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Policy and Procedure Statements

G/PPS 02.03 - Distance Education Courses and Programs

Distance Education Courses and Programs

G/PPS No. 02.03
Issue No. 3
Effective Date: 7/02/2024
Next Review Date: 9/01/2029 (E5Y)
Sr. Reviewer: Director, Online and Extended Programs; Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Success; and Vice President for Texas State Global

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to maintaining a well-designed and effective process for developing and implementing academic courses and programs, regardless of instructional modality.

  1. GENERAL INFORMATION

    1. Texas State University maintains a well-designed and effective process for developing and implementing academic courses and programs, regardless of instructional modality. This process is guided by policies and procedures found in AA/PPS No. 02.01.01, Academic Credit Courses: Additions, Changes, and Deletions and AA/PPS No. 02.01.10, Academic Programs: Additions, Changes, and Deletions. The purpose of this document is to provide definitions, expectations, and support for the development of courses and programs to be delivered via distance education.

    2. Faculty members have primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum as implemented in a variety of instructional modalities. In conjunction with faculty, academic program coordinators, department chairs, school directors and college deans, the Division of Academic Affairs is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of distance education at the university, maintaining compliance with federal, state, institutional policies and regulations related to distance education, identifying new distance education opportunities, and coordinating with units to ensure quality and continuous improvement.

    3. This policy conforms to the rules and regulations of The Texas State University System Board of Regents (BOR), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), and the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).

  2. DEFINITIONS

    1. Academic Program Coordinator – for each major within a degree program, the academically-qualified faculty member responsible for ensuring that each program contains essential curricular components, has appropriate content and pedagogy, and maintains currency in the field.

      The academic program coordinator for a distance education program should also have experience with distance education.

    2. Best Practices Checklist – a self-assessment based on the Principles of Good Practice for Distance Education as well as on established quality measures for distance courses affirmed by national best practices, SACSCOC, and THECB. The Best Practices Checklist must be completed every three years by faculty members teaching distance education courses and serves as an indicator that the highest quality instructional materials and services are delivered to students.

    3. Distance Education – For the purposes of SACSCOC’s accreditation review, distance education is a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a course occurs when students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. A distance education course may use the internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; audio conferencing; or other digital media if used as part of the distance education course or program. In Texas, distance education is divided into two categories: 100-Percent Online and Hybrid.

    4. Distance Education Course – a course in which a majority (more than 50 percent) of the instruction occurs when the students and instructors are in separate physical locations. Two categories of distance education courses are defined as follows (refer to Texas Administrative Code rule §2.202):

      1. 100-Percent Online Course – a distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the students and instructors are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.

      2. Hybrid Course – a distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the students and instructors are in separate physical locations.

    5. Distance Education Program – an academic program in which a student may complete a majority (more than 50 percent) of the credit hours required for the program through distance education courses. Two categories of distance education programs are defined as:

      1. 100-Percent Online Program – a degree program in which students complete 100 percent of the credit hours required for the program through 100-Percent Online Courses. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a program from this category.

      2. Hybrid Program – a degree program in which students complete more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of the credit hours required for the program through Distance Education Courses.

    6. Electronic Delivery – a mode of delivery for distance education courses and programs using electronic telecommunication technology systems. This includes broadcast TV, video, internet, interactive video, or any combination of these systems.

    7. Faculty Member – an instructor of record with the responsibility for teaching a particular academic course, regardless of that person’s academic rank, (e.g., associate professor, senior lecturer, graduate teaching assistant, or lab assistant).

    8. Full-Time Status Designation – Cooperative Education (co-op) students will be registered for a one credit hour course that each participating department decides it will designate as the required course for co-op participation. This one-hour course will be regarded by Texas State as satisfying the full-time status equivalent requirement for federal financial aid and for qualification for full-time verification for any other purpose. Texas State certifies that the work portion of the co-op program is equal to or exceeds a full-time academic load. The student will then be assigned a COOP attribute which will be used to identify these students for reporting purposes. The COOP attribute will be used to identify these students when they are reported to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSCH) and the USDOE as full-time equivalent students.

    9. Principles of Good Practice for Distance Education – The Principles of Good Practice were initially adopted by the Board of the THECB in 1997 and last revised in 2023. The Principles of Good Practice are the basis for Institutional Plans for Distance Education, which the THECB uses to assess distance education at Texas institutions. The university’s Best Practices Checklist is largely based on these principles.

    10. Self-Paced Correspondence Course – a distance education course through which Texas State provides instructional course materials by electronic transmission to students who are separated from the instructor. Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student. Correspondence courses are self-supporting and are ineligible for financial aid.

    11. Self-Supporting Courses and Programs – academic credit courses and programs (formerly defined as extension courses or programs) whose semester credit hours are not submitted for formula funding.

