Online Course Proposal Form Form 1

Transcription

1 Online Course Proposal Form Form The purpose of this form is to guide the approval and development of online courses at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This form should be used when proposing to shift a traditional course (one that is currently taught in the classroom) to the online format. Note all online courses offered by the University of the District of Columbia must use Blackboard Course Management System as the online platform for content delivery and all courses will be assessed by a peer-review committee. It should also be used to guide the development of new online courses, which will also be guided by policies and procedures adopted by the Academic Senate. If you are proposing to develop a wholly new course for UDC, please follow the guidelines set forth by the Academic Senate and also use the QMR as a guide, see appendix A, Phase III. If you are proposing to designate a hybrid course (one which uses both the traditional classroom for faceto-face class meetings in addition to online components) please use the Hybrid Course Proposal Form. Note, the QMR is the appropriate guide for the development of computer mediated modules in the hybrid or blended course. Please complete this form as thoroughly as possible and submit to your chair to begin the approval process. Appendix A lays out a detailed table of steps and procedures to begin the process of proposing and developing an online course. Appendix B and C provide guidelines and an assessment rubric for developing an online course, and Appendix D provides a comprehensive guide to the selection and construction of learning objects and modules for online course planning and development. Note: The assessment rubric and checklist will be used during the peer review stage as a metric to assess the proposed online course. Prior to proposing or developing an online course, all faculty must complete a course in online course development or submit evidence of having completed such course to their Chair with a copy of certification submitted to the Center for Academic Technology for record keeping. It is the expectation that the Center for Academic Technology will support and implement a 0+ hour professional certification program open to all faculty or instructors external to UDC wishing to develop the skills and abilities to develop and teach in the online environment. Once you have completed Form and attached relevant documents, submit it electronically to your Chair for approval and comment, your chair will forward to the Dean for review and comment. Your Dean will submit the form and documents to the Assistant Dean, Center for Academic Technology who will review collaboratively with members from the Committee for Online Learning and return the form to your chair. The department chair is responsible to communicate with CAT whether or not an online course proposal has been approved for development and to ensure online and hybrid/blended courses are properly advertised to students prior to the registration process. At any time, you are welcome to seek guidance and assistance from the Center for Academic Technology in preparing your form and assessing available recourses to deliver your course. See page four for submitting and feedback timelines. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

2 Faculty Information Name: Title: College: Department or Program: Official Course Title: Department, Course, and Section Numbers: ( ) ( ) ( ) Department Course Section Justification for Developing this Course in the Online format In order to build an online capacity of courses and diversity of offerings, please provide descriptive metrics to guide planning and resource allocation.. Please provide examples of how the proposed course meets one or more of the following selection criteria. If available, provide supporting data. (a) high enrollment potential (b) strong demand from students for online course (c) strong or emerging market demand (d) course required for certain degrees or certificates (e) course is part of a degree or certificate program being put entirely online (f) course is part of a College initiative or grant project (g) provides students with an alternative (h) other. What student audience do you anticipate will enroll in this course? What are the perceived benefits for students taking this course online rather than on campus? Experience Teaching With Online Format. Please describe your qualifications to teach this course in an online format. Be sure to address: (a) why you want to develop and teach this course online; (b) your past experience with distance or online education, if any; (c) your current use of technology in your current courses and level of competencies with technology. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

3 Preliminary Course Design Plans:. Please provide a course overview and introduction. This must include a description of the course as it appears in the UDC Course Catalog. You should also attach a current copy of your course syllabus.. Please list your learning objectives for the course. Make sure the learning objectives align to the official course description found in the UDC course catalog and that they are measureable. You may find that using Bloom s Taxonomy is a helpful guide.. Please provide a description of how learning outcomes (both formative and summative) will be assessed. Also, please specify how you will document the effectiveness of the tools, applications, and modules constructed or selected to build knowledge. 4. How will you verify the authenticity of student work and exams? Meaning, how will you either proctor or verify that the students submitting work and taking exams is the same student registered in the course. 5. Please identify the instructional resources, tools, and materials that will be use to facilitate learning in the course. Indicate your level of competency or need for training. Use the table below. Technology Tools Blackboard SoftChalk Podcasting Wimba Course Cartridges Synchronous chats Video Ebrary resources Other Special equipment of software I plan to use this tool (yes/no/not sure) I am competent with this tool I will seek training on this tool 6. Please indicate whether a textbook has been selected for this course. If so, provide the textbook name, publisher, and ISBN. Is this available as an e-book? 7. Describe (briefly) how you will facilitate student discussions, interaction, and collaboration in the online environment. 8. Describe some of the activities students will be engaged in during the course. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

