The Importance of the Quality and Quantity of Content


The Importance of the Quality and Quantity of Content

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The rigor of a course should not change because of format

Online courses should be equivalent to face-to-face courses in every way except how the materials are delivered. Just like in traditional classroom settings, online instructors are actively involved in the course interacting with students and teaching course content.

Likewise, students can expect to engage in similar material, complete comparable assignments, and manage an equivalent workload to that of an on-campus course. 


Clock and Credit Hour Requirements

The rigor of an online course should be in keeping with the course level and credit hours (see federal credit hour requirements Links to an external site.). Courses need to have enough content to equate to their credit hour designation regardless of semester length. Intersession and summer courses are not excluded. They must also adhere to clock hour requirements in spite of their condensed format.

Federal Regulations Regarding Clock and Credit Hours

Read through the definitions of Clock Hour Links to an external site. and Credit Hour Links to an external site. as defined by the US government below (codified as 34 C.F.R. § 600 Links to an external site.).

Clock and Credit Hour Definitions
CLOCK HOUR 50 to 60 minutes in a 60-minute period of attendance in—
  1. A synchronous or asynchronous class, lecture, or recitation where there is opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students; or
  2. An asynchronous learning activity involving academic engagement in which the student interacts with technology that can monitor and document the amount of time that the student participates in the activity.
CREDIT HOUR One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week.

As can be seen above, students in a regular length semester can expect to work on their course at least 9 hours each week for a 3 credit hour class (3 hours for in class lecture/work and 6 hours of out of class work). The same holds true for online. 

The following chart illustrates the minimum amount of time students can expect to work each week for a 3 credit online course in varying length semesters:

Online Course Student Time Allotment
Semester Student Time Allotment
16 Week Semester 9+ hours/week
8 Week Semester 18+ hours/week
4 Week Semester 36+ hours/week

It is helpful to keep this in mind when designing an online course. It can be tempting to cut back on the content, teaching, and requirements simply because it is in an online environment or because it is a condensed semester. Do not short change your students because of format or semester length.

 

➜ Are you adding too much? Not enough? Try this Workload Calculator Links to an external site.

 


>> The next section will discuss additional university requirements to consider. 

 

 

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