Distance Course Delivery Modes
The information below relates to individual class instructional methods, and is intended for three purposes:
- To provide the granular level of detail required to properly support and resource classes with additional technology requirements
- To provide general information to currently enrolled Clarkson students during the course selection process, regarding how they should expect to consume course content, and
- To provide a general set of guidelines to faculty regarding available options for course delivery.
| Mode | Definition | Clarifying Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Definition | Clarifying Remarks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| In Person Course | Course activity is organized around scheduled, in-person meetings. | This refers to a traditional classroom-based course. Faculty and students meet face to face either individually or as a group, on campus or at another physical location. |
| Online Course | All course activity is done online; there are no required face-to-face sessions within the course and no requirements for on-campus activity. | Purely online courses totally eliminate geography as a factor in the relationship between the student and the institution. They consist entirely of online elements that facilitate the three critical student interactions: with content, the instructor, and other students. Online courses may be held synchronously or asynchronously, at the discretion of the course instructor. |
| Online Paired Course | Web‐based technologies are used to extend classroom lectures and other activities to students at remote sites. | These courses are offered simultaneously with a paired in-person course, and they use web conferencing or other e‐learning media to provide access to a classroom experience for students at off‐campus locations. Online paired courses may be held synchronously or asynchronously with the in-person course, at the discretion of the course instructor. |
| Online Hybrid Course | Most course activity is completed online, but there are some required face‐to‐face instructional activities such as lectures, discussions, labs, or other in‐person learning activities. | Any required onsite visit/activity should classify the course as a hybrid. The online portion of a Online Hybrid class may be held synchronously or asynchronously, at the discretion of the course instructor. |
Additional Definitions:
Synchronous: Students participate in classes in real-time at scheduled intervals determined by the course instructor. All students are expected to participate in the class at the same time.
Asynchronous: Students complete the coursework required for the class on their own time, within the published timeframe of the term and any specific deadlines set by the course instructor.
Definitions endorsed by Academic Leadership Council on 4/13/18 and approved by Administrative Council on 4/23/18 & President Collins on 5/1/2018 (Admin Council Doc #2018-07)