General

1) How do I learn more about teaching online at PCC?

Begin by checking out this web site. For additional questions, contact the Office of Academic Support in Room C223. Or call Extension 7171.

2) Is there a "student readiness" test that a student might take prior to enrolling in an online class to determine if s/he is a good candidate for distance education?

Yes! There is information about the online learning environment and a link to a survey, "Am I Ready for Online Learning?" accessible from the PCC Blackboard/CE8 login page at http://pcc.blackboard.com. Click on the tab "Tools for Success."

3) What is the basic Curriculum and Instruction process in creating an online class?

Pasadena City College has an automated Curriculum Management System (WebCMS) that supports the proposal/approval process. The C & I Flow Chart does not have an external link, but looks like this: Faculty––> SLO Coordinator––> Division Dean––> Articulation––> Career & Technical Education––> Curriculum Office Review––> Curriculum Committee Review––> Approved

4) How does a student enroll in a Distance Education (online) course? Is the process any different from enrolling in an on-campus class?

The enrollment process for adding a Distance Education (online) class is exactly the same as enrolling in an on-campus class. However, the student should note that that along with the course description, the schedule of classes often has informational footnotes tied to online classes. These footnotes are no different than footnotes provided for on-campus classes, that require certain actions from students like contacting a teacher by email to confirm enrollment.

Accessibility

1) What does it mean that a distance education course must be "accessible?"

Certain disabilities such as visual and hearing impairments make using the Internet a challenge. Section 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act requires Federal agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The California Community College (CCC) system has released Distance Education Access Guidelines and Alternate Media Access Guidelines. The Alternate Media Access guidelines serve as a guide for the implementation of California law AB422 requiring publishers to provide textbooks in electronic format. The Distance Education Access Guidelines serve as a guide for the implementation of the CCC's agreement with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to ensure that students with impairments are given full access to distance learning in the CCC system.

2) What considerations should be made in order to develop accessible web-based distance learning courses?

The first source you might want to check out is DBTAC (Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center) New England ADA Center at: http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/printpage.php?print=1 &pagename=what_considerations_accessible_distance_learning&css=regular

3) What research-based Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) resource is available online?

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. It promotes the use of computer and networking technologies to increase independence, productivity, and participation in education and employment. Online faculty resources hosted by the University of Washington can be found at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/

Learning Management System

1) Which learning management system does PCC use for online teaching?

PCC uses Blackboard/CE8 to help instructors create learning content by employing a variety of web-based tools.

2) How do I get a Blackboard/CE8 course template?

4) Contact Academic Support at x7605 or email our DE Web Specialist Jason Betrue jabetrue@pasadena.edu