• Seton Hall University
• Policies and Procedures

Purpose

Seton Hall has a long history of online course offerings and has implemented several quality assurance processes to support faculty in the development and facilitation of online and hybrid courses and programs. These processes include academic leadership approval of online or hybrid course development, adoption of the QM™ (Quality Matters) rubric, access to course delivery tools, and faculty development workshops. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all online and hybrid courses and programs offered at Seton Hall University adopt nationally recognized standards of course design excellence and processes to support their successful facilitation.

Scope

University Policy

Definitions

This policy applies to any course or program offered in an online or hybrid format. It does not apply to traditional courses that utilize technology, such as online resources to support teaching and learning. Traditional Course -A course taught in the traditional face-to-face format. Such courses may still utilize technology, such as on line resources and activities, but these activities are not meant to replace in-class seat time.  Seat Time - The amount of time students are required to be physically present in a classroom and receive instruction per credit hour.  Online Course -An online course utilizes the Internet to deliver course content, correspondence and assessment completely online, and does not generally meet in person. Physical materials such as a textbook or lab materials may be required for these courses.  Online Program - An online program is a degree or certificate-granting program in which each course of the program is delivered online. There may be an in-person residency requirement.  Hybrid Course - A hybrid course is defined as any course that replaces 30% or more of in-class seat time with online activities.  Quality Matters™ - QM™ is a nationally recognized quality assurance rubric that is supported by current research and national standards of best practice in online and hybrid course design.  Online or Hybrid Course Development - The process of designing an online or hybrid course in the University's approved learning management system. This includes all of the course content, descriptions of activities, assignments, library resources, assessments, course policies and procedures, as well as other essential University information.

Policy

All Schools and Colleges at the University offering online programs, online courses or hybrid courses, or who seek to offer the same, shall adhere to the following:

1. The faculty member assuming responsibility for the program or course development will seek department chair recommendation and dean level approvals for the creation of online or hybrid courses, programs or certificates, including existing courses offered in a face-to-face format or new and experimental courses.
    
2. Once these approvals are obtained from the sponsoring department and dean, the request for development will be submitted to the Office of the Provost for prioritization. To assist academic departments in planning course offerings and programs, the Teaching Learning and Technology Center (TLTC) shall make the current course development schedule available.
    
3. The following schedule for proposals of new online or hybrid courses or programs shall be observed:
   New proposals are due to the Office of the Provost no later than October 15 for courses that are intended to launch the following Fall, and no later than March 1 for courses that are intended to launch the following Spring. Decisions regarding course or program prioritization will be made by December 1 for Fall submission and April 15 for Spring submissions. Colleges, departments, faculty and TLTC will be notified to begin the course development process.
    
4. The developing faculty/department will ensure that all online and hybrid courses meet QM™ standards and are reviewed using the most current QM™ rubric, by a member of the TLTC who is specifically trained in applying the rubric.
    
5. All College or School EPC rules for offering courses online (e.g., approval for all courses moved from face-to-face to online) must be followed, including APC and Senate approval for all programs and certificates.
    
6. Adhere to the following course development processes:
   
   Development Process for New Online and Hybrid Courses
   1. Develop all online and hybrid courses in accordance with the most current version of the QM ™ rubric.
       
   2. Work with an assigned library faculty liaison. The library faculty liaison will participate in the course development process by attending the initial course development session and at least one other meeting in the development process deemed appropriate by TLTC and University Libraries. During the period between these points of contact, an online instructor will be contacted by his/her library faculty liaison regarding potential integration of research assignments, existing e-resources, reference and instruction services that support online pedagogy, e-research aids, copyright clearance, etc.
       
   3. Submit all developed online and hybrid courses for review using the current QM rubric. All courses must meet QM™ standards before they can be offered for the first time in online or hybrid format.
       
   Development Process for Existing Online and Hybrid Courses
   1. All online and hybrid courses that have never been reviewed using the QM™ rubric, or were reviewed prior to 2012, are required to be reviewed using the  most current version of the QM™ rubric. Departments will have two years, commencing with the implementation of this policy, to request a QM™ course review. The course must meet current QM™ standards before it can be offered during a future semester.
       
   2. Courses shall be rereviewed when the faculty, department  or University determine that a substantive change to the course is necessary due to discipline or technology changes. The quality assurance rubric to which the University is adhering at the time of this rereview will provide the standards.
       
   3. Courses shall be rereviewed every 5 years from the last QM™ review using the QM™ rubric to which the University is adhering at the time of the rereview. The course must meet those QM™ standards before it is offered in a future semester. This review is limited to course delivery best practices and QM™.
       
7. All online and hybrid courses shall be indicated as such on the listing of classes for student registration.
    
8. All online and hybrid courses shall be developed and delivered using the course management system approved by the University.
    
9. All faculty new to online learning shall be required to attend training in the use of the University's course management systems to support the development, facilitation and maintenance of their online and hybrid courses.
    
10. All faculty shall ensure that library resources and available services are integrated into online or hybrid course offered.
     
11. When an online course is to be co-taught, a statement from the department explaining the rationale for the co-teaching must be provided to the Dean and available to the Provost.

Nothing in this policy shall supersede the academic planning obligations and responsibilities detailed in the Faculty Guide, including but not limited to articles 7.7 and 10.3.

Related Documents

Online Hybrid Course Proposal Form

Approval

Approved

The Office of the Provost has approved the attached Online / Hybrid Policy. We thank the Faculty Senate for its review and input.

Effective Date

November 2nd, 2017

Last Revised Date: 11/2/2017