4 9. List any training beyond the applications above that you will need to effectively teach this course online. Submission Deadlines for faculty Summer or Fall Online Courses Spring Online Courses Please submit all documents to your Chair on or before the Second Friday in January Please submit all documents to your Chair on or before the First Tuesday After Labor Day Preliminary review and support to develop online course. Chair s Feedback and Support of proposal: Please indicate your feedback and approval for this proposal, and provide comments about the instructor and/or the need for the course, if needed.. Dean s Feedback and Support of proposal: Please indicate your approval or disapproval for this proposal, and provide comments about the need for the course. Then send Form electronically to Suzan Harkness (sharkness@udc.edu), assistant dean Center for Academic Technology for committee review and signature. Dr. Harkness will return a signed copy of the form to the chair.. Graduate Dean s feedback (if appropriate) for graduate level online courses. Please indicate your approval or disapproval for this proposal, and provide comments about the need for the course. Then send Form electronically to Suzan Harkness (sharkness@udc.edu), assistant dean Center for Academic Technology for committee review and signature. Dr. Harkness will return a signed copy of the form to the chair. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 4

5 Signatures Initiated by: Date Department Chair: Date Please forward all documents to your Dean on or before the third Friday in January or on the first Tuesday following Labor Day. Academic Dean: Date Please forward all documents to CAT on or before the fourth Friday in January or on the second Tuesday following Labor Day. Graduate Dean: Date Please forward all documents to CAT on or before the last Friday in January or first Friday in February or on the third Tuesday following Labor Day. Assistant Dean, CAT: Date Appendix A Online Course Proposal Process Procedure Responsible party Phase I: Pre-Development And Approval Stage. Content expert/course developer completes online course development training course. Is provided Online course development guidelines and assessment rubric. Please allow -6 weeks to complete the online course. If you have had online course training, please submit a copy of your certification to your chair and to the Cat office. Faculty in coordination with CAT and C4OL- the training will take place in an online format with periodic face-to-face interaction as necessary.. Identify need/ or course Dean, Chair, Faculty. Identify Faculty content expert Dean, Chair, Self-identify (faculty) 4. Prepare Online Course Proposal Document Form and submit to Chair for approval Faculty. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 5

6 process. If the intention is to propose a summer or fall course, please submit all documents to your chair on or before the second Friday in January. If you propose to teach a spring course, submit your documents on or before the first Tuesday following Labor Day. 5. Chair provides approval and/or feedback and submits Form to Dean for approval to proceed. <one week> 6. Dean reviews proposal and provides feedback on Form then forwards Form to the Assistant Dean, CAT. <one week> 7. CAT and C4OL committee will review proposal and assess the proposal and technological needs associated and sign and or return Form to Chair. One complete copy of the proposal will remain on file with CAT. <one week> 8. Chair communicates to faculty whether or not they have authority to begin online course development. Departmental Chair Dean CAT and C4OL committee Chair Phase II: Course Development. Faculty make request to Bb office to create course shell in Blackboard, Chair designates course in SIS+ as an online course for registration purposes. Build online content, objects, widgets & modules a. Provide technical assistance and instructional design support b. Provide mentoring & feedback using QM Online Rubric for Online Courses Assessment & Development Faculty, CAT-Bb office Department Chair Faculty CAT staff C4OL and department C4OL liaison CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 6

