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Accreditation self-study Standard 11-A

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 9 months ago

Accreditation Questions for DDL Committee

The Self-Study 2-A has asked if we could answer the following questions:

 

1. What is the role of the Distance Learning Committee in helping our students succeed?

 

Answer : Student Success - By setting up and evaluating the integrity and content of online classes, the DDL assists student to succeed. Also the DDL works to ensure easy "access" to online classes through the "etudes" course management system, and to instruct and certify faculty who teach using "etudes". This assists with student learning. Online education is available 24/7, and thus provides access to learning that would not otherwise be available. more chances - more oportunity.

 

2. Has the college increased its efforts to provide access to information technology and to assist students in developing their technological competence with considerable success?

 

Answer : The College is upgrading LRC 234 and the Adjunct Faculty computer alcove as part of the Title V - "Center for Excellence in Teachin" - see "CET" - http://missioncet.pbwiki.com. LRC will be used for both faculty and classified technology training, and as a "high tech" classroom for on campus students. A course for internet competency needs to be developed, and it can be delivered in both LRC 234 and 205. The Technology Committee, DDL, IT and the LRC should develop the "computer competency" class for students.

 

3. Have any new computer labs been added?

 

Answer : see Standard -3 http://abogado.pbwiki.com/Standard-3 - from that report:

 

Students Access to Technology

 

Departmental computer labs related to specific curriculum has led to an increase in the number of computers and audio/visual equipment.

 

The Chemistry Lab has seven computers for students, two overhead projectors, and one Television that are used in instruction. The Biology Lab has seven desktops that students use to enhance their learning of human anatomical parts through A.D.A.M.S. software, to perform physiology simulation experiments through BioPac and PhysioEx software, to conduct research on scientific literature using the Internet, and to work on their laboratory investigation reports.

 

The Computer Application Office Technology Lab has fifteen black and white laser printers and 57 workstations for students to use while learning computer applications and office technology. This lab also has a part-time assistant. The Computer Science lab has three different computer labs. Two of them have newer computers, while the third really needs new computers. These labs are central to the Computer Science program and are used throughout the day by classes and for open lab to the computer students. The Computer Science department has two full-time lab assistants.

 

In 2004 the Natural Science Department purchased the equipment needed to modernize the Physics Lab to computer based lab (CBL) capability. The seven new DeskPro computers with flat-panel monitors are for data acquisition. The data are collected by a complete set of Labpro sensors, including five sets each of accelerometer, motion detector, microphone, photogate timer, pulley attachment and dual-range force sensor. This brings the Physics Lab into the 21st century. In 2005, the astronomy discipline purchased three new telescopes: 8-inch Newtoninan reflectors with Dobsonian mounts.

 

Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) provides students registered in the DSP&S office the training needed to access the technology and software resources. The DSP&S initiates these efforts in the High Tech Center located in DSP&S office to assist their students developing of computer basics skills which will use in the campus instructional computer labs and classrooms. The DSP&S Access Technology Specialist works with campus Information Technology and Learning Resource Center personnel to make the Learning Resource Center accessible and ADA compliant.

 

Prior to 2003, the library had twenty student computers. In 2003 those were upgraded and eight more were added. Now there are 28 student computers. Students have access both on campus and at home (with a password) to the various databases to which the library subscribes. The library also has Microsoft Office on the computers so students can type and print their papers (especially when the Computer Commons is closed) In June 2005, the library upgraded its online catalog to Sirsi. Students can now also access the catalog through the Internet at home.

 

The four Multimedia Labs are multi-computer teaching facilities dedicated to multimedia students. These labs house 30 personal computers, 25 Power Mac G4, video and sound editing software, digital cameras, projectors, scanners, and dedicated MAC and PC servers. This equipment supports students and faculty who use computer workstations to produce graphics, hypertext, video, animation, and sound. Twenty-five of the 30 existing computers are insufficient to run multimedia software.

 

Writing lab has 18 Pentium IV stations with ESL software to assist students with improving vocabulary, grammar, writing and reading. The Math lab has 38 workstations with math software. This lab is also used as the teaching classroom.

