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Faculty Online Handbook
The handbook is intended for faculty who are considering incorporating web-based components in their courses. It provides information to address many of the questions you probably have asked yourself.
Sections
I. What benefits do I hope to achieve?
o Benefits of web-based instruction
II. What is involved in online teaching?
o Online and distance education formats
o Brief history of online instruction at Oakton
o Components of fully online and web-enhanced courses
III. What software and technology tools do I need?
o Technologies used in distance education
o Approval process for fully-online courses
V. What changes will I need to make to my course to move it online?
VI. What else do I need to consider?
o Intellectual property issues
VII. How much technical information do I need to know?
o Transferring Word and Web documents to WebCT
o Advantages of course management systems
o File Transfer from remote/home
o Hardware and software requirements
VIII. What support resources are available?
o Assistance once the class is in session
1. Proposal for developing an online course
3. Institutional policies: Internet use
4. E-mail at Oakton Community College
6. WebCT software in more depth
7. Using and navigating a WebCT course
8. File management & where to save files for faculty and students
9. FTP
11. Glossary
Section I: What benefits do I hope to achieve?
Benefits of web-based instruction
Faculty who have incorporated Internet resources in their classes frequently cite benefits listed below.
1. The Internet provides students access to a wealth of diverse and timely resources.
2. A course website provides students any-time access to course materials and resources (syllabus, assignments, notes, etc.). Students can access these resources when needed for questions and review. Also a course website relieves the instructor from having to photocopy and distribute course materials.
3. The Internet and the wide variety of software programs available today enable concepts and materials to be presented in a variety of formats and methods to reach students with differing learning styles.
4. Online and other distance learning courses are very convenient for the student population who may have scheduling problems and other obligations that make it difficult for them to attend traditional time or place bound classes.
5. Instructional methods used in distance learning often make students more active learners by engaging them in project-based assignments, online collaboration and research. At the same time, a certain amount of responsibility is expected of the students, making them more accountable for their own success.
Section II: What is involved in online teaching?
Online and distance education formats
Distance education means that students and teachers do not need to be physically in the same space at the same time. Various technologies are used to bridge the physical distance.
Distance education is conducted in a variety of formats at Oakton.
1. Fully online
A fully online course is delivered entirely via the Internet using synchronous and/or asynchronous technologies. It may be either entirely designed and created by Oakton Community College faculty and staff or licensed/purchased from an outside agency.
2. Web enhanced / hybrid
A traditional class with web enhancements. The enhancement might take the form of a hypertext syllabus, chat room, discussion board, assessment tools or a list of web resources. This format may or may not involve a reduction in face to face class meeting time.
3. TeleWeb
A course offered over the Internet, as with fully online courses, but with extensive use of other media such as videotape or CD-ROM.
4. Media-based
Pre-packaged course—predominantly delivered on video, CD-ROM, and/or audiotape.
5. Interactive video
A course offered in real time, via two-way audio and video, between the two Oakton campuses or in conjunction with other institutions or consortia.
Brief history of online instruction at Oakton
Throughout its history, the College has encouraged and supported faculty efforts to explore and integrate new methods and technologies to improve instruction and enhance learning. In the mid 1990s, the explosion in public use of the Internet made online courses a viable reality. In fall 1997, the college invited faculty proposals for the first fully online classes. Several of the resulting proposals built upon things already being done, such as web enhancements to existing traditional classroom classes, while others were to be built "from the ground up."
The initial courses were offered in the spring semester of 1999 and included:
COL 103: Peer Tutor Training
EGL 101: Composition
CSC 155: Computer Science I
MAT 052: Elementary Algebra
MAT 260: Linear Algebra
WWW101: Overview of the Internet
Since that time, course offerings have continued to expand. Some of these courses have been entirely produced by Oakton Community College and others were customized from pre-packaged materials, from either publishers or educational program purveyors. Development of new online courses runs the gamut from requiring intense faculty and staff development time to the same sort of time required to examine and validate a new media-based course for adoption.
Components of fully online and web-enhanced courses
The following are typical components that are included in the web materials of fully online and web-enhanced courses:
o Course syllabus
In fully online courses, the syllabus is often expanded to provide students with a better understanding of course procedures and expectations. These additions often include an explanation of how the course will be conducted, means of communication, expected time requirements, technologies used, and attributes of successful online learning.
o Chapter outlines and objectives
o Learning activities
o Assignments
o Lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations
o Self-assessment quizzes
o Study guides
o Links to additional resources
o Discussion forums
o Chats
o Online gradebook (Students have access to viewing their own records.)
You are invited to review several online courses or web resources available in web-enhanced classes and/or contact any of the Oakton faculty teaching online and web-enhanced courses.
Fully online courses
- A guest login is available to enable you to review several online courses that have been offered in previous semesters. See Soda Parker for information.
- Also, you may want to contact one of the faculty teaching online.
Web-enhanced courses
- You can take a look at the web resources included in a variety of web-enhanced classes offered at Oakton.
- Also, you may want to contact one of the faculty teaching a web-enhanced class.
Courses offered at other institutions
The following include links to online courses offered at other colleges:
- The Illinois Virtual Campus (IVC) maintains a directory of distance courses, certificates, and degree programs offered by Illinois colleges and universities. You can search the IVC course catalog here.
- The Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction (MCLI) maintains a virtual collection of courses that demonstrate ways the web is being used in different disciplines. It includes sites that range from courses delivered entirely via the web to courses that offer specific activities related to a class assignment.
Section III: What software and technology
tools do I need?
Technologies used in distance education
The following software and technologies are used in Oakton's distance education offerings:
Course management software:
WebCT (www.webct.com) is the Internet-based course management software program Oakton has chosen for delivering its online credit classes, developed in-house. WebCT is used to organize lessons, assignments and other course information, create and grade tests, and manage course-related communication. It is also used to maintain grades and track student activity.
TeleWeb courses and other pre-packaged courses may use another course management software program, such as BlackBoard (www.blackboard.com). Such course materials are hosted on a server external to Oakton.
