Faculty Credit Guide

Complete the Faculty Course Checklist for each of your courses. The checklist is in the left side navigation bar in Blackboard.

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Students sign up for specific course formats because that is what works for their schedule, technology access, and learning needs. Do not change course formats (such as canceling an in-person class and moving it to SR) without first notifying and discussing with your Dean, Assistant Dean, or designee.

All courses automatically become available to students one week prior to the session start date as noted in the credit course schedule. This timing ensures consistent and accurate messaging across the college.

Provide a welcome message in your course clarifying expectations related to communication and class meeting times. This message should be present when the course is made available. It is also helpful to look at the student view of your Blackboard site to ensure items from prior course copies are not visible to students. Old or outdated information is a common student concern.

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Be sure your courses provide the appropriate number of hours of instruction (synchronous, asynchronous, or a combination) to meet credit hour obligations. See the Seat Time Guide or the credit hour guidelines for more information.

The Seat Time Guide helps faculty determine how much asynchronous instructional time is needed when a course meets in person or through structured remote sessions for less time than a full credit hour schedule requires. This guide applies primarily to Structured Remote and Hybrid courses.

Depending on the amount of in-person or structured remote instructional time in the listed schedule, remaining time needs to be made up with asynchronous instructional activities. Faculty can use the following strategies:

• Move activities to an asynchronous format, such as discussion boards around additional readings or recorded lectures
• Move entire units online
• Use a course workload estimator to help determine how long assignments take students to complete

How Do I Determine How Much Asynchronous Time Is Needed to Meet Credit Hour Expectations?

Each credit hour requires 50 minutes of instructional time per week, or 15 hours per semester. A purely online course requires 37.5 hours of instruction per credit. When calculating the amount of virtual instruction required in a hybrid setting, every lost hour of instruction requires approximately 2.5 hours of virtual instruction.

For example, a 7.5 week class that meets twice a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes per session is missing a total of 18 hours and 45 minutes, or 1,125 minutes, of instruction (2.5 lost hours per week multiplied by 7.5 weeks). Multiplying 18.75 lost hours by the 2.5 virtual multiplier means the course needs approximately 46.875 hours of online content to meet credit hour expectations.

As a second example, a 13 week class meeting twice a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes per session is missing approximately 5 hours and twelve minutes of instructional time per week. Multiplying 5 hours by the 2.5 virtual modifier means the course needs approximately 12.5 hours of additional instructional time.

Alternate In-Person Instructional Times

The tables below show how much instructional time is required to meet in-person seat time requirements. The degree to which a course's in-person time deviates from these figures serves as a baseline for determining how much asynchronous work is required.

1 Credit

50 minutes per week, 750 minutes per semester, and 25 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 1 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	:50	:25	:17	:13	1:40
13 Week	:58	:29	:19	:14	1:55
10 Week	1:15	:38	:25	:19	2:30
7.5 Week	1:40	:50	:33	:25	3:20

2 Credits

100 minutes per week, 1,500 minutes per semester, and 50 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 2 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	1:40	:50	:33	:25	3:20
13 Week	1:15	:58	:39	:29	3:51
10 Week	2:30	1:15	:50	:38	5:00
7.5 Week	3:20	1:40	1:07	:50	6:40

3 Credits

150 minutes per week, or 2 hours and 30 minutes, 2,250 minutes per semester, and 75 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 3 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	2:30	1:15	:50	:38	5:00
13 Week	2:53	1:27	:58	:43	5:45
10 Week	3:45	1:53	1:15	:56	7:30
7.5 Week	5:00	2:30	1:40	1:15	10:00

4 Credits

200 minutes per week, 3,000 minutes per semester, and 100 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 4 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	3:20	1:40	1:07	:50	6:40
13 Week	3:51	1:15	1:17	:58	7:42
10 Week	5:00	2:30	1:40	1:15	10:00
7.5 Week	6:40	3:20	2:13	1:40	13:20

5 Credits

250 minutes per week, 3,750 minutes per semester, and 125 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 5 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	4:10	2:05	1:23	1:03	8:20
13 Week	4:49	2:24	1:36	1:12	9:37
10 Week	6:15	3:08	2:05	1:34	12:30
7.5 Week	8:20	4:10	2:47	2:05	16:40

6 Credits

300 minutes per week, 4,500 minutes per semester, and 150 hours of out-of-class work.

Seat time requirements for a 6 credit course

Session Length	Meet 1/Week	Meet 2/Week	Meet 3/Week	Meet 4/Week	Out of Class Work/Week
15 Week	5:00	2:30	1:40	1:15	10:00
13 Week	5:46	2:53	1:55	1:27	11:30
10 Week	7:30	3:45	2:30	1:53	15:00
7.5 Week	10:00	5:00	3:20	2:30	20:00

Guidance and resources for appropriate use of generative AI are available at guides.frederick.edu/chatgpt.

FCC uses Navigate as its student alert system. Expectations for when and how to use the system are outlined in the Navigate 360 Guide. Training resources are available on the FCC Intranet.

You will be notified through FCC email when a progress report campaign is taking place. Use Navigate to send progress reports indicating alert reasons for students at risk of being unsuccessful in your course. Non-academic alerts are available for general concerns about student welfare, and ad hoc progress reports can document academic concerns outside of a campaign. Be mindful of progress report campaign dates and prioritize submitting from the campaigns.

The Grade Center is a powerful tool for monitoring academic performance. Faculty are expected to maintain accurate, syllabus-aligned grades that are accessible to students at least one week before the session starts.

View The Grade Center Guide on Blackboard

Categories let you group graded items, such as tests, homework, or discussions, and assign each group a percentage weight toward the final grade. Setting up categories helps ensure your Grade Center matches the grading breakdown in your syllabus.

Grade Categories in Blackboard 

Complete and submit the materials inclusivity self-assessment checklist found in Blackboard.

In the event of a weather closure, in-person classes should transition as much material online as possible. Online classes should proceed as normal.

• Be flexible with deadlines and make content and resources available to students who were unable to access them during the weather emergency.
• Synchronous meetings cannot be required to make up for lost instructional time, as this constitutes a change in modality. If you choose to meet with students, content should be review only.
• Communicate next steps to students through Blackboard.

To promote access, ensure course materials and accessible videos are available to students for as long as possible based on the platform being used. Establishing this availability timeframe and notifying students is strongly encouraged.

• Design the course and activities with a focus on core learning outcomes and the total amount of time students should engage in learning. Refer to the Federal Credit Hour Guidelines.
• Ensure each core learning outcome is aligned to an appropriate assessment strategy. Information on crafting appropriate assessments is available in the Assessment Resources guide.
• Facilitate communication of course requirements and student progress through Blackboard:
  • Do not alter the standard navigation
  • Set up the Gradebook and examine it in student view to make sure extra columns are removed
  • Ensure your syllabus and Grade Center match. Course copying can lead to inconsistencies if Grade Center is not modified to match syllabus changes.
  • One week prior to the start of a course, ensure the Blackboard shell is open and visible to students, an updated syllabus is posted in the Syllabus tab (remove syllabi from prior semesters if you used Course Copy), and a welcome message and introduction is posted in Announcements.
• Ensure content is accessible. Complete the course materials accessibility self-assessment. All video and real-time session recordings posted online must be closed captioned, even if no students in the class require accommodations. See the Accessibility section for compliance details.

Communication and Interactivity

• Respond to student inquiries within 48 hours for In-Person and Hybrid courses.
• Respond to student inquiries within 24 to 36 hours for Online and Structured Remote courses, in accordance with the Faculty Addendum in the Employee Handbook.
• Full-time faculty are expected to hold student meeting hours per page 10 of the faculty collective bargaining agreement. Post and maintain five hours over four days per week, offered in an appropriate mix of times and formats to accommodate student need.
• Establish and communicate a clear schedule for posting course assignments and due dates.
• Maintain a robust teaching presence multiple times each week. Examples include:
  • Being available during scheduled course time
  • Posting announcements
  • Participating in asynchronous sessions and responding to discussion boards
  • Providing timely student feedback and posting grades in Grade Center
  • Conducting individual and small group interactions
  • Creating and posting (and captioning) lecture video clips
  • Holding office hours (virtual, email, or in person) appropriate for the course format and student need
  • Creating or using existing brief how-to videos for assignments
• Use FCC email, rather than personal email accounts, to communicate with students.
• Do not use personal web conferencing platforms or course shells.
• Be mindful of technology issues, limited internet access, and limited student experience with technology when creating assessments and assignments.
• Send Navigate Alerts when students are struggling academically. Read the Navigate 360 Guide to learn about the different alert types, the difference between ad-hoc alerts and campaigns, and academic versus non-academic alerts.
• Create a culturally responsive and inclusive learning environment, and accommodate students with disabilities through Success Plans.
• Best practice: Collect ongoing student feedback as the course progresses, such as through a midterm course evaluation.
• Recommend that students change their Blackboard notification preferences to alert them when a new Announcement is posted. When you create an Announcement, select the box to have it emailed to your students. Remind students to check their myFCC email regularly.

• Develop assessments appropriate to remote structured learning, using multiple assessment types that align with course objectives and support academic integrity. Refer to the Faculty Essentials: Assessment Lib Guide.
• On-campus assessments can be scheduled for hybrid remote classes when a face-to-face exam is related to accreditation or licensing requirements, or where face-to-face interaction is integral to the assessment.
• The Testing Center does not proctor exams for In-Person or Structured Remote courses, except for students with Success Plans or those seeking a make-up test. Requests for proctoring must be accompanied by an Exam Form, which can be found in the "Testing Center" link embedded in Blackboard. Visit the Testing Center webpage for details about services and operations.
• When submitting an Exam Form to the Testing Center, allow a minimum of 24 hours for the request to be processed and approved. To ensure sufficient availability for students, the Testing Center recommends setting a 7-day window between the exam's start and expiration dates. Exams should not be scheduled to expire on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The Testing Center inbox and voicemail are not actively monitored from Friday at 4:30 p.m. through Monday at 8:30 a.m.
• Because attendance cannot be required, it is generally recommended that graded assessments not be a regular feature of SR sessions. When graded assessments (including participation points) are provided during a structured remote session, students not in attendance should be given an opportunity to make up work or be provided with a comparable alternative assessment without penalty. For concerns and guidance regarding alternative assessments due to class absence, consult your departmental leadership.

The Grade Center is a powerful tool designed to help students and faculty effectively monitor academic performance. For students, it provides real-time access to grades, helping them understand how different assignments contribute to their overall course grade, identify areas needing improvement, and set and track academic goals. Instructors benefit from the ability to manage grades efficiently, offer timely feedback, and analyze student performance to tailor support as needed.

Best Practices for Grade Center Accuracy

• The Grade Center should accurately reflect the assessments listed in the course syllabus.
• All points, percentages, and assessment titles must align exactly with the language and calculations presented in the "What's Getting Graded" section of the syllabus.
• Grades must be entered regularly as assignments are completed and assessed.
• Zeros should be promptly entered for any missed assignments to ensure the Grade Center accurately reflects each student's performance.

Grade Center Expectations for All Faculty

• The Grade Center must be accessible to students at least one week before the start of the session.
• Assignment titles in the Grade Center must exactly match those specified in the syllabus.
• The grading scheme used in the Grade Center, whether points or weighted, must be consistent with the grading calculations described in the "What's Getting Graded" section of the syllabus.
• Each graded event should have a clear point value assigned and be categorized according to the relevant sections in the syllabus.

Choosing Your Grading Method

The Grade Center is flexible enough to apply the grading method you already use, but it is important that you choose one method and apply it consistently to every assignment in your course. Consider the following before you begin:

• How will you be calculating grades?
• Will you be grading based on a point total or weighted categories?
• Will you be showing students grades in points, percentages, or letter grades?

Support and Training

OLII offers Grade Center training, workshops, and open labs before every semester. Sessions are listed on the Employee Development Calendar. Departments and individual instructors can request training by submitting an IT Help Desk Ticket.

Blackboard Resources

• Grading
• Grade Center Columns
• Calculated Grades
• Weighted Grades (Video)

Grading in Blackboard 

Submit a support request for assistance from the Online Learning and Instructional Innovation team.

Blackboard Resources

• Grading
• Grade Center Columns
• Calculated Grades
• Weighted Grades (Video)

Grading in Blackboard 

The Blackboard LMS allows you to administer and teach your courses online by providing students with access to course materials and the ability to interact with peers and instructors. Review the Blackboard technology requirements and help resources.

• Copy a Course
• Export a Course
• Archive a Course
• Adding Publisher Content
• Creating a Discussion Board
• Add Assessment Availability Exceptions
• Create, Deploy, and Grade a Test
• Build Tests from Test Banks or Pools
• Export and Import a Test
• Adding Publisher Tests and Pools
• View a Collaborate Recording
• Download a Collaborate Recording
• Caption a Collaborate Session with Stream

Instructional Documents & Guides

Omnilert Emergency Notification System

Omnilert is a mass notification platform used by colleges and universities to send emergency alerts and closing announcements to students, faculty, and staff. FCC uses Omnilert to deliver time-sensitive communications by text, email, and phone. Sign up to receive college emergency and closing alerts through the FCC Alerts portal.

Sign Up to Receive FCC Alerts

Blackboard Mobile App

The Blackboard Mobile App is the official companion app for Blackboard Learn, available for iOS and Android devices. It allows faculty and students to access course materials, view and post announcements, participate in discussion boards, submit and grade assignments, and check grades from any mobile device. Faculty can use the app to stay connected to their courses, respond to student messages, and monitor course activity on the go.

Learn More About the Blackboard Mobile App

Microsoft OneDrive for Business

Microsoft OneDrive for Business is a cloud storage and file collaboration platform included with Office 365. Faculty can store, organize, and share files with colleagues, access documents from any device, and collaborate on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files in real time. OneDrive syncs automatically with your desktop so your files are always up to date.

Visit FCC Office 365

FCC supports the use of video conferencing through Blackboard Collaborate and Zoom. Both are suggested for instructional synchronous sessions.

Video Conferencing Tips

• Record your lecture and post it for students to view later
• Set up student groups for online collaboration
• Meet with students individually for office hours

Blackboard Collaborate

• Getting Started with Collaborate
• Collaborate Session Best Practices
• Sharing Screens, Files, and Other Content
• Using Breakout Groups
• Using the Whiteboard (Blackboard Help)
• Using the Whiteboard (Video Tutorial)
• Using Polling During a Collaborate Session
• Taking Attendance in Collaborate Sessions

Zoom

• Zoom Instruction Tutorial
• Guide for Synchronous Instruction Via Zoom

There are document cameras in approximately 70 classrooms on main campus and at Monroe. They are in most buildings except Linganore. The document cameras have built-in microphones and can be used to record video and audio files or as a web camera for Zoom or Collaborate.

If you are interested in using document cameras for this function, or if you need one in a room not currently equipped with one, submit an IT help desk ticket. Go to servicedesk.frederick.edu, click +New Request at the top right, and scroll down to Classroom camera help. Submit at least 24 hours in advance.

YuJa Digital Compliance Platforms

YuJa describes itself as "a leader in digital compliance and accessibility solutions. Serving clients in higher-education, K-12, government and healthcare, YuJa enables organizations to meet evolving regulatory demands."

This educational video platform allows faculty (and students) to upload, record, edit, caption, store, and share video content directly from Blackboard courses. Students can respond to embedded questions while their responses and scores are recorded in the Grade Center. Faculty can access video analytics that include both usage and instructional insights.

Visit YuJa Online

Formative Real-Time Instruction

Formative is an interactive, web-based assessment platform used primarily by educators to create digital assignments, quizzes, and worksheets. It allows teachers to track student progress and provide real-time feedback while students complete their work on any internet-connected device. It embeds questions directly into the documents you distribute electronically to your students.

Visit Formative Online

Socrative Classroom App

Socrative is an interactive, web-based student response system that lets instructors create quick quizzes, polls, and educational games. Students answer using their own smartphones, tablets, or laptops, giving instructors instant, real-time data on how well the class understands the material. A classroom app for student engagement and on-the-fly assessments.

Visit Socrative Online

Kahoot! Game-Based Learning

Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that turns quizzes and reviews into competitive, real-time games. Students join live sessions using a game PIN on any device and compete to answer questions correctly and quickly. It is widely used for formative assessment, review sessions, and student engagement.

Visit Kahoot Online

Quizizz Self-Paced Assessments

Quizizz (now Wayground) is a game-based assessment platform that allows students to complete quizzes at their own pace, either live in class or as homework assignments. Instructors can assign quizzes, view detailed performance reports, and provide instant feedback. It supports a wide variety of question types and integrates with Google Classroom and other LMS platforms.

Visit Quizizz Online

Quizlet Study and Flashcard Tools

Quizlet is a digital study tool that allows students and instructors to create flashcard sets, practice tests, and interactive study games. Instructors can share study sets directly with students or use Quizlet Live, a collaborative classroom activity that encourages teamwork and reinforces course content through group play.

Visit Quizlet Online

TED-Ed Video-Based Lessons

TED-Ed is the educational arm of TED, designed specifically for teachers and students. It offers hundreds of original animated lessons and curated TED Talks organized by subject area. Educators can use existing TED-Ed lessons as-is, customize them by adding questions and discussion prompts, or build entirely new lessons around any YouTube video. All lessons are free and accessible on any device.

Visit TED-Ed Online

FCC is committed to ensuring access to all courses and course-related materials in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and amendments that cover technology, online training, and websites.

In April 2024, the Department of Justice revised the Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, establishing specific requirements, including technical standards for all programs and activities offered by State and local government entities through the web and mobile applications.

The Department adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA as the accepted technical standard for all web content. FCC will use the standards set forth in WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to achieve ADA compliance. UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that gives all individuals, all learning styles, and all ability levels equal opportunities to learn.

Ally

The Ally tool is part of all Blackboard courses. The tool icon next to documents in your courses provides alternative formats for students to access depending on their preferred learning style. The FCC Web Accessibility Guide provides additional information and resources.

