Section N – e-Learning Policies and Procedures

What is e-Learning?

E-Learning includes classes that utilize a learning [course] management system (LMS) to assist with instruction or present classes fully online. e-Learning also supports the integration of technology in the learning environment, use of the Internet as a resource in the classroom, email, compressed/stream video, Web conferencing and other instructional technologies.

Palm Beach State College offers e-Learning classes in both credit and non-credit areas that require few (if any) on-campus meetings. Classes are designed to provide close interaction with instructors while also allowing greater time and space flexibility to serve the students' needs.

Use of course-mail, discussion boards, synchronous online chat rooms, blogs, wikis, Web conferencing, and face-to-face meetings occur to encourage effective communication with students and instructor or student-to-student interaction. These courses are rigorous and cover the same material as on-campus classes. Credits earned though e-Learning course work are transferable and appear on transcripts just like any other class.

Organizational Information

The e-Learning Director supervises the Department and reports directly to the Vice President of e-Learning at Palm Beach State College. The e-Learning Advisory Committee provides opportunities for faculty/instructors and staff to discuss pertinent e-Learning issues and offer guidance to maintain a quality program.

Quality of Courses

The course name and number of e-Learning courses shall be the same as traditional in-class courses. The course goals and objectives, learning outcomes and the time frame for completion of all instructional activities will also be equivalent to the traditional in-class courses.

Curriculum

Academic Services maintains course outlines for the courses offered at Palm Beach State College (www.pbsc.edu/utilities/CourseOutlines). From these course outlines, faculty/instructors will create individual class syllabus. The course outlines are continuously updated through curriculum actions and State Course Numbering System transactions. e-Learning classes use the same course outline as face-to-face classes.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Criteria: "The Commission recognizes the legitimacy of distance learning, such as that conveyed through off-campus classroom programs, external degree programs, branch campuses, correspondence courses and various programs using electronically based instruction offered geographically distant from the main campus."

In 2001, Palm Beach State College (PBSC) was approved to offer e-Learning (distance learning) by SACSCOC through a substantive change. In 2012 SACSCOC reaffirmed PBSC accreditation.

E-Learning Goals:

• To provide an alternative education delivery system for greater access by our students;
• To provide flexibility of time and location;
• To promote the integration of technology in the learning environment;
• To promote globalization of education through electronic access to information and experts worldwide;
• To ensure quality of online course structure and delivery;
• To ensure student Blackboard readiness and provide online student support.
• To provide faculty, instructors and supporting staff continuous quality training and technical support.

Who are Palm Beach State College’s e-Learners?

E-Learning courses and programs at PBSC serve students in the community in order to provide access to students that do not have the ability to attend classes on campus for the following reasons:

• No transportation
• Disability
• Work commitment requires extensive travel
• Personal commitment requires time flexibility
• Lack of child care
• Work/place….

Currently 85% of the e-Learning students at Palm Beach State attend class on one of the campuses as well as take e-Learning courses.

E-Learning Delivery Systems

Palm Beach State College’s commitment to students is to provide anytime, anyplace learning opportunities through an array of e-Learning technologies and delivery systems. The primary difference between e-Learning courses and face-to-face (traditional) courses is the delivery format, not the content. e-Learning courses go through the same rigorous curriculum process as face-to-face courses.

Online courses allow students to take courses on the Internet providing greater flexibility and convenience. Students can access the course from a computer with an Internet connection 24 hours a day/7-days a week from home, work, library, or a college facility. Each course will have specific deadlines for the completion of assignments, projects, and quizzes/exams that meet course learning outcomes just like face-to-face classes.

All courses in PBSC’s Bachelor Degree Programs and a selection of Associate Degree courses require students to take exams using a Respondus LockDown browser and Respondus Monitor online test video-proctoring system (see the course syllabus for details/requirements). Palm Beach State College’s learning (course) management system is Blackboard Learn.

E-Learning courses are offered at four levels:

1. Gradebook/SafeAssign – Provides the functions of digital gradebook, plagiarism checking system, file/handout distribution, course-mail and course announcements.
2. Web Component – The instructor develops/utilizes a companion website for the face- to-face class where students may interact through messaging, the instructor may provide handouts, presentations slides, and/or administer assignments or tests. Students may use their own computer with an Internet connection or may use a computer at one of Palm Beach State College’s locations.
3. Hybrid – In this type of class, 50% of the content must be in a face-to-face environment. The remainder of the instruction is conducted online through an instructor developed online course site utilizing the Blackboard LMS.
4. Online – In this class, all of the instruction is delivered via online and via the Blackboard LMS (Bb). Students may be required to take examinations utilizing a video-proctoring system, i.e., Respondus Monitor.

