Step by Step

The steps necessary to develop a fully online or hybrid course and to secure all necessary approvals are given below.

1. DEPARTMENT CONSULTATION AND APPROVAL

A new online course will have an impact on department offerings, staffing, and long term goals.

2. CURRICULUM COMMITTEE APPROVAL

The Curriculum Committee requires a "separate approval" form for distance courses and adherence to the Official Course Outline.

Important notes:

• Submission and approval of the Curriculum Committee's distance learning form is NOT the same as approval of your course by the Distance Learning Committee. See the second column on this page for that separate process.
• It's wise to complete at least some of your Blackboard training before submitting your course proposal to the Curriculum Committee. If you appear before the Committee you'll find that members ask detailed questions about, for example, how your course will ensure instructor-student and student-student interaction (as mandated by the Education Code) and how your course design will minimize the likelihood of cheating.

3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AGREEMENT

The District's Intellectual Property Rights Agreement remains in effect for the 2012-2013 academic year.

4. BLACKBOARD USER COMMUNITY (BUC) TRAINING

BUC Training includes the following on-campus workshops:

• Orientation to Blackboard
• Management
• Communications
• Assignments
• Tests and Surveys
• Grade Center

Certification includes successful completion of the workshops as well as the online course IDST-10, Training for Online Instructors (1.5 units). Here's how to enroll.

5. COURSE SCHEDULING

Since the print deadline may be far in advance of the completion of training and course development, the DLC has approved the scheduling of courses in a timely manner. Faculty must recognize that if training and/or course development are not completed by the appropriate deadlines, the course will be removed from the schedule.

6. COURSE DEVELOPMENT

The longest part of the process; a rule of thumb is to expect to spend roughly 300 hours in developing a 3-unit course.

Planning to use audio or video? Please consult early on with Bambi Mayfield (MayfieldBa@butte.edu) of our DSPS office. She can provide transcription and captioning services to make your course accessible. The process is surprisingly simple and, if set up early in the development process, requires little work on the part of the instructor.

ACTION - START THE OFFICIAL COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS BY SUBMITTING YOUR COURSE FOR REVIEW

IMPORTANT! Before you submit your course for review it must be  "substantially complete" -- once submitted, a static copy of the course is made for review. Subsequent changes you make in your course will NOT be reflected in the copy!

1. Check the Dates & Deadlines page and make sure you submit your course for review in a timely fashion.

2. Submit a link to the course by using the Online/Hybrid Course Review Request form.

Our Instructional Technologists will create a static copy of the course. They'll examine it in light of the Course Diagnostic Standards and send a Course Review report to the Chair of the DLC.

3. The Chair will send you a copy of the report and provide further instructions on additions or modifications needed to bring the course into compliance with the Course Diagnostic Standards.

4. If in view of the Chair substantial changes are needed, DLC consideration of the course will be removed from the upcoming agenda and you will need to begin the course review process from scratch (with submission of a new Online/Hybrid Course Review Request) once the course has been modified. Warning: Such a delay in approval may mean the course cannot be taught the following semester.

7. DISTANCE LEARNING COMMITTEE DEMO

If the Course Review is satisfactory, the course will be demonstrated to the DLC by the Instructional Technologists, with the faculty developer invited to be present to answer questions.

1. If the course is approved, it may be taught.

2. If the DLC requests modifications, they must be made immediately and the Chair informed of their completion. The modifications will appear on a subsequent DLC meeting consent agenda or approved electronically. Warning: The course cannot be taught until the modifications have been approved by the DLC.