Steps for Faculty: Developing a Self-Sustaining Distance Learning Course Through UW Educational Outreach

Developing a distance learning course takes time and commitment, and not all courses are suited to this format. From the initial proposal to the final course design can take a year or longer. Although some colleges have more steps in the approval process, this is the basic procedure:

1. Discuss the course proposal with your department chair.

2. After your department gives preliminary approval of the proposal, contact David Szatmary, associate vice provost of UW Educational Outreach (UWEO), at 543-2320.

3. UWEO then assigns a program manager to the project, assesses student demand, and develops a draft budget for curriculum design. A decision on whether to move forward follows.

4. A distance learning instructional designer assigned to the project works with you to select the appropriate distance learning technology to be used.

5. The curriculum and course design are approved by the appropriate faculty and college.

6. The course is publicized in the UW Educational Outreach Distance Learning catalog and on the Web.

The model outlined above is for a self-sustaining course available at a fee to any matriculated or nonmatriculated student. Matriculated student tuition does not cover registration for distance learning courses. Faculty receive additional compensation for teaching these courses.