Communication technologies:
Students in online courses depend on conferencing software, email, and synchronous chats for interaction with each other and with the instructor. Unlike face to face classroom discussions, the dialogs from forums and chats can be accessed and reviewed at virtually any time.
o E-mail
Students in an online course will likely have at least three email addresses: one from their Internet Service Provider (ISP), one provided with their Oakton network account, and one strictly internal to WebCT. The instructor generally defines which one(s) will be used for course communication.
o Conferencing software
Frequently termed a discussion, forum, or bulletin board, conferencing software is an asynchronous mode of communication in which messages and responses are posted and can be read at any time.
- The conferencing component of WebCT is termed a Discussion.
- Discuss and WWWBoard are other conferencing software programs available at Oakton. Some faculty have incorporated this technology into their courses to enable students to discuss topics outside of class time.
o Chats
A chat is a synchronous mode of communication in which two or more people can participate. The dialog of a chat can be archived for later reference. A chat component is included in WebCT.
o WhiteBoard
An electronic whiteboard displays on the computer screen what multiple users write or draw. It can be used for instruction as a blackboard is used in a classroom. WebCT includes a whiteboard.
Content delivery:
o Textbook
Most online courses rely on a textbook (some include a CD-ROM) for dissemination of content. Some textbooks are available online as Ebooks and contain enhanced graphics and links to other Internet resources.
o Web documents
-
- Lecture notes
The instructor may post lecture notes and/or an outline to highlight or further explain key points.
-
- Study guides and other instructional materials may also be posted on the course website.
- Linked resources
The instructor may link to supplemental resources such as a journal article, diagram, simulation, etc.
-
- Webliography
Generally, the instructor includes a list of hypertext links to additional resources surrounding a subject or content area.
o PowerPoint
PowerPoint, the presentation software component of Microsoft Office, provides instructors with another means to highlight major points and enables them to add a visual representation of key concepts. A brief audio explanation can also be included.
o Audio segments
A link to an audio segment can be included to provide further explanation of a key concept.
o Video segments
A link to a video segment can be included to visually present a concept. Video is generally delivered as streaming media or on CD-ROM because of current bandwidth limitations.
o CD-ROM
Frequently PowerPoint presentations and audio and video segments are provided on CD-ROM since these files are large and require a fast connection to download. A CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is physically the same as an audio CD, but contains computer data in the form of text, graphics and hi-fi stereo sound. Storage capacity is about 680 megabytes. CD-ROMs are interchangeable between different types of computers.
o Streaming media
Being able to play audio or video immediately as it is downloaded from the Internet, rather than storing it in a file on the receiving computer, enables audio and video to be delivered faster. Streaming is accomplished by way of web browser plug-ins, which decompress and play the file in real time. It requires a fast computer, a fast connection, and the appropriate plug-ins.
Assessment technologies:
o Quizzes
Question formats include multiple choice, matching, short answer and essay. These can be automatically or manually graded as appropriate and the results added to the online gradebook component of the course management software package. Item-analysis and other statistics are also generated by the software.
These formats can also be used to incorporate self-assessment quizzes as a means of informing students about how well they are doing.
Being concerned about cheating, many faculty choose to have students take traditional exams in a proctored setting. They may also use alternative forms of assessment as another way to address concerns about cheating.
o Surveys
The same question formats can be used to survey students as a classroom assessment technique. Responses are automatically compiled to provide feedback about the course and what students are learning.
Both assessment formats are built in to WebCT and other course management software.
Section IV: How do I get started?
Distance learning course development process
The process of course development for distance learning courses varies based on a number of factors. Simple enhancement of traditional face-to-face classes can be accomplished by a faculty member working as needed with an Information Technology Specialist or staff in the Teaching Learning Center. Discussions of media-based, teleWeb or pre-produced online classes may be initiated by faculty, administration or other distance learning staff (e.g. the Manager of Alternative Education). As the level of complexity and support rises, the decision process involves more people.
Permission and approval process for additional support for fully online classes
1. Faculty member has an interest in developing an online course.
2. Faculty member talks with his/her department chair and Dean. Hopefully, both support the idea. If not, the faculty member can still proceed but may need to convince upper administration of the value/need.
3. After the faculty member discusses the academic merits of a class with the department chair and dean, they will meet with the Dean of Library and Media service and the Faculty Coordinator for Instructional Technology (as designee for the Director of End User Services) to discuss necessary support for the project. This discussion will cover both the staff support needed, as well as the technical needs of the course as envisioned, and the college’s ability/willingness to support those needs. Any compensation, such as an alternate time assignment, and a project timeline will also be discussed here. In preparation for the meeting, it is helpful for the faculty member to draft a brief proposal. (Proposal form is found in Appendix 2.)
4. The division dean and Dean of LMS formulate a recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs stipulating any alternate time assignment or load payment, as well as support the college can bring to the project.
5. The Dean of LMS and the faculty member meet with the Vice President of Academic Affairs or designee to discuss details of intellectual property and finalize the approval.
6. Work on the course development begins. Instructional Technology Specialists and other support personnel are accessed as needed. Link to support list.
7. If any of these steps break down, there is always the opportunity to revise, rethink and revisit.
See the flow chart following this narrative (new window).
Section V: What changes will I need to make to my course to move it online?
Moving a course online
Many of the steps involved in creating an online course are the same as those faculty follow when creating a traditional course. Both start with defining the objectives that you want students to meet. The content you include is evaluated in terms of these objectives. The learning materials you select and the assessments you build into the course are also based on these objectives.
Whereas the objectives and the content will be very much the same as those of a campus-based class, how the content is presented may change significantly for the online class. Although a textbook is common to both campus-based and online courses, lecture-based delivery formats are generally not successful in the online learning environment. More successful online learning approaches consider how students' knowledge and understanding can be facilitated by discovery (constructivism) or peer interaction (collaboration). Assessments focus on ways students can apply their knowledge and understanding of course concepts.
This process of re-conceptualizing your course often takes some time. It is generally helpful to look at some online course models and to talk with faculty who have taught online. [link to mentors and sample courses] Re-conceptualization does not end with the development of your online course. It is a process that continues to evolve as both you and your students gain experience in the online learning environment.
The considerations involved in planning and developing an online course can be divided into two major areas: content and design.
- The content component includes the topics/information to be covered, organization of the material, enhancements that can be added to take advantage of the electronic medium, and strategies to engage students.
