1. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
Agc – January 17, 2017
BENJAMIN SMITH, KATIE DANIELS, DEB DEWENT, Sheila jones

2. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
EXISTING POLICY STATEMENT
OCTOBER TABLE DISCUSSION RESPONSES
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT

3. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
EXISTING POLICY STATEMENT
A credit hour gives value to an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement of those outcomes. A credit hour requires a minimum of one hour of direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work each week for the equivalent of fourteen weeks.
Many academic experiences are integral to courses or programs because they allow students to practice and apply their learning in the laboratory, studio or workplace. Each of these requires additional contact hours to earn a credit hour.

4. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
EXISTING POLICY STATEMENT
Clinicals require a minimum of 1.75 hours of student participation each week for the equivalent of fourteen weeks for each credit hour.
Laboratories, Music Ensembles, Studios, Practica, Internships, and Fieldwork require a minimum of 2 hours of student participation each week for the equivalent of fourteen weeks for each credit hour.
Co-ops require a minimum of 5 hours of student participation each week for the equivalent of fourteen weeks for each credit hour.
Lecture/Labs are a way to implement an instructional strategy particular to a discipline. The department/program defines the credit hour/contact hour ratio according to the type of work required of students to meet the outcomes of those courses.

5. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
OCTOBER TABLE DISCUSSION RESPONSES
What could be improved with this policy?
Team’s Response/Recommendation
Update to include all course formats; identify the appropriate contact time for online classes
See Revised Policy Statement Draft
Questions: Interpretation of terms in policy; verifying out of class work; awarding test credit without out of class work hours
See Revised Policy Statement Draft; Test Credit concern is beyond the scope of this policy
Questions: determination of additional contact hours; different modalities; faculty contract language
Determinations were made through benchmarking and best practices plus accreditation requirements; See Revised Policy Statement Draft for credit/contact hours; Faculty contract is outside of the scope of this Team’s work
Consistent and equitable amongst programs
See Revised Policy Statement; Implementation of this policy will likely determine the deadline for when this needs to be consistent

6. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
OCTOBER TABLE DISCUSSION RESPONSES
What could be improved with this policy?
Team’s Response/Recommendation
Questions: difference between clinicals and labs; maximum credit/contact hours
See Revised Policy Statement Draft
Verbiage added to policy that indicates the variation of credit/contact and the reason
Bullet point to address online courses
Team understands that this is an important issue but believes we would need additional guidance in order to address this
Questions: summer accelerated; course loads; do the minimum required hours of 1.75, 2, 5 still apply; who authorizes these hours (College? State? Fed? HLC?)
Team believes that the hours still apply but is not certain about scheduling and that this would be part of the implementation work
Question: define “direct faculty instruction” Or, should this be defined in another venue?
Team believes that trying to define this would be too restrictive/would limit flexibility in faculty instruction

7. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
OCTOBER TABLE DISCUSSION RESPONSES
If you would like to recommend any changes to the wording of the policy, please provide them below.
Team’s Response/Recommendation
Align with new definitions; align with Curriculum Model; switch 14 weeks to 15 weeks
See work of Curriculum Model Policy Team and Revised Policy Statement Draft
Various language suggestions (clarifying terms, using more updated language instead of “direct faculty instruction”)
See Revised Policy Statement Draft
Adjust language referencing 2 hours of out of class work
This language is referencing Lectures; See Revised Policy Statement Draft

8. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY NAME: COURSE FORMAT AND CREDIT HOUR POLICY
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Courses are the way in which the curricular content and experiences are delivered. Course formats are purposefully defined in the context of the goals and expectations of students and their learning. Courses have student learning outcomes and must meet the same learning outcomes regardless of delivery method (face-to-face, online, or hybrid). A credit hour gives value to an amount of work in the course. The credit hour is determined by the amount of contact required based on course format for the equivalent of fifteen weeks. Some course formats require out of class student learning. GRCC provides an extensive array of courses with varying purposes for students, including the following types:

9. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
General Education- Offering designed to meet the specific criteria for a GRCC Distribution Requirement. The course should be designated by the requirement it fulfills.
Program Requirement- Offering designed to meet the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Elective- Offering designed to expand learning opportunities for degree seeking students. May or may not be restricted to students in a specific GRCC program.
Community Interest- Offering designed for non-degree seeking students based on an expressed interest or need.

10. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Continuing Education- Offering designed to meet the specific requirements of a profession for continuing education credit.
Community Interest- Offering designed for non-degree seeking students based on an expressed interest or need.
Service- A discipline specific offering designed as a transferable prerequisite to one or more GRCC programs.
Developmental- Offering designed as a non-transferable prerequisite to college level GRCC courses that does not count for credit toward a certificate or associate degree.

11. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Courses are offered in a variety of formats, each with a minimum requirement for contact hours. The formats, definitions, contact hour, and out of class student learning requirements are listed below.
Lecture: A course in which content is primarily delivered through presentations of facts, principles, context, or interpretation. Instruction takes place in a traditional classroom setting or online format. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:1, Credit to Out of Class Student Learning Ratio – 1:2
Seminar: A course which focuses on a topic that is not included and/or studied in depth in the discipline’s regular course offerings. In a seminar course, a group of students work with a faculty member to study this special topic. A seminar course topic is not intended to become a regular course in a curriculum. The purpose is to provide a unique opportunity for a group of students and a faculty member to explore a special or new topic. The topics of seminar courses in a discipline will typically not be routinely repeated. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:1, Credit to Out of Class Student Learning Ratio – 1:2
Clinicals: A course that is part of an academic program and allows students to be directly supervised by an instructor while applying methods and principles of a clinical discipline, and which takes place in a clinical setting, including practice labs, hospitals, or other agencies. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:3

12. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Lecture/Labs: A course which integrates both lecture and lab formats. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:3 (2 min.)
Music Ensembles: A course in which the primary purpose is to prepare and offer opportunities for students to perform instrumental or vocal music as a group. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:3
Studio: A course involving the demonstration and application of design and theory in a defined physical setting (i.e., studio) and which is characterized by significant one-on-one student/instructor interaction. Students explore and experiment under the guidance of an instructor. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:2
Laboratory: A course which is focused around the implementation of an instructional strategy particular to a discipline and allows students to interact directly with natural phenomena, materials, or models, use tools to manipulate data existing data, or engage in data collection. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:2 (min.)

13. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Fieldwork: A course which allows students to practice and apply their learning or investigation in the field rather than in a laboratory or headquarters. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:2
Independent Study: A learning experience in which the student and instructor agree upon a topic of study, learning outcomes and number of credits that are awarded for the work. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:1, Credit to Out of Class Student Learning Ratio – 1:2
Internship: A course which is a supervised, professional experience, guided by learning outcomes, that builds on and enhances previous coursework, and allows students to make connections in the professional fields they are considering for career paths, and which provides employers with an opportunity to guide and evaluate talent. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:4

14. Course credit hour definition (7.13)
REVISED POLICY STATEMENT DRAFT
Physical Activity: A course devoted to participation in or the performance of some form of physical activity. Knowledge associated with the proper performance of the activity is also presented. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:2
Tutorial: A course that provides individualized instruction in a particular subject matter. Credit to Contact Hour Ratio – 1:1, Credit to Out of Class Student Learning Ratio – 1:2

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Sheila Jones, Instructional Support x4289