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Definition
The Tennessee Board of Regents technology centers, community colleges, and universities have joined in a collaborative, strategic planning effort to offer the Regents Online Degree Programs (RODP). The thirteen two-year community colleges deliver and award four associate degrees, and the six TBR universities deliver and award two bachelor degrees and masters degrees in Education, Professional Studies, and Nursing.
RODP courses are entirely online and transferable among all the participating institutions. Students may choose the college or university (home school) through which the admission and registration processes are completed and from which their degrees are awarded.
Faculty wishing to participate in the RODP may find information regarding course proposals, contracts, training, development and course development fees at the RODP website, the MTSU RODP website, or they may call the MTSU Distance Learning Faculty Services Office at 615/904-8276.
Getting Started
Check Existing Programs/Courses
Faculty who wish to develop a course for the RODP should first check the existing courses and programs to determine if the course has been developed and to determine for what program the course should be designed.
Please note:
- Submission of a Course Proposal to the RODP does not guarantee course development approval.
- MTSU faculty must submit proposals only for 3000 and 4000 level courses. Community colleges have first choice over courses proposed at the 1000 and 2000 levels.
Course Completion Deadlines
- November 1 - Spring Semester
- April 1 - Summer Semester
- July 1 - Fall Semester
Two semesters, minimum, should be allotted for course approval, development, review, and course scheduling.
Course Proposal Form
- Submit (per instructions on the form) a Course Development Proposal Form
- Submit a syllabus using the syllabus template required by the RODP (may be a draft)
- Obtain original signatures on a hard copy of the Course Proposal Form and submit per instructions
- Send a copy of each document to the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office at MTSU Box 54.
Acceptance for Course Development
- The proposal is reviewed by the appropriate subcommittee of the RODP Curriculum Committee and a recommendation is made to the RODP Curriculum Committee regarding acceptance for development, rejection, necessary revisions and re-review.
- The faculty member is notified of the committee’s decision.
- If the proposal is accepted, the instructor should contact the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office to obtain a course development contract.
- If the proposal is not accepted, course content may have overlapped with or been too similar to an existing course or revisions to the proposal are requested in order for the subcommittee and the committee to re-review it.
- When notified by the RODP that a course is approved for development, the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office orders a laptop computer for the course designer, if that pay option is selected (see compensation chart below). When the laptop computer arrives, appropriate software is installed, and the unit is transferred to the inventory of the course designer's department.
Course Development Agreement
- After a course is accepted for development, the course designer is required to sign an online course development contract which outlines course development and instruction expectations as well as the terms for compensation. The course designer must request the contract from the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office.
- When the contract has been approved by all parties, a copy is sent to the Tennessee Board of Regents and a copy is kept on file in the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office. A copy of the approved document will be provided upon request by contacting Distance Learning Faculty Services at 615/898-5374 or cladams@mtsu.edu.
- Faculty must have an approved contract on file in the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office prior to course development in order to receive compensation.
Course Development Shell – D2L
When a course is accepted for development, a Desire2Learn (D2L) course shell is provided by the RODP. RODP courses are accessed through the RODP website and not through the MTSU server or PipelineMT.
Required Training
All course designers are required to participate in these online training sessions:
- Faculty RODP Orientation;
- Teaching with D2L Tools trainings.
Course designers are required to attend the RODP D2L Orientation Training even if they have previously developed a RODP D2L Course. Additional training and support may be accomplished at the local campus level or from the RODP staff. Faculty may review schedules and register online for training sessions at the RODP Training website.
Regardless of the source of training and support, the RODP Standards and Template Guidelines should be followed and are available inside each D2L course and online.
RODP Content Mentors
A content mentor is the person who developed an RODP course. Responsibilities of the content mentor are:
- Mentor all other instructors teaching a section of their course.
- Review the modifications that other instructors would like to implement regarding their section of the course.
- Ensure the use of the Virtual Library in the teaching of the course.
- Ensure that the master copy is updated each semester with the calendar, tests, assignments, etc.
- Confirm the textbook for the course.
- Ensure that the bookstore has the correct textbook and materials.
- Ensure that the public and class syllabus are updated.
- Assist in analyzing the grading data and achievement between noted sections and on-ground sections.
- Convene a yearly meeting (face-to-face or conference call or ITV, etc.) with the other instructors for feedback and course enhancement.
- Complete the annual course update form.
- Keep current on the advances in multi-media and technology available for their online discipline.
- Participant in scholarly activities related to E-Learning (MERLOT, E-Learning Academies, presentations, publications, etc.).
Course Development
New course designers will develop their courses according to the RODP Course Development Process, Procedures, Guidelines, and Training (adhering to TBR Quality Matters for Online Teaching and Learning), and the New Guidelines for Addressing Online Retention.
Final Course Reviews/Approval
Information about the RODP course development review process may be found online.
RODP Course Development Fees
When the course receives final approval from the RODP, a pay document is prepared by Distance Learning Faculty Services to compensate the course designer according to his/her choice from this chart:
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Course Level
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New Course Development
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Converted Courses
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Undergraduate
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$3,000 plus a laptop or $4,500
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$2,250 plus a laptop or $3,000
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Graduate
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$3,500 plus a laptop or $5,000
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$2,750 plus a laptop or $3,500
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Course Development Resources
ADA
Copyright
Course Content Modules
D2L
Electronic Campus (SREB)
MTSU
RODP
Sloan Consortium
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