Note: This document should be used as a source of
sample language. Please follow the required syllabus
template for your School and add any missing
additional language for online learning from this
document.
Instructor information section: Include online office hours when you are
available for phone calls or near real-time answers to students, your phone
number, your Skype username (if you use it), whether students can text you
on your cell phone, etc.
You may also want to include some language similar to this:
Communication with the Instructor
It is important to remember that while the Internet is available 24
hours a day, your instructor is not. You can expect that your instructor
will respond to e-mail message to you within 2 business days during
the week and may not be available to respond on weekends.
Credit Hour Sample Language:
Adapt this language to your course.
Undergraduate: This course is offered for X credits; therefore, it is
expected that you will spend X times 3 hours per week during the 15 week
duration of this class. A suggested weekly schedule to divide your time is
provided:
 (3 credit class example)
 Readings: 2 hours
 Interactive Discussion on the Readings: 2 hours (recommend ½
hour daily for at least 4 days a week)
 Assignments: 3 hours
 Weekly Work on Final Project: 2 hours
Graduate: This course is offered for X credits; therefore, it is expected
that you will spend X times 4 hours per week during the 15 week duration of
this class. A suggested weekly schedule to divide your time is provided:
 (3 credit class example)
 Readings: 3 hours
 Interactive Discussion on the Readings: 3 hours (recommend ½
hour daily for at least 6 days a week)
 Assignments: 3 hours
 Weekly Work on Final Project: 3 hours
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Name of course
Syllabus
Required Text/Material
List your required books and include language like this:
You may order your textbooks from the Andrews online bookstore:
http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/andrews.htm
Technical Requirements



This course is delivered online through Moodle, the Andrews Learning
Management System.
To participate in this course you will need access to the Internet (DSL,
LAN, or cable connection desirable) and Web browser (Internet
Explorer, Firefox, Safari) with the latest version. The website is:
http://aumoodle.andrews.edu
You will login with your Andrews username and password.
Technical Assistance
 If you need technical assistance at any time during the course, or to
report a problem with Moodle, please email dlit@andrews.edu or call
269-471-3960.
 If you need assistance with your Andrews username and password,
email helpdesk@andrews.edu or call 269-471-6016.
In your grades section, you may want to add this language:
Viewing Grades in Moodle

Click into the course in Moodle at http://aumoodle.andrews.edu.

Click on the Grades link in the Administration Block on the left
side of the course.
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Name of course
Syllabus
If you are using School of Distance Education supported exam
proctoring as one of your methods of verifying student identity, this
language is recommended:
Exam Proctoring
Exams must be supervised by a school or community official, such as a
teacher, librarian, registrar, or pastor, who is not related to the
student. The student must state clearly on the exam request form the
professional status, job title, or any other qualifications of the
supervisor that will aid the testing department in the approval process.
If a student is enrolled in another school while taking college courses,
the exam should be taken under the direction of that school’s registrar
or testing department. An exam cannot be sent to a supervisor who
has the same address as the student unless the address is known to
be that of a school, mission facility, etc.
If you are attending a college or university, you must use the testing
center at that institution.
All college students must present photo identification to their
supervisors before taking exams unless the examiner personally knows
the student being tested.
The following are sample guidelines for your interactive discussion.
We encourage you to use this sample language to create your own
discussion requirements.
Sample Discussion Board Language #1
Nothing enhances your learning as much as case discussion between class
members. How will this process work? First read the assigned chapter/ listen
to the online lecture, then read and assess the case and respond to the
questions posed. Going through this entire process before you post will make
you look wiser, so please go through all the steps before you post! You will
be given a set of case questions to read and answer before you can see how
others responded. Once you have finished your initial post, you can then see
what others have said. You must make two substantive responses to at least
two posts. Jump in where you feel that your response will be worth others
reading what you have to say. Respond thoughtfully to the posts of others.
Be civil but honest, and confront when necessary. Since all will use the book
and online lectures, you may want to start with posts that use this
information as a starting point.
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Name of course
Syllabus
1) Read the assigned chapters and watch online lecture (did I already
stress that?).
2) Post a thoughtful response to the instructor’s question(s). Your first
post is worth ~5 pts. Then continue to comment and dialogue with
others. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE. IN FACT,
DON’T! That would be like talking to everyone on a crowded bus. Pick
a few good conversations and deepen them. Make dialogue. This
takes the skill of managers, some pushing and probing but not too
much. It also takes deep sensitivity. Be interactive but avoid chitchatty responses that only say “I think so too” or “nice comment.”
