The purpose of this document is to point out some areas to which faculty should pay especial attention when employing information technology in their courses. In no way does this document replace the UALR Faculty Handbook. All policies and procedures outlined there, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty, remain the same regardless of where teaching occurs. Likewise the same disciplinary procedures will be followed wherever the rules are violated.
The UALR mission remains that of providing the best possible educational experience for our students. The changes in technology for teaching and learning make it possible to achieve that mission in more diverse ways. UALR will pursue the development of distributed learning with the aim of reaching these three goals:
Distributed learning (DL) is any educational environment that involves technology-enabled teaching outside the traditional face-to-face format. Some of the forms it can take are discussed below:
UALR will strive to offer the highest possible quality DL courses and programs. In order to do this UALR endorses the Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs standards adopted by the North Central Accreditation Association.
These standards will be used as a guideline for the development of new electronically offered degree program and as a guide for the self-assessment of programs.
UALR also endorses the Principles of Good Practice as defined by the Southern Regional Educational Board.
More information about these principles can be found on the SREB web site.
UALR also endorses a set of best practices for individual DL courses. These are based on accepted standards of best practice for teaching and learning regardless of the medium through which that occurs. There is a general consensus that quality web-based or web-enhanced courses involve:
All current policies outlined in Faculty Handbook apply regardless of whether the course is conducted face-to-face or through some distributed learning modality. In addition, instructors using the latter should adhere to the following guidelines:
In addition to the items mandated by the Faculty Handbook, instructors of DL courses should include the following in their syllabi:
Student e-mail accounts are created within 24 hours of class registration and are an official means of communication with students. Important university-related information will be sent to individual e-mail accounts. Students are responsible for regularly reading e-mail messages. Types of communication include but are not limited to financial aid information, inclement weather closings, e-bills and payments deadlines, registration information and library notices. The UALR E-mail System can be accessed at http://mail.ualr.edu. Therefore you are encouraged to communicate with your students through their UALR e-mail addresses.
Electronic communication has made it easier to communicate with students and also to transmit information to and about them. E-mail cannot be counted upon to occur in a secure environment. It is important to exercise caution about the contents of e-mail and access to files and machines in which confidential information about students might reside.
Caution is especially important when considering posting directory information, class lists, grades, or any personal identifying information (including photographs) about students to school, department, lab, or class web pages to which there could be public access. Individual communication with students as well as work done by the student is considered student information. Whenever possible, student information should only appear in an environment to which only those who must have access actually do have access.
Here are a few more important guidelines:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the policy of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to make all UALR Web page information accessible to persons with disabilities in order to provide them with effective communication through the Internet. Communication should be, to the extent possible, as effective as it is for persons without disabilities. This includes all information departments, faculty, or staff present to the public over the Internet. For the most current version of the policy, visit the Office of the Provost.
Assistance in meeting these standards for your web materials can be found several places across campus. For more information, visit the following websites:
Creating a distance education course involves a significant investment of time and energy on the part of the instructor. It is recommended that faculty start the planning process for course development at least six months prior to the course being offered for the first time. Given the increasing demands for assistance in creating web-enhanced or web-based courses in particular, support units may set deadlines and guidelines for providing assistance to faculty in this process. You are advised to contact such support units (e.g., Off-Campus Programs and STaR) as soon as you know you will be developing a distance education course and no later than six months prior to offering the course for the first time.
The decision to offer a course through distance education (either through ITV, or as a web-based or telecourse) begins at the department level. Each program or college has its own procedures for determining which courses will be offered. UALR policy requires that a syllabus be on file for all courses regardless of delivery mode. All credit courses offered through distance learning must be listed in the undergraduate or graduate catalog, unless approved as a Special Topics course.
Web-based or telecourses should be offered through the Off-Campus Programs (OCP) office. Scheduling of these courses must be done in collaboration with that office so as to best serve our distance students. OCP will be responsible for entering those courses into the BANNER system—along with a comment indicating to students which type of class it is. OCP will ensure that arrangements have been made to provide academic (e.g., testing or library access) and student support (e.g., registration, financial aid, advisement or orientation) to the distant learners. Except for COB, ITV courses are scheduled through Scholarly Technology and Resources (STaR)—as is the video classroom in Dickinson Hall.COB schedules their own ITV classes in the designated classroom in the Reynolds Building.
Web-based or other distance education courses are normally taught on an in-load basis. To assist them, UALR provides faculty with a variety of support. This includes technical support to maintain campus infrastructure, assistance in adapting technology to classroom use, and assistance in curriculum development and design. Support and assistance can be obtained through Computing Services, Project PACE to help faculty with web accessibility issues, and the Scholarly Technology and Resources office (569-8954). Faculty may also apply for support from Extended Programs to develop a specific online course or program.
