Instructions and Organizational Foundations for e-learning

Regulations and organizational foundations for e-learning in its fully electronic distance learning and blended forms

 At the American University of Madaba No. (3) for the year 2021

 

Issued by the Council of Deans of the University under Article (16/13) of the Universities Law Jordanian No. (18) of (2018) and its amendments

 

 

Article (1):

These instructions are called Regulations and organizational foundations for e-learning in its fully electronic distance learning and blended forms at the American University of Madaba and shall be effective from the date of its issuance.

 

Article (2):  

The following words and terms will have these specific designation unless otherwise indicated:

 

 

 

Chapter one

 Blended learning

Article (3):

1.       The percentage of inclusion of integrated learning materials in the face-to-face program shall be no less than 40-50% from the total number of credit hours of the face-to-face program  

2.       It is left to the Council based on the placement of the concerned Vice-President and the recommendation of the faculty council and the department council to determine the materials to be taught in the blended learning method based on the nature of the materials and inform the center and the admission and registration department. As for the compulsory and optional university requirements, the head of the department to which the subject belongs is concerned with recommending it to be taught in the blended learning method.

3.       The teacher submits a request to the head of the concerned department before the beginning of the semester expressing his desire to teach one or more blended learning subjects.

4.       The ratio of the face-to-face meeting to the electronic activity( often asynchronous electronic activity) in the blended learning subject, is either two-thirds, one-third or half of the total actual total hours per week and throughout the semester with the approval of the Council and based on the placement of the dean of the faculty and the concerned department head and a recommendation from the teacher. This should be clearly stated in the course syllabus.

 

5.       Simultaneous electronic meetings may be a substitute for one or more face-to-face meetings.

6.       The duration of the asynchronous electronic activity is equivalent to the duration of the synchronous electronic meeting.

 

Article (4):

The blended learning subject, in terms of the number of credit hours and the teaching load, is treated as the subject taught in person, regardless of the number of face-to-face meetings.

 

Article (5):

 The course syllabus shows the percentage of blended learning to be selected, as stipulated in Article (3) of these instructions, the weekly face-to-face meeting times prima facie and the material that will be covered in addition to the times of asynchronous electronic activity and the material which will be taught in it.

 

Article (6):

The teacher is obligated to upload audio and video recordings of the simultaneous electronic meeting on the learning management system (LMS) as reference for students.

 

Article (7):

1.       The face-to-face meeting is being run by the teacher as usual based on the foundations of modern teaching management as follows for example:

1.       flipped learning

2.       project-based learning

3.        learning by solving problems

4.       collaborative learning

5.        connected learning 

 

2.       The  asynchronous electronic activity is carried out by the student wherever it is available to use the platform.

 

 

Article (8):

The face-to-face meeting is devoted to explaining the prescribed educational material according to the approved course syllabus for discussion, short exercises and presentations. The asynchronous electronic activity is devoted to watching the required videos in the material and answering related questions, performing homework, short tasks, activities, projects and readings related to the material, and electronic dialogues between students on the platform based on issues for discussions uploaded by the teacher and the student is responsible for follow-up and implementation.

 

Article (9):

1.       Videos are an essential part of the course and the student is evaluated in them in a similar fashion to that applied in face-to-face meetings. These are either short educational lectures recorded by the teacher or others, or interviews with experts in the subject, or documentaries or televised reports, and any appropriate electronic material related to the content of the subject, taking into account that the videos are of high quality and closely related to the material and according to the standards set by the Center.

2.       The teacher enjoys complete freedom of thought, expression, publication and exchange of opinion within the limits of the applicable laws and regulations, and the videos referred to in Clause (1) of this article are the responsibility of the subject teacher and he bears the responsibility for the content.

3.       The teacher is obligated to be present on the university campus in the hours of simultaneous weekly electronic meetings as an alternative to face-to-face meetings for the subject in order to follow up on students’ activity on the platform, answer their inquiries, and do any other work required by the subject.

4.       The instructions in force at the university are applied with regard to the teacher’s commitment to alternative simultaneous face-to-face or electronic meetings times and asynchronous activities, and to provide the appropriate mechanism to compensate students.