Please make sure your headlines describe the content of your posts
and responses. That makes it easier to follow the discussion LOGIC.
Discussion Board Language Option #2
These case discussions are evaluated for their initial quality and then for the
generative dialogue that they grow. I value a carefully crafted initial post.
This follows the approach of 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 to orderly share one’s
voice and then listen to others before the group works out a fuller
perspective. Make sure you read other posts and comment. By the end of
each case discussion you are successful if you have shared your view, read
those of others, and produced “together” a better understanding.
Grading (this is subjective but so is life!) Your points go up as you go through
the following stages of engagement.
Initial Post: A good first post increases your score by incorporating chapter
readings, lectures, and your own carefully crafted thoughts about the case.
Shared Discussion: Raise questions. You show you have done the course
reading and read other’s posts by generating solid questions about their
posts. You raise questions to generate dialog.
Disagree or Agree: Talking to each other, comparing contrasting ideas and
concepts.
Full Dialogue: It generates thought and leads to the engagement of others
and their ideas. This dialogue leads to fuller understanding of options and a
broader more comprehensive understanding of the case.
Discussion Board Guidelines Sample #3
In order to have meaningful discussions in which you are engaged, these
guidelines will help you understand what it is you are supposed to do when
participating in discussion forums.
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Name of course
Syllabus
When you post your answer to a discussion question, include examples and
information that backs up the statements you are making. Some discussion
questions may ask you to apply what you’ve learned, in which case you will
need to come up with examples from your experiences that pertain to the
topic being discussed. When you answer the questions, be able to support
your answer.
Everyone is required to respond to at least two classmates’ posts for each
discussion question. Simply typing “I agree” is not a suitable response, and
points will be deducted. You should try to engage further discussion by
asking further questions to the person to whom you are responding.
The idea of all this is to make you think critically, and apply what you are
learning to real-life situations to help you learn.
The rubric used to grade the weekly discussion questions is posted below.
Each discussion question will be worth 50 points.
Criteria
Exceptional
Very
Good
Acceptable
Needs
No
Improvement Submission
Frequency (10 points)
(8 points)
& Quantity 3 or more posts At least 2
EACH week.
posts EACH
week.
(7 points)
At least 1 post EACH
week.
(6 points)
(0 points)
1 post total or
No Submission
does not post in all
weeks discussion
is current.
Quality
(15 points)
All posts use
course terms
and concepts
accurately,
focus on the
topic, and show
critical thinking.
(12 points)
Majority of
posts use
course
terms and
concepts
accurately,
focus on the
topic, and
show critical
thinking.
(10.5 points)
Less than half of posts
use course terms and
concepts accurately,
focus on the topic, and
show critical thinking.
(9 points)
(0 points)
No posts use
No Submission
course terms and
concepts
accurately, focus
on the topic, or
show critical
thinking. Or, posts
only once the
entire discussion.
Community (15 points)
All posts
acknowledge
posts of others
and expand the
discussion
using examples
from reading,
Web research,
or personal
experience as
appropriate.
(12 points)
Majority of
posts
acknowledge
posts of
others and
expand the
discussion
using
examples
from
reading,
Web
research, or
personal
(10.5 points)
Less than half of posts
acknowledge posts of
others and expand the
discussion using
examples from reading,
Web research, or
personal experience as
appropriate.
(9 points)
(0 points)
One or more posts No Submission
violate Mutual
Respect Policy
and/or no posts
acknowledge the
contributions and
ideas of class
peers. Or, posts
only once the
entire discussion
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Name of course
Syllabus
experience
as
appropriate.
Citation
(5 points)
All posts use
accurate
citation in APA
format where
appropriate.
(4 points)
Majority of
posts use
accurate
citation in
APA format
where
appropriate.
(3.5 points)
Less than half of posts
use accurate citation in
APA format where
appropriate.
(0 points)
(0 points)
One or more posts No Submission
are plagiarized.
[This may be
grounds for a zero
in the entire
discussion!] Or,
posts only once
the entire
discussion
Length
(5 points)
All posts are a
reasonable
length (100300 words).
(4 points)
Majority of
posts are a
reasonable
length (100300 words).
(3.5 points)
Less than half of posts
are a reasonable length
(100-300 words).
(3 points)
(0 points)
All posts exceed
No Submission
word limit or fail to
meet word limit.
