Important Notice
The process for creating fully functional, online course shells is very time consuming. A well designed, online course requires extensive planning up front. In order to grow online offerings, BCTC needs quality online course shells; likewise, there needs to be recognition and support for faculty who engage in the work of online course construction. We cannot ask faculty members--particularly adjunct faculty members--to undertake this kind of work without support and recognition.
The Assistant Dean for Distance Learning (ADDL), working with members of the DLAC and with the assistance of Assistant Deans and Program/Area Coordinators will identify courses which benefit from the creation of a common course shell. Criteria in making this identification include (but are not limited to):
The final decision will be made by the Vice-president for Academics in consultation with the Academic Leadership Team.
Once courses have been identified, Assistant Deans working with Program/Area Coordinators and with input from the Assistant Dean for Distance Learning and the Distance Learning Advisory Committee will select course shell builders.
Course shell builders are expected to do much more than take a few course notes and put them online. It is expected that they will receive input from the ADDL, the Online Facilitators, and the Coordinator of Technology Training and Distance Learning Technology Support. Builders should also consult closely with their Program/Area Coordinator, Assistant Dean and the faculty members within their area and/or division as well as with any online course coordinators or online division/area committees. A fully functional course will have integrated assignments, test banks, a flexible schedule of assignments for 6-week, 8-week, and 15-week semesters, and a course syllabus. Builders will provide text support materials, including reading assignments, links to online content, and video and audio content. Courses will be ADA compliant and will follow best practices in effective online instruction.
The final product will exist as a Blackboard Cartridge that is available to all BCTC instructors. Builders will be responsible for updating and maintaining the course shell during its first year of implementation. Builders should also draft plan/recommendations to cover future maintenance of the course shell.
Course shells builders will receive an honorarium of $500. This dollar amount is based on the old faculty-staff mini grants. It is important to emphasize that the time investment in constructing these course shells is extensive and far exceeds the monetary compensation.
Course shell builders will acknowledge their work as Educational Leadership on the PPE.
Point of clarification: the $500 grant for course shell construction does not disqualify a faculty member from submitting a Merit Bonus Application nor will the $500 grant be considered in awarding merit bonus, i.e. a faculty member may still apply for merit bonus.
Intellectual property rights in online works are equally shared between KCTCS and the KCTCS faculty, staff, or other employee who created the work, unless an agreement provides otherwise. Online works are materials developed for and used within the delivery of online courses (http://legacy.kctcs.edu/employee/policies/volumeII/volII3-3-5.pdf).