- The design component includes the visual look of the course, the graphics/video/audio added, the navigation of the material, and the style in which it is written.
Content considerations
Equally important to deciding what material to include in an online course is the care that must be taken in organizing the content. You will not have the opportunity to add further explanation when you see a confused look on student faces. The attention you give to clear organization and communication will greatly assist students in moving through the course and understanding the material.
Course organization
Whatever model is selected for organizing the course, it is important that it be applied consistently throughout the course
An example of a model frequently used for course organization follows.
1. Unit overview
The overview includes an explanation of what will be covered and how it relates to the overall course objectives.
2. Unit focus
Included are the specific unit objectives and material to be covered. The material may be covered in a variety of ways, including reading assignments, lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations, individual and group learning activities, etc.
3. Assessment
Formative assessments to provide feedback on how well students are understanding the material should be interspersed throughout the material.
4. Summary
This step engages students in review and summarization of the material. It includes summative assessments in which students demonstrate what they have learned.
Clear communication
Clearly communicating instructions and what is expected of students minimizes confusion and contributes to student success in an online course. The following guidelines will help maximize clear communication.
o Clearly explain course expectations.
A written explanation is generally included in course orientation materials. It may also be posted as Course Information on the Online with Oakton website and can be mailed to enrolled students.
o Make sure objectives are stated clearly and that the material covered and student assessments relate to the objectives.
o Make sure all instructions are written clearly.
Ask someone unfamiliar with the material to read the instructions. Instructors often use their instructions in a campus-based classroom prior to putting them online to check for areas of confusion.
o Review course materials to be sure they are free of idioms, jargon, and unexplained abbreviations.
o A little repetition is helpful.
Repetition is an effective way to help students focus on items of major importance. Reminders of due dates and other course expectations will help keep students on target.
Course enhancements
The online environment enables a variety of learning resources to be incorporated. Consider ways to use the hyperlink capability of the Web to make relationships between course materials more apparent. Also identify graphics and other media, such as audio and video, which can be incorporated to help students understand course concepts. You can include such things as inviting an expert to participate in a discussion, go on a virtual tour, collaborate with a class in another geographic area, link to company websites, or provide a subject encyclopedia on specific topics. Students are often invited to explore various resources as part of discovery-based assignments. Moreover, presenting material in a variety of formats can meet the needs of various learning styles.
Many publishers provide on-line instructional materials to accompany their textbooks. These materials can easily be incorporated in an online course and editing tools often allow instructors to modify the materials. Many publishers allow instructors to add their personal materials to those hosted on the publisher’s server. Contact your textbook representatives for details on their offerings.
There are also numerous sources of prepackaged web courses and modules. Sites such as Dallas TeleLearning, the International Distance Learning Course Finder and PBS will give a great starting point in any search for materials in your area.
It is generally recommended that you gain some experience with such enhancements prior to incorporating them in an online course. You may first want to introduce them in a campus-based course or explore them with colleagues in a department meeting. You are also encouraged to sit down with support staff in the Office of User Services to examine what technologies will be necessary to implement your ideas.
Using technology to engage students
How you engage students is another way an online course differs from the traditional course. In the online environment, there isn't that informal time when a class gathers and leaves for interactions with and between students and for community building to occur.
A sense of community is an essential component for student success in an online course. Online communication tools play a critical role in creating and sustaining community. The conferencing component of online courses provides a rich resource for discussion, sharing, reflection, and active participation. The social learning environment available through written discussion forums invites careful reflection by giving the learner time to contemplate and compose responses. Learners can communicate at times that best suit their schedules, and the absence of physical proximity may create a less threatening setting for shy or hesitant participants.
One of the biggest challenges online instructors face is deciding what strategies to use to create an environment in which participants feel eager to contribute and comfortable with the demands and pace of the online discussion. Many students are not currently familiar with the conferencing software tools used for communication in online courses making this learning curve a hurdle which must also be addressed.
The following guidelines can assist in managing discussions and maximizing interactivity:
• Model the type of interaction desired.
• Provide frequent, early, positive feedback.
• Establish rules and modes of conduct to ease the student experience and encourage participation.
• Use a variety of questioning strategies. Construct questions at a variety of levels of inquiry and purposes.
The design of your course for the online environment is another way it will differ significantly from a campus-based course. The way you explain to students what is expected of them is accomplished through the visual layout of the course, the navigation system, and the style of writing. As the instructor, your areas of expertise are the course content, organization of the material and style of writing. The support staff in the Office of User Services can assist with and provide models for the visual layout and navigation system.
Visual layout
It will be helpful to keep a few basic principles in mind as you consider the visual layout of your course. The IT specialists in the Office of User Services can assist you.
• Keep it simple and uncluttered.
The first thing a reader sees is the overall pattern and contrast of the page. Make sure the most important elements stand out. After that first visual impression, the reader's eye will begin to focus on the individual elements. Strive for simplicity and consistency.
• Use a template or grid for layout.
Use of a template ensures consistent placement of items on web pages throughout your course and provides a structure with which the student will become comfortable.
• Make sure graphic elements serve a purpose.
Graphic elements should be used to help students understand a concept, emphasize a specific, or guide them through the course. Don't add graphics just for "window dressing." They add to download time and may distract students.
• Select colors and typefaces that are consistent with ADA accessibility guidelines. The Office of User Services can assist in compliance with these guidelines.
Navigation
Good navigation systems are essential to help students move through a course and keep them from getting lost. If students can't find what they are looking for in your course or they don't see what you want them to focus on, they will have trouble successfully completing the course.
Make sure:
- it is clear how to get to the various parts of the course
- it is easy to move from one part of the course to another
- on every page, the student knows where s/he is in the course
- the navigation system is consistent throughout the course
Writing style
Research has shown that most people scan text online rather than read it. The following guidelines help make text more scannable.
Organize information into chunks.
Information in a Web presentation must be divided into information units which are brief, concise, and singular (containing a single fact, thought, or idea.) These individual information units or chunks are organized into a structure based on their relationship to each other. The relationship or keyword is generally identified in a heading or sub-heading.
Tip to promote student learning: Following a module or set of related information chunks, provide some self-assessment questions to assist students in checking whether they have understood the concept(s) covered. These assessments also provide the instructor feedback on whether students are grasping the material.
