Definitions of Instructional Methods
Online
A course that meets online where students access instructions, instructor’s office, course materials, and communicate via email, discussions, and chats with the instructor and other students. Students may be directed to content outside of the course management system in support of the course or its activities. Instructors are encouraged to develop courses based on best practices.
Face-to-face meetings (such as an orientation or exam reviews) are only held if they appeared in the registration class schedule or when an equivalent experience is provided for those students unable to attend the face-to-face meeting.
Example: a 3 credit hour course has 3 contact hours of institution supported, course management system based instruction and activity facilitated by the instructor each week.
Hybrid
A course that meets 50% in a classroom and 50% online. The Web delivered components meet the same best practices for online learning guidelines used for online courses. Hybrid courses designated as “accelerated” are completed in 7-8 weeks. Instructors are encouraged to develop courses based on best practices.
Example: a 3 credit hour course has 3 contact hours of online instruction as well as 3 contact hours of classroom instruction each week.
Face-to-Face
A course that meets in a classroom. Instructors may choose to supplement classroom instruction with online resources supported by the institution course management system or the Web (such as grade book, syllabus, assignment submission, etc.). Instructors are encouraged to develop courses based on best practices.
Instructor-designated hybrid: An instructor may choose to replace portions of classroom instruction with online work. These courses are not designated as “hybrid” in the course scheduler catalog.
Interactive audio/video
A course that consists of two-way video and audio communication to facilitate interaction between people in two or more locations, creating a virtual classroom. Interactive Broadcast courses are the closest form of distance education you can get to traditional, on-campus courses. Students in one location can see and speak with students and an instructor in a different location. The technology allows students at many locations to all be part of the same classroom and interact in real time with their instructors and classmates through two-way audio and video.
These courses are designated as “interactive audio/video” (IAV) for all locations on the receiving end of the course.
Correspondence (Self-paced online)
A course taught in an interactive online format (formerly known as Independent Study). The course work is self-paced and students can take up to six months to complete it. Entry and exit dates are not restricted to regular semester deadlines; students can register for or drop correspondence courses at any time. Instructors are encouraged to develop courses based on best practices.
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