Management Guidelines

Revised on March 15, 2006

1. The roles of institutions and other parties related to the Forum for On-demand Lecture Circulation (FOLC)

(1) Forum for On-demand Lecture Circulation (FOLC)

• FOLC must promote increase in the number of institutions transmitting and receiving on-demand lectures and expansion in the variety of quality on-demand lectures and courses.
• FOLC works to cultivate an increase the number of organizations providing corporate-supported courses (by business enterprises, etc.; described later).
• FOLC engages in organizing board of member meetings, presentations and symposium, as well as trial lectures, in offering service courses to members and in awareness promotion and publicity activities in order to facilitate FOLC management and promote wider use of on-demand lectures and courses.
• FOLC engages in activities that contribute to improvement in quality of lectures.
• FOLC presents management guidelines that aid in facilitating management of on-demand lectures and courses to FOLC members (institutions transmitting and receiving on-demand lectures, content production partners and circulation partner agencies).
• FOLC examines the content of courses available for circulation, based on request from sender institutions and decides whether or not to register such courses with the forum.
• FOLC examines the content of services, based on request from content production partners and circulation partner agencies and decides whether or not to register such services with the forum.
• FOLC discloses all lectures registered by sender institutions to members.
• FOLC grasps the situation of on-demand lecture management for each course, based on reports from sender institutions or circulation partner agencies.
• If violation of management guidelines is found in administration of on-demand lectures or courses, FOLC is able to cancel registration of the forum member or lectures/course in question. However, if report has been made in advance on failure to manage such a lecture or course according to the guidelines, FOLC is to decide through deliberations on whether to approve as an exception.
• FOLC is not to intervene in contracts between a sender institution and content production partner, between a sender institution and circulation partner agency or between a recipient institution and circulation partner agency. If problem is found in management, resolution is to be achieved through and adjustments between the parties in contract.

(2) Sender institution

• Sender institutions are FOLC members (academic and corporate members).
• A sender institution decides on the lecture or course to be provided through consulting with faculty members in charge at the recipient institution.
• The sender institution either produces lecture content on its own or delegates production to a content production partner. The sender institution selects the content production partner from business enterprises registered with FOLC.
• If lecture content is to be produced independently by the sender institution without delegation of the work to a content production partner, the said institution is responsible for fulfilling the role of the content production partner (described later).
• The sender institution concludes contracts with the faculty member in charge and the content production partner in producing lecture contents.
• The sender institution is to register a lecture or a course for circulation with FOLC.
• The sender institution must either manage the on-demand lecture on its own or delegate management to a circulation partner agency. The sender institution selects the circulation partner agency from business enterprises registered with FOLC.
• If the sender institution manages circulation without delegating management to a circulation partner agency, the institution is to fulfill the role of the circulation partner agency (described later).
• Regardless of whether the course or lecture is credited, the sender institution must cooperate with the recipient institution in administrative procedures (such as on assignment of lecturers, etc.) necessary for managing the said course or lecture to be implemented as a course at the recipient institution.
• The recipient institution is responsible for administrative procedures necessary for managing lectures or courses to be implemented as those of the recipient institution (such as lecture/course creation, assignment of lecturer, syllabus production and distribution, student recruitment, subscription and registration, access to data on registered students, monitoring of progress in learning and follow-up on students, communication all required information to students, student rating report production and mailing*, and student score handling and issue*).
  
  * In case of official lecture/course offering credits
• The sender institution must conclude contracts with the faculty member in charge of on-demand lecture management, the teaching coach and, if necessary, the circulation partner agency.
• If a corporate member offers to make a lecture or course, the sender institution (academic member) receives the lecture or course in question after deliberations and provides the said lecture or course for circulation to recipients (corporate-supported courses described later).