E-Learning Course Design and Development

In order to better meet the needs of Palm Beach State College’s students participating in the College e-Learning programs; to better serve faculty/instructors in development of their online course material; to serve the needs of the College; and to enhance the quality of College online courses, the following guidelines and services are provided. These guidelines address several key factors identified as opportunities to enhance the College’s e-Learning program, including:

• Standardizing the “look” of the online courses to create a branding image for the College’s online programs;
• Standardizing and thus simplifying navigation of the courses in order to improve student engagement and retention;
• Growing class offerings to meet student need;
• Assisting faculty/instructors in development of course material to meet set standards for online course sites;
• Providing quality control and continuous enhancement of our e-Learning program.

The e-Learning Department provides the following services:

• Design and maintain a course template to provide a standard look of the online course sites. The department assigns these templates to instructional staff for development of course material;
• Provide workshops and online tutorials on course development standards, policies and best pedagogical practices;
• Provide assistance with development of course material, including general advice on site organization of material, as well as assistance with file formatting and development of course material;
• Certify courses to ensure quality and compliance with course site requirements;
• Work with assigned faculty/instructors to develop PBSC College-owned courses;
• Support instructional staff with functions and use of Blackboard and other instructional software;
• Meet with faculty to provide one-on-one technical support, coaching and workshops.
• Manage/distribute Bachelor Degree Programs’ and other various departmental master course templates;
• Meet with the e-Learning Advisory Committee on regular basis to review policies, procedures and possible course site certification resolutions.

E-Learning Certification Policies and Certification Guidelines

Course Site Certification and Site Requirements

All Blackboard course sites, except for the Gradebook/SafeAssign only courses, have to be certified by the e-Learning department in order to qualify for instructional use. This applies to all Component, Hybrid and Online courses. Gradebook/SafeAssign (GB) course sites can be activated without any certification review – standard GB template design is auto-applied upon course activation. To achieve certification, the course site must adhere to the following guidelines:

Standard Course Dashboard (aka home page) Design – Component, Hybrid and Online

The course dashboard must consist of a College approved banner, footer, modules, resource links/icons, navigation structure, color scheme and contain standard information per College developed and adopted course dashboard design.

Content – Component Course

In addition to the standard course dashboard content/design, component course sites are to include and utilize at minimum three (more highly recommended) instructional Bb components (providing substantial instructional benefits) such as:

• Discussions
• Self-Tests/Quizzes
• Multimedia Assignments
• Instructional Support (i.e., presentations, lesson reviews, handouts, links to online resource, etc.)

Content and Delivery – Hybrid and Online Course

Hybrid and Online course content must be organized into Learning Modules (LM) or Content Folders (CF). Individual LMs/CFs may be titled as lessons, units, chapters, etc. -- per instructor/faculty preferences.

Learning Modules/Content Folders are to contain at minimum:

• Introduction Page (learning outcomes, outline of the lesson components/requirements, special instructions, reading assignments, etc.)
• Instructional Content (i.e., personal faculty expertise presentations, handouts, videos, resource links, animations, etc.)
• Discussion(s)
• Assessment(s) (i.e., tests, quizzes, assignments, student presentations)
• All other material related to that particular LM/CF (lesson, unit, etc.)

Each LM/CF is to engage students in appropriate student contact time – equivalent to classroom contact time. Homework assignments do not count for LM/CF contact time.

Course Site Certification Criteria

The course site certification review evaluates the following online course site design and content delivery pedagogical principles (assessed by specific measurable components of the Course Site Certification Rubric):

• Component Course Sites - Course dashboard design must meet the current College standards (e-Learning department will apply the design) and content must clearly demonstrate instructional benefits. Providing handouts, links to resources, practice assessments, discussions, dedicated email, video -- any combination of three or more instructional components satisfies the Component site certification criteria.
• Hybrid and Online Course Sites - Must use approved standard course dashboard design (e-Learning department will apply the design) and must satisfy the following four online learning pedagogical principles:
  1. Contact Time and Content Organization
     1. For every instructional hour removed from the classroom, an equal one hour of online instructional activities must be provided.
     2. Instructional content must be organized into a set of 'Learning Modules/Content Folders' (titled as lessons, units, chapters, etc.), with each LM/CF presenting a series of related activities (presentations, discussions, assignments, assessments, etc.).

