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 Hello, and welcome to the latest issue of The DE Oracle, the online "learning magazine" for UMUC Faculty.
As we start a new semester, I would like to take the opportunity to talk about our ongoing efforts regarding quality instruction in the online classroom.
Online learning continues to be a dynamic field of higher education, where UMUC has been a leader in setting standards for quality. Our Academic Affairs Council has recently approved a document entitled "Expectations for Classroom Setup and Online Teaching". Based on UMUC-sponsored research and evaluation data, this document lays out the best practices for teaching online has been approved in the Graduate School for use starting fall 2004.
The Graduate School is known for the quality of its programs and our focus on continuous improvement. In this regard, our success is dependent on you, our faculty, for continued excellence.
The Expectations Document, which can be downloaded from the DE Oracle will provide guidance in the best ways to meet UMUC's high standards for academic excellence in online learning. It focuses on the practices and techniques that bolster our traditional commitment to the students and seek to engage students in the learning process. For those of you with several semesters' experience under your belts, you will recognize most of these principles as those already advocated by the Graduate School for the past several years.
Our experience and research, show that the practices outlined in this document lead to greater student success, improved outcomes, and higher faculty evaluations. If you need help implementing any of the practices, a lifeline -- your department's DE coordinator -- is just a phone call or e-mail away.
I wish you all a successful and productive semester and I look forward to working with you.
Sal Monaco
Vice Provost & Dean
Graduate School |
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