This page contains information for faculty regarding distance learning and the MCC Online program.

Distance Learning Grants

Each semester, residential and adjunct faculty are invited to apply for support to develop a new, web-based distance learning course. A “new” course is defined as one not currently offered online at MCC.

Grant winners spend two semesters preparing their courses. During the first semester, faculty members develop the courses and attend weekly meetings with the Distance Learning Mentoring Group (DLMG). During these meetings, grant recipients discuss and address distance learning-related issues including curriculum design, technology options, course management logistics, and other pertinent topics. Faculty members then pilot their courses during the next semester.

During the development phase, residential faculty receive reassigned time equal to the number of credit hours of the proposed course. Adjunct faculty receive a special services contract equal to the credit hours of the proposed course. The semester after development, residential faculty members pilot the course as part of their regular course load. Adjunct faculty receive a contract to teach the course.

To apply for a grant and for further details, please see the CTL web site: http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/other/ctl/_distLearn/about/index.html

Distance Learning Training

Faculty who are interested in teaching online are strongly encouraged to enroll in some of the workshops offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Individuals with little or no experience using MCC’s web-based teaching tools will find the following workshops particularly helpful:

• WebCT Fundamentals
• WebCT Tools
• MCC Portal - Email, Course Tools, and Automated Homepage

For a schedule and description of these and other workshops, visit the Center for Teaching and Learning home page: http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/other/ctl/main.html

Distance Learning Handbook

MCC publishes a document called "Best Practices in Distance Learning: A Faculty Guide." This document provides a variety of useful information for faculty members who are involved in distance learning. Topics include delivery methods, course management tools, course access, standards for distance learning courses, developing and maintaining a distance learning course, and information about resources for both students and faculty. You can download a copy of the document here:

MS Word format

Adobe .pdf format.

Online Student Evaluation Tools

The options listed below have been made available to help instructors obtain candid and anonymous feedback from their students for future course improvements, and to assist full-time faculty in obtaining data for the Faculty Evaluation Process (FEP).

Option 1:

Using WebCT’s anonymous survey function. Those of you familiar with WebCT and Respondus can download and "save as" the following file: dl_survey.rsp

This Respondus file consists of survey questions drawn from the “Student Instructional Rating Questionnaire” currently in use for classroom-based courses, the online Distance Learning Student Survey used in 1998 and 1999, and from faculty feedback from members of the Distance Learning Committee during the 2003-2004 academic year. Faculty have the option of using these questions, editing them, deleting them, or creating their own in addition to those provided.

For information about using Respondus, go here.

To download a copy of Respondus, go here and follow the directions: http://apps.mc.maricopa.edu:8100/softsense/.

For help using Respondus, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Option 2:

Use “GetFast” – a free, online assessment tool. A number of MCC faculty have been using this tool for course evaluations. It’s web-based, totally customizable and does not require any additional software. For more info and to set up an account, see http://www.getfast.ca.