Course videos must have time-synced closed captions to be ADA compliant. Closed captioning provides a critical link to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. For individuals whose native language is not English, captions improve comprehension and fluency. Captions also help people who may not have audio available on their device or who are in a noise-restrictive setting.

Transcripts for all videos, while not required, are encouraged. Transcripts do not replace the need for time-synced closed captions.

For audio-only files, a transcript is required, and it is recommended that they be provided in PDF format for ease of use.

Auto-captioning no longer meets the standards outlined in the Department of Justice's ruling. Review captioning for accuracy.

For instructional videos, FCC supports YuJa for video creation and delivery. YuJa creates a better baseline for auto-captions than YouTube and Zoom and allows for simple corrections to errors in the captions. Many professional development sessions are available for the use of YuJa. See the Employee Development calendar for detailed information.

Tips to Improve the Closed Captioning Experience

When recording:

• Control the audio. For a cleaner caption, control the audio during the meeting. Have students use the "raise hand" feature or type in the chat that they have a question or comment. Have all students on mute during the recording unless called on.
• Record shorter videos. For multiple lecture hours, record an hour at a time so you have a shorter video upload. The upload time may be improved.

If captioning is a new skill for you, practice with a short recording of five minutes or less (not during class) to get the captioning process down.

Prior to recording a synchronous session, read the FERPA guidelines to all students. If you are recording using Zoom, the FERPA statement appears in a window that must be acknowledged by all students before proceeding.

The FCC FERPA statement reads as follows: All student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Portions of this course may be audio-visually recorded so students who cannot attend a particular session or who wish to review material can access the full content. Students who participate orally, visually, or via chat agree to be recorded. The content of this recording may not be shared with anyone who is not registered in this class without written permission, as it is an educational record.

Posting Recorded Videos of Synchronous Sessions and FERPA Compliance

The simple rule of thumb is that video links can only be accessible to the students actively enrolled in the class if they contain identifiable student video image, audio capture, or name in chat. The following methods are available to make a video link only accessible to students in your class:

1. Complete the recording and closed captioning in Zoom. The link you post is password protected and is only available to those with the link and password.
2. Complete the recording in Blackboard Collaborate and close caption in YouTube to create an "unlisted" link. The link is only available to those with the link.
3. Complete the recording in Blackboard Collaborate and close caption in Microsoft Stream, then set permissions so that only the active class roster can access via the link. If your class roster changes due to adds or drops, you must reset these permissions.

DAS approves accommodations for disabled students and supports their equal access at FCC. If you have any questions or concerns regarding an approved accommodation, contact the DAS office. They will discuss those concerns and offer suggestions on how to resolve them.

Accommodation plans are sent to instructors up to a week in advance of the course start date. These are sent from DAS via the online platform Accommodate. Let students know that the plans have been received and discuss how the accommodation will be used in the course.

Interpreting Services will alert instructors if ASL interpreters will be in the classroom as soon as possible.

FCC learning centers assist, encourage, and empower students to develop the academic skills and confidence to achieve their goals. Students can access free tutoring, academic coaching, and study skills workshops to build good study habits and succeed in foundational courses. Request orientations to services and in-class workshops.

STEM Learning Center

On campus drop-in: 2nd floor Braddock Hall, room B212. For help with introductory science, technology, engineering, math, accounting, or economics.

Tutoring and Writing Center

On campus drop-in: Gladhill Learning Commons, 2nd floor Linganore Hall. For help with writing in all courses, research, study skills coaching, and beginning ASL or Spanish.

Online for both centers: by appointment through the "Tutoring" tab in Blackboard.

• Faculty Welcome to the Learning Centers
• Online tutorials for academic support and study skills
• Study Skills for Academic Success
• College Writing Guide
• Request Faculty and Class Services (orientations, tours, workshops)

Learning Centers & Tutoring Services

The FCC Library is in the Gladhill Learning Commons, 2nd floor of Linganore Hall, and offers robust online resources and services through frederick.edu/library. The Library page is automatically embedded in your Blackboard courses under the "Library Resources" button.

• Gladhill Learning Commons Hours
• Research Databases
• Get Help by Email, Live Chat, or In Person
• Request Faculty Services (library instruction, research services, collection services)

Student Success Programs provides personalized success coaching, alert outreach, workshops and events, and connection to college and community resources to support student success, retention, and goal achievement.

Specialized support programs provide a sense of belonging, intensive support, programming, and other resources for specific student populations such as first-generation students, students of color, student parents, adult students, and students from traditionally underserved backgrounds.

For a comprehensive list of FCC resources offered through Student Experience, see the FCC Student Resources guide.