7 Phase III: Peer Review And Assessment. Submit to QM for external review or to a three-member QM certified peer review committee for assessment Instructional Faculty (content expert), Chair, Dean, C4OL, QM external review team, QM certified internal review team. QM certified team reviews course QM certified internal review team or QM external review team. Review Team submits written assessment to faculty 4. Faculty makes revisions to online course as needed 5. Course is reviewed again by internal review team to include certified QM reviewers, chair, department C4OL committee liaison, and or dean (graduate dean if it is a graduate course) alongside original assessment report QM certified internal review team or QM external review team Faculty Certified QM reviewers, departmental C4OL liaison, Chair, college dean and or graduate dean. Sign off Phase IV: Teach Course. Teach course Faculty. Assess course outcomes, both the learning outcomes and effectiveness, pre, midterm, and post. Faculty/Department. Provide outcome statistics to CAT office Faculty 4. Make course unavailable Archive course Faculty CAT Phase V: Post Course Reflection. Complete Self Reflection Survey (Obtain survey instrument from CAT). Departmental review & reflection of online course. Deposit completed instrument with CAT. Faculty/CAT Ad hoc department committee (department C4OL liaison, faculty, chair) will conference to reflect upon lessons learned and assessment feedback. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 7

8 Appendix B: QM Assessment Rubric and Developmental Guidelines Quality Matters Rubric Standards edition with Assigned Point Values Points Course Overview and Introduction. Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components.. A statement introduces the student to the purpose of the course and to its components; in the case of a hybrid course, the statement clarifies the relationship between the face-to-face and online components.. Etiquette expectations (sometimes called netiquette for online discussions, , and other forms of communication are stated clearly..4 The self-introduction by the instructor is appropriate and available online..5 Students are asked to introduce themselves to the class..6 Minimum student preparation, and, if applicable, prerequisite knowledge in the discipline are clearly stated..7 Minimum technical skills expected of the student are clearly stated. Learning Objectives. The course learning objectives describe outcomes that are measurable.. The module/unit learning objectives describe outcomes that are measurable and consistent with the courselevel objectives.. All learning objectives are stated clearly and written from the students perspective..4 Instructions to students on how to meet the learning objectives are adequate and stated clearly..5 The learning objectives are appropriately designed for the level of the course. Assessment and Measurement. The types of assessments selected measure the stated learning objectives and are consistent with course activities and resources.. The course grading policy is stated clearly.. Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of students work and participation..4 The assessment instruments selected are sequenced, varied, and appropriate to the content being assessed..5 Self-check or practice assignments are provided, with timely feedback to students. Resources and Materials 4. The instructional materials contribute to the achievement of the stated course and module/unit learning objectives. 4. The relationship between the instructional materials and the learning activities is clearly explained to the student. 4. The instructional materials have sufficient breadth, depth, and currency for the student to learn the subject All resources and materials used in the course are appropriately cited. Learner Engagement 5. The learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives. 5. Learning activities foster instructor-student, content-student, and if appropriate to the course, student-student interaction. 5. Clear standards are set for instructor responsiveness and availability (turn-around time for , grade posting, etc.) 5.4 The requirements for student interaction are clearly articulated. Course Technology 6. The tools and media support the learning objectives, and are appropriately chosen to deliver the content of the course. 6. The tools and media support student engagement and guide the student to become an active learner. 6. Navigation throughout the online components of the course is logical, consistent, and efficient. 6.4 Students have ready access to the technologies required in the course. 6.5 The course components are compatible with current standards for delivery modes. 6.6 Instructions on how to access resources at a distance are sufficient and easy to understand. 6.7 The course design takes full advantage of available tools and media. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 8

9 Learner Support 7. The course instructions articulate or link to clear description of the technical support offered. 7. Course instructions articulate or link to an explanation of how the institution s academic support system can assist the student in effectively using the resources provided. 7. Course instructions articulate or link to an explanation of how the institution s student support services can help students reach their educational goals. 7.4 Course instructions answer basic questions related to research, writing, technology, etc., or link to tutorials or other resources that provide the information. Accessibility 8. The course incorporates ADA standards and reflect conformance with institutional policy regarding accessibility in online and hybrid courses. 8. Course pages and course materials provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content. 8. Course pages have links that are self-describing and meaningful. 8.4 The course ensures screen readability. To meet Quality Matters review expectations, a course must: Answer Yes to all -point Essential Standards AND earn 7 or more points. (Source: Maryland Online, Inc Appendix C: Blackboard Rubric Checklist Area / Tool / Feature Description Announcements Identifying Information Welcome Message Navigation Cues Updates The first page displayed when any user enters a course site. Brief messages should be posted here, such as a message welcoming students to the class and messages conveying pertinent information about course assignments, updates, reminders, and exams. Does the Announcements Page display the course title, course number, section numbers, start date, and a brief description of the course? Have you included a welcome message that greets students, invites them to explore the course site, and directs them to specific information within the site? Have you made the announcement a permanent announcement, so it will be available throughout the semester? Have you included a permanent announcement containing a table or list defining what each of the main areas of the site contain (types of information, types of tools, etc.)? Have you instructed students to check announcements regularly? Are you using announcements to keep students informed and updated on important developments as the course progresses? CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 9

