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APRIL 7
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Approved Equivalent Instructional Activities
The following guidelines on Equivalent Instructional Activities may be used to substitute for face-to-face contact hour requirements for online and hybrid courses. Traditional courses may also use these activities as an occasional substitute for class time or to make up for cancelled classes. A maximum of 20% of required instructional hours for undergraduate courses offered in fall and spring semesters may be online; exceptions must be requested to and approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. Any planned substitution of required face-to-face contact hours with Equivalent Instructional Activities must be documented in the course syllabus.
|
Instructional Activity |
Description |
Approximate Rates of Equivalency |
|
Blogs and Journals |
Students’ opportunity to communicate their learning of concepts (including research of scholarly articles and professional journals) or reflection on learning experiences; to be shared with the faculty and/or classmates for thoughtful analysis, feedback, and assessment by its audience. |
General Post (0–99 words) = 10 minutes of instruction |
|
Conference Calls/Video/Web-Conferencing |
Faculty led opportunities for collaborative, synchronous learning with specific expectations for participation & feedback. (When possible, calls should be recorded for review.) |
1 hour call = 1 hour instruction |
|
Group Projects |
Faculty mediated culminating activity with specific learning objectives; students collaborate via e-mail, chat rooms, discussion boards, and/or face-to-face contact to research, analyze, synthesize, and prepare project with faculty receiving periodic updates and providing guidance to group. |
2 instructional hours per week |
|
Guided Projects/Workshops |
Faculty mediated culminating individual project with specific learning objectives; student and facilitator collaborate via e-mail, chat rooms, discussion boards, and/or face-to-face contact to research, analyze, synthesize, and prepare project with faculty receiving periodic updates and providing guidance and feedback. Examples might include podcasts, visual technology resources, or music technology resources |
2 instructional hours per week |
|
Case Studies, Problem Solving Scenarios, and Virtual Labs |
Faculty initiated opportunity for in-depth analysis requiring utilization of higher order analytical skills which relate to course objectives and is shared with faculty and/or classmates for feedback and assessment. Process is under direct faculty oversight. |
1 case study analysis and posting of an academically substantial analysis = 2 hours of instruction |
|
Films, Instructional CDs, Power Points, Videos |
Faculty facilitated, collaborative, synchronous viewing of films or other instructional media in order to expand upon, discuss, and clarify course concepts and objectives. |
1 hour of participation = 1 hour of instruction |
|
Online Quizzes and Tests |
Opportunity for faculty to directly assess students’ subject knowledge and provide feedback on students’ progress. |
1 hour test = 1 hour of instruction |
|
Discussion Board |
Faculty guided or mediated threaded discussion that directly relates to course objectives and which has specified timeframes, expectations for participation, and thoughtful analysis. |
General Post (0–99 words) = 10 minutes of instruction |
|
Online Lectures |
Faculty delivered synchronous or asynchronous presentation and instruction related to course objectives through online means. |
1 hour = 1 hour of instruction |
|
Field Trips (including virtual) |
Must be under the direct oversight of the faculty. |
Live trips: 1 hour tour = |
Approved by the faculty, February 9, 2017.