Texas A&M International University

Instructional Technology & Distance Education Services Staff Texas A&M International University Office of Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services is committed at providing the best quality education to students at a distance. We offer a graduate-level degree and certificate programs in formats accessible beyond the traditional campus. Courses offered via either online, videoconference, or remote classrooms are specifically delineated in the schedule of courses.

Introduction, Definitions, and Goals

This website serves as a guide to distance education (eLearning) program at Texas A&M International University. As with any successful program, this website is reviewed and evaluated constantly to reflect changes and improve current practices. The main focus of our eLearning program over the past two years has been the adoption and deployment of a new Learning Management System (ANGEL) and the coordination of human and financial resources devoted to the support of faculty and students throughout the implementation process.

The Director of Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services is responsible for the overall coordination of services in the eLearning program under the Associate VP of Information Technology who in turn reports to the VP for Finance and Administration. The University Technology Advisory Council serves as the advisory body for the eLearning area and other technology initiatives. The Technology Advisory Council was instrumental in the selection and acquisition of the new Learning Management System. TAMIU organizational and support staff for distance education charts are included in this website. The instructional technology area has adequate technical support staff for both faculty and students.

Definitions

A distance education course is defined as a University-approved course in which a majority (more than 50%) of the instruction occurs when the student(s) and the instructor(s) are not in the same place.

The instructional delivery mode is selected at the department level and forwarded for approval through curriculum committees at the department, college, and university level. The instructional delivery modes include online, through our eLearning management system (ANGEL), and via interactive videoconferencing, through TAMUS Trans Texas Video Network (TTVN).

Three categories of distance education are defined:

Fully distance education course – A course which may have mandatory face-to-face sessions totaling no more than 15 percent of the instructional time. This model allows off-campus students equivalent learning opportunities and outcomes as on-campus students.

Hybrid/blended course – A course in which a majority (more than 50 percent but less than 85 percent), of the planned instruction occurs when the students and instructor are not in the same place. A percentage of class time is delivered in a traditional face-to-face format and the remaining percentage is delivered in the online environment. Course materials and assignments (i.e. PowerPoint presentations, handouts, research journals, articles, notes, etc) are available online as well as communication tools that allow faculty to interact with students synchronously and asynchronously. The faculty determines the percentage of the time in each format based on the requirements of the course.

Web-Centric/Web-enhanced course – A course that uses the University’s primary course management system to support and supplement their teaching. Course materials and assignments (i.e. PowerPoint presentations, handouts, research journals, articles, and notes) are available online as well as communication tools that allow faculty to interact with students asynchronously.

Distance Education Goals 2012-2014

Goal 1. Create, support, and enhance the professional development activities of faculty and staff through a variety of delivery formats.

Goal 2. Implement the Quality Matters standards in all newly developed online courses.

Goal 3. Initiate steps to migrate to a new Learning Management System.

Goal 4. Promote, recognize, and reward excellence among faculty teaching at a distance.

Goal 5. Maintain and expand collaborative service efforts with local ISDs and other institutions of higher education.

PROGRAM INTEGRITY REGULATION

Distance Learning Compliant Process for Out of State Students

Our Distance Education program is an important component of TAMIU’s program offerings. In compliance with the language passed in the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, the U.S. Department of Education requires that institutions offering distance education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state. Students who reside outside of the State of Texas should try to resolve the matter with his/her institution first by emailing their Distance Education office at elearning@tamiu.edu or by phone at 956-326-2792.

Below is a list of available complaint process information for all states.