10 Area / Tool / Feature Description Course Information Used to display general information about the course. Typically, this area will consist of two folders, one containing a course syllabus and the other containing a course schedule. Syllabus Course Title Is the course title the same as the title listed in the Directory of Classes? Course Numbers Credit Hours Is the course number the same as the course number listed in the Directory of Classes? Have you included the course registration number (for example: 047) the subject and course number (for example: POLI 69-06), and the relevant section number (for example: Section 0)? Are credit hours listed? Course Start Date and End Date Course Description Prerequisites Defined by Catalog Prerequisites Defined by Instructor Textbook Information (Bibliographic and Purchasing) Other Materials Information System Requirements On-Campus Sessions Grading Criteria Are dates listed for the start and end of the course? This information is particularly important for online courses, for which the start and end dates may differ from those of on-campus courses. Does the course description contain, at a minimum, the official course description found in the UDC Catalog? Are all prerequisites listed as they appear in the UDC Catalog? Are all instructor-defined prerequisites listed, such as level of computer experience or access to particular software? Does the syllabus list the title, author, publisher, date of publication, and ISBN? Are links to electronic bookstores provided, along with instructions for purchasing the textbook or e-book? Does the syllabus list all other required or recommended materials? Are links to online book outlets provided, along with instructions for purchasing materials? Have you ensured that the links to e-books are accurate and available to students? Does the syllabus list the minimum system requirements for participation in the course, including all necessary hardware and software (see the CAT web resources for this information)? Are links provided for any required helper applications or plug-ins, such as PowerPoint Viewer or Adobe Acrobat Reader? Have you noted any special hardware or software required for course work (for instance, modeling or graphing software)? Does the syllabus list the dates and times of any on-campus sessions (for instance, labs or proctored exams)? Does the syllabus identify these sessions as either required or optional? Are the locations of these on-campus meetings specified? Does the syllabus list grading criteria, including any specific criteria for individual assignments? Group assignments? Weighting, discussion board grading? CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 0

11 Area / Tool / Feature Description Participation Criteria Schedule Policies Statement Does the syllabus define expectations about participation in the class, including the frequency, timing, and quality of participation? If participation is graded, are grading criteria included? Does the schedule contain due dates of all assignments, activities, and tests? Does it list class meetings and topics of discussion, where appropriate? Does it list all on-campus activities, such as labs or proctored exams? Does it note that the instructor reserves the right to make changes to the schedule and that changes will be announced on the Announcements page? Do you post a notice regarding academic integrity, dishonesty, plagiarism, copyright protection, citation style format for written works, student verification and authenticity for works submitted, etc Staff Information Biographical Information Office Hours Phone Number Contact information and biographical information about faculty and staff involved with the course. Does Staff Information include the names and titles of faculty and staff (program or departmental contact)? Does it contain brief biographies of faculty? Does it include photos of faculty (optional)? Are virtual office hours listed, along with an explanation of how virtual office hours are conducted (through instant messaging, Voice-over-IP technology, Wimba, Blackboard chat room, etc.)? Are any on-campus office hours listed? Are both types of office hours convenient for students with varied schedules? Are phone numbers listed for faculty and department or program office? Addresses Are addresses listed for faculty? Is a policy on response time provided (for example, I try to respond to all within 4 hours )? Course Documents Organization Content-specific area containing the majority of content information delivered online, such as lecture materials, handouts, presentations, and related readings. Have you placed content in folders within the Course Documents area? Does each folder have a unique, informative name? Have you organized the folders in a logical, intuitive structure? For example, you might create folders organized chronologically (Week 0, Week 0, etc.); by module (Module 0, Module 0, etc.), by author (Updike, Bellow, Smiley, etc.), or by type of material (Handouts, Presentations, Lecture Notes, etc.). Assignments Course assignments, tests, quizzes, and surveys. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