Article (10):

The course plan clearly shows, in addition to the weight of the marks in the mid-term exam and the final exam, the mark weights for the components of class work in detail, including the components of the meetings. prima facie and electronic activity asynchronous And other duties and jobs.

 

Article (11):

The teacher should use the virtual platform and The Learning Management System (LMS) adopted by the university, and it may use platforms virtual Other reliable global justifications accept it the Council Based on the placement of the director of the center distance Ensure the effectiveness and credibility of these platforms .

Article (12):

1.       The center, in coordination with the counseling center, and studies And training by holding one or more courses in blended learning and one or more courses in using the platform for everyone who teaches blended learning for the first time before the beginning of the semester The center also holds advanced courses for the same purpose, as the case may be.

2.       The center, in cooperation with the Department of Accreditation and Quality Control, grants a document showing that the teacher has passed the blended learning course and the course Use The platform and obtaining the document is a condition to start teaching blended learning materials

Article (13):

1.       can circle Admission and registration put a symbol (m - merged) or (B -Blended), or any other symbol you see fit, next to the blended learning subject symbol for regulatory purposes, but this symbol does not appear in the grade sheet.

2.       When setting schedules for materials, there should be sufficient time between the beginning and end of the materials that are presented face to face and that are presented electronically, so that they can be presented electronically so that the students can join the courses at the appropriate time and place.

 

Article (14):

The Center issues the "Blended Learning Coordinator" certificate for the teacher who develops successful experience in teaching blended learning materials, according to conditions set by the center.

 

Article (15):

Each blended learning subject or more shall have one "blended learning coordinator" chosen by the Dean upon the recommendation of the head of the concerned department, with the aim of assisting the teacher in preparing the subject's plan and providing assistance and advice during the semester.

 

 Article (16):

During the semester, the center watching learning system LMS for each subject is a built-in learning to identify any imbalances and recommend to the concerned vice president in order to correct them and prevent their recurrence in the future, and to identify the practitionersuccess stories and recommend the generalization of benefit from them.

 

 

 

Article (17):

The faculties, in cooperation with the Center, follow up, study and analyze the following evaluation results and provide the concerned parties with feedback:

1. Teachers’ evaluation of materials and learning/teaching outcomes.
2. Students' quarterly assessment of blended learning subjects, their instructors, and electronic services.

Article (18):

The center acquaints the blended learning teacher with the intellectual property rights of the open learning resources, which must be fully adhered to, and how to benefit from those resources and ways to duly include them in the material.

 

Article (19):

Blended learning materials are implemented in the face-to-face meeting in the regular university halls, and the teacher may, with the approval of the head of the department, carry out electronic tasks in a well-equipped hall wherever possible.

 

Article (20):

The percentages related to attendance, dismissal and absence in accordance with the instructions for granting a bachelor’s degree at the university are applied to the actual face-to-face meeting and electronic activity separately.

 

Chapter Two

Fully electronic distance learning

Article (21):

1.       The percentage of inclusion of the full distance e-learning materials in the face-to-face program shall be no more than 20% and not less than 10% of the total number of credit hours of the full face-to-face program.

2.       It is left to the council, upon the recommendation of the concerned vice president and the recommendation of the faculty dean and the head of the department, to determine the courses that are taught electronically remotely based on the nature of the courses and inform the center and the admission and registration department. As for the obligatory and optional requirements of the university, the head of the department to which the subject is affiliated is concerned with recommending it to be taught by distance e-learning.

3.       The teacher submits a request to the head of the concerned department before the beginning of the semester, expressing his desire to teach one or more e-learning courses in the form of electronic distance learning.

4.       The distance e-learning subject, in terms of the number of credit hours and the teaching load, is treated as the subject taught in person, regardless of the number of electronic activities.