        The time it takes to complete all LMs/CFs (lessons, units, etc.) needs to equal traditional 'in-class' contact time. Traditional 'homework' (reading a chapter, etc.) does not count for online instructional activity time.

  2. Periodic Assessments
     1. Students must receive continuous/periodic feedback to let them know how well they are doing.
     2. Faculty need to assess whether students are completing assigned instructional material, and assess students’ comprehension/achievement of the learning outcomes.

        Assessments can be applied in a variety of formats. It is recommended to provide this assessment/feedback in every LM/CF (lesson, unit, etc.). In an online environment, the need to provide periodic assessments is much greater than in a traditional classroom -- a 'midterm and a final' is not enough to ensure an effective assessment schedule. Since faculty do not see if the students are attending class and paying attention, more frequent assessments are required.

  3. Interactive (critical-thinking-skill) Exercises
     1. Online Instructional Activities need to include faculty and student interaction.

        This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, students need to interact with faculty and be given the opportunity to discuss concepts and theories to stimulate conceptual thinking and provide an additional learning modality. In the online course environment faculty need to initiate these interactions -- since students are not in a controlled environment (classroom), 'class time' competes with many external stimuli, and thus the majority of students are not likely to initiate the discussions on their own account.

  4. Present Personal Expertise
     1. The course must be enhanced with instructor's personal expertise to provide instructional material comparable to the traditional in-classroom lecture presentations and/or demonstrations.

        This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as voiceover presentations, video, text based material, scripted discussions, feedback on assignments, etc. The e-Learning Department will assist faculty with development of this material upon request.

Course Site Certification Rubrics

Measurable components of the above listed certification principles. Course sites must meet ‘Yes’ and ‘MS’ levels in order to be certified.

BS = Below Standards

MS = Meets Standards

Course sites must meet ‘Yes’ and ‘MS’ levels in order to be certified.

BS = Below Standards

MS = Meets Standards

Course Instruction

Courses cannot be instructed in an auto-run delivery, utilizing only auto-graded activities as periodic assessment/feedback and without instructor initiated collaborative components. Collaborative components and faculty assessment/feedback on students’ performance must be present periodically within the course activities.

E-Packs, Cartridges, Building Blocks and Third-Party Instructional Sites

The majority of course instructional content must reside in the College Learning Management System -- Blackboard (Bb). The use of e-Packs, Cartridges, Building Blocks and/or Third-Party Instructional Sites cannot constitute the majority of the course content. Instructional components such as discussions and assignments must be performed/submitted within Bb. If external sources are used for testing purposes, grading criteria must be provided in Bb and all grading records must be transferred/posted into Bb’s grade book.

Course Certification Requests

When an instructor finishes development of their Bb course site, a request for certification needs to be sent to the e-Learning department. The site will be reviewed using the 'Online Course Certification Guidelines' and the instructor will be notified of the result. PantherNet (Workday) will be updated to reflect instructor's approved certification status.

The instructor needs to notify their department of their approved certification(s) and request to have their course(s) listed/updated in PantherNet (Workday) with a special designator(s) to reflect the Component, Hybrid or Online status for the next semester. This designator needs to be added into PantherNet's (Workday) Instructor Resource Management system in order for the course to be offered (and have a course site available) via the Blackboard learning (course) management system. If this course modifier is not in place before first day of registration of the upcoming semester, the Bb course site will not be activated for that term and delivery of instructional content via Blackboard will not be possible.

Granting of Certified Course Use

Individual faculty members can volunteer to allow other instructors to use a copy of their certified course for instruction or designate the course as a ‘departmental template.’ Permission of such must be granted in writing (sample form below) and be authorized (co- signed) by the supervising administrator. A copy of the form must be forwarded to the e-Learning department for record keeping. Once such form is received, the e-Learning department will provide a certification record for the faculty granted to use the certified course and copy the designated certified course into the receiving faculty’s section. This instructor can then be assigned to instruct such course as long as the instructor possesses basic skills for online instruction. If the course is designated as a departmental template, e-Learning will archive the course and distribute copies per departmental needs. The department must assign a course template manager to provide management/updates of the course template and serve as a course template liaison to the e-Learning department.