12 Area / Tool / Feature Description Organization Submission Requirements Plug-Ins and Additional Software Have you placed assignments in individual folders within the Assignments Area? Does each folder have a unique, informative name? Have you organized the folders in a logical, intuitive structure? For example, you might create folders organized chronologically (Week 0, Week 0, etc.); by module (Module 0, Module 0, etc.), or by author (Updike, Bellow, Smiley, etc.). Does each assignment specify the manner in which students are to submit their work, including file names and file format? Do you include a message about noncompatible characters in file names or extensions? If the assignment requires plug-ins or additional software (such as RealAudio, Java, or RealVideo), have you included links to sites where the plug-ins or software can be downloaded? Books Content An area for posting reading lists and items relating to literature associated with the course. If you have enabled the Books section, have you included reading lists or other material related to literature used in the course? Have you included full bibliographic information and purchasing information as appropriate? Don t forget to include the ISBN for books or links to purchase or download e-books. Communication Send Discussion Board Virtual Classroom Roster Group Pages Holds all of the communication tools. Links to the discussion board, student and group pages, Wimba, Pronto, etc. Have you considered creating groups of students to make sending more efficient? When sending , do send a copy to yourself so you maintain an archive of you ve sent. The Communication Area contains a link to the Discussion Board, which is also linked from a button on the main page. See Discussion Board, below. The Communication Area contains a link to the Virtual Classroom, which is also linked from a button on the main page. See Virtual Classroom, below. Is the student roster complete and accurate? If not, contact the Blackboard Help Desk at cathelp@udc.edu or phone You are also able to enroll students or delete students who have dropped the course. If you have formed collaborative groups of students, have you enabled the collaboration and communication tools for each group ( , virtual classroom, discussion board, and file exchange)? Have you provided an accurate, informative description for each group? See the CAT web resources for a tip sheet on how to enter a chat session. CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

13 Area / Tool / Feature Description Wimba Will you be using Wimba in your class? Have you enabled the Wimba classroom and provided instructions to the students on how to run the desktop wizard? Wimba will enable you to communicate in both a synchronous and asynchronous manner, post podcasts, share documents, or hold chat sessions. Discussion Board Forums Content Security Setup Virtual Classroom Applications Logistics A web-based, asynchronous communication tool that permits users to carry on a conversation without having to be available at the same time. Conversations consist of messages posted by the instructor and students and are grouped into forums containing threads and all related replies or responses. Have you created forums with unique, informative titles and useful, informative descriptions? Have you organized the forums in some logical, intuitive structure? Have you provided a forum for off-topic posts that may still be of interest to members of the class? Do you provide a place for students to virtually congregate, such as a Cyber Café? Have you posted thought-provoking questions or assertions that will generate discussion and critical thinking? Where appropriate, have you steered the discussion by posing additional questions or assertions? Have you provided students with guidelines for participating on the Discussion Board? Have you provided students with examples of appropriate and inappropriate posts? Have you carefully weighed the advantages and disadvantages of allowing anonymous posts? Have you considered any potential problems, such as viruses, that might be caused by allowing files to be attached to posts? Have you carefully considered whether students should be able to start new threads? Edit or remove their posts? Upload file attachments? Post anonymously? NOTE: Anonymous posts cannot be graded. Synchronous tool consisting of a chat room, a whiteboard, and a question-andanswer area. If you won t be using the Virtual Classroom, you should disable it in Course Settings. Have you considered using the Bb Virtual Classroom or Wimba Pronto to hold "live" classroom discussions, tutoring sessions, or virtual office hours? Have you considered using the Bb Virtual Classroom or Wimba Pronto to enable guest speakers and subject matter experts to communicate with members of the class? Have you informed students that they must have a Java-enabled browser to use the Virtual Classroom? Have you provided instructions for enabling Java? See the Bb tip sheet how to join a chat session. Have you notified students of the start times and dates of any Virtual Classroom activities? Are the activities scheduled to accommodate working students (for example, with alternative or multiple times and dates outside of work hours)? Have you considered creating small groups when using the Virtual Classroom, to keep the conversation manageable and reduce confusion? CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page

