Online Teaching and University Policy: Investigating the Disconnect
Wallace discusses two major policy concerns with online learning. These concerns are how to implement the education technologies and why and how educational technologies are to be used.
Academic policies must be looked at when comparing the policies for a traditional face-to-face course and an online course. The instructor teaching responsibilities must be evaluated. When looking at the policies they fit into a traditional course but when it is converted into an online course, the policies must be looked at because the setup is must different. One item such as class time definitions needs to be looked at. Academic integrity and student codes of conduct, course-instructor evaluation, appeals, and off-site exam invigilation also need to be looked at.
Administrative policies such as records security, privacy and archiving, and use of third-party material are also discussed. Questions about who owns the information that is posted on discussion boards and within a course are ongoing questions. How long will information be stored and who will have access to the information are also questioned. When looking at third-party material making sure all instructors and students understand the copyright act. The point that institutions are looking also is who owns the information that instructors create and post – is it owned by the institution or is it owned by the creator – the instructor or student.
The authors believe that making some of the modifications suggested within the article will be relatively simple – such as changing the wording of policies to fit online courses versus traditional courses. They suggest that adapting the educational policies to make them broader to encompass all of the aspects will make them better fit the current educational experiences.
Wallace, L. 2007 Aug 27. Online teaching and university policy: Investigating the disconnect. The Journal of Distance Education / Revue de l'Éducation à Distance. 22(1), 87-100. Available: http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/58/471