Platt College

Online Learning

Online learning at Platt College focuses on full -time working students and for those whose schedules involve demanding clinical education. Online education at Platt College places a strong emphasis on developing technical fluency and the use of electronic information (informatics), in our graduates.

Online learning Statement of Mission

The primary purpose of online learning at Platt College is to maximize student access to courses through the use of web-based delivery systems. 

Online learning at Platt College integrates the assets of the college to provide a teaching and learning environment for distance learners comparable to that provided to on-campus students. Support services are available to both distant learners and faculty that help to provide quality education that is conveniently accessed.

Online learning at Platt College is consistent with and supports the college's strategic plan and the college’s mission of offering quality undergraduate education while providing graduates with competencies, skills and levels of education for employment and continued success in higher education.

Goals of Online learning at Platt College

  • Enhance student accessibility and participation in online learning initiatives.
  • Create an environment which facilitates the development of online learning instruction by faculty in response to student and community needs
  • Encourage faculty participation in online learning initiatives and provide assistance and support in the development of courses, course materials, and use of instructional technology
  • Help support faculty to use alternate means of instruction.
  • Promote the availability and utilization of online learning courses as a viable option for pursuing education goals and for promoting lifelong learning
  • Ensure quality instruction in all online learning classes through assessment
  • Embrace diversity in cultural backgrounds, personal characteristics and recognizes the free expression of ideas, opinions, and differences in people, and respects the rights of students, faculty, and staff
  • Foster a strong work ethic and place fairness, objectivity, honesty, and accountability at the forefront of its policies and procedures in all aspects of the college

Proactive Efforts in Online Education

Platt College supports the development of technology-based instruction in accordance with the College mission to “offer quality undergraduate education and to provide graduates with competencies, skills and levels of education for employment and continued success in higher education.  Platt College recognizes that communication technology offers faculty an increasing number of ways to provide instruction and that the internet or cloud based platforms allow development of asynchronous learning delivery methods.

Platt College works with, supports, and acknowledges faculty who aid in the development of programs and courses and provides supporting technology and training for successful development and implementation of online learning courses.

Platt College works with faculty to ensure appropriate protection of property rights.

Curriculum and Instruction in Online Education

At Platt College, we are committed to and we believe:

  • The faculty assumes primary responsibility for and exercises oversight of distance and correspondence education, ensuring both the rigor of the program and the quality of instruction.
  • The technology used is appropriate to the nature and outcomes of the program and courses and expectations concerning the use of such technology are clearly communicated to students.
  • Online learning policies (Policy 07:12:00 Ownership of Instruction Materials and Protection of Copyright and Policy 07:13:00 Identification, Authentication, and Authorization) outline issues concerning ownership of materials, faculty compensation, copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the creation and production of software, telecourses, or other media products.
  • Academic support services are appropriate and specifically related to distance and correspondence education.
  • The program length is appropriate to meet program outcomes and competencies. The programs embody a coherent course of study that is compatible with the institution’s mission and is based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education.
  • For all courses offered through distance education, Platt College employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded as guided by ACCSC’s Standards of Accreditation.

Faculty

  • Platt College ensures that there is a sufficient number of faculty qualified to develop, design, and teach the courses/programs.
  • The College has clear criteria for the evaluation of faculty teaching online learning courses and programs.
  • Faculty who teach in online learning programs receive appropriate training.

Institutional Effectiveness

Comparability of online learning programs to on ground programs and courses is ensured by the evaluation of educational effectiveness, assessments, including but not limited to, assessment of student learning outcomes and retention.
Platt College assesses the effectiveness of its provision of library/learning resources and student support services for online learning students.

Library and Learning Resources

Students have access to and can effectively use appropriate library resources.

Access is provided to laboratories, facilities, and equipment appropriate to the courses or programs.

Student Services

  • Students have adequate access to the range of services appropriate to support the programs offered through distance education.
  • Students in online learning programs have an adequate procedure for resolving their complaints, and Platt College follows its grievance and informal complaint policies and procedures.
  • Advertising, recruiting, and admissions information adequately and accurately represent the programs, requirements, and services available to students.
  • Documented procedures assure that security of personal information is protected in the conduct of assessments and evaluations and in the dissemination of results.

Students enrolled in online learning courses are able to use the technology employed, have the equipment necessary to succeed, and are provided assistance in using the technology employed.

Facilities and Finances

Appropriate equipment and technical expertise required for distance and correspondence education are available.

Platt College, in making online learning courses/programs a part of our mission, provides adequate funding for faculty, staff, services, and technological infrastructure to support the methodology.

Online Learning Glossary

Student Glossary of Terms Related to Course Delivery:

  • A Blended Course is a course in which some traditional face-to-face "seat time" has been replaced by online learning activities.  A blended (hybrid) course is designed to integrate face-to-face and online activities so that they reinforce, complement, and elaborate one another.
  • A Web-Enhanced Course is a web-enhanced (traditional (face-to-face) class that uses a course management platform to accompany the class.  This method can function in a variety of ways, depending on the goals of the course and the desire of the faculty member to enrich his or her course.  Assigned activities will vary, depending on the faculty member and the discipline. The time spent using online ancillaries does not replace any of the face-to-face teaching-learning process, but serves to augment it.