One idea per paragraph.
When writing text, a single main idea is written for each information object (chunk). If there are several supporting ideas, an introductory sentence and one sentence for each supporting idea is written. If there is more than one main idea, then further subdivision of the material is required. Several key words describing each information object should be identified for use in headings and creating hyperlinks.
Use visual cues to focus student attention.
o Highlighted keywords.
o Consistent typeface or color coding for major elements, headings and sub-headings.
o Graphic icons representing major components, such as assignments, discussions, etc.
Sub-headings should be brief yet descriptive.
Use bulleted lists for related points.
Start with the conclusion,
then explain the specific points that support the conclusion. This style helps students focus their attention by providing the broad container that they can then fill with the specifics.
Eliminate unnecessary words.
Material written for the Web is generally half the word count of conventional writing. As a guideline, keep the amount of information on a page to 1/2 to 2/3 that of a written page.
Section VI: What else do I need to consider?
Issues of assessment
Assessment is typically thought to be testing and assigning grades. However, the current reform movement in educational assessment encourages faculty to think more broadly about assessment.
In online education, it is particularly important that faculty provide students detailed and timely feedback about the progress of their learning. Self-assessment quizzes and CATS (classroom assessment techniques) are frequently included in online courses.
Faculty are encouraged to incorporate alternative forms of assessment to provide more complete information about what students have learned and are able to do with their knowledge. In designing assessments, it is also important to be mindful of student learning style differences. Two approaches that have shown considerable promise are performance-based assessment and portfolio assessment. (Refer to list of assessment resources.)
Being concerned about cheating, many faculty choose to have students take traditional exams in a proctored setting. Oakton Community College faculty may use the Oakton testing centers, or another proctored environment, if the student is more place bound than time bound.
Students should take responsibility for finding a reliable proctoring location for their needs. If necessary, the Office of Alternative Education can provide assistance in this area. The Illinois Virtual Campus coordinates support centers throughout the state. Oakton, as well as many community colleges throughout the state, serve as support centers. A proctored testing environment is just one of many support services provided. The Consortium of College Testing Centers (http://www.geocities.com/nctatesting//cctc/) is another good place to look for testing centers.
Contractual Provisions
Intellectual property rights and compensation for faculty who develop and/or teach web-based and media courses is specified in the faculty contracts.
Media-based
o These courses are pre-produced and pre-packaged.
o Oakton Community College pays faculty a stipend to validate content, analyze the materials and create an initial syllabus for implementation at Oakton.
Interactive Video
o Faculty members are trained to use their material in this medium and to learn the equipment. OCC pays faculty $25/hour for this training and development time. This is coordinated through the offices of Alternative Education and Television Production.
o There is a preparation stipend paid the first time that a given faculty member teaches a new interactive TV course.
Web-based
o Concurrent with the development process detailed above, the Dean and faculty member will meet with the Vice President to discuss intellectual property issues and formulate an agreement on such. This agreement is designed to protect all parties.
o The final decision on support for these projects lies with the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
US Copyright Laws
Federal guidelines dictate the use of materials that were created by others in web-based courses.
Fair Use
o You may copy copyrighted material for your own use for research and review.
Educational Use
o Copyrighted material can be used in the classroom, on a closed-access web site and in the interactive video class as long as you have some means of limiting who is viewing the material. You must reasonably control the use of the materials.
o If you would like to put copyrighted material on a web page (and it is not truly spontaneous), you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holder. There may be fees involved for such use.
o Contact the Director of Library & Media Services or the publisher's representative for further information and assistance.
The new technologies bring new ethical issues. Distance education specifically impacts moral dilemmas of policies and practices related to the pedagogy, creative collaboration, assessment, access, intellectual property, invasion of privacy, academic integrity, and other freedoms.
Oakton Community College has developed policies and procedures to address some of these issues. Students using technology and enrolling in distance courses find resources through the student Code of Academic Conduct in the college catalog. The Technology Responsible Use Policy [http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/use_plcy.htm] is available from the colleges' website and outlines what is and is not acceptable behavior using the college's technology resources. These sites address the overall technology aspect, but not specifically distance learning.
Current research is thin in the ethical guidelines for distance education. Some of the current ethical issues facing distance education are:
* Respecting the work of others
* Use of sources on papers and projects
* Intellectual property issues
* Examinations and cheating
* Misrepresentation of a student
* Using the institution's resources for personal gain
* Institutional responsibilities
* Individual responsibilities
It is important to develop an ethically sound distance learning atmosphere. Spell out expectations in the syllabi and course web sites, assignments, examinations and projects their deadlines, how to use discussion boards, including "netiquette" used, how an instructor will deal with plagiarism and cheating, how the instructor is to be contacted and when, how assignments are to be submitted, how to make contact for support with technical issues, and so on. Providing information to the learners is critical and instructors must keep their learners informed of changes made during the course.
Section VII: How much technical information do I need to know?
Transferring Word and Web documents to WebCT
Oakton’s course management software, WebCT, can accept for upload text materials in HTML format. Recent versions of MSWord allow designers to convert existing Word documents to HTML with a few mouse clicks (the designer may have to do some minor re-formatting afterwards). Simple web authoring programs like Netscape Composer allow designers to create HTML pages without ever touching the code.
It is advisable to discuss choices of web authoring programs with the IT Specialists in the Office of User Support Services before beginning work. There are technical limitations on combining materials produced in Web authoring programs, such as FrontPage, within a WebCT course.
Transferring files from the local disk or drive to the web server is quite easy and can be done either on- or off-campus. WebCT includes a file management program that Windows users will find quite intuitive. Saving HTML files to the faculty member's folder on servercc can be done simply by saving to the H: drive (on-campus) in the public.www folder. This folder can also be accessed off-campus via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). [See page 13 for more information on FTP.]
The IT Specialists in User Support Services and others are available to explain these creation, conversion, and transfer processes in greater detail. TLC (Teaching Learning Center) workshops addressing these topics are scheduled throughout the year.
WebCT provides a basic course management template on which to build an online class. This template sets up icons and links to the most common tools and allows designers to add to or discard as they see fit.