 

In addition to these discipline labs, the Learning Resource Center is the only lab open to students on campus that provides multiple subjects support, including Internet access. Software installed in the LRC assists students in basic skills in subjects, such as math, ESL, grammar, and science. In 2004, the college purchased 108 new Pentium IV computers equipped with 108 flat panels for the LRC. In 2006, the college upgraded an additional 18 computers from Pentium II to Pentium IV. Currently, the total number of Pentium IV computers in the LRC is 126. The computer common area of the LRC lab is open from 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Monday through Thursday, closed on Friday, and open only 4 hours on Saturday from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

 

Online course status reports are available for students to check the status of classes prior the enrollment. IT is in the process of developing a student events link on the college website to announce all student activities or campus related student events.

 

Microsoft FrontPage and Dreamweaver are the main web development tools to design the college web pages. The web pages are static, requiring manual uploading an entire page after modification. The college lacks web-based services, which are now in high demand. These services include online counseling, online surveys, online work requests for Plant Facilities and Information Technology and online audio/video equipment reservations.

 

Distance learning classes are becoming more common each year. These courses are offered fully or partially online.

The LRC lab and tutoring hours are limited, especially for full-time working students who need to do their homework in the late evenings, Fridays and Saturdays.

 

4. How many online courses are offered?

 

Answer : see the etudes portals at http://lamc.etudes.fhda.edu/etudes.cgi?request,give_site_info!

In, 2003 - 19 online courses

In, 2004 - 51 online courses

In, 2005 - 72 online courses

I, 2006 - 45 online courses - 6 months - 1/2 year

 

5. What courses are being offered in the areas of information comptency and computer literacy?

 

Answer : No classes are now being offered in computer literacy. However, the LRC Library staff is providing classes in online research, Internet 101, and Writing Research Papers and MLA format. The Tech Committee, DDL, and IT along with the LRC Library staff should develop such classes. A special online distance education, on campus orientation, should be developed for students taking online classes and who live close to Mission campus. An informal survey shows that 75% of our online student live within 4-10 miles of Mission and could take advantage of an in-person, on campus orientation to use of the etudes course management system at the start of each semester or session in which online classes are scheduled.

 

6. Summary of DDL progress since the last accreditation.

 

Answer : 1. Article 40 of the AFT Labor Contract 2005 - 2008 - see http://lamission.edu/ddl/article40.htm

provided for the creation of a Distributive and Distance Learning Committee which is to report its work, activities, plans to an Education Planning Committee (EPC) - which has not been created at Mission.

 

2. The DDL Committee was organized in the Fall Semester of 2005 - see charter at http://lamission.edu/ddl/charter.htm and the Committee constituted with its membership.

Its statement of purpose is as follows:

 

A D/DL Committee or its equivalent will serve the function of communicating and advising the college in its decision-making regarding D/DL issues.

 

It should report to the college’s Educational Planning Committee or its equivalent and should include D/DL faculty, information technology staff and administrators involved in D/DL course development and delivery.

 

The college Curriculum Committee and the D/DL Committee or equivalent should address D/DL efficacy as it relates to the total instructional program.

 

The D/DL Committee is under the purview of the Academic Senate.

 

3. The Committee started to meet, and the agenda and minutes are located at:

http://hyper.vcsun.org/HyperNews/djordan/get/ddlagenda.html?inline=-1

 

also at http://lamc-ddl.pbwiki.com/Minutes

 

The DDL has been meeting two times a months since 10-05, and the following progress has been made:

 

  • DDL established a Distance Education Online Faculty Seniority List

 

  • Updated the online faculty email at lamission.edu

 

 

  • Developed the "Application to Teach Online" and the certification process for new online faculty - see click here

 

 

 

  • Passed the following motions in the DDL Committee

http://lamc-ddl.pbwiki.com/Approved%20Motions

 

  • Developed an "Initiative to Develop Online and Hybrid Classes" -

http://idhop.pbwiki.com/

 

  • 3 persons have been trained to deliver "Etudes NG" training at Mission

http://abogado.pbwiki.com/etudes-ng and training for etudes ng will be provided to faculty during July-August 2006, and the Fall 2006 semester. Faculty will transition all of their online classes to the newer etudes ng course management system by Fall 207.

 

  • Assisted in handling the paperwork to get etudes clasic and etudes ng course management system paid for the 2006-2007 Academic year.

 

 

The DDE and DDL have similar purpose to promote and support Distance Education.

 

  • Discussed developing an online orientation for online students similar to Foothill

http://www.foothillglobalaccess.org/main/how_to_begin.htm

 

here is the current link for "description of Self-Study - Standard 2 -

http://www.lamission.edu/accreditation/docs/standard2.pdf

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