Appendix A:
UCA Principles for Electronically Offered Instruction
The term electronically offered instruction refers to courses delivered online or by compressed video.
- That distance education is best experienced within a community of learning where faculty are actively and cooperatively involved in creating, providing, and improving instruction.
- That all courses and programs are consistent with the sponsoring academic college's and department's role and mission.
- That electronically offered courses and programs meet institution-wide standards for quality and rigor, including university and program admission requirements.
- That approval of courses and programs is secured through the same curriculum review process used for on-campus courses and programs.
- That courses are taught by regular departmental faculty or faculty approved by the departmental faculty and chair, and that the institution provides appropriate instructional and technical support for participating faculty.
- That courses and programs provide content and seek outcomes appropriate for the selected technology and for the intended student population.
- That all courses provide significant opportunities for interaction with the instructor and with fellow students.
- That students are assured access to adequate and appropriate library resources or related instructional materials to support intended course outcomes.
- That courses are subject to the same institutional requirements as on-campus courses for evaluation of instruction and for assessment of student achievement.
- That the integrity of student work is safeguarded.
- That course materials and their use conform to copyright and intellectual property policies. [Note (added 4/12/2006): The university requires that every curriculum change proposal developed under these guidelines must be accompanied throughout the proposal process by the appropriate license agreement as provided under Board of Trustees Policy 409. Contact Academic Outreach and Extended Programs with questions. For license agreement forms, follow this link: Policy 409 Forms. For the Board policy, follow this link: BOT Policy 409.]
August 2004
These principles are informed by Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs, a document developed by the eight regional accrediting commissions. View/download the document (PDF) from the NCA Higher Learning Commission's web site.
Return to top of page.