Assigning Course Leads

As you ask faculty members to serve as course leads, help them understand the vision of the Online program. The Online Organization will train the course lead on role-specific details and processes, so you can focus on the importance of his or her role in blessing the lives of students. We suggest you sit down with the course lead in a one-on-one conversation when you make this assignment.

Selecting a Course Lead

BYU-Idaho students sitting around a table in the Manwaring Center smiling and working on their computers.

When selecting a course lead, consider the following:
-Has this person excelled in teaching his or her campus courses and demonstrated a willingness to innovate and try new things?
Does this person possess extensive understanding of the subject matter?
-Will this person work well on a Course Council and collaborate on the online course in a spirit of unity?
Has this person taught the course on campus, and do they understand how the course fits into the program as a whole?
-Is this person in a position to receive the required load reduction during the development semester? (See Online Handbook #.#)

Remember, a new Course Lead does not need:
-A high level of technical expertise using the LMS
-Experience teaching the online course
-Experience designing online courses

Before Extending the assignment

1. Invite the new course lead to prepare for your meeting by sharing resources that convey the vision and of the online program. Below are several you might pick from.

Video 1, Video 2, Video 3
Supplementary materials

2. Gather useful documentation

This might include a breakdown of where the course fits in the program, information from the data portal, the course syllabus, and/or course outcomes.

While Extending the Assignment

As you sit down and discuss the online program with the new course lead, consider the following talking points:

1. Set the stage for a collaborative project

Course leads represent exceptional faculty who are entrusted to do new things in order to help the University and the online program move forward. The course lead will chair a Course Council, which is intentionally designed to incorporate differing perspectives as the course develops and improves. Express your confidence in the new course lead’s ability to fulfill this role as he or she works in a Course Council to positively impact the program, department, and university.

2. Discuss BYU-Idaho’s three imperatives

The university’s three imperatives are to extend the reach, lower the cost, and improve the quality of a BYU-Idaho education (CITE). As we act on these imperatives, the university also plays a role in meeting the CES Global Education Initiative:

The Church Educational System (CES) will seek to provide opportunities for education to the members of the Church wherever the Church is organized. (CITE)

In partnership with the Pathway program, BYU-Idaho offers online courses to thousands of students around the world. As faculty members work with the online program, they are participating in these important efforts.

3. Let the course lead know what to do next:

Show the course lead the New Course Lead Checklist, which will help orient him or her to the online program and the course lead role.

The next steps will vary, but the new course lead should expect to meet with the Online Planning and Coordination Manager, who will provide further training based on the course’s phase.

After Extending the Assignment

1. Notify the Online Planning and Coordination Manager of the assignment. He or she will alert the necessary organizations of the change and set up a meeting with the new course lead to go over more specific details of the role.

2. If you haven’t already, email the new course lead a link to the New Course Lead orientation page. The page includes an important checklist for the new course lead to follow as well as important information about fulfilling their new role.

3. Once the assignment has been extended, the Online Organization will handle any training or onboarding the new course lead might require, but feel free to periodically check in and see how things are going. If you have concerns, contact the Planning and Coordination Manager on the Course Improvement team.