5.       The ratio of the synchronous electronic meeting to the asynchronous electronic activity in the fully electronic distance learning is either two-thirds, one-third or one-half of the total actual hours per week and over the course of the semester, based on the approval of the Council and the recommendation of the dean of the college and the head of the department and the recommendation of the subject teacher, adopting one of the following models for teaching the subject electronically from a distance:

1.       2+1 form (two simultaneous weekly meetings + activities and tasks equivalent to a meeting Weekly asynchronous, i.e., two-thirds + one-third)

or:

2.       Model 1 + 2 (simultaneous weekly meeting + activities and tasks equivalent to two meetings Two weeks asynchronous (i.e. 1/3 + 2/3)

or

3.       1 + 1 model (one simultaneous weekly meeting + activities equivalent to one asynchronous weekly meeting, i.e. half for half)

6.       In exceptional cases, all meetings may be simultaneous or asynchronous by a decision of the Council.

7.     The teacher must adhere to the approved model for teaching the subject and document this in the subject plan.

8.       The duration of the asynchronous electronic activity is equivalent to the duration of the synchronous electronic meeting.

 

 Article (22):

 managed Meet the Elksimultaneous troni by teacher and nevy through the virtual platform By the student wherever he is able to use the virtual platform Within the agreed upon rules of attendance or participation and the asynchronous electronic activity is carried out by the student in any place where he is allowed to use the learning management system (LMS) or any other electronic means Accredited.

 

Article (23):

The simultaneous electronic meeting is devoted to explaining the prescribed educational material according to the approved course plan for discussion, short exercises and presentations, or as the teacher deems appropriate. The asynchronous electronic activity is devoted to watching the required videos in the subject and answering related questions, performing homework, short tasks, activities, projects and readings related to the subject, and electronic dialogues between students on the learning management system (LMS) or what the teacher deems appropriate after being approved by the center, and the student is responsible for follow-up and implementation.

 

Article (24):

3.       The teacher is obligated to upload the audio and video recordings of the synchronous meeting on the approved electronic content platform to be a reference for students.

4.       The teacher should move away from the method of narration and indoctrination and focus on developing learning skills, dialogue, analysis and other modern learning methods, for example but not limited to the following:

6.       flipped learning ( flipped learning

7.       learning through projects project-based learning

8.       learning by solving problems problem-solving

9.       participatory learning collaborative learning

10.    connected learning connected learning

 

C. The teacher is obligated to use the virtual platform and the Learning Management System (LMS) approved by the university, and he may use other global, trusted virtual platforms according to justifications accepted by the Council based on the placement of the director of the center after ensuring the effectiveness and credibility of that platform.

 

Article (25):

1.       The content of asynchronous electronic activity is an essential part of the course, and the student resides in it like the material in simultaneous electronic meetings. It is taken into account that the content is of high quality and closely related to the material, and that it does not contain any protected materials that conflict with intellectual property rights.

2.       The teacher enjoys complete freedom of thought, expression, publication and exchange of opinion within the limits of applicable laws and regulations, and the content referred to in Clause (1) of this article is the responsibility of the subject teacher.

3.       The instructions in force at the university are applied regarding the teacher's commitment to the simultaneous electronic meeting times and the provision of the appropriate mechanism to compensate students.

 

Article (26):

The course plan clearly states the course material to be covered and the percentage of synchronous and asynchronous e-learning as indicated in the guide. It also shows the platforms that will be used, the times of weekly synchronous meetings, the educational material in which they will be covered, the times of asynchronous weekly electronic activities and the material through which they will be implemented.

 

Article (27):

1.       The course plan clearly shows, in addition to the weighting of the marks in the mid-term exam and the final exam, the mark weights for the components of class work in detail, including the components of asynchronous electronic activity and other duties and functions on a form prepared for this purpose..

2.       The plan clearly and accurately shows the link between the components of the subject and the learning outcomes.

3.       The plan should include the weekly electronic office hours dedicated to academic and psychological counseling and empowering students, in addition to answering their inquiries as well as research The conditions of students with disabilities, the provision of facilities for the e-learning process, the holding of exams and any other matters

4.       The Council sets the general framework for each faculty  to evaluate theoretical and practical subjects, especially with regard to the distribution of grades when restructuring the assessment system in subjects, it is taken into account to reduce the focus on exams and reduce the percentage of the total mark for them, and to increase the focus on the work of dismissal of duties, projects, tasks, reports and quick tests so that the percentages are as follows:

1.       40% final exam

2.       60% of semester work and mid-term exams as follows :

1.        20% mid term exam

2.       20  %chapter work

3.        20%  project

 Article (28):

1. The center holds mandatory courses in distance e-learning and in the use of the platform and system for everyone who teaches e-learning for the first time before the beginning of the semester, and the center also holds advanced courses for the same purpose as necessary.
2. The Center, in cooperation with the Center for Consultations, Studies and Training, and the Accreditation and Quality Control Department, grants a certificate showing that the teacher has passed the e-learning course and the platform use course. Obtaining the document is a condition to start teaching e-learning materials.