  3. Institutional Context and Commitment

    1. Distance education courses and programs are developed within the context of the university plan.

    2. Distance education at Texas State is guided by the following policies and best practices:

      1. SACSCOC policy statement for Distance and Correspondence Education;

      2. THECB Rules Governing the Offering Of Distance, Off-Campus and Self-Sustaining Education;

      3. Principles of Good Practice, as defined by the Southern Regional Education Board for the Electronic Campus (SREC) and the THECB;

      4. Interregional Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education (Online Learning) adopted by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) and THECB; and

      5. Online Learning Consortium’s Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Education Programs.

    3. Texas State provides training and other learning opportunities to enhance the additional skills required of faculty members teaching distance education courses. Training incorporates best practices and technology tools often used in distance education.

    4. Texas State provides a course management system, technology infrastructure, and related services to support distance education, faculty, and students.

    5. Texas State demonstrates that the student who registers in a distance or correspondence education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the credit by verifying the identity of a student who participates in class or coursework by using several methods: a secure login, pass code, proctored examinations, video verification, etc.

    6. Texas State has a written procedure for protecting the privacy of students enrolled in distance and correspondence education courses or programs, including UPPS No. 01.04.31, Access to Student Records Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

    7. Texas State does not implement additional student fees associated with verification of student identity. Texas State implements an electronic course fee for students enrolled in fully online or hybrid/blended courses. A portion of this fee is distributed to academic units that teach online and hybrid/blended courses.

    8. Texas State provides support services appropriate for distance learners, such as academic advising, career counseling, library and other learning resources, tutoring, and financial aid.

    9. Advertising, recruiting, and admissions information adequately and accurately represent the distance education programs, requirements, and services available to Texas State students.

    10. Texas State is responsible for funding faculty, staff, services, and technological infrastructure to support distance education.

    11. Texas State provides accurate enrollment figures for distance education courses and programs as required by the THECB, SACSCOC, NC-SARA, and USDOE.

    12. Texas State implements G/PPS No. 02.11, Instructional Contact Time and Academic Credit, to ensure that a credit hour associated with a distance education course represents the equivalent amount of student work and instructional time as a credit hour in any other modality. Expectations for a credit hour remain the same regardless of instruction mode:

      1. For distance education faculty – time spent online in direct instruction with asynchronous or synchronous online learning activities, computer-assisted lectures and lessons, multimedia interaction, discussions, and engagement for exams and assessments, combined with on-campus meetings and other personal interaction, requires the same amount of engagement and work as expected of a faculty member teaching an equivalent on-campus course.

      2. For distance education students – time spent online with assigned readings, discussion boards, tests, group work, recorded lessons, and other course components, combined with offline textbook readings, homework, papers, projects and other activities, requires the same amount of engagement and work as expected of a student in an equivalent on-campus course.

  4. Curriculum and Educational Programs

    1. Texas State’s faculty members have the primary role in the design, development, implementation, and revision of distance education courses and programs.

    2. Before being offered, distance education courses and programs must be on the university’s inventory of approved courses and programs.

    3. The approval of distance education courses and programs follows standard processes used at Texas State.

    4. Distance education courses and programs are appropriately integrated with the academic unit administering the corresponding on-campus courses and programs.

    5. Distance education courses and programs are designed to meet the same quality standards and learning outcomes applicable to on-campus courses and programs.

  5. Qualifications and EXPECTATIONS OF FACULTY

    1. Faculty members who teach distance education courses are selected in the same manner as those teaching on-campus courses.

    2. Faculty members for graduate-level distance education courses are approved in the same manner as graduate faculty for on-campus courses.

    3. Academic program coordinators are assigned to distance education programs in the same manner as coordinators assigned to oversee on-campus programs. Typically, one academic program coordinator is assigned to a program delivered both on-campus and via distance education.

    4. Faculty members who teach through distance education technologies are responsible for acquiring the skills necessary to present course subject matter and related material effectively and to engage students on a regular and substantive basis.

    5. Faculty members who teach distance education courses implement AA/PPS No. 02.03.01, Conduct and Planning of Courses, by completing a professional development program approved by the Distance and Extended Learning Steering Committee and a self-assessment of assigned distance education courses every three years using the university’s Best Practices Checklist rubric.

    6. Faculty members ensure that each distance education course and program results in collegiate-level learning outcomes appropriate and equivalent to on-campus courses and programs as demonstrated by syllabi, learning outcomes assessment, and related documentation.

    7. Faculty members provide regular and substantive interaction with students enrolled in a distance education course. This interaction is instructor-driven, frequent, and consistent throughout the semester. Courses that do not meet this standard are considered self-paced correspondence courses. Faculty members use a variety of methods and resources appropriate to the course and discipline to facilitate contact with students. Among other strategies, interactions typically include:

      1. providing feedback to students;

      2. making weekly announcements;

      3. leading and facilitating discussion boards;

      4. posting instructional materials;

      5. moderating group work;

      6. facilitating student-to-student communication;

      7. providing real-time audio or video conferencing;

      8. holding office hours;

      9. sending emails;

      10. holding review and tutoring sessions; and

      11. meeting face-to-face.

