Online Learning Policy

PURPOSE

This policy sets out the principles that guide the delivery of online learning at Leaders Institute (LI). LI is committed to providing and adapting to emerging technology that delivers and enhances online learning experience for students and academic staff. Thurs, emerging online learning technologies that are appropriate to students and academic staff are used effectively to support online learning. 

Scope

All staff and students

PRINCIPLES

LI delivers an online learning experience that enhances access, meets contemporary needs, and interests, and maintains high standards of academic quality. Online learning and teaching at LI:

• is student-centererd

• takes into consideration class size;

• includes online student orientation;

• ensures ready access to learning resources and research instruction through the library system;

• ensures equal access to academic, administrative, and student services supports regardless of delivery mode or site;

• supports academic staff delivering online courses and units for effective and dynamic online instruction, including professional development, training, online course design standards, instructional design services, and technical support;

• offers alternatives if required including processes for fee reductions, refunds, or deferral if there is a significant change to the course delivery;

• provides student engagement throughout course delivery including peer to peer interaction and staff to student interaction;

• maintains high quality of delivery and learning outcomes with a focus on semester reviews and monitoring of quality and learning outcomes;

• ensures that governance obligations are met including developing, approving, and implementing changes, accurate recording, staff and student communication plans, and overviewing any risk management plans. 

PROCEDURES

LI takes a holistic approach to ensuring quality and equity across all campuses, online, and through mixed mode delivery.

The Vice President Academic ensures that:

• academic staff receive ongoing professional development in online and mixed mode technology enhanced learning and teaching approaches;

• online student attrition, progression, and completion rates are in the Annual Academic Report, including recommended action items as part of LI's continuous cycle of review and improvement;

• the LI Learning and Teaching Plan includes measurable goals for increasing student satisfaction rates;

• online and mixed mode learning approaches remain effective in terms of supporting student access to learning, collaboration, and assessment;

• course development review processes take into consideration online and mixed mode learning best practice models;

• Annual Performance Appraisals identify and remedy any barriers to compliance with this policy;

• infrastructure of student feedback systems, learning management system, wireless networks, and online student services support and mixed mode learning through evidence-based approaches to implementing new technologies. This includes working effectively to adapt to changes in staff and student preferences for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approaches;

• there are sufficient on campus spaces designed and equipped to maximise flexible approaches to learning and teaching.

The Registrar ensures that:

• students and prospective students receive relevant information on technology and digital literacy requirements upon course and unit enrolments for successful completion of the unit and/or course;

• prospective students, where possible, demonstrate literacy during the enrolment process;

• intervention and support strategies are in place for students to ensure the development of basic digital literacies required for learning and into professional life;

• as noted in the Diversity and Equity Policy, student with a disability can access and participate in online and mixed mode learning, as noted in the there are sufficient on campus spaces designed and equipped to maximise flexible approaches to learning and teaching.

Program Directors ensure that:

• online and mixed mode delivery approaches are coherently deployed across the course to support students to achieve intended course learning outcomes;

• physical and virtual learning environments support and encourage collaboration between students and between students and staff;

• Unit Coordinators and teaching staff are orientated to, and familiar with, the physical and virtual learning spaces used for online and mixed mode delivery;

• Unit Coordinators and lecturers are orientated to technology used for learning in the units they are teaching.

Unit Coordinators and lecturers across all campuses and online ensure that:

• online learning technologies used in units are appropriate and functional;

• unit content via learning technologies is presented in a timely manner for online student engagement and learning;

• students are introduced to digital technologies integral to learning in units by the end of week one of the study period;

• students receive equivalent access to resource, time, content regardless of place, mode, or approach to learning;

• flexible delivery options support increased access to learning for diverse students, taking into account the resources available;

• online responses from the Student Feedback Survey are incorporated into the regular reporting cycle.

  
  

The Librarian ensures that:

• all students have the same access to LI's online library catalogue and digital resources;

• orientation programs across all campuses and online include information regarding accessing LI's digital library services.

The IT Officer ensures that:

• a range of appropriate collaboration platforms and wireless networks are in-built and maintained in the learning management system to encourage and support staff and student collaboration in online and mixed mode environments;

• digital readiness programs are available for academic and discipline specific study, including targeted activities for students during online and on campus orientation;

• the learning management system is sufficiently resourced to support online and mixed mode delivery approaches;

• video conferencing and audio-visual services for on campus learning environments are maintained and functioning to support online and mixed mode delivery.