Alabama	General Link: http://www.ache.state.al.us/
Alaska	General Link: http://akadvantage.alaska.gov/
Arizona	General Link: http://azppse.state.az.us/student_info/compliance.asp
Arkansas	General Link: http://www.adhe.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/AcademicAffairsDivision/ICAC%20Rules%20and%20Regulations/APPENDIXJ.pdf
California	General Link: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/forms_pubs/complaint.pdf
Colorado	General Link: http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Policies/Current/i-partj.pdf
Connecticut	General Link: http://www.ctdhe.org/
Delaware	General Link: http://www.doe.k12.de.us/
District of Columbia	General Link: http://app.dcra.dc.gov/about/index_bpla_education.shtm
Florida	General Link: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1005/1005.html
Georgia	General Link: http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/docs/392/5/06.pdf
Hawaii	General Link: http://hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp/consumer_complaint
Idaho	General Link: http://legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/Title33/T33CH24.htm
Illinois	General Link: http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/consumerinfo/complaint.htm
Indiana	General Link: http://www.in.gov/che/
Iowa	General Link: http://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/images/docs/file/forms/constituentrequestform.pdf
Kansas	General Link: http://www.kansasregents.org/resources/PDF/524-ComplaintProcedureandForm.pdf
Kentucky	General Link: http://cpe.ky.gov/institutions/
Louisiana	General Link: http://regents.state.la.us/
Maine	General Link: http://www.maine.gov/education/
Maryland	General Link: http://www.mhec.state.md.us/
Massachusetts	General Link: http://www.mass.edu/forstudents/complaints/complaintprocess.asp
Michigan	General Link: http://www.michiganps.net/complaint.aspx
Minnesota	General Link: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=205
Mississippi	General Link: http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/
Missouri	While the department does require students to pursue resolution through institutional processes, which are required as part of the license standards, the department does maintain a process for the review of student complaints at licensed schools. Information about that process is not currently available from the department’s website but is distributed to students upon request.
Montana	General Link: http://mus.edu/board
Nebraska	General Link: http://www.ccpe.state.ne.us/PublicDoc/CCPE/
Nevada	General Link: http://www.cpe.state.nv.us/CPE%20Complaint%20Info.htm
New Hampshire	General Link: http://www.nh.gov/postsecondary/complaints
New Jersey	General Link: http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/
New Mexico	General Link: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/
New York	General Link: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.html
North Carolina	If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution’s grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the following office: Post-Secondary Education Complaints, c/o Assistant Director of Licensure and Workforce Studies, University of North Carolina General Administration. 910 Raleigh Road, chapel hill, NC 27515-2688, telephone (919) 962-4558. The student may contact UNC General Administration for further details. http://www.northcarolina.edu/
North Dakota	General Link: http://www.nd.gov/cte/
Ohio	General Link: http://regents.ohio.gov/
Oklahoma	General Link: http://www.okhighered.org/
Oregon	General Link: http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/
Pennsylvania	General Link: http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/bureau_of_postsecondary_education/7325/division_of_higher_education/522367
Puerto Rico	General Link: For IHE’s go to PRCHE – Chapter XIII: http//gobierno.pr/NR/rdonlyres/F15F15DF-A8C1-4341-A752-4490FF6791A3/0/REGLAMENTO_EN_INGLES_OTORGAMIENTO_DE_LICENCIAS_A_IES_DE_PR.pdf For other post-secondary non-degree granting go to PRGEC – Article 3.4 (in Spanish): http://www.cge.gobierno.pr/reglamentos/Reglamento%20de%20Licencias.pdf
Rhode Island	General Link: http://www.ribghe.org/
South Carolina	General Link: http://www.che.sc.gov/AcademicAffairs/License/Complaint_procedures_and_form.pdf
South Dakota	General Link: http://www.sdbor.edu/
Tennessee	General Link: http://www.tn.gov/thec/Divisions/LRA/PostsecondaryAuth/psa.html
Texas	General Link: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/
Utah	General Link: http://consumerprotection.utah.gov/complaints/index.html
Vermont	General Link: http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/html/mainboard.html
Virginia	General Link: http://www.schev.edu/forms/StudentComplaintInformation.pdf
Washington	General Link: http://www.hecb.wa.gov/autheval/daa/ConsumerInformation.asp
West Virginia	General Link: http://wvhepcnew.wvnet.edu/
Wisconsin	General Link: http://eab.state.wi.us/resources/complaint.asp
Wyoming	General Link: http://edu.wyoming.gov/Programs/schools/private_school_licensing.aspx

Instructional Technology & Distance Education Services
Office of Information Technology
Killam Library 259
Phone: 956.326.2792
Fax: 956.326.2299
E-mail: elearning@tamiu.edu