The purpose of proctoring an examination, delivered on-campus or by distance education, is to ensure the credibility of the examination process and to reduce the possibility that academic dishonesty or cheating will occur during an examination. The person who proctors an examination is referred as a "proctor".
Whenever possible, a representative of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock proctors exams. The University may enter into agreements with University of Arkansas system units, other post-secondary institutions across the state, or elsewhere, to serve as an examination center.
Definitions
2.1 Examination Center – An examination center is defined as a post-secondary institution with which the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has entered into an agreement to proctor examinations.
2.2 Proctor – A proctor is defined as person of trust or authority who meets the specific guidelines for a proctor and agrees to proctor an examination for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Students
Students Residing Within Arkansas
Students who live within 60 miles of an examination center must write their examination at one of the centers. Students are not required to use the center closest to them. Students who live more than 50 miles from an examination center may take their examination closer to home provided they arrange for a volunteer who meets the proctor guidelines, and who is willing to proctor their examination.
Students Residing Outside of Arkansas
While highly desirable, students who live outside of the state of Arkansas are not required to take their examination at the center closest to them. Students residing outside of Arkansas will be required to secure a volunteer proctor who meets the specific guidelines (below) and who is willing to proctor their examination.
International Students
International students and U.S. students living overseas (e.g. military personnel and dependents) will take their examinations at an approved post-secondary institution or teaching center. International and U. S. students living overseas will be required to secure a volunteer proctor who meets the specific guidelines (below) and who is willing to proctor their examination.
Disability Accommodations
Proctors must be willing to provide approved testing accommodations based on a disability. Testing accommodations for students with disabilities are determined in advance through UALR Disability Support Services. Students should contact DSS within the first week of the semester when possible, preferably prior to the start of the semester, and provide documentation that supports accommodation requests. Students may contact DSS later in the semester, but accommodations will begin from the point at which the student provides documentation supporting accommodation requests.
Proctors
Whenever possible, a representative of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock proctors exams. The University may enter into agreements with University of Arkansas system units, other post-secondary institutions across the state, or elsewhere, to serve as an examination center. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock reserves the right to reject proposed proctors. Off-Campus Programs will provide assistance for proctors and students with problems or requiring assistance.
Proctor Guidelines
The purpose of these guidelines is to establish criteria for the selection of proctors and to assist in the supervision of examinations not held on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. They include:
Qualifications – Wherever possible, a proctor should be a full-time employee of University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a University of Arkansas system unit, or other post-secondary institutions. This may include faculty (regardless of rank), full-time staff members, or an appropriate designate. Where the examination is not taken within Arkansas, other acceptable persons may include the full-time faculty or staff of a post-secondary institution (including community colleges and technical institutions) or secondary school, and persons of trust and authority within the community (clergy, police chiefs, judiciary, etc.). The University of Arkansas at Little Rock reserves the right to reject proposed proctors.
Conflict of Interest - To eliminate conflict-of-interest problems, relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers (including immediate supervisors), persons living at the same address of the student, or other University of Arkansas at Little Rock students, cannot proctor exams.
Physical Presence - Examinations must be written under the direct supervision of the proctor. Only those materials specifically permitted during the examination are allowed in the student’s presence.
Procedures for Proctoring an Examination
Selection of a Proctor - No later than three weeks from the first class day of the semester, the student identifies the method of testing (examination center, individual proctor) to be used during the course. Where the individual proctor method is employed, the student will arrange for the proposed proctor to submit a letter of agreement, written on official letter-head, that identifies the proposed him or her, his or her academic qualifications, position and institution, as well as agreement to proctor this specific student. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will notify the prospective proctor and the student of the acceptance or rejection status of the prospective proctor as soon as possible.
Requesting an Examination – No later than two weeks prior to the scheduled date of the examination, the examination and/or proctor’s access code will be provided to the proctor. The proctor and the student will arrange: (1) a time and date for the examination in cases where the examination date is flexible or (2) a time for the examination to be taken in cases where a specific 24-hour window has been scheduled.
Proctoring the Examination - Proctors will arrange a suitable location for students taking the examination. This location may include, but is not limited to, classrooms, meeting rooms, computer laboratories, and personal offices. Care will be taken to ensure that the physical conditions are amenable to examination taking (quiet, good ventilation, well-lighted, etc.). Ensuring student compliance with open / closed book restrictions are the responsibility of the proctor. Proctors will be physically present during the examination that they are proctoring.
Returning of Examination Materials – The proctor is responsible for
sending all examination materials to the University of Arkansas at Little
Rock within 24 hours of the examination being completed. Examinations taken
in electronic format (i.e., computer-mediated) will be submitted immediately
upon completion. Examinations that are not delivered through electronic formats
must be copied by the proctor and retained until notified by the University
of Arkansas at Little Rock that the original materials have arrived safely.
At that time, the proctor will destroy any such copies.
