Overview

Introduction

All distance education courses currently follow AP 4105 guidelines at Pasadena City College.

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PCC’s Attendance Policy
Individual Course Policies

PCC’s Attendance Policy

Policy Guidelines

Students at Pasadena City College are expected to attend every session of each class in which they are enrolled.
Instructors may consider 3 tardies the equivalent of 1 absence.
Non-participants (in a class) are defined as students who have continuous or cumulative absences totaling at least 12.5 percent of the total hours the class is scheduled to meet. In a regular 16-week course, for example, a student becomes a nonparticipant when his or her cumulative absences reach the number of hours a class is scheduled to meet in a two-week period.
A student who stops attending but does not drop a class may receive a failing grade in that class.

What this means for distance education

Students in distance education courses are required to ‘attend’ class and participate just as if they were in a face-to-face course. This means that instructors need to set up guidelines for how much each lecture, reading assignment, discussion or project qualifies as a meeting during the course of a week/learning unit/course module.

Students who do not participate in class, that is, who consistently do not complete assignments, quizzes, respond to forums or turn in other work, should be notified that they will be dropped from the class for non-participation.

It is important that online and hybrid instructors should be very clear in their syllabus about what constitutes participation and late work.

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Individual Course Policies

Even more than in face-to-face courses, participation is a critical part of assessing learning outcomes. Each online or hybrid course syllabus should have a well-defined and detailed description of participation course policies that support the College’s attendance policy.

Determining participation

Require a set number of course activities for each week. For example — a 3 unit course might require 2-3 activities each week on non-consecutive days.
Require a set number of discussion posts for each week. For example – a 3 unit course might require one discussion post and 2 comments to classmate’s posts for every weekly module.
In order to get full credit, provide examples and a rubric detailing what constitutes an adequate post or response.
Give weekly quizzes on course material.
Require timely completion of assignments.

(Chronicle of Higher Education)

Creating late work guidelines

Make certain students are clear as to where and when (day, date, time & time zone) to post their work for each assignment. For example – assignments might be emailed to the instructor directly but discussions posted in the unit/weekly discussion board.
Encourage students to check their grade book so that if they have submitted an assignment but it hasn’t been received, students can be aware of what they are doing wrong before it becomes a recurring problem.
Decide whether or not late work will be accepted. If accepted consider the following:

Specific final deadline for assignments.
Specific point value deduction for late assignments (letter grade/percentage/points).
Where students will post late work.

Be clear if late work will be accepted due to extenuating or ‘legitimate circumstances’.

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