(3) Faculty member in charge

• The faculty member in charge decides the lecture or course to be made available, upon discussion with the sender institution.
• When conducting a lecture or course as an official lecture or course of the recipient institution, regardless of whether credits are available, by a number of faculty members, a faculty member is selected from among such members in the sender institution to take charge of the lecture or course in question and shall be assigned as a lecturer at the recipient institution (described later). The faculty member in charge will be responsible for supervision of the entire lecture or course (including student performance evaluation if the said lecture or course is credited). The faculty members to share responsibility for the lecture or course are to engage in course management under the faculty member in charge and cooperate in student performance evaluation and other related work.
• The faculty member in charge is to be responsible for production of lecture content, preparation of teaching materials, lecture recording and check of content.
• The faculty member in charge is to cooperate in copyright handling for teaching materials (described later) in production of lecture content.
• The faculty member in charge concludes contracts with the sender institution and the content production partner in producing lecture content.
• The faculty member in charge at the sender institution is to manage the lecture or course as lecturer at the recipient institution, in conducting the lecture or course in question as that offered by the recipient institution, regardless of whether it is credited.
• The faculty member in charge is to cooperate with the recipient institution in course creation, assignment of lecturer, syllabus production, etc., (such as writing and submitting necessary documents, etc.) in conducting the lecture or course as that offered by the recipient institution, regardless of whether it is credited.
• The faculty member in charge chooses the teaching coach. Although it is possible for the faculty member in charge to fulfill the role of teaching coach without appointing such a coach, an assistant to support the work may be selected in order to reduce the workload for the faculty member in question in such a case.
• The faculty member in charge response to questions from students (instructions to the teaching coach), selects discussion themes and provides follow-up on discussions that have been conducted.
• The faculty member in charge is to produce examination questions and themes for reports and to implement them accordingly.
• The faculty member in charge is to conduct a questionnaire of students, if necessary.
• In case of official lecture or course organized for credited work, the faculty member in charge is to evaluate and rate students based on evaluation standards of the recipient institution, if the lecture or course has been set up by the recipient institution, or by evaluation standards of the sender institution, if the said lecture or course has been set up by the sender institution.
• In management of a lecture or course to be circulated, the faculty member in charge is to conclude contracts with the sender institution and circulation partner agencies (for the subject the faculty member in question is to take charge, scope of work, lecturer fee, etc.).
• For official lecture or course made available by a corporate member and to be implemented for credited work as an official lecture or course at a recipient institution, the faculty member in charge in the sender institution is to become the supervisor of the lecture or course to be circulated and is to supervise lecturers at recipient institutions and management of the entire lecture or course (including student evaluation & rating). The faculty member in charge at business enterprises, public-interest organizations, etc., is to share lecture work with the faculty member to take charge and cooperate in student evaluation and rating and other work.

(4) Teaching coach

• The teaching coach is to have sorrow knowledge of lecture content and is qualified to be able to lead (and manage) discussions and questions related to the lecture.
• As a general rule, the teaching coach is to be responsible for handling questions and opinions from students related to the lecture content. However, precise action is to be made in consultation with the faculty member in charge, depending on the nature of the question or opinion.
• The teaching coach is to access the Learning Management System on a regular basis for dealing with students. The coach is to provide response as frequently as possible, without serious delay.
• The teaching coach provides support in lecture management, based on instructions from the faculty member in charge (such as in decision-making on problems and study topics, organizing returned test papers*, assistance in checking test papers returned*, tabulation of scores*, etc.).
  
  * In case of official lecture/course offering credits
• In management of a lecture or course to be circulated, the teaching coach is to conclude contracts with the sender institution and circulation partner agencies (for the subject the coach is to take charge, scope of work, coaching fee, etc.).

(5) Recipient institution

• Recipient institutions are FOLC members (academic and corporate members).
• A recipient institution is to select lectures or courses from those that have been made available by FOLC.
• The recipient institution is responsible for administrative procedures necessary for managing lectures or courses to be implemented as those of the recipient institution (such as lecture/course creation, assignment of lecturer, syllabus production and distribution, student recruitment, subscription and registration, access to data on registered students, monitoring of progress in learning and follow-up on students, communication all required information to students, student rating report production and mailing*, and student score handling and issue*).
  
  In case of official lecture/course offering credits
• The recipient institution is to create the environment for access to on-demand lectures (such as preparations for Internet access, installation of PCs to access such lectures and inspection of lecture content operability).
• The recipient institution is to conclude a contract with the circulation partner agency (on courses to be received, class capacity, reception fee, management requirements, etc.).

(6) Content production partner

• The content production partner is to deliberate with the sender institution and the faculty in charge regarding the type of lecture content to be produced, production method, scheduling, etc., in order to engage in content production (lecture recording, encoding, editing, operability check, etc.)
• The content production partner is to conclude contracts on lecture content production with the sender institution and the faculty member in charge.

(7) Circulation partner agency

• The circulation partner agency is to provide the Learning Management System, as well as provide various settings necessary for lecture management (registration of course, setting for lectures, tests, reports, BBS, questionnaire, etc., registration of students, etc.).
• The circulation partner agency is to cooperate in administrative processing and development of lecture reception environment (described earlier) at the recipient institution, which is necessary for lecture management, and play the role of intermediary with the sender institution or faculty member in charge when necessary.
• The circulation partner agency is to manage progress in lecture plan, deal with inquiries related to the Learning Management System, handle problems related to the lecture and work on stable lecture management.
• The circulation partner agency is to collect reception fee for the course received by the recipient institution and to pay service fees to the sender institution for providing the course.
• The circulation partner agency is to report to FOLC on the state of contracts with the sender institutions and recipient institutions.
• The circulation partner agency is to report to FOLC on the state of lecture management for each course or lecture available.
• The circulation partner agency is to conclude contracts on lecture management with the recipient institution, sender institution, faculty in charge and teaching coach.

