Resource Requirements &
Technical Support
Overview
Standard Three ensures that course materials and tools are selected and developed with consideration for learner access and support availability, and that adequate access and support resources for external course materials are communicated clearly in the LMS.
Summary of Evidence
Technology, media, and course material requirements that exceed the minimum technical requirements outlined in the College Catalog are communicated to the students and supported by course resources.
Rationale
Instructors should consider how the learner will acquire and access course materials when vetting outside resources. Affordability, digital platform functionality, currency of information, and support availability for digital materials all impact the learner experience. Faculty who make their materials easily accessible and provide adequate support will prevent potential barriers to student success.
Supporting Research
Becker, Kristen L., Safa, Rachel, Becker, Kyleigh M. High-Priced Textbooks’ Impact on Community College Student Success. Community College Review, 2023-01, Vol.51 (1), p.128-141
Course Design Checklist
These steps will help you build a course that meets proficiency in this standard.
Notify the DIID team of any new 3rd Party tool adoptions.
Include titles, authors, publishers, ISBNs, copyright dates, and information regarding how course materials can be obtained.
Utilize the DIID copy box and Brightspace integration for all External Learning Tools.
Include links to 3rd party assignments in Brightspace content, and ensure grades are linked into Brightspace when possible.
Test integrations by impersonating a specific learner in your course and attempting to access the tool. To have a sample student added to a course or sandbox, email online@nicc.edu.
Provide contact information for 3rd party technical support, including an email address, phone number, and a link to helpdesk support resources.
Follow all applicable NICC Quality Course Design Standards for content delivered outside the institutionally-adopted learning management system.
Next-Level Recommendations
To advance your course design even more, consider these best practices:
Use Intelligent Agents to automatically email students any special textbook or course material requirements before they begin purchasing textbooks.
Consider alternatives/substitutes to materials that have high costs or complex technical requirements.
Utilize the notes field in your Akademos bookstore adoption to list any special requirements, costs, or access information students will need.
Ensure external learning tool sites open on the same date as your Brightspace course to allow learners an opportunity to set up their accounts before class begins.
Building Guides
Use these resources to build course design elements in this standard.
