Online Teaching & Learning
Electronic Learning Management System Policy / Procedures
Approved April 24, 2008
Saginaw Valley State University
Saginaw Valley State University is dedicated to fully supporting instructors in their endeavors to successfully integrate web-based technologies into their classes. The Electronic Learning Management System (ELMS; currently Sakai) administrators will facilitate course management, and Information Technology Services (ITS) will continue to keep the ELMS software and hardware upgraded and fully functioning as features are enhanced and added over time. An Online Teaching and Learning Specialist will provide the training required for instructors.
I. Faculty Responsibilities
Use of the University Electronic Learning Management System requires faculty commitment to the following:
A. While using the SVSU ELMS, faculty should recognize and prepare for occasional technical problems including, but not limited to, server and network downtime and software "bugs."
B. Faculty are required to keep their own local copies of all important course-related files, which may include the course grade book and any files or material that have been uploaded to the ELMS server. System backups will be used only for complete system restore purposes in the event of a total system loss or failure.
C. All copyright regulations will be observed. Posting copyrighted materials to a course outside of fair use guidelines without the owner's permission is unethical and has legal ramifications for the instructor and the University. Please see the Saginaw Valley State University policy regarding copyright: http://www.svsu.edu/copyright.html
and the United States Copyright Office site: http://www.copyright.gov/.D. Only the initial roster for all academic courses will be uploaded by an ELMS system administrator. Instructors are responsible for maintaining an accurate roster once the semester begins.
E. Instructors must obtain appropriate training as outlined in Section II, "Required Training."
II. Required Training
A. Rationale - Providing training to every instructor who uses the Electronic Learning Management System will:
1. Help users understand the issues and ramifications of online learning.
2. Help faculty envision changes that will occur as they move components of their course to the online environment.
3. Assure the effective implementation of courses.
4. Facilitate the matching of course goals with appropriate tools.
5. Guide faculty regarding online copyright issues.
6. Ensure consistent delivery of student instructions and tips across all courses.
7. Encourage the posting of "user-friendly" files, increasing the accessibility of the course for all participants.
8. Inform faculty of recent technological innovations and software that may assist in their goals.
B. Training Procedures - Prior to having an academic course created, instructors who wish to use the ELMS for a course must demonstrate competency using the system by meeting with a trained ELMS specialist to review course goals and plans. There are several ways to fulfill this requirement:
1. Attend a face-to-face Online Teaching and Learning Workshop Series (6 hours) and any additional training deemed necessary by the specialist. Workshop participants receive 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for each two-hour training session. Certificates are awarded and signed by the trainer and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
2. Meet individually for training with a specialist. The amount of time needed will vary based on individual technical capabilities as determined by the specialist and the individual instructor.
3. Train online using SVSU's fully-developed online training program. The instructor will develop tools, features and materials in a developmental course space and work through the training modules until the instructor has demonstrated competency using the system. The instructor will interact with an Online Teaching and Learning Specialist to establish readiness and to become acquainted with SVSU's ELMS and related procedures.
4. Any combination of items 1-3 that fulfills required instructor preparation.
III. Course Creation Procedures
A. Official University Academic Courses (listed in course catalog)
1. Each faculty member must request the creation of his/her course spaces from the ELMS administrator(s). Requests must be submitted via the online course request form at http://otl.svsu.edu/.
2. Requests for courses may be submitted up to a year in advance of the semester in which they are to be taught.
3. Courses are created as they are requested. Course requests submitted during the semester will be honored and rosters uploaded within 2 weeks. However, most courses are created within a few business days.
4. Academic rosters are uploaded approximately one week before the semester begins to ensure that the most accurate list is present on the first day of classes. For course requests submitted after the semester has begun, rosters are uploaded the day the course is created.5. If multiple instructors will teach a single course, only one instructor should request the online course space. All faculty who desire instructor status in the ELMS must meet required training competencies outlined in "Training Procedures" (above).
