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Course Definitions
Online Courses
Correspondence courses are independent study offerings characterized by very low technology, no peer interaction, no group work, and limited faculty contact. Correspondence courses can include online testing, online syllabus, and grade posting in the university-supported learning management system. However, it should be possible to complete the course almost entirely without online components. Please note that if more than 50% of the content of a correspondence course is online, it should be converted to an online course.
Permission of Department (POD) Form
- Faculty are responsible for advising their academic departments of all of their distance courses which require a POD for course registration and the name of the individual to whom the online request should be directed upon submission.
- Students may request permission to register for a distance class by completing and submitting the Permission of Department (POD) Request Form.
- Directions for completion and submission of the POD Request Form are provided on Raidernet (by clicking on the CRN).
Class Size
- The academic department determines class seat limits for its correspondene courses.
- It is recommended that consideration be given to a lower class size for first-time instruction of correspondene courses.
- After the first correspondene teaching experience, and depending upon the course, departments may wish to increase class enrollment.
- After the seat limit is set and the course is full, it is the department's decision to allow students to add by issuing a Permission of Department (POD) Request Form.
In order to assist departments, the Distance Learning Committee at MTSU has recommended a maximum enrollment of 48 undergraduate students for MTSU Correspondence Courses. MTSU minimum student enrollments are as follows according to the Faculty Workload I, G and Summer School Guidelines VI, 1:
| No.Students |
Course Levels |
| 6 |
7000 |
| 8 |
6000 |
| 10 |
3000/4000/5000 |
| 15 |
1000/2000 |
*Based on the Faculty Workload I, G and Summer School Guidelines VI, 1.
Faculty - Full-time
MTSU online and hybrid courses are taught within a professor's course load.
Course and Teaching Preparation
- Correspondence course materials (including course updates) must be submitted to clangley@mtsu.edu by the dates noted below to be included in the printed materials placed in the MTSU Bookstore for student purchase:
Spring - October 1
Summer - March 1
Fall - June 1
- Instructors are required to copy course content from a previous semester online component into the current D2L semester shell. For faculty who wish to begin transferring content from the previous semester prior to receiving the new D2L shell, a request for a new D2L shell may be submitted.
- Instructors are required to log into the online component before the semester begins to edit the course materials, i.e. calendar, professor contact information, welcome message, assignment due dates (faculty may contact the Faculty Instructional Technology Center for assistance).
- Instructors should consider the MTSU academic calendar when determining assignment deadlines and course activities; beginning/end of semester; holidays; final grade submissions, etc.
Teaching Responsibilities
- Respond to student questions within 48 hours.
- Grade student projects, assignments, and tests in a timely manner and return assignments to students promptly.
- The Distance Learning Student Services Office (clangley@mtsu.edu) provides windowed envelopes for correspondence instructors to use for student return of assignments.
- Maintain regular office hours (including phone) for student consultation.
- Schedule campus facilities for exams, orientations, etc., by the Scheduling Center semester deadlines.
Faculty Compensation
- MTSU faculty teaching correspondence courses out-of-load are paid $95 per student enrolled at time of census;
- The departments of faculty teaching correspondence courses in-load receive $95 per student enrolled at time of census.
Faculty - Adjunct
Hiring
- Academic departments are responsible for hiring adjunct faculty to teach distance courses at MTSU.
- Hiring information is available at the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost website.
- Adjuncts instructing correspondence courses are also expected to have experience with the university-supported distance learning environment (Desire2Learn) in which the online component is housed.
- Additional information is available at the Distance Learning Adjunct Faculty Resources website.
Course and Teaching Preparation
- Adjuncts not familiar with the university-supported learning environment system, Desire2Learn (D2L), and/or do not have documented prior experience using D2L, may want to schedule training with the Faculty Instructional Technology Center (8189) prior to the beginning of the semester;
- Successfully complete Online Sexual Harassment Training, provided for and required of all MTSU personnel, before (or shortly after) the beginning of the semester.
Teaching Responsibilities
- Respond to student questions within 48 hours;
- Grade student projects, assignments, and tests in a timely manner and return assignments to students promptly.
- The Distance Learning Student Services Office (clangley@mtsu.edu) provides windowed envelopes for correspondence instructors to use for student return of assignments.
- For instructors who do not have an MTSU office, the Distance Learning Student Services Office (clangley@mtsu.edu) provides postage upon request.
- Maintain regular office hours (including phone) for student consultation.
Faculty Compensation
- Adjunct faculty receive a fee of $95 per student enrolled at time of census for instruction of correspondence courses.
Distance Learning Resources
Student Evaluation of Faculty
The MTSU Student Evaluation of Faculty Instrument is used in the faculty evaluation of distance educators. Distance Learning Student Services facilitates the student evaluation process by mailing the distance learning evaluation forms to students enrolled in distance learning courses.
Distance Learning Student Services will evaluate ALL distance learning courses every spring and fall semester. During summer semesters ITD selects a small percentage of courses to for evaluation.
The process is described below.
- ITD will forward the evaluation forms to Distance Learning Student Services.
- As time permits, the Distance Learning Student Services Office emails each student to inform them that evaluation forms will be mailed soon. Students are asked to verify their addresses and are given approximately a week to respond.
- The forms are mailed, with a return envelope, to all distance students in the designated courses. Students are given about three (3) weeks to return their completed evaluation forms.
- Follow-up emails are sent to all students encouraging them to complete and return their evaluation forms.
- As the completed evaluations are received, the envelopes are opened, and the evaluation forms are held until Study Day. (The envelopes are opened because students often mail other items to our office along with the evaluation such as a question for their instructor, a graduate application, an assignment, etc.)
- The evaluation forms are returned to ITD on the first day of final exams. If any evaluation forms are received after that date, they are forwarded to Curt Curry in ITD. Mr. Curry makes the determination as to if the late forms can be processed.
- Evaluation analyses are sent directly to the departments from ITD.
- Rate of return data is compiled by ITD and distributed to chairs and their distance faculty at the conclusion of the process.
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.
Instructional Resources
Faculty Instructional Technology Center
Located in the Telecommunications Building, the staff of the FITC assists Middle Tennessee State University faculty with the creation of online and hybrid courses and with technology-based instructional materials for their traditional courses.
Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center
The Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC) is a partnership between Academic Affairs and the Information Technology Division to further faculty development in learning and teaching excellence. The objective 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.
Library, James E. Walker - Distance Librarian
MTSU Contacts
RODP Virtual Library
Sloan Consortium
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Standards for Quality Online Teaching
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Electronic Campus
Student Handbook
MTSU's definition of plagiarism may be found in the Student Handbook.
Turnitin Educational Suite
Turnitin is an online educational suite which assists distance educators with plagiarism detection and prevention. Some students may not know what plagiarism is or that they are violating copyright laws, especially if the information they are using is obtained from the internet. The Distance Learning Faculty Services Office provides Turnitin accounts for all MTSU distance educators. Please contact the Distance Learning Faculty Services Office at cladams@mtsu.edu or 615/904-8276 to request an account.
Instructional Resource Links
Copyright
MTSU Resources
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