Where none of these procedures are practicable, students will be required
to contact the Office of Off-Campus Programs for help in determining a suitable
examination location and acceptable proctor.
Exam Proctoring Fees
Some proctors may request a fee to proctor examinations. Students are responsible for all expenses incurred for this service. Similarly, students may be required to pay proctoring fees to the institution that is proctoring their exams. While the University of Arkansas at Little Rock does not charge a fee to proctor examinations when taken at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock or at any University of Arkansas system unit, some out-of-state post-secondary institutions may do so.
All members of the UALR intellectual community understand the importance of intellectual honesty and respect for the intellectual property rights of others. However, the new information technology sometimes blurs the boundaries of what is considered "fair use." It is important for faculty to keep abreast of the latest guidelines for fair use of materials obtained from the Internet and for placing other materials on the Internet for teaching purposes. It is also important to be informed regarding and to adhere to the license rules and restrictions on the use of software or library resources that the University has made available for members of the University community to use.
In October 2001, the UA System Board passed Policy 210.2 in response to concerns about the development of tech-enhanced course materials (TECMs) for distance learning. The Policy defines "distance learning" as "...two-way communication between a teacher and student separated by a geographical distance or time using technology for the purpose of facilitating and supporting the education process." They then define "tech-enhanced course material" (TECM) as "...materials utilizing electronic transmissions to accomplish such an activity."
The Board saw the development of quality TECMs as an important part of quality distance education in Arkansas, but it was not clear how existing policies concerning copyright and patents applied. It was recognized that the production of quality TECMs would involve the investment by the university of considerable resources. In the Preamble to Policy 210.2, the UA Board states that: "The objective of this policy is to protect the copyright rights of both the faculty member and the University in TECM and to encourage the offering of quality distance learning programs." They go on to state that "...it is important to address the issues raised by the creation, use and distribution of various forms of TECM and clarify the rights and responsibilities of each of the parties involved."
UA System Board Policy 210.2 was the product of this attempt to clarify the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in the development of TECMs. Individual campuses were then given the responsibility to apply the Policy to their individual situations. How this policy would apply to UALR was the subject of much review and discussion by several faculty and administrative groups. The UALR Faculty Senate adopted the final version during its April 2002, meeting. Chancellor Hathaway approved his policy in May 2002, and it was forwarded to the UA System Office.
View the complete explanation of the policy with relevant procedures and forms.
"Information technology (IT) has the ability to distribute and examine a vast array of material with unprecedented speed. One requirement however, remains constant: all information technology use must fully respect the rights of the University and IT community members. This Acceptable Use Policy is designed to guide faculty, staff and students in the acceptable use of network and information systems provided by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). More importantly, it is meant as an application of principles of respect using UALR computer resources, other computer users, and for the medium itself.
The UALR community is encouraged to make innovative and creative use of information technologies in support of education and research. Consistent with other University policies, this policy is intended to respect the rights and obligations of academic freedom as well as to protect the resources of the University.
The University campus network is an open network and therefore cannot protect individuals against the existence or receipt of material that may be offensive to them. Those who make use of electronic communications are warned that they may come across or be recipients of material they find offensive. Those who use email and/or make information about themselves available on the Internet should be forewarned that the University cannot protect them from invasions of privacy and other possible dangers that could result from the distribution of personal information.
IT and network facilities of the University are finite and limited. These facilities should be used wisely and carefully with consideration for the needs of others. When used appropriately, these tools can enhance dialog and communications. When used inappropriately or unlawfully, these tools can infringe on the rights of others.
Current use of IT parallels familiar activities in other media and formats and existing University policies already provide guidance. Using electronic media in the place of standard written correspondence, for example, does not fundamentally alter the nature of the communication, nor will it alter the guiding policies. University policies, which already apply to freedom of expression, privacy and related matters, apply to electronic expression as well. This IT Appropriate Use Policy (AUP) addresses circumstances, which are new or at least unfamiliar in the IT arena and augments rather than replace other applicable University policies. "
Visit the Computing Services website for the complete text of the policy.
"The University may restrict the use of its' IT and network systems when faced with evidence of violation of University policies, federal or local laws. The University reserves the right to limit access to its networks and IT systems. The University may limit access to material posted on University owned IT systems that is deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with the educational, research and community service missions of this University.
Systems Administrators are authorized by the University Network Security Policy to apply certain penalties to enforce applicable policies. Such penalties include temporary or elimination of access privileges, which may apply to networks and other IT services or facilities."
All courses should be included in program assessment activities regardless of the mode of delivery of instruction. Likewise, all courses should be included in student evaluations. Programs may use their regular student evaluation forms or adapt them for the particular distributed learning environment. Student evaluations of web-based courses are performed by Off-Campus Programs, with the results summarized and distributed to the instructor and unit head.
LM (1/30/2006)