Hiring

• Academic departments are responsible for hiring faculty to teach online, hybrid and RODP courses.  The hiring criteria are the same for all programs.
• Hiring information is available at the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost website and at the Distance Learning Adjunct Faculty Resources website. 
• In addition to the documents submitted by the academic departments, faculty hired to teach Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses must send a current resume or vita and a copy of the transcript of their highest degree earned to Distance Learning Faculty Services at MTSU Box 54.  These documents are sent to the TBR to be placed on file to fulfill SACS faculty credential requirements.

 Training

MTSU Instructors

• All faculty are required to complete mandatory Desire2Learn (D2L) training prior to MTSU online and hybrid course instruction or have documented prior experience using this system.  Workshops or one-on-one consultation may be scheduled by contacting the Faculty Instructional Technology Center (FITC) staff at 615-904-8189. Faculty may also register online for workshops.

• Also required of all MTSU faculty is the successful completion of Preventing Sexual Harassment training.  The MTSU policy statement on sexual harassment (and other resources) is available on the Institutional Equity and Compliance web site.
• A useful tool to assess readiness for online instruction may be found at Assessment and Evaluation for Distance Learning

RODP Instructors

• All new RODP instructors are required to participate in these training sessions: 

• A useful tool to assess readiness for online instruction may be found at Assessment and Evaluation for Distance Learning.

•  Also required of all MTSU faculty is the successful completion of Preventing Sexual Harassment training.  The MTSU policy statement on sexual harassment (and other resources) is available on the Institutional Equity and Compliance web site.

Compensation

• Adjunct Faculty are paid according to the adjunct pay criteria guidelines or their rank within their academic departments: 

• RODP Adjunct Pay Dates
• • Spring Semester:

                   1/3 February 28; 1/3 March 31; 1/3 April 30.

                   1/3 October 31; 1/3 November 30; 1/3 December 31.

Email and Course Access

MTSU Online Instructors

• ITD establishes MTSU email and Pipeline accounts for the new instructor after the hiring documents are signed and sent to Academic Resources. 
• Faculty access MTSU online courses through PipelineMT or directly at https://elearn.mtsu.edu.  To obtain a PipelineMT user name and password, faculty should follow these instructions:

• Students enrolled in MTSU online and hybrid courses do not have access to their courses until the first day of class, but faculty can see the populated classlist as students register.

• MTSU online, hybrid, and RODP instructors have access to their courses two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.

RODP Course Instructors

• Even though all MTSU faculty require an MTSU email account and access to Pipeline, faculty hired to teach RODP courses are provided a user name and password during Orientation training to access their RODP course(s) through the RODP website.
• RODP courses are not populated with students until the first day of class.
• RODP students do not have access to their courses until the first day of class.
• RODP instructors have access to their courses two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester in order to make changes relevant to the semester.

Instructional Mentor
Adjunct faculty hired to teach MTSU online or hybrid courses are required to use content developed by MTSU faculty.  These faculty/course designers serve as instructional mentors throughout the semester and provide the following assistance.  

• Design the course so that other instructors can teach it.

• Meet face-to-face with the new instructor to review the course and provide instructional training.
• Obtain the required textbooks for the new instructor, or request that his/her department do so.
• Complete the following activities each semester his/her course content is taught by another instructor:
• • updates and prepares the course for instruction;
  • requests access to current semester courses that will utilize the content by completing and submitting the appropriate form found at the D2L Faculty Support website - http://www.mtsu.edu/d2lsupport/faculty/index.shtml
    Note: This service will be provided by the lead designer even if he/she is not teaching a section of that course that semester.
  • Copies course content into the new semester courses;
  • Works with new instructors to revise:
  • • Welcome page;
    • Faculty contact information;
    • Calendar.
• Instructions for moving content between D2L shells:
• • Open the blank course that you want to copy the course content into.
  • Click the Import/Export/Copy Components link on the right side of the home page
  • Choose to copy from another org unit
  • Scroll down and choose the development shell (or regular course) that contains the course content you want to move.
  • The screen will refresh.  Choose the Select All check box.
  • Click the next buttons at the bottom of the screen until you work through the wizard.
  • When the button displays “done” go to the home page to review.

