Instructor Contact
Guideline for Sections 55207 and 55209
55207. Course Quality Standards.
The same standards of course quality shall be applied to distance education
as are applied to traditional classroom courses, in regard to the course quality
judgments made pursuant to the requirements of section 55002 of this part, and
in regard to any local course quality determination or review process.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 70901 and 66700, Education Code.
Reference: Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.
Distance Education
Regulations and Guidelines
55209. Course Quality Determinations.
Determinations and judgments about the quality of distance education under
the course quality standards referred to in section 55207 shall be made with the
full involvement of faculty in accordance with the provisions of subchapter 2
(commencing with section 53200) of chapter 2 of division 4 of this part.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 70901 and 66700, Education Code.
Reference: Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.
These two sections emphasize the extent to which course quality depends upon the full
involvement of faculty in DE design and application.
55211. Instructor Contact.
In addition to the requirements of section 55002 and any locally established
requirements applicable to all courses, district-governing boards shall ensure
that:
(a) All approved courses offered as distance education include regular
effective contact between instructor and students, through group or individual
meetings, orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study
sessions, field trips, library workshops, telephone contact, correspondence, voice
mail, e-mail, or other activities.
(b) All distance education courses are delivered consistent with guidelines
issued by the Chancellor pursuant to section 409 of the Procedures and Standing
Orders of the Board of Governors. Regular effective contact is an academic and
professional matter pursuant to title 5, section 53200.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 70901 and 66700, Education Code.
Reference: Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.
Guideline for Section 55211
Guideline for Section 55211
This section defines what contact must be maintained between instructor and student:
Subsection (a) stresses the responsibility of the instructor in a DE course to initiate
regular contact with enrolled students to verify their participation and performance
status. The use of the term “regular effective contact” in this context suggests that
students should have frequent opportunities to ask questions and receive answers from
the instructor of record.
Subsection (b) honors the principle that for DE courses, there are a number of
acceptable interactions between instructor and student, not all of which may require in-
person contact. Thus, districts will need to define “effective contact,“ including how
often, and in what manner instructor-student interaction is achieved. It is important that
districts document how regular effective contact is achieved. Since regular effective
contact was declared an academic and professional matter, this documentation must
include demonstration of collegial consultation with the academic senate, for example
through its delegation to the local curriculum committee. A natural place for this to occur
is during the separate course approval process (see section 55213). Documentation
should consist of the inclusion of information in applicable outlines of record on the type
and frequency of interaction appropriate to each DE course/section or session. As
indicated in the Guideline to Section 55219, districts need to describe the type and
quantity of student-faculty interaction in their annual reports to their local governing
boards and the State Chancellor’s Office.
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