March 08, 2021 Meeting
Agenda
AGENDA
Monday March 8, 2021
12:10 pm – 1:00 pm
Via Zoom
https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/97521885370
Call to Order
Public Commentary
Action Items
- Approval of February 8, 2021 Minutes ACTION
Old Business
New Business
- BUSN 1536 ACTION
- BIOL 2265 ACTION
- Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form ACTION
- Distance Learning Approval Form ACTION
Discussion Items
- DL Course Evaluation DISCUSSION
- DE Accessibility Plan DISCUSSION
Other
Adjournment
Next Meeting: April 12, 2021 (12:10 – 1:00 pm)
Minutes
Taft College Distance Learning and Education Committee
Minutes for
Monday, March 8, 2021 Meeting
Via Zoom
Call to Order: A. Bledsoe, 12:10 pm
Attendees: Amar Abbott, Marianne C. Bishop (non-voting), Adam Bledsoe, Chris Flachmann, Geoffrey Dyer, Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, Leslie Minor (non-voting), Jason Page, Joy Reynolds, Brandy Young
Absent: Robin Polski
Public Commentary: None
Minutes
- February 8, 2021 Minutes submitted by M. Bishop
- Minutes approved by unanimous consent
New Business
- BUSN 1536: Dyer motioned to approve and Kulzer-Reyes seconded. After roll-call, motion passed
- BIOL 2256: Dyer motioned to approve and Kulzer-Reyes seconded. After roll-call, motion passed
- Emergency Distance Learning Approval Form and Distance Learning Approval Form
- From the February meeting’s discussion, Bledsoe updated the two forms which will be posted in the DE Committee website – http://committees.taftcollege.edu/distance-education/
- Definition of “hybrid”
- Bishop suggested to revisit the definition for “hybrid” for the DL approval forms (emergency and traditional)
- Kulzer-Reyes, Dyer and Reynolds suggested how to define it
- Dyer motioned to approve the verbiage proposed by Reynolds and posted in the Zoom chat which is “class meetings will be held partially in person, and partially online” removing the comma. Kulzer-Reyes seconded. After roll-call, motion passed.
Discussion Items
- DL Course Evaluation
- Bishop stated that it would benefit faculty before they create their Canvas courses to have the DE Director Course Observation Form (https://www.taftcollege.edu/human-resources/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/09/DL-Course-Evaluation.pdf) available to them as reference. The form has several questions about “regular and effective contact,” “accessibility,” and “course content.”
- Bledsoe mentioned that this form was approved by the Governance Council when he presented it to them while serving as the Director of Distance Education.
- Bishop indicated that the items/topics related to accessibility on this form are the same as the ones in the DL emergency and permanent course approval forms.
- Several weeks after the semester has started, Instruction provides Bishop with a list of faculty scheduled to be evaluated that semester. Soon after she receives the form, she emails faculty a copy of the form to let them know what they are being evaluated/observed. She also asks them for their availability to meet to discuss her observation.
- The Committee agreed that this form should be made available to faculty who will be teaching a distance education course before the semester begins.
- Bledsoe will discuss this form at a future Academic Senate meeting (before it goes to Bargaining) and also state that our Committee has agreed to have this form available to faculty before developing their Canvas courses.
- It was suggested that this form be shared during faculty In-Service.
- Reynolds asked why tenured faculty are not being observed by the DE Director.
- Minor stated this was the agreement with the academic union.
- Abbot inquired about fairness regarding faculty who were scheduled to be evaluated and had to teach an online course due to the pandemic
- Minor mentioned that TC bargained an MOU with the academic union to suspend evaluations immediately when the pandemic started. This is how fairness was handled when evaluating faculty who were transitioning from on-campus to distance education.
- Note: the DE Director Observation form was shown to the committee in Zoom and will be added to the April meeting packet for reference.
- DE Accessibility Plan
- Continuing the discussion started at the February meeting, several issues were raised.
- Kulzer-Reyes asked what does “will be trained” really mean. Dyer inquired “what’s the proof that faculty have learned important issues regarding accessibility and how to be compliant?”
- Bledsoe facilitated training on accessibility several semesters ago. Faculty came prepared with what they wanted to do in their courses and got a lot of things done during the training.
- Reynolds suggested that faculty has to submit something they’ve been working on to receive points/credit during training.
- Bishop suggested that training be hands-on with a project submission at the end of the training.
- There was a suggestion to include several resources in the DL approval form, Committee website and others, in addition to what we already have. Reynolds cautioned that too many resources could result in faculty “shutting down.” Less is more.
- Abbott mentioned that we can inform the Office of Civil Rights many of the things we’ve done and been doing in case they ask us.
- Young mentioned there is a DSPS survey from the Chancellor’s Office sent out periodically. We could review the results.
- Dates for the activities in the accessibility plan will be discussed at a future meeting.
- Bledsoe will discuss details of the plan at a future Academic Senate meeting.
- The Accessibility section of the DE Director Observation form will be included in the Accessibility Plan as reference for faculty developing and teaching a distance education course. (Note: this document will be added to the April meeting packet since it was shown to the committee via Zoom.)
Adjournment
- Bledsoe moved to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 1:00 pm.