Distance Learning

Distance Learning (DL) is a medium or an educational format that enables learning to occur when the student and the instructor are physically separated from each other in time and place.

Distance Learning Education Grading System

The grading system of the host institution will be used. The letter grade, issued by the host institution, will be posted to the student transcript.

At RCC these courses may be offered via the North Carolina Information Highway or the Internet. Such classes have the same course description, basic content, and credit hours as the traditional courses.

How It Works

Online Courses: In an online course, instruction may be synchronous (requires all participants to be online at the same moment) or asynchronous (learning “anytime, anywhere” meaning that the learning process of a particular subject is performed without fixed class hours in classrooms).

Attendance is determined weekly by students completing weekly assignments or posting material within a required discussion forum. Therefore, students should check the website four to five times a week. Entrance into an online class is defined as logging into the institution’s learning management system (Moodle) and completing the required enrollment assignment.

Hybrid Courses: A hybrid course combines both the online and face-to-face environment. Part of the instruction, such as lectures, is presented online while another segment, such as lab work, is taught in the traditional face-to-face setting. Thus, students should expect to complete assignments and to participate fully in both the online and face-to-face portions of the class.

Web Assisted Course: A web assisted course is a College credit course where the primary delivery is via traditional face-to face method with a requirement that students have Internet access as a supplemental part of the course.

NCIH Course: Through the assistance of a video network, students are seated in a classroom at Robeson Community College while they view their instructor, who is located at another institution, via a television screen. Such a course is offered through NCIH (North Carolina Information Highway).

Proctor Policy

In some distance learning courses, instructors may require students to either visit campus at specified times and locations to take one or more examinations or to obtain an instructor approved proctor to administer exams. If a student is too far away from campus to take an examination onsite, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange proctoring at a local university, library, or other suitable site. If the proctor option is selected, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain an acceptable proctor.

Students must submit names, positions, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of the potential proctors and locations where exams are or can be administered. Proctors and locations must meet with the reasonable approval of the instructor. Once an instructor approves of a proctor and testing procedure, the RCC instructor will contact the proctor and arrange for delivery and return of the exam. The instructor, proctor, and student will agree upon the time and parameters under which the exam is given. Students are responsible for any fees charged by proctors.

Qualified Proctors May Be:

• Administrators of recognized private testing centers
• Administrators or full-time faculty at accredited universities, colleges, or community colleges
• Principals, associate/assistant principals, and counselors of US public schools
• US Forces Military Commanders of Field Grade or above
• Education Services Officers on US military installations within the US or overseas
• US embassy or consulate officials

Qualified Proctors May Not Be Friends or Family Members!

Again, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain an acceptable proctor. The process of identifying a proctor, obtaining approval, and exam coordination takes time. Students must make arrangements for a proctor and testing location at least two weeks prior to an examination. Failure to do so may result in a zero for the examination.

State Authorization and Distance Learning

Recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) include new requirements in individual state authorization regulations that impact colleges that offer online and distance learning. Robeson Community College is working to achieve compliance as established in HEOA 600.9 (c)

This particular section of § 600.9 State authorization states: If an institution is offering postsecondary education through distance or correspondence education to students in a State in which it is not physically located or in which it is otherwise subject to State jurisdiction as determined by the State, the institution must meet any State requirements for it to be legally offering postsecondary distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary [of Education] the State’s approval upon request. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002)

How Is RCC Responding to This Mandate?

Even though we rarely have out-of-state online students and we do not actively recruit or market college offerings beyond North Carolina, we are complying with the Federal Requirements by monitoring incoming applications of out-of-state students who plan to enroll in distance learning courses. Once the student declares their intent to enroll in distance learning courses, communication will be initiated seeking State Authorization for their particular state of residency. Additionally, RCC has applied and received approval to participate in the Southern Regional Electronic Board – Electronic Campus (SREBEC) which has an established reciprocity agreement with the following member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Our approval to participate in the Southern Regional Electronic Board – Electronic Campus (SREB-EC) exempts us from the requirement to apply for authorization to the states who participate in the SREB’s Electronic Campus Regional Reciprocity Agreement (SECRRA). This reciprocal agreement basically agrees that SREB participating states consent to recognize courses and programs from other participating states that are listed in the SREB-EC.

Institutional Contact Information

The Vice-President of Instruction and Support Services serves as the primary contact for maintaining compliance with the recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). Correspondence may be directed to the Vice-President of Instruction and Support Services, Robeson Community College, P.O. Box 1420, Lumberton, NC 28359. For assistance by telephone, contact the Vice-President at (910) 272-3330.

