District Distance Education Committee Meeting Minutes

November 30, 2006

Attended by: Pamela Atkinson (LACC), Linda Delzeit (LATT), Eric Ichon (WLAC), David Jordan (LAMC), Mark Lampert (LAVC), Paul McKenna (ITV), Bob Richards (LAHC)

Coordination of NG Section Numbers for the Automatic Parser

This agenda item was moved up as Bob Richards had another commitment.

Mr. Richards summarized the current process for requesting NG course sites. First, request site tiles from Vijaai (Kanthi) Edirisinghe [Edirisvk@email.laccd.edu] per her instructions below:

“Please send all the sections for winter 2007 in this format.

What I need is Campus code and section only for regular sites

Ex H2002

H3001

H3002

If the section numbers are in ascending order it is very easy for our data control group.

If you need section number in course title then you put an S next to the section number

Ex H1002

H1003S

Then section 1003 will have the section number in the course title.

If you need to have a course title of another section (Cross ref classes) then you put the required course title next to the section.

Example:

E1280

E1281CRES 004 MC F06

E1282CRES 004 MC F06

E1283

Then section 1281 and 1282 will get the course title of CRES 004 MC F06.

What I need is campus code and the section with the options indicated.”

After Kanthi supplies site titles you complete the additional fields needed by Vivie Sinou and submit the course request to her. Eric Ichon sent out an example of the final tab delimited file.

NG Timeline for Winter/Spring 2007

Since most colleges start their spring 2007 semester on February 5th, NG site requests should be submitted before the Christmas break. WLAC doesn’t start until February 12th and has until January 8th to submit their requests. NG site requests for winter are overdue. ITV, LACC, LAVC and WLAC are all using NG for the winter intersession.

Distance Education Coordinators’ List Serve

It appears that some Committee members including Mark Lampert and Richard Skidmore have not been receiving email from the list serve. Linda Delzeit will look into this to ensure all Committee members, including Dr. Paul Stansbury, John Clerx and Dr. Wendy Bass-Keer, are included.

CCCApply

There was some concern among members regarding the automatic email that students receive once they apply. It takes 24 hours before the student application is received by College Admissions Offices and then students should receive an email with their enrollment appointment information. David Jordan asked Paul McKenna to look into having the District Admissions and Records Committee add information about online classes to the automated response, but overall members thought it best to wait until the general process is standardized.

Accessibility Issues

Both Moodle and ETUDES NG are accessible.

Linda Delzeit reported that the LATT Library provides students with text versions of their podcasts and that they are looking into using software to translate podcasts into text files which can be edited and made available to students.

LAVC uses Accverify provided by the High Tech Center at http://www.htctu.fhda.edu for online instructors to check the accessibility of their course content. You can request this software through your DSP&S Office.

Online Student Evaluations

Committee members were reminded that the AFT Contract includes the required online student evaluation form. LATT provides access to their students at http://wellness.lattc.edu/online/evals/ITVeval.html Since this topic was previously discussed on February 27th members who would like additional information should refer to those minutes.

Online Evaluation Update

No progress has been made by the sub-committee and there was no recommendation on how we should move forward. LATT is developing a new Learning Skills class that will include orientation information for online students. Several colleges have developed online college orientations.

WASC, Maintaining Quality and Effective Student/Instructor Contact

Since LATT offers an entire degree online WASC is requiring them to submit a substantive change document. To address their concerns and to ensure the quality of their online classes LATT ensures that instructors maintain regular effective student contact and provides ongoing, continuous training and monitoring as we all need to do. A sub-committee of the Distance Education and Curriculum Committees reviews online course content ensures there is effective student/instructor contact and that at least 25% of the course has been completed before a section is approved. There is also a follow up review process.

Moodle and Podcasting Demo

Linda Delzeit provided us with a podcasting demo, including examples of how podcasting has been incorporated using Moodle. She also sent us extensive documentation prior to the meeting.