Instructor Responsibilities

• Access MTSU online course(s) (section numbers beginning with a “D01”- D02, etc.) in D2L via PipelineMT or directly at https://elearn.mtsu.edu/.
• Access RODP courses (section numbers beginning with “R50”- R51, etc.) at https://elearn.rodp.org/.
• All RODP course sections are cloned from the master course.  New instructors must meet with the lead course designer before the semester begins to edit the course materials, i.e. calendar, professor contact information, welcome message.  The Faculty Instructional Technology Center staff is also available to provide assistance.  
• Log into class at least three times per week
• Respond to student e-mails and discussion postings within 48 hours
• Grade assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc., and post the grades within two weeks of the assignment’s posted due date
• Create a high level of interaction between students and instructor.
• Submit final course grades by MTSU semester deadline.
• Incorporate effective teaching techniques to enhance the student learning experience.
• Request assistance from the lead designer (or RODP content mentor), as necessary, during the semester.
• Review Teaching Expectations required of all RODP faculty.
• Student Attendance Reporting and Unofficial Withdrawals Tutorial – required for students enrolled in MTSU online and hybrid courses only.  Attendance of RODP students is not reported.
• Online Grading Tutorial  

Faculty Support Services

• Faculty Instructional Technology Center (FITC)  The FITC assists faculty with the        creation of technology-based instructional materials for their courses. Workshops or    one-on-one consultation may be scheduled by contacting the Faculty Instructional Technology Center (FITC) staff at 615-904-8189.
• Instructional Technology Support Center (ITSC) The ITSC provides various      instructional media resources and audio-visual equipment. You may contact ITSC at 615-898-5191.
• MTSU Helpdesk provides online technical support for faculty, staff, and students available 24/7 during the semester.
• Faculty support may be reached by emailing rodptech@tbr.edu.  The RODP also offers technical support 24/7 at 1.866.376.8916. ASKRODP is an online site that provides help with RODP registration.
• D2L Support is designed to help faculty and students learn about Desire2Learn (the learning environment software supported by MTSU and the TBR) and to locate resources and request help with the system.
• Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC)
  The mission of the LT&ITC is to create a community of faculty who develop, improve and integrate creative and effective use of appropriate pedagogy and technologies to enhance student learning.
• SMARTHINKING is an online tutoring and writing service that helps students succeed by connecting them to qualified e-structors (online tutors) anytime, from any Internet connection.  Faculty may request additional information by emailing Carol Langley at clangley@mtsu.edu.
• Turnitin is an online plagiarism detection and prevention service provided for all MTSU distance faculty.  Faculty may request an account by emailing Cindy Adams at cladams@mtsu.edu.  

Proctoring Services
Distance Learning Test Center
The Distance Learning Test Center, located in 126 Kirksey Old Main (KOM), provides testing services for students whose schedules conflict with posted exam dates/times. Faculty who wish to provide this service for their students must provide a copy of their exams to the Test Center, and students may schedule their exam dates/times based on the instructor's exam time frames. Sheila Copeland at skcopela@mtsu.edu or 615/898-2743 may be contacted for additional information. 
Please Note:

• The Test Center cannot accommodate entire classes. This service is only for students who cannot make a previously-scheduled exam date due to extenuating circumstances.
• All exams scheduled through the Distance Learning Test Center must be completed prior to the scheduled on-campus class exam.
• Test Center services are provided for MTSU faculty who develop distance education courses through the MTSU Distance Learning Faculty Services Office.

Test Proctoring
Students who live at least 50 miles away or cannot make driving arrangements may have their exams proctored at an approved, off-campus location such as a public library, high school, college, etc. The Distance Learning Testing Center requires at least two weeks notice for this service. Students may request that their exams be sent to an approved off-campus proctor by contacting the Test Center or by calling 615-898-2743. The proctor must have at least a bachelor's degree and not be related to the student. The exam must be taken in a public setting (i.e. library). Students are not permitted to take exams in proctors' homes or other private settings.

• RODP Proctoring Information
  RODP students may be required to take supervised exams. The student is responsible for making proctoring arrangements.

