Course Instruction

Students are provided with organized and effective instructional materials that meet the following criteria:

1. Content reflects up-to-date theory and practice in the discipline.

2. Instructional materials directly align with and support course objectives.

3. A variety of teaching techniques and resources are used to accommodate diverse learning styles.

4. If third-party publisher materials are used for direct instruction, instructors must supplement them by clarifying and expanding upon the content. Faculty should contextualize the materials and address potential areas of confusion by providing introductions, explanations, or reflective commentary within the module. Courses should not rely exclusively on third-party resources for instruction. 

Activities/Assignments

Student learning is assessed accurately through high-quality assignments and activities, which include:

1. Detailed instructions for all activities and assignments

2. Specific and detailed grading criteria such as rubrics.

3. An opportunity for formative activities prior to summative assignments.

4. A variety of assessment methods that represent diverse learning styles.

5. Third party resources are not the exclusive measure of course progress. For each course-level learning objective, instructors are expected to design at least one learning assessment of their own creation. While publisher content can enhance learning, it may not replace instructor-developed assessments

Gradebook

Grades are recorded in the LMS using the electronic gradebook and are calculated accurately according to the syllabus. Grades are accurately reported at the end of each course.

Student Access to Current Grades

Instructors must grade assignments within 7 days of the due date, ensuring students have timely access to their current grades.

Course Template

Instructors shall complete all components of the course template, including but not limited to, providing contact information and facilitating enrollment verification when required.

Modules

All related content (such as course materials, activities, and assignments) is organized and grouped into modules that reflect an easy-to-understand course flow.

Clear Pacing and Communication

The course schedule and due dates are clearly communicated to students using tools like calendars, announcements, and pages.

Instructors reply to students' email or phone calls within 2 business days.

Clear Navigation

Navigation throughout the course is intuitive for students, with unnecessary menu items hidden to reduce confusion.

Accessibility

Course content is in compliance with ADA guidelines and includes items such as alternative text, captions, and alternative formats when needed. 

Academic Integrity and Data Privacy

The course fosters a safe digital learning environment by promoting data privacy, adherence to copyright law, and modeling academic integrity.

Regular Communication

The instructor delivers weekly announcements that incorporate course material and class progress. Announcements should include, but not limited to, elements of an academic nature such as frequently asked questions, extensions or clarification of course content, or prerequisite knowledge for an upcoming module.

Instructors are required to respond to student emails and LMS messages within 2 business days.

Student Feedback

Instructors must provide personalized feedback on assignments at least once per week, tailored to each student’s learning progress. For students who have mastered the content, feedback should highlight the skills the student should continue to apply and/or offer extensions for further learning.

Interactions

The course facilitates meaningful peer-to-peer and teacher-to-student interactions, such as through discussion boards, group projects, or live sessions.

 Presence

Faculty teaching online or hybrid courses must log in to their course sites at least twice each week, on non-consecutive day 

COURSE SYLLABUS DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

The Course Syllabus must:

• be available to students on the first day of class as an accessible, downloadable MS Word, Google Doc, or PDF file and uploaded into Canvas.

• contain all of the following information listed below (1-13) 

• you must download the template in order to manipulate it and save it for upload to Softdocs

Required Information on the Course Syllabus

1. Course Title, Number, Section

2. Course Location, Meeting Days, and Times

3. Instructor Information: Name, Contact Information, Office Hours 

4. The most current Course Description from the NCCCS Combined Course Library (opens in new tab).

5. Course Prerequisites and Corequisites (include local Prerequisites and Corequisites--this information is in the current CFCC Catalog & Handbook and can be obtained by looking up this specific course)

6. The major objectives of this course (written in terms of what the student will do rather than what the instructor will do).  These are general education objectives, the basis of which can be found in the above NCCCS Combined Course Library course description.

Course Requirements section

7. All Required Textbooks & Materials for this course; including Inclusive Access information.

8. Course-Specific Requirements (what will be expected or required of the student specific to this class and not CFCC in general).  For example: assignment policies, late and/or make-up assignment policy, grading turnaround time, email/call response time, etc.

9. Major Assignments for the course and their due dates.  This can be either a grid here or a separate document added to the Course Overview module, whichever you prefer.

Course Policies section

10. Attendance Policy for this course. Include the following statement on the Course Syllabus: *Note:  Face to Face, Blended and Hybrid courses require your physical attendance.

11. Required Computer & Digital Literacy Skills for this course

12. Technical Requirements for this course (e.g., hardware, software, browser, etc.)

13. Include the following statement on the Course Syllabus: "CFCC Policies:  Students are responsible for knowing and abiding by the policies in the current CFCC Catalog and Student Handbook."

Other Information section

14. (Optional) Other pertinent course-specific information (e.g., Netiquette)

NOTE: College Policies should not be placed on this document since they are linked in #13 and in the Start Here/Student Support Resources folder as part of the Canvas Course Template. 

Template