Distance Learning, also referred to as Distance Education, is the employment of alternative instructional delivery methods to extend programs and services to persons unable to attend college in the traditional manner. The Office of Distance Learning supports student learning through online, hybrid, web-assist and 2-way video course delivery. The PVAMU definitions of these courses are listed below.
- Face-to-face (F2F)
Face-to-face courses are traditional courses where students and instructors are required to meet in a designated classroom at the same time according to the meeting date and time published in BANNER / PantherTracks. At PVAMU, F2F courses are identified by a three-character section number that starts with the letter P (for example: P01), M, or N depending on which campus the course resides.
- Online-Asynchronous (Asynchronous: not occurring at the same time)
An online-asynchronous course is a course delivered fully online. Instructors and students are not in the same place (physically or virtually) at the same time. Instructors post all course content on eCourses. An online-asynchronous course may have mandatory F2F or synchronous sessions totaling no more than 15 percent. At PVAMU, online-asynchronous courses are identified by a three-character section number that starts with the letter Z (for example: Z01). Information about online student identity verification, privacy, and security can be found on the STUDENT IDENTITY VERIFICATION, PRIVACY, AND SECURITY IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT page.
- Hybrid
In hybrid courses, more than 15 percent, but less than 50 percent, of planned instruction occurs in the F2F environment. Hybrid courses are defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as courses in which “a majority (more than 50 percent but less than 85 percent), of the planned instruction occurs when the students and instructor(s) are not in the same place.” The instructor determines how much time is spent F2F within the parameters noted. eCourses is used for the web-based elements of the course. At PVAMU, hybrid courses are identified by a three-character section number that starts with the letter Y (for example: Y01).
- Hyflex
HyFlex is a course model that allows a flexible structure that gives students the option of attending sessions in the classroom, participating online or doing both. Students can change their mode of attendance according to need or preference. In some cases, not all students enrolled will be able to socially distance in the assigned classroom, so the instructor must establish a mechanism for communicating the maximum Face-to-Face capacity of the room before students arrive on the first day to prevent social distancing issues. The faculty member must check on the social distancing capacity of the room with the department head or online at this page and communicate to students.
- Web-Assist
A web-assist course is a traditional face-to-face course that is supplemented with online content posted to eCourses. Instructors can post as much or as little content to eCourses as they choose. Students and instructors are required to meet in the location and at the date and time published in BANNER / PantherTracks.
- 2-Way Video
A 2-way video course is a synchronous course that is delivered in two different physical locations simultaneously and linked by a live 2-way video connection.