The purpose of the Distance Learning Committee is to support the continuous improvement of online education at Volunteer State Community College. This committee will review and recommend guidelines, policies, and procedures to improve online learning student support, faculty development and support, and course design.
Online learning includes asynchronous and hybrid instruction where 50% or more of a class is delivered asynchronously.
Committee Activities
- Assist in the creation, planning, implementation, and assessment of distance learning improvement initiatives
- Analyze distance learning success and completion rates to identify and reduce barriers to student achievement
- Review and recommend updates to the Distributed Education Handbook annually
- Recommend research-based best practices for online teaching and course development
- Make recommendations regarding faculty compensation structures and processes for course development and mentoring
- Make recommendations regarding the quality assurance process for the development and review of approved courses and model courses
- Recommend faculty training and development expectations related to distance teaching and learning
- Review TN eCampus procedures and provide advice to improve them to benefit Vol State students and faculty
- Appraise technology needs for distance learning
- Manage the Exemplary Distance Learning Course Award
Reporting Relationships
Reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Membership
The committee will be composed of faculty and staff experienced in online teaching; key staff responsible for student enrollment, retention, completion, and success; and student representatives. Preference for faculty positions will be given to current and former Distance Learning Faculty Fellows.
- One (1) representative from Distributed Education
- TN eCampus Student Liaison
- One (1) faculty representative from Business & Technology
- One (1) faculty representative from Humanities
- One (1) faculty representative from Health Sciences
- One (1) faculty representative from Mathematics & Science
- One (1) faculty representative from Social Science & Education
- Director of Library Services or one representative from the library faculty
- Two (2) faculty representatives from regional campuses
- One (1) Dean or Assistant Dean
- One (1) representative from Workforce Development
- One (1) representative from the Student Services
- Two (2) representatives from Information Technology, one from Media Production Services and 1 at large
- One (1) representative from Public Relations
- One (1) student representative
Total membership: 17
Ex-Officio: Vice President for Academic Affairs, Director of Admissions/College Registrar, Chair of Instructional Assessment Committee, Directors of Regional Campuses
Initial Meeting
3rd Friday, 9:00 a.m.