Sample Form:

I (name of faculty) give permission for (name of faculty/department) to use my certified (course prefix/number) Bb course site (reference number of section to copy) for instruction.

Granting Faculty Signature: Supervising Administrator: _____

Online Course Template Development (Department/Cluster Owned Templates)

Based on the needs of a department and/or cluster, development of an online course template can be requested by the department’s dean, associate dean or director. The department’s dean, associate dean or director needs to fill out the ‘Scope of Work – Online Course Template Development Form’ (http://edtech.palmbeachstate.edu/elearn/Resources/Academic- Manual/Scope-of-Work-Work-for-Hire---Course-Template-&-QM-Certification.pdf) and submit the Form for approval per procedure designated in the Form.

Upon approval, the department/cluster may contract with a content expert to develop the instructional material per compensation guidelines listed below. The content expert will be expected to work closely with an assigned e-Learning instructional designer that will assist the content expert with development of the course template and instructional content, ensuring the course template meets the College’s online course certification standards. The e-Learning instructional designer will format, structure and publish the instructional material into the course template. Instructional Technology staff member will be assigned to assist with development of multimedia instructional material.

The course template will then undergo a review process (as listed in the Scope of Work – Online Course Template Development and Maintenance Form). Upon approval, the content expert will be compensated for the development of the instructional material and the course template will become property of the College.

The department/cluster must appoint a template manager (must be a full-time employee) that will serve as a liaison to e-Learning, and ensure the template’s instructional material remains current and ready for deployment for instruction. The e-Learning department will assist with template updates and revisions.

The department/cluster must adopt the course template for instruction in all online sections of this course for subsequent terms. The department’s dean, associate dean or director will submit to eLearning a list of all online sections at least 10 workdays before the first day of each term, and the e-Learning department will manage the template’s distribution, populating all course sections based on the provided list.

The department/cluster may assign any instructor to teach the courses – e-Learning will provide template-based faculty certifications. It is the department’s dean, associate dean or director responsibility to ensure the instructor has the skills to instruct online utilizing the College provided LMS. Should any training needs be identified by the department, e-Learning will provide such training based the department’s request.

The following guidelines govern the compensation for online course template development/redevelopment as requested by Palm Beach State College.

College Requested Online Course Template Development

1. A department/cluster must submit the ‘Scope of Work – Online Course Development and Maintenance’ form and receive an approval from the Vice President of e-Learning before any compensation is offered to a content expert/developer and development of the template is started.
2. A scope of work, with deliverables and timelines will be completed and signed by the contracted course content expert/developer. The document will state that once the course is fully developed and approved, the course belongs to the College and can be assigned to any faculty member.
3. The content expert/developer must request a mid-development review by department dean, associate dean or director and the e-Learning director to ensure course instructional content (at mid-point of development) meets department’s standards, is aligned to course outcomes, and meets approved course template structure.
4. Payment of $2,100 for a completed course template will be issued upon approval of the Vice President of e-Learning. Additional $700.00 compensation is provided for facilitating Quality Matters (QM) Template course Certification.

College Required Online Course Template Redesign

1. When a department/cluster and/or e-Learning requests that a College-owned course template be substantially redesigned, the department/cluster must submit the ‘Scope of Work – Online Course Development and Maintenance’ form and receive an approval from the Vice President of e-Learning before any compensation is offered to a content expert/developer and development of the template is started.
2. The needed changes have to be clearly identified by the department/cluster. The e-Learning director will review the needed changes and determine the percentage of course modification to be developed.
3. A scope of work, with deliverables and timelines will be completed and signed by the contracted course content expert/developer. The document will state that once the course is redeveloped and approved, the course belongs to the College and ca n be assigned to any faculty member.
4. The content expert/developer must request a mid-redevelopment review by department’s dean, associate dean or director and the e-Learning director to ensure course instructional content (at mid-point of development) meets department’s standards, is aligned to course outcomes, and meets approved course template structure.
5. Payment for redevelopment will be calculated based on the percentage of the course to be redeveloped and calculated as a percentage of the full course development payment of $2,100 (e.g., 50% of template redevelopment = $1,050). Payment for template revision will be issued upon approval of the Vice President of e-Learning.

