These standards provide a baseline against which Virtual College courses can be measured. Flexibility in application of these standards will provide room for creativity and experimentation.

1. There is a course goal which describes the overall outcome of the course as it pertains to the learner’s program of study.
1. There are course outcomes which clearly describe final levels of knowledge, skills, or behaviors to be demonstrated by the student. Virtual College sections of a course will meet the same course outcomes as all other sections of the same course.
1. The course will consist of modules which contribute to accomplishment of course outcomes.
1. Each module will be described in terms of one or more student outcomes.
1. Modules will typically include instruction, practice, and assessment.
1. Where appropriate, modules will include practical applications
1. Every outcome will be supported with one or more activities or projects.

1. Course and module outcomes will be assessed and have clear assessment criteria.
1. Instructional methods must be suitable for
1. Content and learning to be accomplished
1. Audience of diverse learners
1. Instructor and staff
1. Technology available
1. Learning activities and projects should include practical applications of concepts to real world situations.
1. Projects should be structured in stages.
1. Students need to be kept informed of their progress towards completing activities and outcomes. This feedback could include guided practice, checklists, return of graded materials, and grade records.
1. Specific student performance expectations must be given up-front, including grading criteria, due dates, and penalties.
1. Faculty-to-student and student-to-faculty interaction must occur regularly.
1. Student-to-student interaction is encouraged where appropriate.
1. The appropriate level of student-to-student interaction will vary with the course, though a high level of interaction is recommended.
1. High level of interaction increases student motivation.
1. High level of interaction is necessary to build a sense of community.
1. Encouraging peer mentoring benefits students at all levels
1. Interaction promotes collaborative problem-solving.
1. Interaction by students occurs most consistently when participation is part of the grade.
1. Student-to-student interaction should be monitored by faculty with feedback and guidance. Faculty are not required to pre-review the interaction.
1. The amount of student-to-student interaction that is faculty-guided or faculty-moderated will vary with the course.
1. Virtual College courses are location independent. No component of a course will require students to go to an LCC campus.
1. Asynchronous activities are preferred in order to better serve student needs. Though a period of time will be allowed for activities, due-dates should be established to prevent procrastination.
1. Synchronous activities (e.g., chat) are permitted when alternative asynchronous methods are provided for students who are unavailable for the synchronous activity.
1. Incorporate mechanisms into instructional activities to evaluate effectiveness of the instructional delivery, which may include delivery method, content, format, design, and structure. For example, provide a quick quiz at the end of each module to measure the level of learning accomplished by students.
1. Provide regular assessment of learning.

1. Elements of presentation for Virtual College courses should be substantially the same from course to course. Standards will be determined by faculty and course designers.
1. Students should have a consistency of experience. They should be informed at the beginning of the semester of variation from the norm of other Virtual College courses.
1. Each course description should show how that course fits into one or more curricula.
1. Provide a course schedule of activities, material availability dates, and due dates.
1. Provide thorough coverage of content. Avoid being either boring or needlessly flashy. (Be aware of bandwidth limitations faced by students.)
1. The course site must have easily accessible e-mail links to the instructor.
1. Courses will have listserv or group e-mail capabilities.

1. Faculty-to-student interaction must occur often.
1. Faculty should send a weekly message to the class.
1. Faculty should manage the communication expectations of the students by specifying timelines for responses and feedback. For example, inform students what they can expect for response time to communication, availability on weekends or holidays, and absences during the semester.
1. Good learning requires feedback be provided as quickly as possible. As a general rule:
1. Answers to routine questions should be provided within 48 hours.
1. Graded materials should be returned within one week of date due. (Feedback on assignments does not need to include individual evaluation of answers.)
1. Faculty should inform students of their standards.
1. Faculty may choose whether to release all course materials and content at the beginning of the semester or to release it periodically during the semester. When it is released periodically during the semester, faculty must communicate in advance to students the timeline for its release. Any variance from expectations must be communicated as soon as it is identified.
1. Electronic communication is often sterile. Instructors should personalize their interaction with students where feasible.
1. Faculty new to the Virtual College should have the opportunity to work with a faculty mentor experienced in the Virtual College.
1. Mentoring and review tasks need to be considered in faculty workload.

1. A peer review team will evaluate a first-time offering three times during its first semester for:
1. Effectiveness— Are students learning?
1. Efficiency— Is the course worth the expenditure of human (student, faculty, and staff) and financial resources?
1. Student satisfaction—Are students satisfied with their experience?
1. Consistency— Does the Virtual College implementation of the course accomplish the same outcomes as the traditional implementation of the course?
1. Peer review teams will evaluate all established courses once every three years. Evaluation criteria will be similar to that used for the first-time course offering.
1. Institutional data (such as retention, grade comparisons, and enrollment trends) may be used in evaluating courses.
1. The distance learning office will coordinate the review and improvement process.