Substantive Change Proposal
IDENTIFIED CHANGE: ADDITION OF COURSES THAT CONSTITUTE 50% OR
MORE OF A PROGRAM OFFERED THROUGH A MODE OF DISTANCE
OR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY
INSTITUTION NAME: LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE
855 N. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
March 6, 2008
RESPONSIBLE REPORT PREPARERS: Joyce Moore, Dean, Academic Affairs; Pamela Atkinson, Distance Learning Coordinator and Distance Education Committee Chair
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Description of the Change…………………………………………………………………………4
College Mission Statement………………...……...…………………………… ….………..4
Reasons for Proposed Change and Relationship of Change to Mission…………………..5
B. Not Applicable – This proposal does not involve a new educational program.
C. Planning Process……………………………………………….……………………………….....6
Needs and Resource Assessment……………………………………………………………..8
Online Student Services…………………………………………………………………........8
Online Tutorial Services…………………………………………………………………......10
D. Evidence of Institutional Provision for Human, Management, Financial and Physical Resources……………………………………...……………………………………................11
Processes to Initiate, Maintain and Monitor the Change…………………………….........13
Quality Assurance………………………………………………………………….................14
Training and Professional Development……………………………………………….........15
E. Internal/External Approvals…………………………………………………………………….…18
F. Evidence that the Eligibility Requirement will be Fulfilled……………………………………...18
G. Evidence That the Accreditation Standards Will Be Fulfilled…………………………………...21
Tables
Table 1: Proposed Certificates 50 – 100% online Accounting, Administration of Justice, Business Administration, Child Development, Cinema/TV, Computer Applications and Office Technologies, Computer Science, Family and Consumer Studies, Marketing, Psychology/Human Services, Real Estate,
Table 2: Proposed Associate degree majors 50 – 100% online: Accounting, Administration of Justice, Business Administration, Chicano Studies, Child Development, Cinema/TV, Computer Applications and Office Technologies, Computer Science, English, Family and Consumer Studies, Humanities, Law, Liberal Arts, Marketing, Psychology/Human Services, Political Science, Real Estate, Spanish
Appendix A: Los Angeles City College 2007 – 2008 Catalog
Appendix B: 2002 – 2008 Educational Master Plans
Appendix C: Information Technology Master Plan
Appendix D: Program Review Distance Education Data
Appendix E: Los Angeles City College Organizational Chart
Appendix F: Distance Education Approval Form
Appendix G: Distance Education Addendum Sample
Appendix H: Academic Freedom
Appendix I: Online Teaching Certificate
DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANGE
Los Angeles City College proposes offering 11 vocational certificates in which 50 – 100 percent may be offered on line. See Table 1 charts for the complete requirements for these certificates.
Accounting
Administration of Justice
Business Administration
Child Development
Cinema/TV
Computer Applications and Office Technologies
Computer Science
Family and Consumer Studies
Marketing
Psychology/Human Service
Real Estate
In addition, Los Angeles City Colleges proposes offering the following majors and associate degree programs in which 50 – 100 percent of the courses will offered via distance education (online).
Accounting
Administration of Justice
Business Administration
Chicano Studies
Child Development
Cinema/TV
Computer Applications and Office Technologies
Computer Science
Family and Consumer Studies
English
History
Humanities
Liberal Arts
Marketing
Psychology/Human Service
Political Science
Real Estate
Spanish
See Table 4 charts for specific degree requirements for each program.
COLLEGE MISSION
Mission:
As a comprehensive community college, Los Angeles City College offers programs, course work, support, and guidance to develop a community of learners--both near and far--with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for optimal growth and action in their personal and professional lives.
As its primary mission, Los Angeles City College offers post-secondary lower division arts and sciences, and vocational courses enabling the student to complete:
· a curriculum designed in preparation for transfer to a four-year university
· an associate degree or certificate leading directly to entrance into the work force
The College affirms the essential role of remedial and basic skills instruction, English as a Second Language (ESL), and support services that are intrinsic to student success at the post-secondary level.
The College recognizes its responsibility to provide general education and occupational retraining activities to the community at large.
The College advances state, regional, and local economic growth, and global
competitiveness, through education, training, and services that contribute to work force improvement.
The College commits to providing educational and cultural activities that contribute to the general well being of the community it serves.
The College implements its mission through:
Transfer Education to provide general education and major preparation for those students who plan to continue their studies at a four-year college or university.