Or, posts only
once the entire
discussion
Discussion Board Rubric Sample #4
Criteria
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Promptness (10 points)
& Initiative Consistently
responds to
classmates’
postings in less
than 24 hours;
demonstrates
good selfinitiative
Level 5
(8 points)
Responds to
most
postings
within a 24
hour period;
requires
occasional
prompting to
post
(7 points)
Responds to most postings
several days after initial
discussion; limited
initiative; posts so close to
due date, there is not time
to interact with other class
members
(6 points)
Does not
respond to most
postings; rarely
participates
freely
(0 points)
Did not do
assignment;
does not
respond or
post to
classmates’
posts
Level 1
Delivery of
Post
(10 points)
Consistently
uses
grammatically
correct posts
with rare
misspellings
(8 points)
Few
grammatical
or spelling
errors are
noted in
posts
(7 points)
Errors in spelling and
grammar evidenced in
several posts
(6 points)
Utilizes poor
spelling and
grammar in
most posts;
posts appear
“hasty”
(0 points)
Did not
complete
Relevance
of Post
(10 points)
Consistently
posts topics
related to
discussion topic;
cites additional
references
related to topic
(8 points)
Frequently
posts topics
that are
related to
discussion
content;
prompts
(7 points)
Occasionally posts off
topic; most posts are short
in length and offer no
further insight into the
topic
(6 points)
Posts topic
which do not
relate to the
discussion
content; Makes
short or
irrelevant
remarks
(0 points)
Did not
complete
Expression
within the
post
(10 points)
Expresses
opinions and
ideas in a clear
and concise
manner with
obvious
(8 points)
Opinions and
ideas are
stated
clearly with
occasional
lack of
(7 points)
Unclear connection to topic
evidenced in minimal
expression of opinions or
ideas
(6 points)
(0 points)
Does not
Did not
express
complete
opinions or
ideas clearly; no
connection to
topic
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Name of course
Syllabus
connection to
topic
connection
to topic
Contribution
to the
Learning
Community
(10 points)
Aware of needs
of community;
frequently
attempts to
motivate the
group
discussion;
presents
creative
approaches to
topic
(8 points)
Frequently
attempts to
direct the
discussion
and to
present
relevant
viewpoints
for
consideration
by group;
interacts
freely
Overall
Score
Level 5
45 or more
Level 4
Level 4
40 or more 40 or more
(7 points)
Occasionally makes
meaningful reflection on
group’s efforts; marginal
effort to become involved
with group
(6 points)
Does not make
effort to
participate in
learning
community as it
develops; it
seems
indifferent
(0 points)
Does not
respond to
classmates’
posts
Level 4
40 or more
Level 4
40 or more
Discussion Board Guidelines Sample #5
Some “Discussion Starters” are listed in the course Content for each
week. You need to reflect and speak to these but you should not feel limited
to them.
We expect your learning will be commensurate with the level of
dialogue that occurs. The kinds of contributions that make meaningful posts
include a) providing accounts of your own experience, b) asking expansive
questions - ones with no right or wrong answer - ones to stimulate thinking
and lead to deeper understandings, c) building on previous "posts" (whether
to agree or disagree) by giving examples, asking sharpening questions,
defining issues/terms, d) suggesting metaphors and e) sharing web links and
other reference materials.
The following chart offers guidelines to your posting. The more to the
right you are in your contributions, the better the course will be for everyone.
Four Mental Models of Bulletin Board Posting
Mental Model
Definition
Posting
Questioning
You post your
message as if you
were submitting
an assignment often repeating
what has already
been said - you
don't respond to
others.
You ask questions
but often they
aren't connected
with what others
have said - you
don't engender a
response.
Reflecting/Connecting Dialoguing
You respond to what
others have said - using
their name or quoting
them - sharing your
personal experience(s)
and metaphor(s) to
further explain your
viewpoint.
You are present in
the discussion listening, asking
for clarification,
sharing
experiences,
affirming others,
and extending the
conversation.
Based on S. Freed, “Metaphors and Reflective Dialogue Online” in New Horizons in Adult Education.
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Name of course
Syllabus
It is expected that you will contribute to the discussion board 4 – 5 times per
week, so make your postings meaningful!
IMPORTANT NOTE: At the end of each week, the Discussion Area for that
week will close. You will not have another opportunity to post so make sure
you follow the schedule carefully and stay with the class.
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