State Contact Information

Pursuant to the United States Department of Education’s Program Integrity Rule, each institution of higher education is required to provide all prospective and current students with the contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning within that state. Robeson Community College students must adhere to the college’s internal student grievance policies and procedures prior to filing a complaint with a state agency. To view this process, refer to the Student Grievance Procedure section of the RCC Catalog and Student Handbook. This process provides each student due process in the resolution of their complaint or grievance. If the resolution of the complaint or grievance is not satisfactory, students may contact their State approval or licensing entity in their state of residency established to handle student complaints.

State Contact Information has been collected and updated by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). This page can be accessed at: http://www.sheeo.org/node/434 [opens in a new tab]

Grade Appeal Process

It is the policy of Robeson Community College that students shall have the right to appeal a grade whether derived from singular course event or the final grade issued for the course. Grades for individual class assignments as well as final grades are to be determined by the course instructor of record in accordance with the grading guidelines distributed in the course syllabus at the beginning of a course.

Individual Course Assignment

1. A student may appeal a grade derived from a singular course event as outlined below:
   1. Any student who has an issue with a grade resulting from an individual course event (i.e. test, pop quiz, term paper, etc.) must attempt to resolve the matter with the faculty member who assigned the grade. Appeals must be made within three working days from the date the graded process is returned or made known to the student.
   2. In the event the matter cannot be resolved, the student may appeal the grade following the outline below:
      1. The student shall present the appeal to include rationale for appeal in writing to the Department Chair/Program Director/Program Coordinator of the area in which the contested grade was awarded within three working days of the faculty member’s response.
      2. The Department Chair/Program Director/Program Coordinator shall confer with the student and the instructor to seek a resolution of the appeal within three working days of receipt of appeal. If the instructor happens to also be the Department Chair/Program Director/Program Coordinator, then the appeal should be submitted to the appropriate Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course.
      3. Should the Department Chair/Program Director/Program Coordinator and student fail to reach a satisfactory resolution, the Department Chair/Program Director shall forward the appeal to the appropriate Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course within three working days.
      4. The decision of the Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course shall be made within three working days and the decision shall be considered final.

Final Course Grade

2. Students may appeal a final course grade as outlined below:
   1. Any student who has an issue with the final course grade should attempt to resolve the matter with the faculty member who assigned the grade. Appeals must be made within three working days from the on-line posting of the final grade.
   2. A student cannot appeal a final course grade based upon a previously appealed individual course assignment.
   3. In the event the matter cannot be resolved, the student may appeal the grade following the procedure outlined below:
      1. The student shall present the grade appeal to include rationale for appeal in writing to the Department Chair/Program Director of the area within which the contested grade was awarded. Appeals must be made within three (3) working days of the decision reached by the faculty member.
      2. The Department Chair/Program Director shall confer with the student and instructor to seek a resolution of the appeal within three working days of the receipt of the appeal. If the instructor happens to also be the Department Chair/Program Director, then the appeal should be submitted to the appropriate Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course.
      3. Should the Department Chair/Program Director and student fail to reach a satisfactory resolution, the Department Chair/Program Director shall forward the appeal to the appropriate Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course for review within three working days.
      4. The Assistant Vice President providing administrative supervision for the course shall convene a hearing before the Academic Appeals Committee within three working days. The Assistant Vice President shall serve as the committee chair. The Committee shall consist of four faculty members randomly selected from the Academic Appeals Committee membership. The Committee shall meet to discuss the grade appeal and may hear from the student, the instructor, and any other individuals that the Committee deems appropriate.
         If the Committee finds the grade received was inappropriate, the Committee shall determine a method by which the grade will be re-evaluated. The resulting grade, if different, must be submitted within College guidelines and may not be appealed further. Should the Committee find the grade received by the student as appropriate, the Committee shall direct that no action be taken to change the final grade and the findings shall be submitted to the Vice President for Instruction and Support Services within 24 hours. The Vice President shall notify the student of the committee’s findings within three working days.
      5. In cases where the Academic Appeals Committee finds that the grade received by the student was appropriate, the student may submit a written appeal to the Vice President for Instruction and Support Services within three working days. The Vice President shall review all evidence related to the appeal, conduct any interviews deemed appropriate, and render a decision within three working days. The decision rendered by the Vice President for Instruction and Support Services will be considered final.
3. Failure of a student to pursue a grade appeal in accordance with the provisions of this policy or any publications derived there from shall be deemed unacceptable and the grade assigned will be the grade of record.
4. This policy shall apply to all credit courses and Adult High School courses offered by the College regardless of length, credit awarded, method of delivery, time of delivery, or other similar factors.