The same factors considered indicative of good teaching in a traditional classroom setting should be held as pedagogical imperatives for on-line instruction. There should be sound pedagogical justification for offering undergraduate courses on-line. The university should refrain from offering whole undergraduate degree programs on-line since education is also about interactions that promote tolerance, personal growth and critical thinking. Student capability to succeed in on-line courses needs to be assessed. Course evaluations should include questions regarding student satisfaction with such areas as faculty accessibility and access to advising, computing services, library services, etc.
Team efforts are to be encouraged and supported.
This training could be modeled on the writing emphasis certification program administered by Sonja Schrag and terry Beck for writing emphasis instructors on this campus. Faculty should have access to instructional design support to ensure the quality of the student learning experience. Faculty and student support services specifically related to distance education should be provided, as well as adequate equipment to facilitate course design and transmission. Chair Bange instructed senators that the recommendations are not in the form of motions. Questions concerning how far along are we in terms of web based instruction were addressed.