics and guidelines for effective use of videoconferencing technology in the
classroom can be found in the AMS Videoconference Instructor’s Handbook:
http://ams.wsu.edu/Videoconference/Training.aspx.
Videoconferences supporting instruction between sites, such as for office hours, is
encouraged to eliminate geographical barriers that exist between locations. When not
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scheduled for instructional activity, the system is available for these academic support
activities. Videoconferences should be scheduled a minimum of one week prior to the
event.
Final Exam Scheduling
Instructors/departments must notify the AMS Academic Scheduler, no later than mid
term, of Final Exam requirements. Physical locations and connections are not
reserved on the system until the instructor/department verifies the need for a Final
Exam session.
All AMS courses follow the system-wide final exam schedule developed by the
Registrar’s Office and published in the Time Schedule. Specific AMS class periods
not presently represented on the Registrar’s exam schedule, such as evening classes,
will utilize mass examination periods used by lower non-AMS courses.
Final Grade Collection
Grades are entered into RONET by instructor regardless of location.
Course Evaluation
The instructional evaluation is the participating students’ assessments of the course at
the end of the semester. Departments are responsible for coordinating and providing
the instructional evaluation forms to all participating sites. Contact AMS for assistance
with delivery instructions.
Textbooks
All textbook ordering is the responsibility of the requesting department.
Reporting
For classes taught at WSU branch campuses, headcount (FTE enrollments) and
student credit hours enrollments (SCHs) ought to accrue back to WSU and be
credited to the appropriate branch, because courses at the branch campuses,
including AMS courses, are paid by state funds. The state Higher Education
Enrollment Report (HEER) by campus site will include AMS and non-AMS course
enrollments at each location, i.e., WSU Pullman, WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities and
WSU Vancouver, but type of delivery will not be specified. For the National Center of
Education Statistics (NCES), AMS enrollments will be included in all appropriate
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reports. IPEDS reports
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are submitted to the National Center via the Washington Higher Education
Coordinating Board. AMS courses are not distinguished separately from other
courses offered by WSU.
Internally, the university enrollment reports include all AMS as well as non-AMS
course enrollments. These routine reports are: 1) Official Enrollment Report, Mass
Registration and 10th Day; 2) Status of Sections; 3) Census of Course Enrollments; 4)
Geographic Reports; 5) International Student Lists; 6) Ethnic Enrollments; 7) Majors
Reports; and 8) End of Semester GPA Report. (AMS courses are not listed
separately.)
The Registrar's Office will be responsible for all of the above-mentioned external and
internal reports. In addition to the Registrar's Office, the Institutional Research Office
generates other course and student credit hour reports or analyses, e.g., the Provost's
Decision Support Data Manual, Historical Major and Non-major Course Enrollment
Report and others. AMS course data will also be accounted for in the Institutional
Research Office products.
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