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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 

Purpose

Delivery methods serve several purposes

1. To inform students about the course delivery method and related course expectations, 
2. To identify credits assessed the per credit hour amount, and 
3. To facilitate data collection on how courses are offered at º£½ÇÉçÇø Technical and Community College. 

Definitions 

Distance education

Based on a federal definition, education that uses one or more of the technologies listed below to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor or instructors and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously. 

The technologies that may be used to offer distance education include:

1. The internet;  
2. One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; 
3. Audio conference; or  
4. Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in items 1–3 above.  

Distance education course 

A course section in which at least 75% of the instruction and interaction occurs using one or more of the technologies listed in the definition of distance education, with the faculty and students physically separated from each other. 

Distance education program 

An academic program offered in whole or in part through distance education, regardless of whether a face-to-face, on-ground, or residential option is also available. 

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that is one of the institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions. º£½ÇÉçÇø Technical and Community College is an accredited member of HLC. 

HLC provides definitions associated with course and program delivery with respect to distance education. The following items are definitions relevant to this operating instruction. 

Regular and Substantive Interaction 

º£½ÇÉçÇø Technical and Community College is expected to ensure regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors in their distance education and competency-based education offerings. ATCC ensures regular interaction between a student and an instructor or instructors by, prior to the student's completion of a course or competency: 

1. Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency; and
2. Monitoring the student’s academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student. 

Substantive interaction is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following:

1. Providing direct instruction; 
2. Assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework;
3. Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency; 
4. Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or  
5. Other instructional activities approved by HLC or the program’s accrediting agency. 

Delivery Methods 

ATCC assigns a delivery method code indicating the degree to which the course is delivered at a distance. The delivery method and other course-related information are stored in the student information system and displayed in the course registration system.

ATCC ensures courses are assigned the correct delivery methods so students registering for classes are aware of course expectations.

Financial Assessment for Select Delivery Methods 

The Minnesota State System Office assesses campuses a per credit hour amount (currently $4.50 as of September 2017) for courses assigned the following delivery methods.

Funds collected through this assessment support enterprise services that might otherwise be covered by individual colleges and universities (e.g., D2L Brightspace, online tutoring, PALs library services, DARs/Transferology, online quality initiatives, and online support center). 

ATCC may cover the cost of this assessment by charging a tuition differential in compliance with Minnesota State Board Policy 5.11 Tuition and Fees and System Procedure 5.11.1 Tuition and Fees. 

Delivery Method Specifications