Effective 01/2021

Policy Name	Meta-Course Creation
Policy Category	Academic
Policy Approved By	Vice President
Responsible Division Head or VP	Assistant Dean for Online and Digital Learning
Responsible Department	Digital Learning and Innovation
Responsible AVP or Director	Provost and Senior Vice-President of Academic Affairs
Original Policy Date	10/27/2020
Last Known Revision Date	10/27/2020
Current Policy Effective Date	1/4/2021
Recommended Policy Review Date	1/4/2023
Policy Applies To	Faculty
Additional Authority/References	Accreditation – Middle States

POLICY PURPOSE

To define the principles around the creation of meta-courses in the Learning Management System (combining of sections of the same course into one course shell) and FERPA guidelines with student interaction in meta-courses.

BACKGROUND

This policy applies to all course sites stored in Albright College’s Learning Management System.

POLICY TEXT

The guiding principles of this policy are:

Create an interface that is easier for faculty to manage if the faculty member teaches
two or more sections of the same course.
Ensure adherence to FERPA regulations.

This policy applies to all courses taught in the Undergraduate, Graduate and SPS catalog and
sites maintained by staff and other areas of Albright College. The policy refers to all courses
automatically generated in the registration system and subsequently populated in Canvas.
Additionally, this policy refers to any restored or otherwise manually created added courses
by faculty, staff and students. This policy applies to all users of Albright’s learning
management system.

Once a meta-course is created in the Learning Management System, the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations that require students not have access to student
information from course sections they are not enrolled in will apply. According to FERPA,
students should not be able to interact in the Learning Management System with students
from another course section unless the students physically meet in the same classroom at
the same time.

Faculty will ensure the following:

The merging of two or more sections of a course happen before the semester begins.
The People, Chat, Conferences and Collaborations menus are hidden from students.
The disabling of students to create new Discussion Forums and create their own
Groups.
- Faculty can create their Groups, but must be manual and students cannot
  cross-over from the individual sections of a Group.
The disabling of students to comment on Announcements.
The sending of separate messages to each section instead of the whole group.

Also, while this is not required, faculty can set calendar events and assignment due dates by
section. Finally, you can also create differentiated assignments for each section or group.

This policy will be updated by the Digital Learning and Innovation department.

ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES LOCATION

A help document is located in the Faculty Canvas Help Center to direct the activities of the
meta-course to fulfill all guidelines/requirements by FERPA.

REVISION LOG

DATE OF REVISION	MAJOR CHANGES *(Note: electronic copies of the former versions of the policy must be maintained within the unit, department, or division)*
Click or tap to enter a date.
Click or tap to enter a date.
Click or tap to enter a date.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN – For decision-making purposes only. This will not appear in the Final Policy that is posted to the Policy Repository.

The implementation plan consists of training and help documentation provided by the Department of Digital Learning and Innovation.

DECISION – For decision-making purposes only. This will not appear in the Final Policy that is posted to the Policy Repository.

Date of Draft Policy Review	12/17/2020
Name of Reviewing Committee/Individual
Date Approved	12/17/2020	Comments:
Date Rejected	Click or tap to enter a date.	Comments:
Date Draft Tabled or Further Review Needed (provide comments including plan for re-submission)	Click or tap to enter a date.	Comments:

View this Policy as a PDF.