This document represents the best practices to be used when creating Hybrid/Distance learning
courses using Blackboard. Every point may or may not apply to your course.

• Have I included reminders of online events (chats, threaded discussions, etc.)?
• Have I included time and place of the first on-campus meeting if this is a hybrid?
• Have I included a reminder for students to either check their William Paterson University email accounts or forward their William Paterson University accounts to any other email accounts they may be using?
• Have I continued to update the announcements as the year went on?

Syllabus:

• Have I clarified class-meeting times if this is a hybrid?
• Have I included the prerequisites of the course?
• Have I included text and materials needed?
• Have I included the requirements and deadlines for the course?
• Exams
• Quizzes
• Have I included anticipated learning outcomes and assessment criteria?
• Have I included both my expectations and the expectations the students may have of me in this course?
• Have I included assignment submission procedures?
• Online submission (Assignment Manager or Digital Drop Box)
• Email
• Paper copy
• Have I included an adequate course description?
• Have I included information on the course's geography - where to post, where to find assignments?
• Have I included relevant institutional policies and resources?

Faculty/Staff Information:

• Have I included my photo?
• Have I provided my contact information?
• Office hours and location
• Email address
• Phone/fax number
• Have I created a link to my personal homepage?
• Have I included my staff information?
• My TA
• Other instructors
• Have I provided a link to the BB help site? (http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/bb/sc/)

Course Documents:

• Have I chosen an organizational scheme for my components (e.g., By week, by topic, or whatever other method I have chosen)?
• Folders
• Subfolders
• Documents
• Links
• Have I chunked information appropriately?
• Have I integrated hyperlinks?
• Have I included sample student projects and assignments if applicable?
• Have I included all necessary materials?
• Have I addressed different learning styles?
• Have I provided enough practice exercises?
• Have I included a glossary or list of key words?
• Is the description given to the course documents

Assignments:

• Are the practices and exercises relevant?
• Have I coordinated (or synchronized) the assignments and due dates?
• Have I decided on testing procedure?
• Online quizzes
• Onsite quizzes
• For online quizzes, have I considered the following:
  • Are the questions easily understood?
  • Have I tried out the questions beforehand?
• Have I prepared
• The questions
• Corresponding points
• The correct answers
• Correct feedback
• Is the feedback easily understood?
• Is the feedback both corrective and constructive?

Communication:

• Have I chosen a communication protocol?
• Synchronous (virtual chat)
• Asynchronous (discussion board and email)
• Both
• Have I planned a strategy for the discussion boards?
• Have I determined ways to encourage the students to participate?
• Have I come up with topics for the discussion boards?
• Have I given the forums a descriptive name?
• Have I set up a forum where students can introduce themselves to the class?
• Will I allow the students to start a new thread on the discussion board or do I want them to respond only to my threads?
• Have I planned a strategy for the virtual chats?
• Have I set up times for the chat to take place?
• Have I split the class into groups for the chat (small groups are easier to manage on the chat feature)?
• Will I be using the Virtual Chat during office hours?

Evaluation:

• Have I set up a course evaluation tool in the Assessment Manager?