 

 

Article (29):

1. The Department of Admission and Registration can put a symbol (K - electronic) or (E-learning)  Or any symbol that it deems appropriate, next to the symbol of the e-learning subject for regulatory purposes, and the symbol does not appear in the transcript.
2. When setting schedules for materials, sufficient time between the beginning and end of the materials that are presented in the face-to-face manner and that are presented electronically, so that it is possible to NSFor students to join the materials at the appropriate time and place.

 

Article (30):

Each e-learning subject has one “e-learning coordinator” chosen by the dean of the faculty upon the recommendation of the head of the concerned department, with the aim of

1.       Assisting the teacher in preparing the course plan and providing assistance and advice during the class.

2.       Develop an operational plan within the university's strategic plan for the use of technology in teaching and learning electronic and supervise its implementation

3.       Ensuring the use of technological applications and solutions adopted by the university in all subjects in teaching and learning and supervising their implementation.

4.       Contribute to spreading the culture of electronic security among the educational and administrative staff and students.

5.       Follow up on the usage reports of teachers and students and develop a plan to improve performance and quality of use.

Article (31):

During the semester, the center monitors the LMS learning system for each e-learning subject to identify any imbalances and recommend to the concerned vice president in order to correct them and prevent their recurrence in the future, and to identify successful practices and recommend the generalization of benefit from them.

Article  (32):

The colleges, in cooperation with the Center, follow up, study and analyze the following evaluation results WhatProvide the concerned parties with feedback:.

3. Teachers’ evaluation of materials and learning/teaching outcomes.
4. Students' quarterly evaluation of e-learning materials, their teachers, and e-services.

 

Article (33):

An electronic library and open learning resources are created and activated at the university with specifications so that

1. Covers all subjects in study plans and knowledge areas. Research sources must also be available that contain relevant scientific and research papers
2. It has a system that enables learners to borrow books electronically and access open learning resources

 

Article (34):

The center introduces the e-learning teacher to the intellectual property rights of the open learning resources, which must be fully adhered to, how to benefit from these sources and ways to duly include them in the material.

 

Article (35):

E-learning materials are implemented in university halls, but the teacher may implement them in another place, provided that he is fully prepared for this purpose.

 

 Article (36):

The dean of the college may that Nominates an e-learning liaison officer whose task is to communicate with the concerned authorities about any issues related to e-learning in the college and its departments with the aim of overcoming the obstacles and challenges faced by the teacher and students.

 

 Article (37):

The percentages related to attendance, attendance, deprivation and absence in force under the instructions for granting a bachelor's degree at the university are applied to e-learning.

 

Chapter Three

The organizational foundations of e-learning

 

Article (38):

This applies foundations All university students are subject to the stipulated disciplinary provisions and procedures

 

Article (39):

The following acts are considered disciplinary offenses that expose the student who commits any of them to the disciplinary penalties stipulated in these instructions, and they are divided according to the severity of the violation into:

 

A  First-degree offenses: Minor behavioral offenses

1.       10 minutes late for attendanceThe simultaneous remote electronic meeting or leavingwithout acceptable excuse.

2.       Not opening the camera during exams and during the simultaneous electronic meeting

3.       Wearing clothes that violate public morals while attending the synchronous remote electronic meeting.

4.       Side conversations or talk that is not related to the study and obstructs the course of the lesson during the synchronous remote electronic meeting

5.       Eating during the synchronous electronic meeting.

6.       Misuse of microphone, camera and chat feature without prior permission from the teacher.

7.       Playing games (except with the express permission of the teacher, as if the games are an educational necessity related to the lesson).

