FACULTY COURSE PLANNING INFORMATION

• Course description to be placed on the WebCT home page
• Course syllabus to be placed on the WebCT welcome page and in the course content area
• Course content to be placed in WebCT to include any text and/or multimedia material
• Course calendar of events to be placed in the WebCT calendar
• Link on WebCT welcome page to NSU ClassClips site if courses are to be digitized

Use of WebCT Course Software:

Because of the extensive use of interactive distance learning for collaborative courses, it is essential that you use WEBCT to distribute course information, handouts, formula sheets and even testing.

• Design your course header information on the main course page to identify your course and school and your name.
• Confirm your student list for the course after you have synchronized students into the WebCT course.
• You must use the WebCT Calendar for announcements.
• Use the Bulletin Board for class discussion assignments, work groups or total class communication by you.
• Have students submit work by WebCT mail. It works and can be accessed from anywhere!
• Course content must be on WebCT and will be placed in the Course Content and Related Materials area.
  • Training and assistance is provided to do this task.
  • Powerpoints can be converted to Web format (HTML) or Adobe PDF and placed on WEBCT.
  • It is recommended that content but in two different formats such as PowerPoint and Adobe PDF or HTML.
• Handouts can be placed on WebCT as digital files (PDF, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, ETC.) in the Course Content area.
• It is strongly suggested that quizzes, test and surveys are done on WebCT.
• If you need assistance placing items on WebCT, contact the NSU Help Desk at 626-2283. Technology Fellows are available for WebCT assistance throughout the semester.

Distance Education Course Teaching Style:

Student Response

• All remote sites must always have live audio.
• Query remote students, by name, with specific questions.
• Query remote students, by name, every 3-5 minutes. You need to be proactive with online students or they tune you out and become distracted. If computers are in the room, you must monitor the use or accept the total distraction of your audience.

Faculty Lecture

• Do not ask and answer everything!
• Tell students what they are going to learn, identify the learning objectives.
• Teach, show and demonstrate the content.
• Review learning objectives at close of class. Tell them what they just learned!
• This is a visual medium; be visual in your samples and examples.
• Have remote students demonstrate what you have taught each day.
• Reserve time at breaks or end of class for individual or personal questions.
• Ask for individual questions, by name, from the remote sites.

Course Visual Presentation Materials:

• When do you plan what will be covered in the next class meeting? The Tech Fellow operator will report this to Mr. Carlsgaard.
• When (each week) can we meet to work on the course activity information? The Tech Fellow operator will assist in preparing course media and materials.
• A course information slate will be displayed at the beginning and end of each class. The information contained will include faculty e-mail, phone number and office hours.
• A daily or weekly activity or announcement outline should be available at the beginning and end of class. This can be a PPT slide or on the document camera. The outline should include what will be covered in class and what is expected for the next class meeting.
• If you are using publisher provided materials make sure if falls within the realm of copyright law.
• Notify the Tech Fellow of the equipment you will be using such as the document camera and/or the whiteboard.
• If you will have visiting lecturers notify the Tech Fellow as well as the requirements and/or format such as video-taped interviews, telecommunicated interviews or telephone.
• If your students will be giving presentations, training and assistance is provided for them. Also, give them time to practice with the equipment.

Mailing and FAX of Course Materials

• Because of mail delays (4-5days) UPS or FEDEX has to be used and is extremely expensive. If content is mailed, NSUTV or your office can do that for you but you assume the costs. Postage paid return envelopes must be included for material to be returned to you. Make certain it is addressed to you.
• Items will be FAXed only in case of emergency. Use WebCT to distribute course content.
• Multiple page items will NOT be FAXed and copies of these items cannot be expected to be Xeroxed and delivered to the remote classroom. Use WebCT for this material and require that your remote and on campus students print out the material, if that is necessary.
• NSU’s distance learning FAX is 800-551-1376 or 605-626-2503.

Course Videotaping

• Appropriate courses will be videotaped and digitized and placed on the Real Player server. Videotapes will be kept for 1 week only, Real media is kept for the semester.
• NSUTV will not mail videotapes to remote sites or students.
• All selected class sessions will be digitized and placed on the Real Player server (nsutvreal.northern.edu). Your WebCT site will provide a link to those classes and your Tech Fellow assistant will assist you in uploading these materials to the real server site.

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