Online Learning

Follow institutional procedures

Provide a consistent learning experience for students by following procedures and timelines.


As part of the What Works Well in Online Teaching (WWWOT) series, Jimena Alvarado shares how and why she personalizes her class details page at Portland Community College.

Practices

It is important to follow institutional policies, procedures, and practices in order to deliver a consistent learning experience for students. Here are the essential practices for this category.

Essential Practices
  • Follow the procedures and timelines from Online Learning for course management tasks.
  • Post important and welcoming course information on the Class Details page to inform students prior to registration.
  • Follow the institution’s  policy for “no-show”  students and communicate this early in a pre-course communication email or during the first week of the term.
  • Meet college expectations for syllabi, which will include the required elements as outlined in the PCC syllabus standards document.
  • Follow the accessibility guidelines established by PCC for online course content.
  • Comply with copyright and fair use policies and practices.
  • Stay current with timelines, reminders, actions, and issues related to online learning.
  • Notify the FDC or Dean when unable to deliver online instruction due to illness or extended absence, and alert students of absence.
High-Impact Practices for Continuous Improvement
  • Link to a copy of the syllabus and/or a course overview video from the Class Details page.
  • Educate students on the concept of academic integrity, and report violations to support institutional integrity.

Examples for any online course

  • Read all emails sent from the DL Faculty Help Desk and announcements posted by Online Learning.
  • Implement RSI procedures, which are also part of our accreditation requirements.
  • Use Panorama for guidance on improving the accessibility of content in D2L. (See Panorama support in resources for guidance)
  • Humanize your syllabus and Class Details page with student-friendly language.
  • Provide a public syllabus page that students can access in advance of the class, outside of D2L. This can simply be a Google doc or use another accessible tool.
  • Add Academic Calendar and Online Course Timeline to your Google Calendar.
  • Require engagement with a syllabus quiz, a self-introduction, or a “getting to know you” survey before the beginning of the term drop date passes in order to report No Shows and to help prevent tuition and financial aid fraud through fraudulent student accounts.
  • Participate in training opportunities related to continuous improvement.

Examples for online courses with scheduled meetings

  • Follow department or program guidelines for live session recording and camera policies.
  • Include camera/microphone etiquette in course materials.
  • Clarify for students when sessions will and will not be recorded.
  • Provide reminders of course and college policies during live sessions, as needed.

Resources

Getting Started: Preparing Your Course
Institutional Policies and Compliance
Ongoing Course Management and Support