Development and/or Revision of a Faculty’s Personal Online, Hybrid and/or Face-to-Face Courses

Such development and/or revisions will not be compensated, as they are considered part of normal job responsibilities of teaching faculty and instructors.

For the Scope-of-Work Form, please see the website at: http://edtech.palmbeachstate.edu/elearn/Resources/Academic-Manual/Scope-of-Work-Work- for-Hire---Course-Template-&-QM-Certification.pdf

Blackboard Training Workshops

The e-Learning department provides Blackboard Course Certification and several various Blackboard Course Development workshops in order to familiarize faulty/instructors with course certification requirements and the functions and use of the Blackboard Learn course delivery system.

Blackboard Course Certification

The purpose of this workshop is to familiarize faculty with certification guidelines. Trainers will demonstrate:

• Approved Course Dashboard Design and Color Scheme
• Required Resources (links)
• Sample Course Structure
• Sample Content Delivery Outline
• Sample File Formatting and explain/demonstrate type/level of required instructional content needed to attain course certification for each level of course delivery.

Blackboard Basics

In this hands-on 1 hour introductory workshop, participants learn how to navigate Blackboard Learn. Participants will gain an understanding of the major functions within the Bb course delivery system.

The topics covered in this workshop include:

• Edit Mode
• Menu Area
• Navigation
• Course Menu
• Course Roles
• Student View
• Notification Dashboard and provide basic instruction for navigating the system.

Blackboard Advanced

In this advanced 2 hour hands-on workshop, the participants will explore major features of Blackboard Learn, including how to create or modify learning modules/content folders, post class announcements, upload course documents, communicate with students, and the ways in which Bb Learn arranges course content and interaction.

This workshop demonstrates and provides practice for participants to:

• Create a Learning Module/Content Page
• Adding Content to a Learning Module/Content Page
• Creating an Item
• Creating a Discussion
• Adding a Test
• Adding an Assignment
• Editing and Managing Learning Module/Content Page Material
• Attaching Files
• Embedding Images/videos/graphics/simulations/animations
• Setting Learning Module/Content Page Properties and provide a solid foundation for instruction with the system.

Workshop Participation Requirements

Completion of these three in-person workshops is highly recommended for faculty/instructors working on new course development /course certification, new faculty wishing to teach Hybrid or Online courses, and/or faculty practicing online instruction and wanting to expand their knowledge of Bb and related instructional tools.

Additional Workshops and Resources

In addition to the three workshops outlined above, several individual 'Bb Tools and best Bb Tool Practices' workshops for all major Blackboard tools are offered for instructors wishing to improve their skill in utilizing a particular function provided by the Blackboard learning management system. Some Workshops are provided via Webinars. In addition to Blackboard Workshops, e-Learning also provides a variety of instructional seminars on many instructional digital tools. Complete list of available workshops (updated on monthly bases) and registration instructions are provided at www.pbsc.edu/elearning/faculty-and-staff.

In addition to the in-person Workshops, large selections of Blackboard Online Video Tutorials and Instructional Handouts (in Acrobat pdf format) are provided in the EesySoft system (Support tab inside Blackboard).

General e-Learning Policies and Guidelines

Acceptable Use Policy for the Internet at Palm Beach State College

PBSC provides access to the internet and World Wide Web for purposes directly related to education in an environment. Access to resources is shared equitably among all Palm Beach State users to allow a learning environment. All Internet use is to be free of illegal or malicious acts and must show respect for others through proper Network Etiquette.

Accessibility (ADA)

The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) is committed to providing an equal educational opportunity for all qualified students with disabilities, in compliance with federal and state statutes. The e-Learning Department is also committed to ensure that the integrity of all college standards and requirements is maintained. ADA compliance will be applied via a prudent method of providing alternate content, which meets the needs of a specifically challenged learner.

Students with disabilities are advised, in compliance with federal and state laws, that accommodations and services are available through the office of Disability Support Services (DSS). Students in need of accommodations need to contact the PBSC DSS Manager at the home campus to submit appropriate documentation and request services, including Internet and Blackboard Course accessibility accommodation requests. Please see the website at www.pbsc.edu/disability. The DSS Office will coordinate with e-Learning and provide all necessary accommodations for every properly documented student disability.