Career and Technical Education to provide certificate and associate degree programs which meet the needs of students preparing for entry-level employment as well retraining and updating skills to meet the needs of a changing, globally-centered society.
General Education to introduce students to the humanities, the arts, the social and natural sciences, allowing them the opportunity for personal, intellectual and cultural growth; while providing oral and written communication, mathematics, critical thinking skills and international perspectives necessary to succeed in life.
Basic Skills Program to provide students with the necessary capabilities in mathematics, verbal and written language skills, and study skills to successfully complete a certificate, degree, or transfer program.
Support Services to assist students in defining and achieving their educational goals.
The College promotes and encourages the continuous and timely program review to assess effectiveness and ensure academic excellence.
REASONS FOR PROPOSED CHANGE AND RELATIONSHIP OF CHANGE TO MISSION
A distance education program will provide access and opportunities for success to a variety of students, with work and family obligations, many of whom would not otherwise be able to meet their educational goals.
Most of our online students reside in our service area, enroll in our on-campus classes and take online classes in order to increase the number of classes they take each semester to complete their degree and transfer requirements. The California Community Colleges Chancellor Office (CCCCO) surveys of LACC online students “to fulfill requirements for transfer” and “to fulfill requirements for associate degree” are cited as two of the top three reasons for enrolling in an online class. “Convenience” is selected as the most important reason. According to the CCCCO 2004 student survey 57 percent cited “unable to come to campus” as an important or very important reason for taking this distance education course. Students report a high level of satisfaction with our online classes and their most frequent suggestion is for additional online course offerings.
As well as meeting the needs of on-campus students, our online classes provide access to our instructional programs to disabled students and those that do not live close to a community college. Nineteen percent of the respondents to the 2004 survey selected “Because of my disability” as an important or very important reason for taking this distance education course. Fourteen percent reported living over 16 miles from any community college and another 10 percent live over 10 miles from any community college. In addition to disabled students and those that do not have local access to a community college, our online classes have enabled us to serve international students, military and public safety personnel, high school students and senior citizens.
Our online courses have the same transferability as our on-campus courses and are accepted by the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) as well as private four-year colleges and universities. As a result expansion of our online course offerings increases our students’ access to four year colleges and universities.
PLANNING
The primary objectives of the 2002 – 2008 Educational Master Plan (Appendix B) including the following support of distant education:
Goal 1: Develop and deliver instructional programs tailored to meet the needs of our prime constituencies
Goal 2: Enhance the quality of teaching (pedagogy) in all academic programs to help students achieve their personal educational goals.
Goal 3: Integrate educational technologies with classroom instruction across the curriculum
Goal 4: Coordinate instructional support for the classroom with construction and renovation
Goal 5: Enhance the college’s curriculum development, class scheduling, and publication processes
Goal 6: Highlight and expand a campus-wide awareness of diversity across the curriculum
Goal 7: Coordinate educational outreach locations with the core campus instructional programs
The Distance Learning Taskforce was established in 1998. In spring 1999 LACC offered the first online class. Since 1999 the Curriculum Committee has assumed oversight for approving more than 40 on-line classes. Staff and Organizational Development provides oversight for the on-line instructor certification process. Currently more than 80 faculty have been certified to teach on-line course using a variety of platforms including WebCT, ETUDES, and other course management software (CMS). Both the Curriculum Committee and the Staff and Organizational Development Committee adhere to the guidelines in the Faculty/AFT Agreement in regard to quality standards for distributive/distance learning (D/DL). With a recent increased demand for growing the on-line program, the Distance Education Committee has reassumed a leading role in supervision of D/DL campus offerings.
The responsibilities of the Distance Education Committee include oversight of certification, working with the Curriculum Committee to develop course approval policies, and working with the Information Technology (IT) Committee to evaluate new educational technologies related to distance learning, online course management systems, and related topics. The committee then forwards recommendations regarding distance education to the Academic Senate. The committee also reviews administrative procedures related to distance learning.
Evaluation and goal setting for the Distance Learning Program has been included in the College program review and unit planning process since 1998. Each year the Distance Learning Program Unit Plan is forwarded to Academic Affairs for review and budgeting and distance learning is integrated into the College’s master and educational plans. Funds for the Distance Learning Program are provided out of the College budget and appropriate grants.
The Academic Senate, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Curriculum Committee, the Educational Planning Committee, the Shared Governance Committee, the Informational Technology Committee, the Staff and Organizational Development Committee are all involved in decision making and planning regarding distance learning.