For web-enhanced classes posting materials on Oakton's servercc, there are several templates available from IT for laying out a web site, setting up a home page, and "Oaktonizing" web syllabi and other materials. See: http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/templateintro.htm
Advantages of using course management software
Adopting a single course management program such as WebCT for the bulk of the Oakton Online courses has one clear advantage to the student: skills learned using WebCT in one course will translate to other courses. Navigation methods will be similar from Chemistry 101 to English 101, though the menu selections will vary by virtue of the fact no one instructor uses all the tools WebCT offers.
Skills faculty learn using features of WebCT will transfer to other course management platforms.
Online classes depend a great deal on email to maintain student-to-instructor and student-to-student interaction. Using email in an online class, particularly at Oakton, brings with it several unique technical considerations with which a learner and instructor should be familiar. More information is available on the Oakton Online web pages. See: http://www.oakton.edu/online/tech/email.htm.
If students are taking an Oakton online class, it is quite possible that they will have at least three mail addresses by which the instructor and classmates can contact them:
o An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account
o The Oakton network account
o The private mail component internal to the WebCT course management program
These addresses/accounts will not automatically or necessarily work and play well together. The student cannot, for instance, use the WebCT email to write to anyone besides other WebCT users. Students can use either their Oakton or outside ISP email address to write to any other non-WebCT address.
Because email is so critical to an online course, faculty using WebCT should assess early on how they plan to use it and whether it is most efficient to go with WebCT internal mail or standard Internet email.
College employees and students may access their Oakton email via a web page interface at www.oakton.edu/webmail. Instructors may find many of the account management features, such as automatic forwarding, quite useful in managing online courses.
File Transfer from remote/home
WebCT has a built-in file management program for uploading and downloading files that can be used both on- and off-campus. Instructors wishing to access folders on servercc and student/samples from off-campus may do so by using FTP. The choice of FTP program depends on whether one is using the Oakton dialup software or a non-Oakton ISP. In the latter case, the user is operating outside the Oakton server "firewall" and must use a dedicated FTP program such as FTPX or WFTP. Oakton dialup users are within the firewall and can successfully use Netscape as their FTP client program.
See the FTP instructions online at http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/ftp or in Appendix 9 of this handbook.
Hardware & Software Minimum Requirements
These specs will be revisited periodically and updated on the Oakton Online site. Instructors/designers almost never need faster home equipment than the students and can use these specs as a guide for themselves, as well. Though it is preferred to keep the technical demands minimal, some courses may require higher specs or special hardware or software. In these cases, it is imperative that the instructor outlines these requirements for prospective students up front.
Every effort has been made to make Oakton Online courses as technologically accessible to the widest variety of students as possible. While many classes will require higher levels of hardware and software, the absolute minimum for any configuration is listed below. Very important comments and tips follow. Instructors need to remember that not all students have the most recent equipment. Elaborate materials created at the College or adopted from outside sources may not be successful on the students' equipment.
Before enrolling in an online course, students should be encouraged to check their equipment against these minimum standards and the individual minimum specs for their chosen course to see if they meet those additional needs.
Computer
* IBM compatible
Windows 95 or later operating system
Pentium 166 or faster processor
At least 32MB RAM
* Macintosh
7.5.5 or later operating system
Power PC Processor
At least 16MB RAM
Software
* Web browser software. WebCt supports only certain specific browsers/versions (see: WebCT Browsers). Blackboard-based courses and other courses hosted on non-Oakton servers may have specific needs also. Please check with your instructor regarding specs and let him know if you are running an incompatible browser. The AOL default browser generally does not work well with WebCT courses and may have trouble handling materials from publisher sites. AOL users should use Netscape or Internet Explorer(see: WebCT Browsers) . See also Tips for AOL Users at http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/AOLnotes.htm.
* A word processing program (preferably Word 6.0 or later).
* An email program. (Webpage-based access to Oakton email is available to Oakton students and employees at www.oakton.edu/webmail.)
Modem or other Internet connection device
* Minimum 28.8 kbps; preferably 56 kbps or faster (LAN, cable, DSL, etc.) connection.
Access to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
* Faculty may use either Oakton's dialup service or a non-Oakton ISP.
* Students must have their own non-Oakton ISP.
Notes on the minimum specs:
* Meeting the minimum specs above may allow you to connect to your online course but the resulting quality of your connection could be annoying. A 28.8 modem, for instance, can seem painfully slow when downloading graphics. The standard phone modem speed currently is 56 kbps.
* Phone line quality can adversely impact connection speeds.
* Also, it should be noted that the specs themselves might be at odds. You may not be able to upgrade one part of your configuration without upgrading other parts. For instance, upgrading to a more recent browser may require an upgrade in RAM.
Browsers
* WebCT, the course management program Oakton uses, requires users to have one of a limited selection of compatible browsers/versions. (see: WebCT Browsers). If your course is not using WebCT, check with your instructor for specs and recommendations. Also:
* Browser must have Java and JavaScript enabled.
* Certain tools require Java such as the chat facility and the whiteboard tool. (This means that you will not be able to use chat or the whiteboard without a Java capable browser.
* Plugins (e.g. Shockwave, Acrobat Reader, etc.) may be required. Installation instructions for off-campus users are available from IT. IT will install any needed plugins for on-campus use. Users are responsible for upgrading their home computers.
* Certain features on your browser need to be enabled: Java & JavaScript (or ActiveX).
* You cannot use the standard AOL browser as either teacher or student.
* WebTV and similar products, including "email appliances" are not supported.
Sample Pages
* One very handy service to prospective students is to provide sample pages & exercises from a course. These allow students to test their systems on the types of pages they will typically encounter after they enroll. It is also useful to provide links to non-Oakton hosted materials which might be on a publisher's website.
Unsure of what you've got?
* You can get a report on your operating system & browser versions (plus what plug-ins you're running) by going to our Browser/OS Detection Page which is linkable from http://www.oakton.edu/online/tech/minspecs.htm.
* As for checking your hardware minimum specs (RAM & processor type), the simplest way on a PC is to watch your screen for it to be displayed while you're booting up.
After boot up, most Windows 95/98 PCs have some easy way of accessing your hardware specs. Some have a diagnostics feature or "system info" icon that you'll find in the Control Panel group. Others have an option under Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Information. On many computers, you can go to Start/Run and type msinfo32, which will open a window showing system specs. Win 3.1 users may also have a system information icon in the control panel.