Teaching and Learning

• Learning Styles
• • Identifying Student Attitudes and Learning Styles in Distance Education / Valenta, A., Therriaul, D., Dietert, M., and Mrtek, R. (2001)
    This article suggests that educational programs need to prepare and fine tune their delivery of online courses to ensure that it is suitable and acceptable to the broadest group of learners.
• Pedagogy
• • Best Practices E-Learning Pedagogy
  • Effective Practices - The Sloan Consortium
  • Principles of Good Practice  - The Southern Regional Education Board
• Copyright
• • Citation Style Guides 
  • United States Copyright Office
  • TBR Copyright Issues in Digital Distance Education
  • TBR Copyright Basics
  • TBR Guideline 075 – Distance Education and Intellectual Property
  • The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
  • The TEACH Act
  • Copyright Website  
  • Fair Use Guidelines 

Disabilities

• Disabled Student Services – MTSU - ADA compliance issues
• Adaptive Technology Center – MTSU

James E. Walker Library

• Distance Learning Library Services and Resources - provides helpful web resources and instructions for accessing library material from a distance.
• Library Resources for Distance Instructors - resources and services for distance instructors offered at the James E. Walker Library.
• RODP Virtual Library - established by the Tennessee Board of Regents to provide resources and services to students enrolled in the Regents Online Degree Program.

Other Faculty Resources

• Academic Calendar
• Change of Grade Form   
• Academic Affairs - This MTSU office provides leadership and management to support instruction, research, public service, and institutional effectiveness.
• AdjunctInfo - official website for adjunct faculty at MTSU.
• AdjunctSuccess – a site dedicated to the professional development of adjunct faculty and the instructional leaders who coordinate their work.
• Distance Education Clearinghouse - a comprehensive website that offers a wide range of information about distance education and related resources.
• Information Technology Resources Policy  - identifies appropriate use of MTSU’s Information Technology resources
• ITD Services for Faculty and Staff
• ITD Quick Links - ITD home page providing helpful links to the MTSU Help Desk, Student and Faculty Resources and e-Learning.
• MERLOT – (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) is a free and open resource for higher education faculty and students providing a searchable collection of peer review, higher education, online learning materials created by registered members, and a set of faculty development support services.
• Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) - a consortium of institutions and organizations committed to quality online education.

Instructional Recommendations
Student Readiness for Online Learning
Instructors may assess student readiness to take online classes by asking them to complete:

• the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) Student Readiness Survey; or

• Student Online Readiness Tool (SORT) - University System of Georgia USG SHARE.

Testing Tip – D2L
To prevent students from timing out of online exams, inform them that they should access D2L through https://elearn.mtsu.edu/ instead of through PipelineMT.

First Day of Class
(Based on Best Practices for Student Success and RODP Policies & Guidelines)

• Send an email and post a message on the Discussion Board to students welcoming them to class and encouraging them to actively communicate with their classmates.  Encourage them to email you regarding any learning problems or issues.
• Direct students to review the course syllabus and any “Getting Started” information.  This will help students to understand the organization and requirements of the course.
• In an effort to establish a positive and respectful classroom environment, encourage your students to review your course expectations and remind them of appropriate behavior in an online environment.

First Week of Class
(Based on Best Practices for Student Success and RODP Policies & Guidelines)

• Be prepared for registration adjustments during the first week of class.
• Students on financial aid may be delayed in obtaining their textbooks due the processing of the materials. Therefore, please provide some alternative options for students without books to access the information for the first week (Internet, etc.).
• Make students aware of support services that may enhance their success online (free tutoring, virtual library, ADA services, etc.) Share with them that within their class are links to all of the services.
• “Be sure to help students practice any tools they will need later on, such as a special quizzing browser, an online writing or math lab with a code required to get in, a certain type of file or program, a media player, an audio recorder, a video camera, etc. Get problems solved during the first week so that students can focus on learning content – not technology – later on.”
• If your students will require a proctor, urge them to schedule this during the first week or two of class.  Most testing centers are not heavily staffed, and trying to accommodate latecomers can become a nightmare for them.
• Especially during the first week of class, try to be online every day.  This will help students by:

Studies have shown that instructors who are available online every day during the first week have a significantly higher retention rate, increased communication and bonding, and fewer classroom problems.

