SDCCD Distance Education Handbook
The SDCCD Distance Education Handbook has been compiled through a collaborative effort by the Districtwide Distance Education Steering Committee, Faculty Mentors, and the SDCCD Online Learning Pathways staff.
The Handbook is meant to provide faculty with guidelines in developing online courses following best practices and to provide resources regarding Federal and State Regulations, ACCJC Standards for Distance Education, and related SDCCD Board Policies and Procedures.
For any questions regarding this content please reach out to the Online Learning Pathways Instructional Design Supervisor, Liesl Boswell (lboswell@sdccd.edu)
This handbook, compiled collaboratively by the Districtwide Distance Education Steering Committee, Faculty Mentors, and SDCCD Online Learning Pathways staff, provides faculty with essential information and resources for developing and teaching effective online courses.
The handbook covers key topics including procedures, Canvas (the learning management system), online faculty certification, curriculum and instruction, accessibility, academic integrity, copyright, and student support.
By reviewing the content in this course, faculty will gain the knowledge and best practices needed to create high-quality online learning experiences that promote student success while adhering to federal and state regulations, accreditation standards, and SDCCD board policies and procedures.
Access DE Handbook Via Canvas
Explore the Canvas DE Handbook - navigate, search, and interact with enhanced content to enrich your learning experience.
Below is a PDF version of the DE Handbook:
Use an Online Course Readiness Checklist to help guide development of your course. Once your course is developed, the checklist may serve as a reminder to complete any pending items.
The major components of the Course Readiness Checklist are in these categories:
- Instructional Design – the organization and architecture of the course
- Navigation – how students access the course content and tools
- Pedagogical Effectiveness – the instructional techniques
- Accessibility and Usability – course meets ADA compliance and universal access standards (See Appendix H).
- Copyright Compliance – adherence to the institutional copyright compliance policy
- Technology - use of technology tools and multimedia elements, hyperlinks
- Schedule – updated time-sensitive items, schedules, calendars, announcements
For each item within these categories, you can check off a simple Yes or No to indicate your course readiness status. A space for your reminders or comments is provided at the end of each section. Comments are particularly useful for explaining any “No course readiness” items. You may use this Checklist as a self-assessment or you may want to have the assistance of the instructional designer or a peer-reviewer to go through the items. Remove or add items to your Online Course Readiness Checklist to fit the needs of your online course development and delivery process. The following items are suggestions for a comprehensive review of your online course readiness.
Download the Checklist Here
The Instructure Course Evaluation Checklist is a collaborative creation from members of the Education Services department at Instructure. By combining our expertise in Canvas, sharing our knowledge of Universal Design for Learning principles, and applying our deep understanding of pedagogical best practices, we’ve created a tool that will elevate the quality of Canvas courses.
How To Use The legend within each header references what type of criterion is demonstrated. A ★ rating indicates an Essential and standard design component to online learning; a ★★ rating is considered Best Practice and adds value to a course; and ★★★ is Exemplary and elevates learning.
We know each institution has unique requirements for their courses and we hope this document will serve as a great resource or starting point. We’d love to hear how you’re using this checklist. Please leave comments in the Canvas Community - Course Evaluation Checklist blog post.
Please Note: Visit the Mobile App Design Course Evaluation Checklist blog post to access an additional resource!
Download the Checklist Here
Please Note: This resource is designed to act as an addendum to the Canvas Community - Course Evaluation Checklist.
How To Use The legend in each header references what type of criterion is demonstrated.
A ★ rating indicates an Essential and standard design component to online learning; a ★★ rating is considered Best Practice and adds value to a course; and★★★ is Exemplary and elevates learning.
We know each institution has unique requirements for their courses and we hope this document will serve as a great resource or starting point. We’d love to hear how you’re using this checklist.
It’s always best practice to review your course(s) in the app. Search “Instructure” to find free teacher and student apps available for iOS and Android.