For Mac users, to verify which system software version you have installed
* With no applications running on your computer, go to the Apple menu and select "About this Macintosh." In the about window, look for the System version number. It should be something like 7.5.3, 7.6, 8.0, etc."
Section VIII: What support resources are available?
Distance Learning Faculty Resources
Frequently Called People
|
Subject |
Name & Email |
Title / Office |
Phone |
|
Administrative decisions about distance learning |
Dean of Library / Media |
X 1640 |
|
|
Copyright |
Dean LMS |
X 1640 |
|
|
Course development process |
Coordinator, Online Courses Room 2410 |
X 1614 |
|
|
Digital Cameras |
TLC staff |
Teaching Learning Center Room 2410 |
X 1614 |
|
Educational computing administration |
Director of Software and User Services, Room 0411 |
X 1761 |
|
|
General technology & online media support |
IT, Manager of User Support Services, Room 2534 |
X 1674 |
|
|
General technology support, RHC |
Technology Supervisor/RHC, Room A241 |
X 1264 |
|
|
Learning strategies and theories |
Manager, Instructional Support Services, Room 2400 |
X 1657 |
|
|
Library, Des Plaines |
Professor of Library Services, Room 1400 |
X 1644 |
|
|
Library, RHC |
Professor of Library Services, Room A210 |
X 1474 |
|
|
Office support for distance education classes |
Mgr. Alternative Education Room 2548 |
X 1971 |
|
|
Server Issues |
IT Webmaster |
X 1726 |
|
|
Statewide initiatives |
Dean Library & Media Services, Room 1400 |
X 1640 |
|
|
Student success strategies |
Coordinator for Non-native Students, Room 2446 |
X 1943 |
|
|
Student support services |
Academic Advisor |
X 1736 |
|
|
Teaching with technology faculty support |
tba |
||
|
Training / workshops |
Pam Galowich |
Teaching Learning Center |
X 1973 |
|
WebCT online course development support |
I. T. User Support Services Specialist, Room 2552 |
X 1930 |
|
|
WebCT online course design support |
I. T. User Support Services Specialist, Room 2552 |
X 7014 |
|
|
WebCT account setup and problems |
IT, Manager of User Support Services, Room 2534 |
X 1674 |
Faculty Mentors (currently teaching online)
|
Subject |
Name & Email |
Title / Office |
Phone |
|
Computer science |
Prof. Math & Computer Sciences |
X 1975 |
|
|
Economics |
Assoc. Prof. Economics |
X 1916 |
|
|
Health Information Technology |
Prof. HIT |
X 1615 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Professor, Mathematics |
X 1459 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Assoc. Prof. Mathematics |
X 1961 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Assoc. Prof. Mathematics |
X 1974 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Professor, Mathematics |
X 1751 |
Assistance Once class is in session
Questions that you have during the semester can usually be handled by the Instructional Technology Help Desk (635-1965) for hardware questions or the Office of Alternative Education (635-1971) for support issues. These offices are both staffed from morning through late afternoon. Late night inquiries can be left as voice mail for morning resolution. If concerned whether "the server is up?", a call may be made to the night computer operator (635-1773).
See the "Frequently Asked People" list above for other resources. Student questions should be filtered through their instructors rather than contacting these numbers directly.
Training resources
Many resources are available to faculty for planning, designing, and teaching Web-based courses.
Illinois Online Network (ION) - for faculty
Making the Virtual Classroom a Reality
http://illinois.online.uillinois.edu/mvcr.html
Making the Virtual Classroom a Reality (MVCR) is a series of online training courses designed to promote inter-institutional collaboration and awareness of online teaching skills, techniques and curriculum design. Several Oakton faculty who have taken these courses have found them very worthwhile. These courses are free for U of I and ION faculty members who want to acquire pedagogical and technical skills needed to successfully teach their own courses online. As an Oakton faculty member, you qualify as an ION faculty member.
Delivered totally online, the MVCR courses reflect the communicative nature of the online environment and are based on asynchronous discussion and collaboration. The course instructor models the strategies that participants may eventually use in their own online courses. The online format is designed to give faculty new to online teaching an opportunity to experience the virtual classroom environment from a student’s perspective. This experience will prove useful to them as they design their own online curriculum.
The ION initiative also offers a three-day Faculty Summer Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana at which new technologies as well as issues of pedagogy are handled in depth. Contact the Dean of Library & Media Services for more information.
League for Innovation in Community Colleges
(http://www.league.org/leaguetlc/index.htm)
The League is an international association dedicated to catalyzing the potential of the community college movement. The League hosts conferences and institutes, develops Web resources, conducts research, produces publications, and leads projects and initiatives with member colleges, corporate partners, and other agencies in our continuing efforts.
Illinois Virtual Campus (IVC) — for students
http://www.ivc.illinois.edu/
The Illinois Virtual Campus is a service of Illinois' colleges and universities working together to provide access to distance courses through an online catalog. Many of Oakton’s distance learning courses (both credit and non-credit) are listed in the IVC catalog. The IVC also promotes Student Support Centers throughout the state to provide a human element of support to students taking distance courses. Oakton is one of these Support Centers. Practice courses to assist students in deciding whether an online course is for them and for developing skills and strategies for success in online courses are also available.
Syllabus and T.H.E. (Technology in Higher Education) magazines
http://www.syllabus.com/
http://www.thejournal.com/
Both are excellent resources and sources of ideas. Syllabus also offers several regional workshop days and conferences each year.
Publishers, textbooks and ancillary materials
Increasingly, publishers are offering training opportunities (workshops or sessions at conferences) for faculty who wish to use their materials. This can be an excellent resource. Materials need to be evaluated carefully. Contact your publisher’s representative.
Teaching / Learning Center - Oakton Community College
Workshops & seminars
Throughout the year, the TLC offers workshops and other learning opportunities related to online instruction. Topics regularly include:
o Using webpage authoring and graphics software
o Developing and designing Web-based instructional materials
o Using email and other Internet tools
o Exploring publisher Web materials
o Research on the Web
o Using MS Office and other productivity software
o Pedagogy in Web-based courses
Resources
o The TLC maintains a collection of texts and resources for online teaching issues and for popular software.
o A stand-alone, non-networked computer is available to preview publisher materials
o Graphics CDs
There are several graphics CD's available in the Teaching /Learning Center for use during the development of an on-line course. These may be used to include pre-made graphics in web courses.
