Purpose

To establish policies to deliver courses with remote instruction, including remote asynchronous, remote synchronous, and remote blended courses.

Introduction

Remote asynchronous, remote synchronous, and remote blended courses courses use digital technologies to provide learning with multimedia sources; allow for multiple learning strategies; comply with University policies concerning delivery and access; include flexible scheduling; integrate online, technology-based learning with student-faculty and student-student interaction; and broaden the concept of learning communities.

Guidelines

Definition of Remote Asynchronous Courses

Remote asynchronous (RA) courses are delivered entirely online, with no required in-person or scheduled class meeting time.  The schedule of courses designates remote asynchronous courses in the instructional mode field. All courses that are remote asynchronous must go through the consultation steps and approval process listed below.

Definition of Remote Synchronous Courses

A remote synchronous (RS) class meets remotely at days/times listed, with 100% of an RS class taught remotely synchronously. Instructors can offer up to less than 25 percent of a remote synchronous class remotely asynchronously, a flexibility to manage their own absences, whether due to illness or other unavoidable circumstances, during travel, or for pedagogical reasons. All courses that are remote synchronous must go through the consultation steps and approval process listed below.

Definition of a Remote Blended Course

A remote blended (RB) class meets 100% remotely. The class will be intentionally taught remotely combining asynchronous and synchronous (at days/times listed) instruction.

Consultation and Approval
 

  1. The program faculty should:
    • Determine if a potential course is appropriate to offer as remote asynchronous, remote synchronous, or remote blended delivery for the program..
    • Designate a course author.
    • Identify the pedagogical reasons for why the course should be transformed to a remote asynchronous, remote synchronous, and remote blended delivery.
  2. Once a program has identified a course as suitable for RA, RS or RB delivery, the designated instructor is strongly encouraged to take a self-assessment to determine if an online course would be compatible with the instructor’s style. The instructor should contact the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) for information on how to complete the self-assessment.
  3. The course author must complete and sign the Request for Proposal for Online Course Development Form, gain the signature of program leadership, and submit the proposal to the school director for their approval at least six months before the course is to be offered for his/her approval.
  4. If the school director agrees to approve the request, the school director will sign and submit the form to the assistant dean for academic affairs.
  5. The assistant dean for academic affairs will sign and submit all approved proposals to CTE. CTE staff will arrange for an initial consultation with the instructor for the development of a plan for how the course will be designed for remote delivery.
  6. The instructor will then work with an instructional designer in the CTE to develop the course.

Development of Online Courses

The time needed for a course redesign varies based on the instructor’s prior experience in online teaching and course design; the amount of time the instructor can devote to the redesign effort; the extent of revision required; the number of online sessions to be designed; and the need for multimedia development. Typically, at least six months are needed to develop a new RA, RS or RB course.

All RA, RS, and RB course development completed in the CTE must adhere to:

  1. The Penn State Quality Assurance Standards. The standards ensure that distance learning courses serve the learning needs of Penn State students. 
  2. Senate Policy 42-23, which stipulates that all courses meet the hours of equivalent instruction.
  3. Standards regarding accessibility. See Accessibility at Penn State | Course Accessibility Guidelines
  4. Standards regarding accommodations from the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity

The faculty member is the subject matter expert who provides the course content. The instructional designer lends expertise in implementing the course in a professional and pedagogically sound manner.
 
Program faculty should review each RA, RS or RB course every three years to determine if the course is still needed and if a course review and revision are required.  If the course is still needed, faculty are encouraged to consult with CTE staff to make sure that the most current distance learning strategies are being employed in the course.

Intellectual property rights

Faculty should review the University’s policy regarding intellectual property rights by referring to the University’s Policy IP03, Courseware. The Courseware Copyright Agreement is provided on the course approval form.

Assessing RA, RS, and RB courses

Whenever a faculty member undergoes a peer review of a RA, RS or RB course occurs, the evaluator should use and complete the Peer Review Guide for Online Teaching at Penn State instrument.

 

  • Presented to College Faculty Senate: March 22, 2012. Approved by Academic Council: April 24, 2012.
  • Revision presented to College Faculty Senate: October 26, 2017. Approved by Academic Council: November 29, 2017.
  • Revised February 16, 2023.  Revisions reviewed by College Faculty Senate April 11, 2023.  Approved by Academic Council:  April 20, 2023.