Distance Education Programs

Administrative Responsibilities for DE Instructors
Version 4 (April 2009)
 

      All undergraduate DE courses are ten instruction weeks.

      [For clarification, consult a UMUC Europe calendar on which session dates are indicated. A DE calendar for each session is available for your convenience. Many of the events in this document are posted by date on the term calendar.]

     A DE course requires more in the way of care than a traditional course taught in the classroom. The virtual classroom will literally fall apart without a well-conceived structure and constant maintenance. It will be up to you to provide the conceptual framework and to maintain the momentum to keep your students motivated for the duration of the course. The guidelines below are designed to assist you in accomplishing these important tasks.

     Before you can be assigned to a DE course, you must successfully complete the DE faculty training and development course, "Introduction to WebTycho," five weeks of online instruction in the use of UMUC's Web-based instructional software.

     The WebTycho platform is constantly updated and improved. “Bugs” are fixed and new features are added on an on-going basis. If you completed the WebTycho training some time ago, it is advisable to take the tutorial on the WebTycho home page and explore what changes have been made since your last use of the platform. Please refer to the Help Guide at http://tychousa.umuc.edu/help.nsf.

Before the term begins:

1. PREPARE THE COURSE. Consider how you will interact with your students in the online classroom. The more structure you provide for them (and for yourself), the better the course will proceed. You cannot teach a DE class "day by day."

2. ACCESS TO WEBTYCHO. As faculty are assigned a class in MyUMUC they will see a link appear on their WebTycho class listing. However, faculty do not receive full access to their WebTycho classrooms four (4) weeks before the start of the class. Until then, faculty should work on the course syllabus (via the UMUC Europe syllabus application program).

   Students receive full access to the WebTycho classroom one (1) week before the class starts. Although students are rostered to the WebTycho classroom before this date, the course announcements section is only visible until one week before the start, at which time all sections of the classroom become available.  

   WebTycho Section Legend:

   Sections E8XX = UMUC Europe Session 1 courses

   Sections E9XX = UMUC Europe Session 2 courses
    
3. COURSE MODULES. For most undergraduate online courses, course modules are provided in the "Course Content" area of your WebTycho classroom. The modules are automatically loaded into your course and made visible to students. In order to deterImine if your class has course modules, please follow the instructions in the next section, "Accessing Course Modules." If your course should have modules and you do not see them when you click on "Course Content," please contact the DE Office.

   You are not required to use the course modules -- use them as you find most effective in conjunction with the content you have developed for the course. If you choose to use some but not all of the modules, you should inform your students which to study and which to ignore. It is not possible to hide or edit individual course modules.

4. ACCESSING COURSE MODULES. Although faculty may not access the WebTycho classroom until four weeks before the start, faculty may, at any time, view all current course modules. Please note that UMUC-Europe does not necessarily use the syllabi listed at the site below. Instead, Europe uses the common syllabus located at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/schedule/display_generic_list.php. Thus, the project descriptions and course materials presented with the course modules may not be applicable. Please review the modules completely. You are not required to use the modules in their entirety.

   To access the course modules you will need to:
   

   • Use the semester code: 0902
   • Set the cookie information at http://coursedev.umuc.edu/common/setCookie.html
   • Click on the Course Modules link on the page that is returned when you set your cookie

5. SELECT TEXTBOOKS. Textbook(s) used for a DE course may differ from those used for a face-to-face course. DE faculty are not permitted to change the required textbooks for an online course. A session-by-session textbook listing is available at https://www.ed.umuc.edu/de/textbook/textterm.html. You should review this site once you are scheduled to teach a course to be sure you have the most recent textbook(s). The site is updated in Week 5 of our on-site term.

6. PREPARE THE SYLLABUS. If you've thoroughly prepped your course, this step will be easy. Prepare a comprehensive syllabus which contains at a minimum:
   • Course description (standard UMUC)
   • Course goals & objectives (standard UMUC)
   • Introduction
   • Description of Projects
   • Lecturer biography & contact info
   • Evaluation/Grades
   • A note on proctored exams
   • Policies & procedures (standard UMUC)
   • Course calendar (adjust for the actual weeks of instruction)
      
   NB: Consult your UMUC Europe "Faculty Handbook" (2006) for a model syllabus. The common syllabi are available at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/schedule/display_generic_list.php.

7. SUBMIT THE SYLLABUS. Per our contract with U.S. Government the course syllabus must be published for students to view prior to registration. Students cannot view the syllabus in WebTycho until they are rostered to a course. Thus, your syllabus must be placed on the UMUC Europe Web site. You must submit your syllabus via the Syllabi Submission Application.

You must use your MyUMUC login and password for syllabus submission, not your WebTycho login. Your Assistant Dean must approve your course syllabus before it can be posted to the Web. If the "generic" syllabus is not available to you when you login and you see the class in MyUMUC, you should contact your Asistant Dean for assistance.

If you are assigned a class section based on a split, you are also required to post your syllabus. You are not required to use the syllabus from the previous section, as we post each class section's syllabus.

NOTE: The "Syllabi Submission Application" and WebTycho are not linked. Instructors are responsible for posting the syllabus in WebTycho, at the latest, one week prior to the start of the class. Please post the individual sections of the syllabus in the appropriate areas. The syllabi must be identical. You cannot alter the UMUC Standard sections.

RESERVED READINGS. Since it may take a few weeks before your students receive their textbooks, we recommend that you submit a request to have the first two weeks' assigned readings (textbook or other materials) be made available to your students via "Reserved Readings."  

Because of processing time, faculty are encouraged to submit requests at least four weeks before the beginning of the semester.  This allows enough time to process your materials and investigate any copyright issues.  The following steps will guide you through the process:

(1) From within the ILS home page, http://www.umuc.edu/library/library.shtml.

(2) Open the link to Faculty Resources and Services.

(3) Scroll about two-thirds down the page and open the link to E-Reserves.

(4) Within the Table of Contents, you will see links to FAQs regarding electronic reserves.  The second question on the list is How do I place items on reserve?

(5) On the next page, you will see a link to the Reserved Readings Request: Europe and Asia form.  Follow that path to complete your request.

For further information please contact the Information and Library Services at  301-985-7209 or via e-mail at library@umuc.edu.

Please note that the electronic reserves stored in the Reserved Readings on WebTycho are protected under the Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, The Fair Use Statute. The electronic reserves have been made available solely for the use in the class and the materials may not be further distributed to any person outside the class, whether by copying or by transmission in electronic or paper form.  

CONTACT THE DE OFFICE. If you have questions regarding student withdrawals, faculty pay, or grade changes, contact dist_ed@ed.umuc.edu OR de@ed.umuc.edu. If you have questions related to proctored exams, contact edde-exams@ed.umuc.edu. If you have an academic question of a curricular nature, contact your Assistant Dean or appropriate faculty peer. For all other issues, contact the Director of Distance Education, UMUC Europe, Monika Denburg mdenburg@ed.umuc.edu.
 
COMPOSE A WELCOME LETTER. The purpose of the welcome letter is to introduce yourself to your students and get the class off on the proper footing. Do not e-mail the letter until the official starting date of your class.

1. PROCTORED EXAMS. All undergraduate courses require a "proctored" exam with the exception of 1 s.h. courses. Note, graduate courses do not require a proctoed exam.

The proctored exam week for UMUC Europe DE courses is the last week of instruction with the exception of Summer, which is in week 8. Please refer to the UMUC Europe Proctored Exam Procedures for DE Faculty for a calendar of the proctored exam weeks for each term. In addition to the calendar, you will find the details on how to submit your exam.

• Use the Gradebook for the proctored exam! Create an assignment titled, "Proctored Exam." Ask students to sumit a message in the assignment textbox with date, time, and place of their exam, including whether it was administered as computer-based or paper-based. This will then allow you to track the exam as well as provide a place to post/attach comments.
• Give students feedback on their exam! Students need to know how they are doing in the class.
• Contact the DE Office at edde-exams@ed.umuc.edu if you do not receive exams from student who you know have taken the exam. Again, you can review the students who have withdrawn via your roster in MyUMUC. Note: Students who withdraw after an assignment has been submitted for grading, will still remain in the Gradebook for you to review submitted work as well as class participation. (see WITHDRAWALS.)

2. ONLINE EXAMS.  Please refer to the UMUC-Europe DE Online Exam Procedure for conducting online exams.

3. MAKE-UP REQUESTS FOR PROCTORED EXAM. While the proctored exam is scheduled for only one week, exceptions may be granted. Use the attached INTERNAL policy to help guide you and your students. Again, this is for internal use only and should not be published in any form.

Please review and direct your students to the "DE Exam Procedures" on our Web site for additional information. Students who need to take an exam where we do not have a UMUC Field Rep will need to submit a DE Alternate Exam Location form. 

For students who need to take exams early or late:

1. Students unable to test during the designated proctored exam week may take the exam in the week immediately preceding or immediately following exam week under the following conditions: A) The student provides the appropriate UMUC testing personnel with official documentation showing that they are hindered from taking the exam on time for duty-related or medical reasons. B) The testing center can provide suitable alternate dates.

In keeping with standard exam procedures, proctors must indicate the reason for administering the exam outside of exam week on the exam cover sheet. The documentation itself should not be forwarded to the instructor, but kept with the back-up copy of the exam for the prescribed period.

2. Students without official documentation regarding a medical condition or duty-related obligation, as well as those unable to test within the three-week core period described above, must obtain permission directly from their instructors before an alternate test date can be arranged. In this case, students must provide their proctors with e-mails showing faculty authorization to test outside of the exam week before they can schedule their exams. The proctor must then submit this e-mail to the instructor, along with the completed exam.

 

First week of the course:

1. BEGIN ON TIME. Without fail, between 15:00 and 21:00 (CET) on the first day of class, send your welcome message to your class.  Be sure to copy the DE Office <dist_ed@ed.umuc.edu> to establish a record of the first class "meeting." Even though you are using a Web-based instructional software, you should send your welcome message to the class by e-mail in addition to posting it in your initial Web-based conference.

Once the class has begun, a student must officially withdraw to leave the class. Any delay in posting your initial message to the class can cause confusion as to the refund due a student. [Please do not send your welcome/intro message before 15:00 since the DE Office is still rostering your students; but, be sure to send your  welcome 21:00 or your students may begin to wonder where you are.] Please DO NOT START EARLY. If you post assignments or create study groups before the actual start of the class, you will only cause confusion and create extra work for yourself and the DE Office.

2. ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION. Many, perhaps most of your students will have already taken a DE course and will be familiar with the technology. One or more may be taking their first online course. Please take the time to establish communication and familiarity with the Web-based learning environment. Refer your students to the "Help" feature in WebTycho.

   If students encounter problems logging in or do not have a password, refer them to the DE Office. All technical issues with WebTycho should be sent to UMUC 360 Support at http://support.umuc.edu.  UMUC 360 Support offers 24/7 help and assistance.  

   Use the Class Announcements function when you need to communicate with the entire class. Other than for the welcome message on the first day of class and periodic "getting back to class" messages, LIMIT YOUR USE OF E-MAIL to situations requiring privacy and/or one-to-one communications with students.

3. SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS. Set the "tone" for your class. If you intend to strictly enforce deadlines, lay down your rules. How will you measure and evaluate class participation?  If you intend to use study groups, will you assign students or permit them to self-select their group?  In the first week, the course should begin in earnest with the first lecture or assignment. The student's first assignment should not require the use of the textbook, unless you have the selection available in "Reserved Readings." Instead, you may require online articles. If available, you may assign readings from the "Course Modules."

4. ATTENDANCE. UMUC Europe students are instructed that onlines courses are not the same as independent study courses. While DE instructors may tolerate "absences" during the class, attendance is crucially important. Online communication must be established, study groups formed, protocols set, assignments presented, etc. The effort to bring even one tardy student up to speed can place a severe burden on the entire class. Expect your students to be there; insist that they participate in the opening week of the course.

5. ACADEMIC POLICIES. Please ask your students to review the "Academic Policies" section in WebTycho under the "Syllabus" link. This section contains important information about attendance, e-mail contact, course evaluations, proctored exams, academic research, as well as important grading information.

During the course:

1. BE THERE.  It is your responsibility as a DE instructor to facilitate class discussion. Read and reply to the course conferences frequently. You need not reply to every comment made by every student in the class conferences, but your students have to know that YOU ARE THERE. Nothing is more important to the success of your DE course than your CONTINUOUS PRESENCE online!  

   DO NOT conduct your course via e-mail. However, you should promptly answer every private e-mail inquiry sent by a student to you alone --if possible, within 24 hours. To reduce e-mail exchange you may activate the "Workbook" section under "Faculty Manager" in your WebTycho class room. This is a perfect place for you to share drafts and personal exchanges since it is a private space for you and your students.

   If for any reason you are unable to meet your class for an extended period of time, please NOTIFY THE DE OFFICE. We will take whatever steps are necessary to keep your class going during your absence or make the necessary provisions for an extension of the class time.

2. ESTABLISH A LEARNING COMMUNITY. Encourage collaborative learning. Give students responsibility for their own learning. Assign authentic learning activities to pairs and small groups of students.

3. ASSIGN QUIZES AND ASSIGNMENTS. Administer early quizzes or graded assignments before the mid-term exam. Early in the course, expose students to your evaluation style and provide feedback. With the move to computer-based proctored exams, we suggest that you give students a feel for taking a computer-based exam by giving them a quiz or mid-term with the same format. See "Creating Dual Formatted exams." (Not necessary for dual printing if the exam is to be administered only as computer-based.)

4. PROVIDE FEEDBACK. Let your students know how they're doing in the class. No one wants to be kept "in the dark." Can't stress this enough.

5. ASSIGN WRITING. Students in all upper-level courses should complete significant writing assignments. A research paper, business document, or other comprehensive written work should be required.  Please see http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/fll/StuLibWeb.html#HAP.

6. WITHDRAWALS. Students who are officially withdrawn are identified as such on the class roster in MyUMUC. Once a student has officially withdrawn their access to the WebTycho classroom is removed. However, any work submitted for grading will remain in WebTycho. Withdrawn students will appear at the bottom of the gradebook in WebTycho.
   NOTE:  Students may withdraw up until the Friday before proctored exam week.

7. STUDENT EVALUATION. Toward the end of the class, students will have the opportunity to evaluate the WebTycho instructional medium. Students are required to complete a course evaluation form, but not the WebTycho Questionnaire. Students will be prompted as they log into your class for approximately two weeks long. These evaluations are anonymous and are  processed through the Course Evaluations department.

8. SUBMIT GRADES. All grades will be submitted electronically for all DE courses. Please post your grades online via MyUMUC at https://www.umuc.edu/myumuc/.

To post final grades in MyUMUC, select:
> Faculty Self-Service
> My Academics
> Course Management
> Post Final Grades

>Select Term
>Select course

Please note the following issues with the online grade submission:

• In the case of students who you think or know to be withdrawing, but who still remain on the roster, you must assign the grade of Fn.
• Currently, you are unable to record the last date of attendance (LDA) for a grade of Fn. Thus, you must send an e-mail to DE Office with the student's LDA.

9. INFORM ALL STUDENTS of their grades in the course. At a minimum you should post final grades in their WebTycho portfolio. Let students know how the final grade was computed. Once you enter the grades into the student's portfolio, send a message to all students using the "class roster" in WebTycho informing them, as a group, that their final grades are posted and that they should review their course grade in WebTycho. DO NOT post any grade information for other students to read: you may not use names, any part of a social security number, or anything else that identifies a student.

   NOTE: Unsecure e-mail transmission of social security numbers is a violation under the privacy act.

10. E-MAIL DE OFFICE LDAs: For any student receiving an F(n) in a DE class, you will need to record the student's last date of attendance (LDA). Basically, this can be defined as the date of last contact with the class, where contact is defined as taking a test, submitting an assignment, or participating in a class discussion either in an open forum or in a study group. One-on-one e-mail correspondence with the instructor should not be considered attendance in the class per se. Please be as specific as possible when recording LDAs as it may affect the student's financial aid situation and to the university's continuing capacity to award federal aid. It is imperative that you respond immediately to requests for LDAs. Send an e-mail to the DE Office with the following: your class info, student's name, and LDA.
    Searching LDAs:
    
    • Provided a student submits something in the Gradebook, his/her portfolio will remain accessable via the Gradebook. Otherwise, you must search each individual Conference to determine the student's LDA.
    • Suggestion for recording LDA - Create a "test" assignment for the student to submit using the gradebook.