One of the most common Disability Support Services requests is an extension of allowed time for time restricted examinations. This can be achieved by utilizing Bb’s Test Availability Exceptions provided in Bb’s Test Options. Students that present an authorized letter from the DSS office must be provided with stated time extensions.

Testing Integrity and Verification of Student Identity

It is recommended to provide all Assessments (Tests and Quizzes) via the Blackboard course site to Hybrid and Online students. In order to prevent dishonesty, the assessments should be designed to draw random questions from large test databases, randomizing answers in multiple choice questions, providing one question at a time and not allowing revisiting of questions, limiting time for submissions, and not allowing checking of results until after submission time expires. Following these guidelines minimizes student ability to share answers and print out sample test.

It is highly recommended to apply the Respondus Test Proctoring System (LockDown Browser and Video Monitor) on all major examinations. The LockDown browser prevents students to copy/paste and/or use any other applications while they are taking their exams, and the Monitor provides the ability to check/record student identification and video-monitor the students during their online examinations.

Each Palm Beach State Testing Center in each campus also provides proctored testing in a secure environment. These centers in coordination with the faculty member can help establish testing sites outside of the Palm Beach County service area. It is possible, but not recommended unless absolutely necessary, to require students to take the Blackboard exam at one of the Palm Beach State's or participating partner Testing Center. The Respondus Test Proctoring System is the preferred recommendation. Please see the Testing Center Web page for more information and for procedures to schedule a proctored exam at the Center: www.pbsc.edu/testing.

Video Streaming System

All faculty produced/published instructional audio/video must be hosted on the PBSC licensed Kaltura system, which provides auto-formatting/streaming service based on user’s device and bandwidth. The Kaltura/Bb building block also provides desktop and webcam recording capabilities with one-click-publishing.

Advertisement of e-Learning Courses

A number of marketing activities are used to promote e-Learning classes at Palm Beach State:

• e-Learning website at Palm Beach State
• PantherWeb (Workday) Palm Beach State Class Search
• SREB Electronic Campus Listing
• FloridaShines/Florida Virtual Campus Course Listing

Interaction with Students and Office Hours

Communication between students and faculty is vital for student success in online learning. Specific requirements for frequent use of course-mail, chat or discussion boards should be designed in course materials. Faculty should announce specific feedback timeframes in each course syllabus.

For example: “Instructor’s course-mail will be checked once per day Monday – Friday” or "Email will be responded to within 24 hours."

It is highly recommended that faculty check and respond to course-mail and discussion postings daily Monday through Friday for Online and Hybrid courses. Since students work asynchronously, it is crucial to provide feedback as quickly as possible.

As part of the full-time faculty member’s required 10 office hours per week on campus, faculty are encouraged to use some of the 10 hours per week for online students.

Loading of Course Materials in Online, Hybrid and Component Courses

Revised College Academic Policy (12/12/2013)

Online, hybrid or component courses that contain content stored in a course management system (i.e., Blackboard) must have all course content loaded by the assigned faculty member for all courses [for all Term Sessions] within the semester by 12:01 p.m. on the first day full-time faculty return for the Fall and Spring semesters. For the Summer semester, content must be loaded for all courses within the semester by 12:01 p.m. two [business] days prior to the start of the semester.

Observance of Major Holidays/Due Dates

While online courses are generally instructed in an ‘asynchronous’ method and students are provided a certain amount of time/days to complete and turn in assigned activities, general observance of major holidays must be observed. Due dates should not be set for any major holiday and student activity load needs to take into account all major holidays and official PBSC breaks.

Ownership of Material/Copyright

Palm Beach State College employees must observe US laws governing copyright. Any violation of copyright or any other law is the sole responsibility of the author of that Web page. Authors or originators using photos and images may need the permission of not only the person or organization that owns the photo or image, but also from any persons included within the images. Any use of other copyrighted material must have the express written permission of the person or organization that owns the copyright. Palm Beach State reserves the right to require proof of the written permission and to remove the material if that proof cannot be produced.

Student Complaint and Course Grade Appeal Procedures

A student seeking to file a complaint regarding derogatory or other inappropriate behavior on the part of a faculty/instructor or staff member that does not involve academic dishonesty, grade appeal, or another disciplinary action must follow the process outlined in the Student Handbook: www.pbsc.edu/studenthandbook.

