Distance Learning Practices

Communications

Students are encouraged to visit the Distance Learning Web site www.stchas.edu/distance to obtain information about orientations and meeting times. The Distance Learning office provides magnets with the Web site information and flyers about orientations for students enrolling at the registration and cashier windows. In lieu of a postal mailing, the Distance Learning office sends an electronic message to distance learning students several days prior to the first day of classes to alert them about the need to visit the Web site. This helps with communications to late enrolling students.

Last Date of Attendance

Faculty members who teach distance courses are required to document the Last Date of Attendance (LDA) when they award a failing grade to a student or LDA of any student who has dropped. It is up to the faculty member to determine that date based on last documented activity in WebCT or date of last attempted learning activity (assignment, midterm, or final exam). The Office of Financial Assistance is required to record the date; therefore it is to be submitted by faculty at the time of grades.

Meeting Times

Faculty members who schedule a mandatory face-to-face orientation, midterm, and final examinations on campus during the business day prior to 6 p.m. should also schedule an additional time for 6 p.m. or after, Monday–Friday, or 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday.

Online Orientations

Faculty members may chose to conduct online orientations in the WebCT course shell. Each faculty member is responsible for identifying expectations for completion of the online orientation and deadlines associated with the orientation. Faculty should include this information along with other expectations in their course syllabi and orientation letters posted on the SCC Distance Learning Web page. WebCT courses will not be available to students until five working days prior to the start of the semester. Enrollment information is not available for WebCT until one day after enrollment. Faculty members can then release the course for student access.

Orientations

Faculty members must allow for an alternate orientation if students miss an orientation scheduled prior to the first day of class for the term.

Registration, Last Date for Distance Learning Courses

Registration is closed for distance learning courses by the first day of class for each term. After this time, enrollment is only waived with faculty permission.

Syllabi

Faculty members are encouraged to post a copy of their syllabus in the WebCT course shell for students. In addition, they are to provide the respective dean and department chair a paper copy of the syllabus for each class.

WebCT

WebCT courses will not be available to students until five working days prior to the start of the semester.