8.       Misuse of the powers available through the approved program

9.       Presence of an unsuitable environment for simultaneous meeting

 

B Second degree offenses: Intermediate behavioral offenses:

1.       Failure to attend lessons on e-learning platforms and exceeding the maximum percentage of absence allowed in the instructions Absences of 15% of the number of scheduled lectures without an acceptable excuse.

2.       orchestrated abstinence fromAttending e-learning meetings and all inciting students to this refrain, threatening and intimidating them,

3.       Facing quarrels between students, whether visual or written, during the electronic meeting via electronic platforms, and not responding to the rules regulating the conduct of these activities.

4.       Using e-mail or social media to disclose personally identifiable information.

5.       The exclusion of the teacher or students from the problem group on social media, which leads to obstruction of the course of the lesson, the work of the teacher and the rights of students.

6.       Use profanity, racist phrases, or other words (text, voice, or hint) that may be offensive to any other user.

7.       Violation of the examination system or the calm that must be observed in them, as well as breaching the order and discipline required by lectures, seminars, or activities.

8.       Abuse or insult the official visitors during the simultaneous electronic meeting.

9.       Smoking during a simultaneous electronic meeting or possession of any smoking tool.

10.   the irony From teacher or one colleagues during Meeting electronic .

C  Third degree offenses: Serious behavioral infractions

1.       Bullying of all kinds and forms, through the use of means of communication and information technologies, initiating insults, insults, threats of violence, defamation, or blackmail, intentionally and repeatedly, via any digital platform.

2.       Attempt to defame with students And university workers on the platforms and means Social media used for learning purposes and abusing them, publishing through it information about teachers and students without permission and giving personal information.

3.       Impersonating others in university transactions, or falsifying university documents by searching for information, obtaining specific copies, modifying files and other data or passwords belonging to other users on the network, or accessing and using the account of a teacher or other student with or without his knowledge.

4.       take photo and possession or publish or trade Pictures of university employees or students without their permission by using a camera for any personal use and sharing pictures or any information about any of the students, parents, workers or any other person without obtaining their express consent or using educational content to photograph and record conversations between students and publish it without permission.

5.       Any act that harms honor, dignity or morals, or violates good conduct or behavior, or would harm the reputation of the university or its employees, including any such act committed by the student outside the university on an occasion in which the university participates or an activity it is doing.

6.       assault Or verbal harassment by a person or group of individuals against other people based on race, age, sex, color, religion, marital status, lineage and disability, including bullying, bullying and causing physical, psychological or moral harm to any of the university students.

7.       Violation of university law and its systems and her instructions or its enforceable decisions or incitement to contravene any of them

8.       Violation of the student code of conduct at the university

 

D Fourth degree offenses: Behavioral offenses (very serious)

1.       Use of platforms and means of communication and communication electronic and social activities for illegal or immoral purposes, or in what harms the educational institution, its employees, or others by creating or opening online hyperlinks hyperlinks or Any attached files unless they are sent from a reliable source, or through the use of montage programs that can produce unreal and false content and are circulated with the aim of developing programs that harass users or hack or damage accounts and devices of other people, or by establishing networks or network connections to conduct Live communications including audio or video communications (relay chat) without prior official permission

2.        Publishing, creating, exchanging or promoting malicious or suspicious software, flooding e-mail messages or application used for e-learning with a high electronic data flow and stopping it from working, disabling or destroying its contents, or through the intentionally and unauthorized capture or interception of any network communication Informatics used for e-learning.

3.       Systematic theft or cover-up: through the use of the student's personal account by others and illegal access to his account number or downloading, copying, duplicating or distributing copyrighted material without the specific written permission of the owner of those rights

4.       Bringing, possessing, displaying and promoting unlicensed physical, media, or electronic materials that violate values, morals, morals and public order, and what violates public modesty through the use of platforms to access inappropriate content or by adding, publishing and sharing material that violates values, morals, and public order or has content Not suitable for platforms or electronic means.

5.       Cheating in the exam, participating or attempting to it, leaking exam questions, or participating in it in any way and in any ordinary or technical way, or circulating exam solutions or assignments by all means and methods.