A student seeking final grade appeal can follow an Informal Appeal and/or a Formal Appeal Process. Please see the Student Handbook for detailed procedures: www.pbsc.edu/studenthandbook.

Blackboard Guidelines

Blackboard is a learning [course] management system that is used for the delivery of instruction online, and supplemental instruction in face-to-face classes and other delivery systems. Each course using Blackboard must maintain a standard course design. Blackboard can also be used for Organization Sites, Departmental Discussion Boards and/or Webinar Meetings by departments, faculty clusters, committees and sponsored clubs. To request a course and/or an organization site on the Palm Beach State Blackboard server, send a request to the Blackboard Administrator (BbAdmin@palmbeachstate.edu).

Student Support Services/Information and e-Learning

Assessment of Student Capability

Students who are considering an e-Learning course need to determine if they have all necessary skills to be successful. Three (3) self-assessment quizzes are available for students to assess their readiness at the following e-Learning Web page: www.pbsc.edu/elearning/students. A listing of student resources, tutorials and computer system requirements is provided at: www.pbsc.edu/elearning/students.

Attendance Requirements

Faculty must take attendance in online courses for federal government reporting purposes. e-Learning courses do not operate in a traditional face-to-face manner. Students may be dropped or withdrawn from the course by the instructor based on instructor's policies as written in the course syllabus. An example of participation may be submitting assignments, responding to a discussion forum, and/or the use of the course-mail system by pre-determined deadlines. See the specific course syllabus for details.

e-Learning Orientations

Orientation to e-Learning is mandatory – orientation can be presented online, in-person or by other means of interactive communication. Orientation includes: syllabus, instructions for a successful course completion, technical requirements, skill level needed, and student success tips. Instructors should ensure students review the Student Resources in the EesySoft system (Support tab inside Blackboard) and the Student Support Center section of the e-Learning Web at www.pbsc.edu/elearning/students.

e-Library/Learning Resources

The Library Learning Resource Centers provide resources and services for the College, including e-Learning students. Students, faculty/instructors, and staff have access to the catalog, databases, library services, and other resources. The e-Library’s website (LINCCweb) can be accessed from: www.linccweb.org/Discover?lib_code=FLCC1901&tab=books. Pre-authenticated student link to LINCCweb can be created in Bb courses utilizing the provided LINCCweb Building Block.

Student Assessment of Courses and Faculty

Student Assessment of Courses and Faculty evaluations are conducted each term. Near the end of the term, students are given the opportunity to assess their instructors on a variety of assessment items via an online survey.

Textbook/Bookstore

Textbook Section Guidelines must be followed for e-Learning classes. Follett’s bookstore provides all books and materials for students taking classes at Palm Beach State College. e-Learning students can order their textbook and other required materials online through the Follet Bookstore at: www.bkstr.com/palmbeachstcentralstore/home.

Hardware and Software Requirements for e-Learning

All faculty members/instructors teaching an online course require access to a computer. The College provides computers to all full-time instructors at their primary office location. The Student Learning Center (SLC) open lab at each PBSC campus is available to all students and provides all hardware/software necessary to participate in all online courses (including the Respondus test proctoring system and webcam), as well as to all faculty/instructors (adjunct and full-time). The following are the minimum browser and computer system requirements.

PC System specifications (minimum requirements):

• Processor: 3.0GHZ or higher
• Hard Drive: 900 GB hard drive
• Memory: 4+ GB recommended
• Windows 10 with Internet Explorer 11 (or later)
• DSL/Cable broadband connection
• Browsers/Software – See/run System Check online at: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com/branding/themes/pbsc/systemcheck/index.html

Macintosh system specifications:

• Processor: 3.0GHZ or higher
• Memory: 4+ GB recommended
• Hard Drive: 900GB Hard Drive
• Macintosh OSX 10.9 with Safari 7 (or later)
• DSL/Cable broadband connection
• Browsers – See/run System Check online at: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com/branding/themes/pbsc/systemcheck/index.html

PantherNet (Workday) Coding for e-Learning Courses

Special designators are used to identify the delivery method of e-Learning courses as well as the automatic loading of sections and students for those courses using the PBSC Blackboard server. Once the course is loaded in PantherNet (Workday) by the campus, these additional special designator codes/ special fees must be added.