In 2006 the Academic Senate confirmed the appointment of the Distance Education Committee Chair, Vice Chair, 5 members including 2 AFT representatives and one alternate each for the Academic Senate and the AFT. The Committee advises the College in its decision making regarding D/DL issues. It is a standing committee of the EPSC and reports to the Academic Senate.
The Information Technology Committee is responsible for making recommendations relating to hardware, software and the necessary infrastructure to support instructional technologies. The Distance Learning Coordinator serves as a permanent member of the Committee as does the Information Technology Department Director and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
The 2002 – 2008 Educational Master Plan included “Enrollments in online distance learning will increase” as one of the assumptions. This assumption proved accurate. The 2008 – 2011 Educational Master Plan includes four primary objectives, one of which is that the College “Build upon and support LACC’s diversified modes of instructional delivery. Strategies which are recommended to achieve this objective are:
· Make available to all students online assessment, counseling, library and financial aid services
· Expand ETUDES NG (Easy To Use Distance Education Software Next Generation) training for faculty and staff.
· Provide the infrastructure (e.g., servers, WiFi, IT personnel) for technologies in and out of the classroom (e.g., eportfolios, Podcasting, multi-media).
In 2000 the Distance Learning Program and the Language Arts Division submitted a joint FPIP application for an Instructor of English – Distance Learning. The proposed position received a high ranking on the priority list and our first full-time online instructor was hired in 2001.
More recently the Behavioral and Social Sciences Division and the Distance Learning Program have announced its plan to submit a joint FPIP application for an Education instructor. This position would provide faculty leadership to the newly proposed Online Teaching Certificate Program. The certificate program will require participants to complete four Education courses for a total of nine units and an additional three units in one of five areas of specialization:
· ETUDES-NG Course Development
· Internet Literacy
· Online Instruction
· Online Library Research
· Web Design
In a meeting with the Dean of Academic Affairs responsible for the Distance Learning Program and the Distance Learning Program Coordinator on March 3, 2008 the Vice President of Academic Affairs first brought up the need to submit a substantive change proposal. This requirement was also discussed at a Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Distance Education Committee meeting on February 19, 2008. LACC’s Substantive Change Proposal was discussed at the Educational Planning Committee in February 2008 and the Department Chairs’ Council meeting on February 2008. and information from Divisional Unit Plans was collected and is included in Appendix C. A draft of the proposal was reviewed by the Distance Education Committee and forwarded to the Academic Senate for input on November 7, 2007.
Distributive and Distance Learning Committee (DDLC). Pamela Atkinson, Kathleen Burke-Kelly, Nancy Pierce, Vaughn Obern, Juan Mendoza, Joe Meyer, Evan Kendall, Annie Cole, Ken Sherwood. Charlene Morimoto will be invited to attend the next meeting. The Distance Education Committee at their March 4, 2008 meeting agreed recommend to Ed Planning that the College increase on-line offerings by 20 classes in fall 2008.
The 2002-2008 Educational Master Plan Goal 3.3 states that the College will define the role of Distance Education for the institution. The role of distance education has not been clearly defined on campus. Departments who choose to offer online classes can do so with guidance from the Deans and technical help from the TLC, which has assumed the responsibility of directing distance-learning efforts for the campus. The curriculum process for online classes has been standardized and the logistics of creating classes and getting faculty paid properly have been worked out. Most online courses are hybrid. The number of online classes offered at LACC increases each year, with CAOT, CSIT, Social Science, English, Math and Nursing leading the way. The school will offer 31 online classes in Fall 2007. There is a district-wide Distance Ed Committee that reports to the District VP Council. The State Chancellor’s Office will soon mandate that we need to offer a minimum of 10% of our classes online, with accreditation perhaps recommending an increase to 20%.The Instructional Technology (IT) Plan includes Goal 3.1 Provide training on newly-adopted applications and systems such as Etudes course management system. The 2008-2014 Educational Master Plan has developed distance education goals in three areas including faculty development, course development and technology.
The DDLC has set a goal of offering a complete general education degree program on line as well as promoting on-line certificates. The proposed change is called for in our current Educational Master Plan and has been demanded by our students. It serves to implement the College’s mission by providing increased access to our instructional programs. LACC has spent the last seven years developing our infrastructure to support the expansion of our distance learning program, expanding online access to student services, and increasing the resources available to support online instructors and their students.