Standards: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7

Courses submitted for acceptances to the
Tennessee Board of Regents Online Degree Program
must meet the following standards.

1. The course must include a syllabus or prologue that includes the items listed below.
1. Course objectives or intended learning outcomes. The course objectives should be stated clearly so that they can be related to the expected learning outcomes in each section or module of the course and to the goals of the overall assessment process.
2. Course description. A brief statement describing the nature of the course, what the student can expect to learn, and an overview of course activities such as teamwork, group projects, student web pages, etc.
3. Prerequisites for the course. A list of all course prerequisites with a statement of why the prerequisites are deemed necessary.
4. Course instructor. A biographical sketch of the instructor of record and any other participants in the course if, for example, the course is a team-taught course.
5. Virtual office hours. A statement indicating that the instructor will respond to student emails in 24/36 hours.
6. How to contact the instructor. A listing of the instructor’s institutional e-mail address, fax number (if available), office telephone number (if available), etc. should be included for emergency use in case the WebCT server is unreachable.
7. Timing of instructor response. A statement that the instructor will make every attempt to respond to course e-mail within 24 or 48 … hours during the work week though it may not be possible in all cases. Student will be notified when the instructor is not available to meet the stated response time.
8. Textbook. A list of textbooks with the author, title, publisher, edition, date, and ISBN number.
9. Supplementary material. A list of other published material the student is required to purchase for the course including lab manuals, lab kits, software, etc.
10. Specific course requirements. A description of any special course requirements, such as knowledge of specific software, and why it is necessary for successful completion of the course.
11. Course topics. A suggested sequence of course topics, perhaps noting that students should complete certain core modules prior to moving to elective or more advanced modules.
12. Assignments and Projects. A sequenced list of assignments and projects arranged by course section or module with due dates if applicable.
13. Punctuality. A statement of course milestones to keep the students on track in an asynchronous environment. No synchronous events such as chat sessions, audio conferences, or physical meetings should be required.
14. Class participation. A statement that students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course if interaction is part of the course design. For example, students are expected to communicate with the instructor as a learning resource, students must check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements, and students must actively participate in threaded discussion events.
15. Grading procedure and grading scale. A detailed statement of how grades are related to or reflective of the expected learning outcomes. A statement of what constitutes high achievement in the course. Grades awarded do not include a plus or minus (+/-) designation.
16. Course ground rules. A reiteration and emphasis of certain rules and course expectations. For example,
    1. Participation is required
    2. Expected to communicate with other students in team projects
    3. Learn how to navigate in WebCT
    4. Keep abreast of course announcements
    5. Use the assigned college or university e-mail address as opposed a personal e-mail address
    6. Address technical problems immediately
    7. Observe course netiquette at all times. Instructor guidelines for communication by email, discussion groups, chat, and the use of web resources. Some examples are:
       1. Email
          1. Always include a subject line.
          2. Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
          3. Use standard fonts.
          4. Do not send large attachments without permission.
          5. Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
          6. Respect the privacy of other class members.
       2. Discussion groups
          1. Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
          2. Try to maintain threads by using the “Reply” button rather starting a new topic.
          3. Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
          4. Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
          5. Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
          6. Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
          7. Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
       3. Web Resources
          1. Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor
          2. Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html
17. Course syllabus changes. A statement that any necessary changes to the course syllabus will be sent to the student by e-mail and posted on the bulletin board.
18. Sources of technical assistance. A listing of contacts to help resolve technical problems with e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, pagers, etc.
19. Special needs. A statement of accommodation for students with special needs such as voice recognition software or special hardware.
2. The textbook used in the course must be one that is recognized by the discipline as being authoritative, timely, comprehensive, written clearly, and designed for the level of the particular course in which it is to be used. The course developer of the course will select the textbook(s) in coonsultation with others who regularly teach the course. The TBR Curriculum Committee will periodically review the textbook selection process.
3. The course may include study guides, lecture summaries, presentation slides, audio, and/or streaming video that summarizes and enhances the textbook material, making it more understandable to the distance learners. This material should be arranged in weekly modules or other sequences that clearly relate to the course’s expected learning outcomes.
4. All assignments should clearly state how they achieve or contribute to achieving the module’s or course’s anticipated learning objective(s) or outcome(s). Assignments should emphasize active student involvement in the learning process and the building of learning communities. Students should be provided with opportunities for projects that foster interactive communication through chat sessions, threaded discussions, and/or audio conferencing.
5. The option for synchronous class meetings should be available if needed to achieve the course’s learning outcome but must not be required or graded.
6. Learning outcomes should be assessed on a continuous basis through timed quizzes, proctored examinations, take-home tests, open book examinations, and/or other assessment means applicable to the particular course. The quizzes and examinations should clearly indicate the learning objectives that are trying to be achieved and focused on the cognitive level of the material being assessed.
7. The grading scale should emphasize assignments, projects, and student participation in the learning community as well as timed quizzes and periodic examinations.
8. All courses should include written assignments. Such assignments may be in the form of evaluative essays, case analyses, term papers, book reviews, film reviews, summaries and critiques of journal articles, etc.
9. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses.
10. Individuals with special needs who seek an accommodation through the local campus office of disabled student services will be accommodated as appropriate so that they might achieve the learning objectives of the course.
11. Course instructors must meet the minimum SACS competency criteria for teaching the course subject matter.
12. Course instructors must assure that the course material is current; i.e., having been reviewed within the last six months.