14 Area / Tool / Feature Description Groups Collaboration Tools Pages that allow groups of students to use collaborative tools ( , virtual classroom, discussion board, and file exchange). If you have formed collaborative groups of students, have you enabled the appropriate collaboration and communication tools for each group ( , virtual classroom, discussion board, and file exchange)? External Links Course Content Links Technical-Support Services Other UDC Resources Links to web sites and other online resources that contain content relevant to the course. Have you provided links to websites, newsgroups, mailing lists, or other online resources relevant to the course content? Have you provided links to information provided by campus technical-support services? Suggested links: OIT Help Desk ( / and UDC Blackboard Help desk ( / cathelp@udc.edu) chat help: Have you provided links to other online resources provided by UDC? Suggested links include Learning Resources ( the Academic Calendar ( UDC Bookstore: ( Course Catalog: ( sm.pdf), Library: ( Ask a Librarian: ( Disability Resource Center: ( and The Student Handbook: ( Tools Assignment Manager Edit Your Home Page Personal Information Have you shown students how to use the Assignment Manager to access and submit files, either by demonstrating the tool or by providing instructions for its use? Have you established a convention for naming files submitted by students? Student home pages can help to build a sense of community and camaraderie. Have you encouraged students to create home pages containing information about themselves, their studies, and their other interests? Have you provided guidelines for appropriate content? Have you reviewed student home pages to ensure that no inappropriate content is present? Have you notified students that they can use this tool to change personal information, change their passwords, edit their address, enable the address, and restrict or limit the private information available to others? CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 4

15 Area / Tool / Feature Description Course Calendar Grade Center Manual Tasks Electronic Blackboard Address Book Will you use the course calendar to organize deliverables and information to guide your students? Does the Course Calendar contain an entry for the due dates of all assignments, activities, and tests? Does it list class meetings and topics of discussion, where appropriate? Does it contain institutional term information, such as course start/end dates, add/drop dates, holidays, and withdrawal dates? Have you informed students that they can check their grades online? Have you assigned meaningful names to the entries in the grade center so students can easily identify a particular assignment? Have you notified students that an online Blackboard manual is available? Have you encouraged students to use it? To locate the manual, visit the CAT web resources page. Have you encouraged students to use the Tasks feature to help them schedule their time? Have you notified students that they can use the Electronic Blackboard to take notes? Have you encouraged students to use the address book as a way of efficiently keeping in touch with faculty and classmates? Course Options (in Control Panel) Course Properties Course Images Course Resources Have you provided the course title, course number, section numbers, and a brief description of the course? Does the title match the title found in the Course Catalog? Does the course description contain, at a minimum, the official course description found in the Course Catalog? Have you assigned the course to a subject area and discipline? Have you selected the UDC color scheme for navigation buttons? Have you added the UDC logo banner to the title page of the course? Remember, the color red is not visible to students with visual challenges and should not be used as a text color. Have you considered using the customizable, discipline-specific resources available from Blackboard.com or from your textbook provider? User Management (in Control Panel) Enroll/Remove Users Have you searched the online database of users to ensure that the person you wish to enroll has a Blackboard account? Do you use the Remove User feature to delete users from the course who have dropped or withdrawn? CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 5

16 Area / Tool / Feature Description List/Modify Users As necessary, are you using the List/Modify Users feature to list students enrolled in your class to view student information, including passwords and e- mail addresses to ensure accuracy? Assessment (in Control Panel) Pool Manager Online Grade Center Course Statistics Have you considered creating pools of questions that can be used to create quizzes and surveys consisting of randomly generated questions? Have you informed students that they can check their grades online? Are you posting grades as soon as possible? Have you created unique, informative titles for each grade center entry, so students can easily find a particular assignment? Are you regularly backing up your grade book by exporting it as a commaseparated value file (.CSV) or saving the spreadsheet view as an HTML file? Have you considered ways in which you can use the course statistics to determine how students are using the course web site? Have you considered using course statistics to identify areas of your course that need to be refined, revised, or further developed? Have you considered using the course statistics to drive a research study? Assistance (in Control Panel) Online Support Online Manual Have you visited the Online Support pages at Blackboard.com to see what kind of technical support is available for instructors and students? Have you reviewed the other online resources available at Blackboard.com or the CAT web recourses? Have you reviewed the online manual for instructors (as opposed to the manual for students)? Appendix D: Developmental Guide: Essential Elements for Online Course Design, objects, Modules, and Construction < UNDER CONSTRUCTION > CAT Course Proposal Form, Last Revised January 00 Page 6