FAQ

Q1-1) What is FOLC's role?

A1-1) FOLC was established with an objective to contribute to society by opening up access to education through the creation of a community of "wisdom" via network courses that match the needs of stakeholders in cooperation with institutes of higher learning and businesses, as well as providing circulation support functions as a part of social infrastructure.
FOLC develops management frameworks and provides a database and support system to circulate lectures to more smoothly promote the mutual delivery of on-demand course contents by management and participating institutions.

Q1-2) What does the Forum actually do?

A1-2) FOLC offers the following two support schemes. Please click on the links below for more information.
(1) Lecture circulation support between universities (B to B)
(2) Lecture circulation support for social and educational institutes (B to C)

Q2-1) What requirements are there to become a member?

A2-1) As long as an entity (institution of higher learning, private company, public interest corporation, etc.) is in agreement with and endorses FOLC's activities there are no particular requirements for membership.

Q2-2) Can members join as individuals?

A2-2) Circulation functions are mainly carried out by management and participating institutions. Therefore, FOLC members are organizations, and individual membership applications are not accepted.
* When an individual submits an application for courses at recipient or implementing institutions, the applicant is not required to join FOLC as an individual member. However, conditions for course applicants should be made to recipient institutions or implementing institutions.

Q2-3) What level of representation should be included on the admission application form, "Head Representative of the University/Institution?"

A2-3) If the person in charge can participate in FOLC activities, it does not have to be the Head Representative (university president, CEO, etc.).

Q2-4) What are the membership fees?

A2-4) Membership fees of 50,000/unit are paid annually. There is no admission fee.

Q2-5) Am I under obligation to register and receive courses if I am a member?

A2-5) There is no obligation for members to send or receive courses. This is determined by each member organization.

Q2-6) What advantages are there to becoming a member?

A2-6) Managing and participating institutions that carry out the circulation of lectures and courses for universities or social and educational institutions require, in principle, users to be members.
In order to create an environment in which on-demand lectures can be easily accessed by FOLC members, FOLC is working to disseminate information for members and enhance member services, such as offering services and programs like the Learning Management System (LSM) and on-demand learning courses that can be used free of charge by member institutions.

Q3-1) What procedures need to be taken to offer services as an implementing institution?

A3-1) Please refer to "How to receive courses as an implementing institution." Please contact the FOLC Secretariat for more details.

Q3-2) What equipment/facilities should implementing institutions prepare for on-demand courses?

A3-2) FOLC offers a "user site" system that allows potential course participants to select and reserve courses, as well as a "manager site" system that allows implementing institutions to accept and manage information on participants in the course. Implementing institutions may use these services (free of charge). The computer currently being used should be used as the administrator's computer.
The following items should be prepared by implementing institutions.
* Links to user sites on the implementing institution's website.
* PR notification for user sites.
* Processing and accounting of course fees, etc.

Q3-3) Are initial and running costs required?

A3-3) System installation fees and management fees are not required.

Q3-4) If there are too few or no applications for a course, is the implementing institution required to cover costs?

A3-4) Even if there are no course applications, the implementing institution does not have to bear costs.

Q3-5) What types of payment methods are recommended for course participants?

A3-5) Implementing institutions may specify payment in person or by bank transfer. Users will pay course fees to the implementing institution directly.

Q3-6) Is it possible for implementing institutions to select which courses they wish to provide?

A3-6) Implementing institutions may select which courses they would like to offer, depending on their outlooks and situations.

Q3-7) What are the procedures to offer courses as a course provider?

A3-7) Please refer to "How to disseminate lectures and courses as a course provider." Please contact the FOLC Secretariat for more information.

Q3-8) Are there specifications and conditions for the format and composition of lecture contents?

A3-8) There are no specific restrictions, as long as it is in a format that can be used on the Internet.

Q3-9) Can FOLC provide a course circulation system (LMS, etc.)?

A3-9) FOLC does not offer course circulation systems. Course providers should develop their own system.

Q3-10) What are the system requirements for course circulation systems (LMS, etc.)?

A3-10) As long as lecture management is being implemented smoothly, there are no special system requirements.

Q3-11) What is ACPA course certification?