    8. In order to satisfy financial aid regulations associated with “last day of attendance,” faculty members regularly monitor academically-related activity of students enrolled in distance education courses, not just attendance, via log-ins to the course.

    9. Faculty members ensure that distance education students are aware of UPPS No. 07.10.01, Honor Code, and its applicability to distance education courses.

    10. Academic units provide appropriate support for faculty members engaged in distance education courses. Support may include course releases, training and development, hardware and software, and other services and resources.

  6. Support PROCEDURES and expectations of Students

    1. Students enrolled in distance education satisfy requirements for admission to the university, to the program, and to academic credit courses, as are required of regular on-campus students applying to the same program. Some exceptions may occur with self-supporting courses and programs.

    2. Students enrolled in distance education are provided with clear, complete, and timely information on the curriculum, technological competence and skills, availability of support services, and other policies. Students have the opportunity to assess their readiness for online learning by completing the university’s Online Learning Readiness Self-Assessment instrument.

    3. Students in distance education courses and programs are aware of UPPS No. 07.10.01, Honor Code and its applicability to distance education.

    4. Students have access to specific 24/7 technical support, hardware, software, and other services that support distance education.

    5. Students have access to support services appropriate for distance learners, such as academic advising, career counseling, library resources, tutoring, and financial aid.

  7. Evaluation and Assessment PROCEDURES

    1. Students enrolled in education courses can evaluate courses and provide feedback for course improvements.

    2. Students in distance education programs have access to a procedure for resolving complaints, as noted in UPPS No. 07.10.06, Procedures for Students Seeking Resolution or Reporting University- Related Complaints and on the Online and Extended Programs website.

    3. Faculty members who teach distance education courses are evaluated by equivalent standards, review, and approval procedures used by the institution to evaluate faculty members responsible for on-campus courses.

    4. Academic program coordinators for distance education programs are evaluated by equivalent standards used by the institution to evaluate academic program coordinators for on-campus programs.

    5. Programs offered through distance education are evaluated in the same manner as on-campus programs through the periodic academic review process outlined in AA/PPS No. 02.01.50, Academic Program Review, or through accreditation standards and processes, as appropriate.

  8. PROPOSAL PREPARATION PROCEDURES

    1. Faculty members interested in the development of distance education courses should consult with the appropriate department chair or school director and curriculum committees. All new and revised courses are developed using the forms and process described in AA/PPS No. 02.01.01, Academic Credit Courses: Additions, Changes, and Deletions and supported by this policy.

    2. Faculty members interested in the development of distance education programs should consult with the appropriate department chair or school director, curriculum committees and the Office of Online and Extended Programs. The development of program proposals is guided by this policy and AA/PPS No. 02.01.10, Academic Programs: Additions, Changes, and Deletions.

    3. Distance education program proposals are prepared according to the:

      1. expectations contained in this policy;

      2. current format available from the Office of Online and Extended Programs; and

      3. current rules and expectations of THECB and SACSCOC.

  9. PROGRAM PROPOSAL ROUTING PROCEDURES

    1. Depending on the scope of the proposed addition, change, or deletion, distance education program proposals require the following reviews:

      1. faculty;

      2. Office of Educator Preparation (for Educator Preparation programs);

      3. department or school curriculum committee or department or school faculty;

      4. department chair/program director/school director;

      5. college curriculum committee;

      6. college council;

      7. college dean;

      8. Dean of The Graduate College (if applicable);

      9. Distance and Extended Learning Steering Committee;

      10. Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Success;

      11. Academic Affairs Council;

      12. Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs;

      13. President;

      14. TSUS Board of Regents;

      15. THECB; and

      16. SACSCOC (if applicable).

    2. After a program proposal has been fully approved, the Curriculum coordinator makes all necessary additions, changes, and deletions in the undergraduate catalog and Student Information System. The Graduate College staff members make all necessary additions, changes, and deletions in the graduate catalog and Student Information System. The Curriculum coordinator, undergraduate advising centers, and The Graduate College staff work with the Degree Works coordinator to make all necessary additions, changes and deletions in the Degree Works system for degree programs.

    3. In the event that a program proposal receives a negative vote or is denied at any level, the proposal will be returned to the originating faculty for review and possible revisions and may be resubmitted for future consideration.

  10. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

    1. Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

      PositionDate
      Director, Online and Extended ProgramsSeptember 1 E5Y
      Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and SuccessSeptember 1 E5Y
      Vice President for TXST GlobalSeptember 1 E5Y

  11. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Global policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    Director, Online and Extended Programs; co-senior reviewer of this PPS

    Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Success; co-senior reviewer of this PPS

    Vice President for TXST Global; co-senior reviewer of this PPS

    Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs