Course Guidelines
Credit Hours * Class Size * Class Hours * Fees * Course Materials * Absences * Class Procedures * Course Evaluations * On Site Evaluations
Credit Hours
- PDE courses can be designed for three, two, or one hours of graduate credit.
- The minimum number of class instructional contact hours for 3 credits is 45 hours.
- The minimum number of class instructional contact hours for 2 credits is 30 hours.
- The minimum number of class instructional contact hours for 1 credit is 15 hours.
- The course syllabus must specify the dates and times of class meetings.
Class Size
- The minimum that can be in a course shall be 10.
- The maximum class size shall be twenty five (25) unless approved by C of C. A second section can be added if needed.
Recommendations for Class Hours
These recommendations are drawn from SACS requirements. Because PDE courses are designed for teacher development, those courses are content/skill specific, based on the particular goals of the course. PDE courses are planned around the teacher’s work day and academic calendar. However, because PDE course quality and integrity must be maintained to optimize student learning, establishing recommended standards for the length of the course during the academic year and the summer is critical.
- Academic Year Recommendations: During the academic year, the recommended maximum hours of in-class instruction per day is 6 hours. The recommended maximum hours of in-class instruction per week is 9 hours, Sunday through Saturday.
- Summer Schedule Recommendations: During summer courses, the recommended maximum hours of in-class instruction per week is 30 hours, for a period of no less than 10 days. In the case of summer PDE courses scheduled for fewer than ten days, it is recommended that a follow up day/days be scheduled at a later date to allow for teacher reflection and application of course content and skills.
- Exceptions to Recommended Practice: When proposed PDE courses do not adhere to the recommendations above, the course syllabus must provide a rationale for how the course design maximizes student learning. For Example, a foreign language institute for teachers, where teachers are totally immersed in a foreign language environment could arguably be designed for 10 – 12 hour days in order to optimize student learning.
Fees
A course with the instructor being paid by the College of Charleston will require the course initiator to cover the direct cost of the instructor’s salary ($2000.00) plus an administrative fee as noted below:
- $2625 for a 3 hour course for a total of $4625.00 per contract course
- $1750 for a 2 hour course for a total of $3750.00 per contract course
- $875 for a 1 hour course for a total of $2875.00 per contract course
A course with the instructor being paid by the course initiator (not the College of Charleston) has the following per student fee schedule:
- $105.00 per student for a 3 hour course
- $70.00 per student for a 2 hour course
- $35.00 per student for a 1 hour course
*Note: The maximum number of students in each section may not be over 25 students. Additional sections can be added upon request.
Course Materials
It is the responsibility of the adjunct instructor to order, obtain, and /or instruct students in the acquisition of all necessary materials for satisfactory course completion when enrolled in PDE courses contracted with the College of Charleston.
Absences
Class attendance is an expected behavior. Students are responsible for all content and assignments for each class. If, for serious personal or medical reasons, several classes are missed, the instructor should be informed of the reason. A student may be dropped from a course for excessive absences (i.e., in excess of 15% of course time). A student enrolled in a PDE course must attend at least 85% of the total class hours required for course completion.
Classroom Procedures
Adjunct instructors are responsible for developing appropriate classroom procedures in conjunction with the standards exemplified by the faculty at the College of Charleston. Comprehensive and explicit syllabi, strict confidentiality of student grades, complete and accurate attendance records, and detailed records of completed student assignments are all an integral part of the adjunct instructor’s role in facilitation of a course at the College of Charleston.
Course Evaluations
The Office of Professional Development in Education provides evaluation forms to be completed by PDE students upon completion of their courses. These forms have been revised to include National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) guidelines and requirements. They are distributed, completed, and returned to the Office of Professional Development by a randomly designated individual. (Course initiators; please make sure this is done.) The absence of instructor participation in the evaluation process assures validity and reliability. Results of the evaluation will be mailed to the initiator and instructor the semester after the course has been completed. This feedback should be used to improve future PDE courses.
On Site Evaluations
The College of Charleston wants to ensure that all courses offered through the institution are of top quality. The Assistant for Administration and Public Relations will visit select courses offered each semester and either leave with the adjunct or mail an observation form to him/her. Another copy will be mailed to the initiator of the course. In addition we provide a form to the initiator and ask him/her to observe in 10% of their courses and mail the observation form back to OPDE. Thirdly, we provide a mid term form for the participants of the course to evaluate the adjunct to provide feedback to them to ensure that all needs and expectations of the course are being met. This form is given to the adjunct for feedback purposes only.
Office of Professional Development
in Education
Bell Building, Room 304
81 St. Philip Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843.953.7651
Map
