Effective Teaching

All instructors are expected to teach in an effective manner by giving clear explanation of course material, providing clear directions for assignments, and providing effective feedback to help students improve and progress in their understanding of the subject matter. Rubrics are encouraged.

Furthermore, instructors are expected to use materials and methodologies that bring freshness and variety to the classroom and/or library services in order to stimulate and enhance student learning.

All instructors are expected to understand, support, and assess Rochester Christian University’s Institutional Learning Goals, outlined here. The EPIC learning goals provide a framework for Rochester Christian University's assessment and improvement processes.

Some expectations vary depending on delivery format; however, the following are expected of all instructors:

1. Basic expectations for effective teaching include:
   1. Grading and returning on-time assignments in a timely manner, giving high quality, complete, and clear feedback. In 15-week courses, the goal is to return assignments in 1-2 weeks. In eight-week courses, the goal is to return assignments in 3-7 days. In all courses, feedback needs to be returned promptly enough for students to learn and demonstrate improvement in subsequent and related assignments.
   2. When classes are meeting, respond to student inquiries received during the work week, including e-mail, within 24 hours. If a longer response time is occasionally necessary, such as due to travel or sickness, the instructor should make students aware of this.
   3. Ensuring that course content and workload reflect the course level and number of credit hours awarded, regardless of the delivery model. Rochester Christian University follows the Carnegie and federal definitions of a credit hour, fully outlined in the course catalog.
      1. 15-week courses should require at least two hours of study or work for each credit hour.
      2. 8-week courses should require at least four hours of study or work for each credit hour.

   4. Preparing a course syllabus (that conforms to the university's template) for distribution to students on the opening day of classes. Two weeks before the start of each course, an electronic copy of the syllabus should be submitted to syllabus@RCU.edu for review and archiving.

2. Additional expectations for instructors of ground and hybrid courses:
   1. Meet with the class for the scheduled time, minimizing late starts, early dismissals, and cancelled classes.
   2. Courses should be web-enhanced using LMS. All instructors are expected to use LMS to post syllabi and record grades, and instructors are also encouraged to use LMS for course communication and collecting assignments from students.
3. Additional expectations for instructors of online and hybrid courses:
   1. Require students to participate in online course materials through the Learning Management System (LMS) on a weekly basis, such as discussion posts, quizzes, uploads, or other collaborative assignments.
   2. Provide clear expectations in the syllabi to students regarding participation and attendance in the course.
   3. Enter course attendance into the employee portal by the Sunday after each course week. 
   4. To maintain alignment with the Federal Government’s rules for regular and substantive interaction in distance education, utilize at least two of the following each week

      1.  Assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework

      2. Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency

      3. Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency.

      4. Providing direct, synchronous instruction
   5.   Online instructors are required to use LMS for all course functions, including communicating with the class, and collecting and responding to student work.
   6.  Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) online course shells should be published 24-48 hours prior to the start of the semester/ session. For Canvas resources, click this link.    If you need assistance using Canvas, please use the Help link on the left navigation of our Canvas site for 24/7 support. You can search the Canvas Guides or choose from the   following: Chat with Canvas Support (Faculty ONLY) or Canvas Support Hotline, 248-805-1287.
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4. Online Teaching Standards
   1.  A rubric outlining online teaching standards can be found in the Faculty Resources shared drive under RCU Course Evaluation Standards.