After the Second Week of Class
(Based on Best Practices for Student Success and RODP Policies & Guidelines)

• Identify students who have not participated in the course and contact Susan Jones, Academic Outreach and Distance Learning, at smjones@mtsu.edu.  Susan will try to contact the students to confirm that they are still enrolled and to offer assistance.
• When it is evident that a student is falling behind in his/her work, email them immediately to try to get back on track.  Make sure that your policies on accepting late work are clear.  If no late work is allowed, communicate this at the start of the semester.  Also, quickly contact students who miss an assignment in an effort to assist them before the next assignment is due.

Semester Instructional Tips
(Based on Best Practices for Student Success and RODP Policies & Guidelines)

• Log into class at least three times per week to initiate communication with your students in an effort to serve as “facilitators of learning” and “motivators”.
• Respond to student e-mails and discussion postings within 48 hours, unless the students have been notified of any change beyond the required 48 hours.
• Grade assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc., and post the grades within two weeks of the assignment’s posted due date.
• MTSU online courses are to be taught asynchronously, and professors cannot require synchronous student interaction or assignments where students must be online at the same time as other students or with the instructor.

Communication Tips
Dr. Jay Sanders, Professor, Educational Leadership Department, states “the tone of what you post is very critical.  Trying to joke without using :-)'s is impossible.  They (students) will take whatever you write literally.  Getting to know the students and using positive comments work wonders in solving problems before they occur.  Asking a student if they need help many times will spur the procrastinator to get caught up.  Also, following up quickly after an assignment due has been missed helps create a positive environment instead of the "usual guilt" they feel.  Online you get to know the "quiet" students better because they cannot hide in the back of the room like they can in a regular classroom.  I would caution professors against trying too "out-kool" the students by trying to use their online language....they will LOL to each other about you!”

Discussion Board Examples
The discussion board is a useful teaching tool and allows for student-to-student interaction.  If you intend to grade discussion, provide students with guidelines.
All students will post a response to each of the discussion questions.  In addition each student will respond to the comments left by at least one of the other students.  You may only respond once to any particular student and that student must respond to your comments.  You may however respond to as many students as you like, and they may respond once to you. 
General criteria used to assess class discussions include:

1. Content Mastery: Students must evidence an understanding of the fact, concepts, and theories presented in the assigned readings and lectures. This ability is the basis for all higher-level skills and must be made evident by comments and/or response to questions.
2. Communication Skills: Students must be able to inform others in an intelligent manner what he/she knows. Ideas must be communicated clearly and persuasively. Communication skills include listening to others and understanding what they have said, responding appropriately, asking questions in a clear manner, avoiding rambling discourses or class domination, using proper vocabulary pertinent to the discussion, building on the ideas of others, etc.
3. Synthesis/Integration: Students must be able to illuminate the connections between the material under consideration and other bodies of knowledge. For example, one could take several ideas from the reading or class discussions and combine them to produce a new perspective on an issue, or one could take outside materials (from other classes, personal experiences, etc.) and combine them to create novel insights. Students who probe the interdisciplinary roots of the theories presented or who are able to view the author or the materials from several viewpoints demonstrate this skill.
4. Creativity: Students must demonstrate that they have mastered the basic materials and have gone on to produce their own insights. A simple repetition of ideas from the articles will not suffice, nor will simply commenting on what others have said. Students must go beyond the obvious by bringing their own beliefs and imagination to bear. Creativity may be displayed by showing further implications of the material, by applying it to a new field, or by finding new ways of articulating the materials, which produce significant insights.
5. Valuing: Students should be able to identify the value inherent in the material studied. Furthermore, students should be able to articulate their own positions by reference to basic underlying values. Students must not simply feel something is wrong or incorrect; she or he must be able to state why, based on some hierarchy of values. In either accepting or rejecting a position, the operative values must be explicit.
6. General Enthusiasm and Interest in the Class: This can be shown by regularity of discussion and bringing in outside, ancillary materials that you read or have passed along to you. The more substance that you bring to the discussion, the higher your grade.

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