Online Distance Learning Course Development Information
for WKU Faculty and Staff

There are development funds available to faculty and departments who develop online programs. These programs could be associate, bachelor, master, graduate certificate, or undergraduate certificate. Distance Learning sees online programs as ones that are at least 75% by distance learning. Internships, supervised studies, and practicums may be on-site or directly supervised by WKU faculty in the field as part of the 25%. There may be other courses in the program that, for pedagogical reasons, will be face-to-face. Online courses are ones that have face-to-face meetings no more than two times during the course.

If the online program has been approved by the Director of Distance Learning to be supported, faculty will be given a Memoranda Of Agreement (MOA), outlining the faculty member's commitments, responsibilities, intellectual property rights retained, and development funds to be paid, either as professional development account transfer or stipend. The current MOA follows the Intellectual Property Policy recommendation very closely.

The support for online programs is worked out individually for each program, depending on the needs of the program faculty and department. This could include course development funds, which is $2500 per course ($1500 at the beginning of the first semester the developed course is offered after the MOA is signed, $500 for revision at the end of the first semester, and $500 at the end of the second semester the faculty member teaches the course for further revision). Faculty will need to develop web-accessible courses to be aligned with the American Disabilities Act and Section 508. Faculty may need to mentor other faculty in the online process. Support for development such as training, CD duplication, and multimedia projects will also be given by the Office of Distance Learning.

For more information, please contact the Office of Distance Learning:

Robert Wyatt, Director, 745-6008

Pam Wilson, Coordinator, 745-2106