Table 1 – E-Learning Special Designators and Fees

Designators that start with a “W” or “GB” are for classes that use Blackboard as the course management system. All other Web supported classes that use e-packs or instructor hosted websites should use the remaining designators.

The campus Associate Dean is responsible for adding the appropriate special designators and special fees. The special fee for Hybrid and Web Component classes WILL NOT be automatically loaded from the course dictionary and requires that the user manually add the appropriate fee. If registration has started, and the fee was not added to the class, please call Academic Services so that adding of the fee can be coordinated with the Finance department. Adding the fees once registration has started with no notification will result in student schedules being canceled.

Use of the Web Content Designators

Except for the GB designator, these Web class special designators may only be placed on a class if the instructor has obtained the appropriate course certification. The campus Associate Dean must consult with the e-Learning Director for confirmation.

Instructor Resource Management and PantherNet (Workday) Instructor Blackboard Course Certification

Before an instructor can be assigned to a class, the instructor must first be credentialed by Palm Beach State College (Campus Academic Dean, Associate Dean). The process of credentialing is the institution’s guarantee that the instructor has met all the necessary credentialing to teach a class. This process differs depending on whether the instructor is teaching a non‐credit class, a preparatory class, or a credit class.

Once the e-Learning department certifies a faculty/instructor's class for meeting the applicable guidelines for component, hybrid or online -- an applicable code is placed in PantherNet (Workday) on the Instructor Resource Management screen.

The additional designation for all Web courses is next to the course to identify the certification level. The highest level is listed for Web course certification.

• Component = 1
• Hybrid = 2
• Online = 3

This Web course designation is in addition to the certification by PBSC (Campus Academic Dean, Associate Dean) and will:

• allow a faculty/instructor to be assigned a component, hybrid, or online course in PantherNet (Workday).
• not disrupt the scheduling for any on-campus (non-Web) class.

Syllabi and Faculty/Instructor Web Page

All faculty who have courses that have been approved with Web Content designators must have a faculty Web page and syllabi available online on the College designated faculty home page saved in PDF format. The syllabus should be posted as soon as the class is loaded, but at least 30 days before the registration period for the semester opens. If the class is added after the registration period opens, the syllabi should be placed online within 24 hours of the class being added to the schedule. Please see the Web page at https://www.pbsc.edu/academicservices/information-and-reference/academic-affairs-policies-and-documents/faculty-webpage-syllabi.aspx for syllabus, templates, checklists and posting dates.

Standard Class Notes

The following class notes MUST appear on a class that have Web content designators. Additional notes may be added after the standard note text. To save space, list www.palmbeachstate.edu followed by the faculty member’s faculty home page address (omit http://). The notes are formatted to fit on the PantherNet (Workday) screens with the correct line length.

Note for Gradebook/SafeAssign Classes (GB)

This class contains an online gradebook and/or a SafeAssign plagiarism checking service. You may use your own Internet-connected computer or you may use a student computer lab to access the class materials.

Class website: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com

For more information see professor website: www.pbsc.edu/pf/Faculty.aspx?id=XXXXX&S=1 or email professor XXXXXXXX@palmbeachstate.edu

Note for Web Component Classes (WC or IC)

This class contains an online component that supplements the in-class meetings. You may use your own Internet-connected computer or you may use a student computer lab to access the class materials.

Class website: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com

For more information see professor website: www.pbsc.edu/pf/Faculty.aspx?id=XXXXX&S=1 or email professor XXXXXXXX@palmbeachstate.edu

Note for Hybrid Classes (HY or WH)

This class is a combination of in-class meetings and online instruction. You may use your own Internet-connected computer or you may use a student computer lab to access class materials.

Class website: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com

For more information see professor website: www.pbsc.edu/pf/Faculty.aspx?id=XXXXX&S=1 or email professor XXXXXXXX@palmbeachstate.edu

Note for Online Classes (DL C1 or DL WP)

This class is presented online but may require you to take tests in a secure testing location. You may use your own Internet-connected computer or you may use a student computer lab.

Class website: https://palmbeachstate.blackboard.com

For more information see: www.pbsc.edu/pf/Faculty.aspx?id=XXXXX&S=1 or email professor XXXXXXXX@palmbeachstate.edu