Academic Senate 1000 E. Victoria Carson, CA 90747 WH-A420 (310) 243-3312
EPC Resolution
EPC 17-08
Course Instructional Modality
Supersedes AA 2007-01
Resolution Passes Unanimously April 26, 2017
RESOLVED:All courses will be identified as belonging to one of three distinct instructional modalities:
- Face-to-Face Course- A course that depends on face to face contact such as lecture, discussion, demonstration,laboratory, activity and direct exchange of materials as the primary method of communication and instruction, and in whichmore than two thirds of instructional meetings are face-to-face. While course materials, instructor notes and student assignments may be provided online as a reference, instruction is in-class and during assigned class time.
- Hybrid Course - A course that integrates online with face-to-face contact and in which one third to two thirds of face-to-face time is replaced by online instructional activities.
- Distance Course – A course that depends on academic technology as the primary method of communication and instruction, and in which less than one third of instructional meetings are face-to-face.
RESOLVED:For existing courses, additional modalities must be reviewed and approved using the normal curriculum processes of the University. Proposalof a new course must specify the modality/modalities by which it will be offered. Course modality must be chosen, and courses constructed, in a planned, pedagogically viable manner.
RESOLVED:The departments and colleges shall govern scheduling decisions related to the instructional modality of course sections.
RESOLVED:With the approval of the department, an existing course may be offered experimentally for a maximum of two semesters using a new instructional modality.
RESOLVED:For the purposes of scheduling and communication with students, Hybrid and Distance courses will be coded according to whether instruction is synchronous or asynchronous[1] and whether campus meetings are required:
- Hybrid Course Codes:
- Asynchronous Hybrid: Face-to-face meetings combined withasynchronous instructional course segments.
- Synchronous Hybrid: Face-to-face meetings combined withsynchronous instructional course segments or a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instructional course segments.
- Distance Course Codes:
- Asynchronousdistance course, no campus meeting (Completely Online): teacher-student learning and interactions happen in different locations and at different times.Instruction is not delivered in person or in real time.
- Synchronous distance course, no campus meeting: the teacher-student learning and interactions happen in different locations but at the same time.
- Asynchronous distance course with limited in-person instructional meetings:the majority of instruction is asynchronous but specific activities (e.g., orientation, instruction, and/or assessment) require students to attend in-person meetings. Specific in-person instructional meetings are limited to less than one third of the instructional meetings.
- Synchronous distance course with limited in-person instructional meetings: the majority of is synchronous but specific activities (e.g., orientation, instruction, and/or assessment) require students to attend in-person meetings. Specific in-person instructional meetings are limited to less than one third of the instructional meetings.
RESOLVED: All syllabi must reflect the instructional modality to be used, whether instruction is synchronous or asynchronous, and whether in-person meetings are required.
RESOLVED:The instructional modality, hybrid-and distance-codes, and technological requirements for each course shall be published in the Class Schedule and in all online updates of the schedule.
Rationale
The use of technology in education has led to a variety of course modalities. Students must be informed as to the specific modality of each course prior to registration so they know whether they will be required to be on campus and/or online at specific times. The Chancellor’s Office requires that campuses report on courses modalities and currently recognizes nine designations:
01Complete online course, no campus meeting. Asynchronous instructional course section can be offered anywhere and anytime. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of digital and online learning in which students learn from instruction—such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own—that is not being delivered in person or in real time. In this course, the teacher-students learning and interactions are happening in different locations or at different times.
02Synchronous instructional course, no campus meeting. Synchronous instructional course offers instruction at the same time but not in the same place. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of televisual, digital, and online learning in which students learn in real time, but not in person. For example, educational video conferences, interactive webinars, chat-based online discussions, and lectures that are broadcast at the same time they delivered would all be considered forms of synchronous learning.
03Online course with limited in-person instructional meetings (orientation, mid-term, final campus meetings allowed). An Asynchronous course with specific in-person instructional meetings that are limited to less than 1/3 of the instructional meetings. The majority of instruction and learning is online but specific activities require students to attend in-person meetings. For example, students might attend a course orientation on campus and/or final campus meeting for presentations. Campus course meetings could be required for mid-terms and final exams.
04Synchronous course with limited in-person instructional meetings (orientation, mid-term, final campus meetings allowed) A synchronous course with specific in-person, same place instructional meetings that are limited to less than 1/3 of the instructional time. For example, students might attend a course orientation on campus, take examines on campus and meet on campus for final presentations.
05Hybrid course. Asynchronous instructional course section segment with face-to-face course section segment (regular face-to-face meetings in the term) An asynchronous hybrid coursehas a portion not less than one third nor more than two thirds of face to face time replaced by online activities. In this mixed mode course, students might attend a class taught by a teacher in a traditional classroom setting, while also independently completing online components of the course outside of the classroom.
06Hybrid course. Synchronous instructional course section segment with face-to-face course section segment (regular face-to-face meetings from every day to four or more times in the term). The synchronous hybrid coursehas a portion not less than 1/3 nor more than 2/3 of instructional meetings as face-to-face, same place.
09 Face-to-face, campus course. This face-to-face course describesforms of instruction and learning that occur in the same place or at the same time. For this course there is a set schedule of campus meetings. While course materials, instructor notes and student assignment may be provided online as a reference the instruction is in-class time with a teacher and students.
10 Asynchronous + Synchronous hybrid online. This hybrid course has instructional content delivered exclusively online both to access at any time from any location and on prescheduled days/hours from any location – AB386 hybrid.
11 Asynchronous + Synchronous hybrid distance education. This hybrid course is delivered exclusively via distance education both to access at any time from any location and on pre-scheduled days/hours from any location. Scheduled face-to-face meetings may be required for orientation, testing, or academic support services – IPEDS Federal Distance Education hybrid.
[1]As defined by the Chancellor’s Office, asynchronous course is one in which instruction and learning occur at the same time but not in the same location; and anasynchronous course is one in which instruction and learning occur neither at the same time nor inthe same location.