6.       Exposure to the abuse of political, religious or social symbols in the state by creating, displaying, transmitting or sharing any material that may harm the reputation of the state.

7.       Broadcasting or promoting extremist, blasphemous, atheistic, or offensive ideas and beliefs to the political and social systems of the community by publishing any hate speech, tracking messages, harassment, racist statements and other hostile behavior.

Article (40)

  The disciplinary penalties for the student shall be determined for the disciplinary violations mentioned in Article (39) of these instructions as follows:-

1. Written warning.
2. Dismissal from the electronic platform.
3. Denying attendance at some or all of the electronic meetings in which the student disturbs the order.
4. Deprivation for a specified period from benefiting from the services provided by the university.
5. Deprivation for a specified period of time from practicing one or more student activities.
6. Three degrees of warning: first, double and final.
7. A fine of no less than twice the value of the thing or things damaged by the student.
8. Cancellation of registration in one or more of the subjects in which the violation occurred.
9. It is considered a failure in one or more subjects.
10. Temporary dismissal from the university for one semester or more or not being allowed to enroll in the summer semester.
11. Final dismissal from university.
12. Suspending the award of the degree for no more than two semesters.
13. Cancellation of the decision to grant the certificate if it is found that there is fraud or fraud in the requirements for obtaining it.

 

Article (41)

 The powers and procedures contained in the University Student Discipline Instructions shall be applied to violations and penalties in e-learning.

 

 

Article (42)

1.       In addition to the disciplinary sanctions mentioned in Article 40) Some violations, which are defined as dangerous and very dangerous, respectively, lead in some cases to the filing of criminal charges in accordance with the provisions and laws of cybercrime.

2.       It is permissible to combine two disciplinary penalties or more of the penalties stipulated in these instructions.

3.       In the event that the penalty of temporary dismissal from the university is imposed, the dismissed student’s identity is withdrawn and he is prevented from entering the learning center during the term of the semester, except with the prior permission of the dean.

4.       A student who has been permanently dismissed from the university for disciplinary action is denied obtaining a certificate of good conduct, and the name of the student who has been permanently dismissed is circulated to other public and private universities.

 

Chapter Four

Remote electronic exams

Article (43):

1.       The student must ensure that he is able to enter the learning system through his user name and password at least one week before the start of the examination period, and in the event of not being able to enter, send an email to the center at the university.

2.       The student must ensure that all the subjects registered in appear on the e-learning systems, and in the event that none of the subjects appears, contact the subject teacher and the center at the university.

3.       The student must perform the required short tests for all subjects, to ensure that he is able to perform the exams electronically, and that the technological tools available to him are ready.

4.       The student is responsible if he gives his password to anyone else.

5.       Avoid use of mobile phone unless it is not possible to access a computer, because the questions may not appear correctly, especially those that contain pictures or tables.

6.       Use the approved browser by the Center when taking the exam, whether using the computer or the phone.

7.       The student must abide by the examination time specified in the examination schedule, and in the event of the student entering late, no additional time will be granted.

8.       The student must configure his computer, and log into the system 10 minutes before the exam starts, with an emphasis on turning on the camera and microphone.

9.       It is the teacher’s responsibility to verify the identity of the examining student and demand the examinee scan the area in which he/she is sitting slowly by turning the camera around to make sure that the student is alone and that the place is suitable for taking the exam with sufficient lighting that enables the teacher to see the examinee and that there is no clutter or unnecessary materials next to the examinee.

10.   Close all open programs on the device except those required for the exam.

11.   The student does not move from his position outside the range of the camera.

12.   Students should save the answers on each page immediately during the exam period to avoid losing them in the event of a network disconnection.

13.   If the student has any problems during the exam, he should contact the subject teacher, the e-learning liaison officers, or the call the announced phone numbers to request assistance.

14. If a student has physical challenges such as visual impairment or any other disabilities, the subject teacher must set a special date for the student to take the exam, and he is allowed to bring a companion to help, such as reading questions for him to be able to take the exam.

Article (44):

The Council decides on cases not mentioned in these instructions.

 

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