Digital Cameras
A variety of departments and offices on campuses have digital cameras and scanners which will allow you to put images of nearly anything into an electronic format to include in your teaching and learning. In addition to the TLC, Instructional Media Services, art labs and computer labs are at your service for these tools.
OCC Library Web Searches and Training
* A schedule of Library workshops is located at:
http://www.oakton.edu/resource/libmedia/library/web982j.htm and the online Library Magazine "24/7" http://servercc.oakton.edu/~jmayzel/247.
* Additional information about Library Web Searches and training is located at the Life Beyond Yahoo web site:
http://servercc.oakton.edu/~wittman/find/finding.htm
Instructional Support Services
ISS learning specialists are available to assist faculty in incorporating learning strategies and assessment techniques in on-line courses.
OCC Instructional Media Services
The IMS department has an extensive video library. The following may be of special interest to faculty teaching with technology:
o Putting your Course Online (V-6790)
o Using the Web to Enhance the Classroom (V-6679).
OCC Information Technology
IT has extensive resources online ranging from general technology use to software tutorials. The IT site is located at www.oakton.edu/resource/it.
Accessibility
* Web Accessibility FAQ - http://servercc.oakton.edu/~dannf/webaccess.htm
Guidelines for making Web pages more accessible are provided.
* Bobby - http://www.cast.org/bobby/
Bobby is a Web-based program that helps designers make sites accessible to the largest possible number of people, including those with disabilities. Bobby identifies accessibility problems on Web pages and teaches designers how to correct these problems so that their sites are more accessible.
Assessment
(Under construction)
Appendices
Appendix 1. Proposal for Developing an Online Course
(Under construction)
Appendix 2. Syllabus check list
(Under construction)
Appendix 3. Institutional Policies - Internet Use
General Principle:
1. NSFnet backbone services are provided to support open research and education in and among US research and instructional institutions, plus research arms of for-profit firms when engaged in open scholarly communication and research. Use for other purposes is not acceptable.
Specifically acceptable uses:
2. Communication with foreign researchers and educators in connection with research or instruction, as long as any network that the foreign user employs for such communication provides reciprocal access to US researchers and educators.
3. Communication and exchange for professional development, to maintain currency, or to debate issues in a field or sub field of knowledge.
4. Use for disciplinary-society, university-association, government-advisory, or standards activities related to the users' research and instructional activities.
5. Use in applying for or administering grants or contracts for research or instruction, but not for other fundraising or public relations activities.
6. Any other administrative communications or activities in direct support of research and instruction.
7. Announcements of new products or services for use in research or instruction, but not advertising of any kind.
8. Any traffic originating from a network of another member agency of the Federal Networking Council if the traffic meets the acceptable use policy of that agency.
9. Communication incidental to otherwise acceptable use, except for illegal or specifically unacceptable use.
Unacceptable uses:
10. Use for for-profit activities (consulting for pay, sales or administration of campus stores, sale of tickets to sports events, and so on) or use by for-profit institutions unless covered by the General Principle or as a specifically acceptable use.
11. Extensive use for private or personal business.
12. Excessive game playing; excessive ill-conceived use; hateful, harassing or other antisocial behavior; intentional damage or interference with others; publicly accessible obscene files.
Appendix 4. Email at Oakton Community College
To reiterate or clarify, here are some of the basic technologies of email and how they pertain to Oakton online classes.
* Oakton students automatically receive an Oakton network account, including an Oakton email address. When on campus, the student can log into the college network and easily check his Oakton mail by launching Netscape. Email from off-campus is available at www.oakton.edu/webmail.
* Instructions are available at http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/mailgide.
* Students cannot dial directly into Oakton-- the college is not their Internet Service Provider. When the student is not on campus, Oakton is just another web site that he can surf to after connecting to his independent ISP. Once online, the student can access the contents of his network folder via FTP.
* (Note that some computer science classes may provide for a slightly more intimate relationship with the Oakton servers.)
* Never give your user ID or password to another person unless it is the system administrator at your site.
* Never assume your email messages are private nor that they can be read by only yourself or the recipient. Never send something that you would rather not see on the evening news.
* Keep paragraphs and messages short and to the point.
* When quoting another person, edit out whatever isn't directly applicable to your reply. Do not let your mailing or Usenet software automatically quote the entire body of messages you are replying to when it is not necessary. Take the time to edit any quotations down to the minimum necessary to provide context for your reply. Nobody likes reading a long message in quotes for the third or fourth time, only to be followed by a one line response: "Yeah, me too."
* Focus on one subject per message and always include a pertinent subject title for the message, that way the user can locate the message quickly.
* Don't use the academic networks for commercial or proprietary work.
* Include your signature at the bottom of Email messages when communicating with people who may not know you personally or broadcasting to a dynamic group of subscribers.
* Your signature footer should include your name, position, affiliation and Internet and/or BITNET addresses and should not exceed more than 4 lines. Optional information could include your address and phone number.
* Capitalize words only to highlight an important point or to distinguish a title or heading. Capitalizing whole words that are not titles is generally termed as SHOUTING!
* *Asterisks* surrounding a word can be used to make a stronger point.
* Use the underscore symbol before and after the title of a book, i.e. _The Wizard of Oz_
* Limit line length to approximately 65-70 characters and avoid control characters.
* Never send chain letters through the Internet. Sending them can cause the loss of your Internet Access.
* Follow chain of command procedures for corresponding with superiors. For example, don't send a complaint via Email directly to the "top" just because you can.
* Be professional and careful what you say about others. Email is easily forwarded.
* Cite all quotes, references and sources and respect copyright and license agreements.
* It is considered extremely rude to forward personal email to mailing lists or Usenet without the original author's permission.
* Attaching return receipts to a message may be considered an invasion of privacy.
