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Title IV of the Higher Education Act and its implementing regulations draw a critical distinction between “distance education” and “correspondence education.”1 While both categories involve educating at a distance, including online education, typically only courses/programs that meet the distance education definition are eligible for Title IV student aid funding.2 The key difference between the two […]

To ensure continued Title IV student-financial-aid eligibility, the University of Michigan must follow all applicable federal rules and guidance from U-M’s regional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), concerning credit-hour definitions regardless of course modality (e.g., in-person, online, hybrid, or hyflex). The current federal definition for a credit hour calls for students to complete ~45 […]

The basics Imagine these situations:  These are just a few ways that third-party content (content that was created by someone other than you) is typically used in courses. When using these types of content, especially in online courses, you should think about whether or not your use is allowed under copyright law. Copyright law restricts […]

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 19731 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)2 define an individual with a disability as a person who (A) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; (B) has a record of such an impairment; or (C) is regarded as having […]

Protecting sensitive data is a shared responsibility. The University of Michigan’s compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Federal law that governs release of and access to student education records, and other applicable federal, state, and international privacy laws depends in large part on the individual choices made by instructors in […]

The University of Michigan’s prohibited conduct and academic misconduct policies, including those articulated in the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, apply regardless of the modality of instruction. Reporting obligations of Responsible Employees and Campus Security Authorities can also apply to the conduct regardless of the instructional modality, assuming all other conditions triggering these obligations […]

Understanding Title IV Compliance at the University of Michigan In order to maintain Title IV student financial aid eligibility, the University of Michigan must follow all federal rules and guidelines. That means it is critical to understand the parameters of how to quantify attendance and what constitutes a credit hour within online education. Similarly, it […]

Online Teaching Academy (OTA) This facilitated 6-week learning experience builds upon your existing knowledge for more in-depth guidance and mentoring through the planning, design, and facilitation phases of teaching an online course. Created for individual faculty who are interested in learning best practices for designing your own course, you’ll develop a course design and facilitation […]

Interaction and communication with students are a critical element for online success. Online courses require regular opportunities for students to have substantive interaction with their instructor. One way to ensure that interaction is to understand the tools we use for communication and build a plan for when to use them. Understand your time dimensions There […]

Your course is designed and prepped, or maybe you are teaching a course that has been designed by someone else. While the design and development of an online course takes time, the teaching really starts when the students start engaging. From asynchronous activities to breakout rooms in Zoom, this section will help you create the […]