A3-11) ACPA is short for the Accreditation Council for Practical Abilities, a non-profit organization. APCA's objective is to establish a new educational system and practical ability certification system through cooperation between the government, businesses and academia, and to conduct activities to develop human resources needed by society. ACPA course certification verifies that a course confers the skills on participants in a particular field of an occupational category, based on a standard skill matrix defined by ACPA. Upon completion of the ACPA course certification, it is possible for students to master and recognize the skills necessary for a particular occupation and it can play a role in curriculum planning while in school, as well as in career plans.

Q3-12) I would like more information about how to obtain ACPA course certification.

A3-12) For APCA course certification, you will need to submit an "Application for Institution Certification" and "Application for Course Certification." For more information, please visit the ACPA site.
Accreditation Council for Practical Abilities(http://www.acpa.jp)

Q4-1) What are the procedures to receive FOLC registered lectures and courses as a recipient institution?

A4-1) Please refer to "How to receive courses as a recipient institution." Please contact the FOLC Secretariat for more details.

Q4-2) Does FOLC submit applications and prepare contracts between recipient and sender institutions?

A4-2) This should be done directly between the recipient and sender institutions. FOLC is available to consult on lecture/course creation and lecture management, however, FOLC is does not take part in contracts between recipient and sender institutions.

Q4-3) What equipment/facilities should the recipient institution prepare?

A4-3) The recipient institution should prepare computers and a network environment that fulfills the "System requirements to attend lectures," described in the syllabus of the course.

Q4-4) Who bears the cost of fees for courses at recipient institutions: the university or the students?

A4-4) The recipient institution should determine whether the university will bear the cost of course fees or if they will be collected from the students separately (instruction material fees, etc.).

Q4-5) When taking a course that allows credit, can credits be obtained from sender institutions?

A4-5) Usually, courses are set as part of the curriculum at recipient institutions and credit is given by recipient institutions. Sender and recipient institutions should determine if an on-demand lectures or courses will be set as a credited course in sender institutions.
Please see the Management Guidelines for more information.
3. On-demand Lectures (1) Definition & basic requirements

Q4-6) When taking a course that allows credit, how are student performance evaluations carried out?

A4-6) When implementing a course set as part of the curriculum at recipient institutions, please appoint a faculty member in charge of on-demand lectures as a visiting faculty member at the recipient institution. The faculty member in charge evaluates students according to the student performance evaluation standards of the recipient institution. When implementing a course set as part of the curriculum at sender institutions, evaluations are carried out according to the student performance evaluation standards at the sender institution.
Please see the Management Guidelines for more information.
1. Role of Institutions and Other Parties Related to the Forum for On-demand Lecture Circulation (3) Faculty member in charge
3. On-demand Lectures (4) Student performance evaluation method

Q4-7) What are the procedures to offer lectures and courses as a sender institution?

A4-7) Please refer to "How to disseminate courses as a sender institution." Please contact the FOLC Secretariat for more details.

Q4-8) Are course fees determined by FOLC?

A4-8) Course fees are determined by the sender institution.

Q4-9) Are there specifications and conditions for the format and composition of lecture contents?

A4-9) There are no specific restrictions on the format and composition of lecture contents, as long as the lecture contents do not require participants to have special system requirements.
Please see the Management Guidelines for more information.
3. On-demand Lectures
4. Lecture Contents

Q4-10) Can courses delivered by corporate members be considered for credit?

A4-10) Please note that courses should be registered as academic members become sender institutions when credit is applied.
Please see the Management Guidelines for more information.
Attachment: On-demand Lectures Targeted by FOLC

Q4-11) Can FOLC provide a course dissemination system (LMS, other)?

A4-11) FOLC does not offer course dissemination systems. Circulation partner agencies should develop their own system.

Q4-12) What are the system requirements for the Learning Management System (LMS)?

A4-12) As long as course management is smooth, there are no system requirements for LMS. Please note that the use of hardware and software that requires special system requirements for users should be avoided.
Please refer to the Management Guidelines for more information.
8. About the Learning Management System

Q4-13) What is the ACPA Certification Course?

A4-13) Please refer to A3-11 for more information.

Q4-14) How can I obtain ACPA course certification?

A4-14) Please refer to A3-12 for more information.