* Be careful when using sarcasm and humor. Without face-to-face communications, your joke may be viewed as criticism. When being humorous, use emoticons to express humor. (Tilt your head to the left to see the emoticon smile) :-) = happy face for humor
* Acronyms can be used to abbreviate when possible, however messages that are filled with acronyms can be confusing and annoying to the reader.
o Examples: IMHO= in my humble/honest opinion
o FYI = for your information
o BTW = by the way
o Flame = antagonistic criticism
Appendix 6. WEBCT Software In More Depth
WebCT is the Internet-based course management software program Oakton has chosen for delivering most of its in-house developed online credit classes. While instructors develop their course content, WebCT is used to organize the lessons and other information, create and grade tests, and provide for homework assignment submission, student activity tracking, student-instructor interaction, etc. Or as the folks at WebCT explain themselves:
"WebCT provides publishers, instructors, students and administrators with a more flexible and powerful learning tool that enhances the learning experience by harnessing the power of the Internet. WebCT combines state-of-the-art Web application technology with educational content supplied by major publishers or instructors themselves. The result is a fully integrated, easy-to-use, Web-based, network learning environment, which offers instructors and students the ability to easily access and create content and interactive Web-based learning experiences."
WebCT (both the program and the content for individual classes) runs on Oakton's web servers, notably but not necessarily always limited to, http://online.oakton.edu. It is essentially a site on the World Wide Web that students surf to, login to, and take their classes.
It is important, then, to make this distinction. While instructors may use WebCT to organize and deliver their materials, the content and activities of any course may go beyond the confines of WebCT running on our online.oakton.edu (or other Oakton server) and link out to content on non-Oakton servers all around the world.
Appendix 7. Using and Navigating a WebCT Class
Adopting a single course management program such as WebCT for the bulk of the Oakton Online courses has one clear advantage to the student: skills you learn using WebCT in one course will translate to other courses. Navigation methods will be similar from Chemistry 101 to English 101, though you will find that menuing will vary by virtue of the fact that no one instructor uses all the tools WebCT offers. Even making the transition from one version of WebCT to another should be quite simple.
Note: As of Fall, 2002, Oakton is running version 3.7 of WebCT on the "online" server, http://online.oakton.edu. Other legacy and preview versions of WebCT are often hosted on the "lego" server, http://lego.oakton.edu. WebCT 4.0 will be in place for Fall 2003.
Oakton has developed a general student guide to taking a WebCT-based class. See the Online with Oakton website at www.oakton.edu/online. It is highly advisable that you read through it before beginning your class. It is very important to read the material on Global IDs.
Appendix 8. File Management & Where to save files for faculty and students
Faculty and students all have personal, private space on Oakton's network for saving and sharing files. This space is commonly referred to as the "H: drive," meaning that an employee can save files to H: (the network) in much the same way as he would to C: (the computer's hard drive). Though students save their files to the Student server and employees save to the Servercc server, upon logging in the network will designate (or "map") the user's private space as H:.
Web Pages
Within each user's H: drive is a sub-folder called Public.www. Files saved here become accessible on the World Wide Web. Files saved anywhere else under H: are accessible only to the individual user.
The URL for a web page or any other file saved to the Public.www folder would appear as: http://servercc.oakton.edu/~username/filename.extension
For instance, professor John Smith's home page would be located at http://servercc.oakton.edu/~jsmith/index.htm. Notice that "public.www." does not appear in the URL character string. Notice also that "servercc" is found in the string where one would normally see "www." For student web pages, "student" would replace "servercc" in the string.
The Samples Folder
Also on the network is a folder called Samples. Samples is mapped as drive letter F:. Typically, instructors save files into F:/samples that they want to make available to their students on-campus. Students generally are able to only read and copy files available on F:\samples. However, an instructor can arrange with IT for a particular class to be able to save files to a specific folder within the F:\samples drive.
Appendix 9. File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Links to technical information about FTP:
* FTPing to Oakton using Netscape: http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/ftp/
* Downloading and installing FTP Explorer: http://www.oakton.edu/resource/it/ftp/ftpxinstructions.htm
Appendix 10. Streaming Audio/Video
Streaming audio and video allows a user to make better use of larger segments of non-static formats such as sound or motion images. Because of their nature these elements are necessarily quite large and if treated traditionally would take a great deal of time to download before viewing. Streaming technologies allow a server to package these files in such a way that the end users can begin to use them before the entire file is sent to their PC. Two major technologies for streaming are Apple QuickTime and Real Technologies Real-time. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. At present, Oakton is beginning to work with hosting streaming video and audio. Many course providers, however, will include streaming media as part of their courses or modules for your use.
The use of video in education is not always as easy as it seems. Too often a simply recorded "lecture" or such tends to be what is called a "talking head" - a format that has very little ability to hold the viewers’ attention and hence – is counter productive to the educational goals. The faculty and staff of the Television Production Department or Instructional Technology Specialists in Instructional Technology or Instructional Media Services should be consulted for more information.
As more homes have broadband access to the Internet via cable modems and DSL (Digital Subscriber Lines), we will see much broader use of these technologies both commercially and educationally.
o Hypertext
A linkage between related text. For example, by selecting a word in a sentence, information about that word can be retrieved. Hypertext is the foundation of the World Wide Web. Links embedded within Web pages are addresses to other Web pages either stored locally or on a Web server anywhere in the world. The terms "hypertext" and "hyperlink" are used synonymously.
o Chat room
An interactive discussion (by keyboard) conducted in real time about a specific topic that is hosted on the Internet. The chat is accomplished by typing on the keyboard, not speaking. Each keystroke is transmitted as it is pressed. See IRC and instant messenger.
o Discussion board
A discussion board is a general term for any online "bulletin board" where you can leave and expect to see responses to messages you have left.
o Asynchronous
The transmission of data in which the senders/receivers are not coordinated at the same time.
o Synchronous
The transmission of data in which the senders/receivers are coordinated at the same time.
o Download
To receive a file transmitted over a network. In a communications session, download means receive, upload means transmit.
o Upload
To send a file over a network from one computer to another.
o Map
To assign a path or drive letter to a disk drive
o Host
A computer that acts as a source of information. The term can refer to almost any kind of computer, from a centralized mainframe that is a host to its terminals, to a server that is host to its clients, to a desktop PC that is host to its peripherals.
Definitions taken from the TechEncyclopedia.
IMPORTANT DATES
Full Academic Calendar
November 26, 27
November 28, 29