B. Non-scheduled Courses (not listed in course catalog)
Special course sites can be requested at any time using the "non-scheduled" request form at: http://otl.svsu.edu/. A faculty member or advisor must make the request if the course is for a student organization. Special course requests include, but are not limited to, research projects, committees, departments, program collaboration.C. Test / Development Courses
New instructors who have not received training from a specialist will first have a developmental course created. This course can be used for learning ELMS features and for preparing content to be copied into an academic course space.
IV. Course Archiving and Availability
A. Academic Courses (Courses listed in SVSU course catalog)
1. Online academic course spaces are created, named, and assigned an ELMS course ID for a specific semester and year and are to be used only for that semester.
2. ELMS administrators will make courses unavailable to students approximately 10 days after final exams end each semester.
3. VSpace vs. Vspace archives: All VSpace course materials should be archived and saved to a storage drive by the instructor prior to May 14, 2008, when the system is retired from service. The archived .ZIP packages from VSpace can be imported to Vspace via "Site Info > Import from file." Vspace course sites will remain in the system until a sustainable archiving procedure is established based upon recommendations of the appropriate TLTR subcommittee
B. Non-academic / Special Courses (Clubs, organizations, committees, etc.)
These sites will be ongoing and will be reviewed on an annual basis (during SP/SU time frame) for their continued use and active status. Site maintainers will be contacted before a site is archived or removed from the system.
V. Course Content Importing, Copying, and Exporting
Course content can easily be copied, renamed and used in a future semester.
A. Importing Course Content
Instructors may import content packages (including VSpace archives) via the instructor control panel "Site Info > Import from file" utility. Faculty may contact an ELMS system administrator to assist in this process.B. Copying Course Content
To copy course content from a current semester into a future course, faculty import it into the future section via the instructor control panel "Site Info > Import from site.". Faculty may contact an ELMS system administrator to assist in this process.C. Course Retention Exceptions
Faculty members who wish to use items or interactions from their archived online courses in professional research, publications, or accreditation portfolios (or for any other professional purpose) should make arrangements with a system administrator to restore and maintain the most appropriate access to those materials in the ELMS. Faculty may contact an ELMS system administrator to assist in this process.
VI. System-Wide Announcements / Pre-Login Page Changes
A. Internal, System-wide Course Announcements
The internal system-wide announcement capability of the ELMS ("Message of the Day") is to be used for "important-to-all" scenarios such as scheduled system downtime, major changes in system services, or newly-available tools.B. Pre-login Page
The pre-login page of the ELMS has designated "Academic Announcements," "Login Assistance," and "Helpful Links" areas available. Academic announcements to be posted to the pre-login page must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Announcements should be submitted at least one week in advance of desired posting date. Announcements will be posted for one week only, and are limited to two lines (including web link). These announcements must be:1. Strictly academic in nature
2. Relevant to the entire student population
3. Limited to university-wide academic issues.Example: nominations for major university awards. (Student group announcements are not eligible.)
VII. E-Reserves via the ELMS
The Melvin J. Zahnow library offers E-Reserve services to students and faculty via the ELMS. All faculty may use this service under the following guidelines. Library staff will work with faculty to ensure the integrity of the materials in accordance with US and International copyright law. Faculty should contact the library circulation staff to initiate this process
A. Faculty who have demonstrated competency using the ELMS
1. The ELMS administrator will insert an "E-Reserves module" into the academic course(s) where the reserve files will be housed.
2. Library circulation staff will be made Instructors in the academic course and will upload the requested materials to the designated course(s).
3. Just after the end of the semester, the E-Reserve modules will be removed from the course by library staff.
4. Course archiving and storage procedures remain unchanged after the reserve module is removed from the course.
B. Faculty who have not yet demonstrated competency using the ELMS
1. The ELMS administrator will create a dedicated E-Reserve course in the system where the reserve files will be housed.
2. Library circulation staff will be made Instructors in the academic course and will upload the requested materials to the designated course(s).
3. The instructor of the course will have student role access to the course contents to check the documents for accuracy.
4. Just after the end of the semester, the E-Reserve courses will be removed from the system and deleted in accordance with copyright law.
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