2. Procedure for administration of on-demand lectures

1. Presentation of FOLC Management Guidelines (FOLC)
2. Registration of partner organizations to FOLC (content production partners & circulation partner agencies)
3. Selection of content production partners (sender institutions)
4. Production of lecture contents (sender institutions, faculty members in charge & content production partners)
5. Selection of circulation partner agencies (sender institutions)
6. Report of state of sender institution contracts to FOLC (circulation partner agencies)
7. Registration of circulation lectures/courses with FOLC (sender institutions)
8. Announcement of lectures/courses available (FOLC)

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9. Decision-making on lectures and courses to be received (recipient institutions)
10. Report of state of recipient institution contracts to FOLC (circulation partner agencies)
11. Preparations for management of on-demand lectures (recipient institutions, circulation partner agencies, sender institutions & faculty members in charge)
    
    # Administrative processing and development of lecture reception environment necessary for lecture management
12. Preparations for management of on-demand lectures (recipient institutions, circulation partner agencies, faculty members in charge & teaching coaches)
13. Report of state of on-demand lecture management to FOLC (circulation partner agencies)
14. Student performance evaluation (recipient or sender institution & faculty member in charge)
    
    # In case of official lecture/course offering credits
15. Collection of reception fees for lecture/course received (sender institutions or circulation partner agencies)
    
    # Lecture fees and payment method for lectures organized as course offered at the recipient institution are to be decided by consultations between the sender and recipient institutions.

3. On-demand lectures

(1) Definition & basic requirements

• On-demand lecture is defined as lecture organized and implemented via the Internet.(See separate page)
• [1] An academic member is to become a sender institution providing official lecture or course organized for credited work at recipient institutions and available at the recipient institutions who are other academic members.
• [2] An academic member is to become a sender institution providing official lecture or course organized for credited work at the sender institution and available at recipient institutions who are academic members.
• [3] An academic member is to become a sender institution providing lecture or course organized not for credited work at recipient institutions and available at the recipient institutions who are other academic members.
• [4] An academic member is to become a sender institution providing lecture or course organized not for credited work at the sender institution and available at recipient institutions who are other academic members.
• [5] A corporate member is to become a sender institution providing lecture or course organized not for credited work at recipient institutions and available at the recipient institutions who are academic members.
• [6] A corporate member is to provide official lecture or course organized for credited work at recipient institutions, through an academic member serving as sender institution, and available at the recipient institutions who are academic members.
• [7] An academic member is to become a sender institution providing lecture or course organized not for credited work at recipient institutions who are corporate members.
• Contents of a course shall contribute to the higher education reform that FOLC is aimed for and shall be socially fair.
  When doubt arose in contents of a course, it shall be discussed by a sectional meeting of on-demand lecture quality examination and reported to the board of member.
• The maximum number of on-demand lectures to be registered with FOLC is to be 10 per member.
  However, the restriction does not apply to lectures or courses made available free of charge as service lectures for members.
• The sender and recipient institutions are to take responsibility in their respective areas in managing on-demand lectures. The faculty members in charge are not able to provide lectures or courses for circulation as individuals.
• As a general rule, on-demand lectures are to be made available via the Internet without exception and do not include group work in a classroom setting. (It is possible, however, to assemble students on a voluntary basis after completion of on-demand lecture)
• In order to enable repetitive learning, which is a distinctive characteristic of on-demand lectures, the students must be able to access lectures are freely, regardless of time of day during a designated period of time during course period.
• In order to secure interaction between faculty members in charge and students, a BBS will be created to encourage discussion and questions and answers sessions in an open environment.
• For effective on-demand lecture, team teaching by the faculty member in charge and the teaching coach will be implemented as a general rule.

(2) Course plan

• For official lecture offered for credited work, the number of credits per course is to be 2 per semester as a general rule.
• For official lecture offered for credited work, course plan for one year may be possible. For wider acceptance of this study scheme, however, attention should be paid for organizing course plans based on semesters (such as General Theory I and Fundamental Theory during the first semester and General Theory II and Applied Theory for the second semester, providing 2 credits per semester).

(3) Frequency & content of lectures

• Official lectures to be offered for credited work should, as a general rule, be planned for 15 lectures per course per semester. With attention to the differences in academic periods among recipient institutions, if such a lecture is to be made available as course of the recipient institution, the course plan should be organized where the versatility for adjustment of course schedule, such as for period of transmission of lecture contents, guidance, orientation and final examinations (reports).
• Length of the study period for each lecture and for the entire course shall be decided by the sender institution and the faculty member in charge, with attention to normal class hours, and in response to audio-visual hours for lecture content and plan for each lecture (examinations, reports, questions and answers and discussions on BBS, etc.).
• In order to maintain and stimulate student motivation for the course, a number of real-time lectures (discussions) should be incorporated into the course plan. A real-time lecture enables students from a number of recipient institutions to attend the same course at the same time. The sender institution and the faculty member in charge must decide whether to organize real-time lectures or to allow participation of students from a number of recipient institutions.

(4) Method of student performance evaluation

• In an official lecture offered for credited work, the method of student performance evaluation should be shown explicitly in the syllabus.
• Although submitting examinations and reports via the Internet is desirable, use of paper media and other media is also possible. However, attention should be paid that a certain measure of workload (such as securing space for conducting examinations and assigning test supervisors, collecting and mailing test papers, mailing reports, etc.) will be required of the recipient institution or the students. When conducting examinations or reports to a number of recipient institutions during the same semester, attention should be paid to adding ideas regarding test problems and topics (such as production of multiple tests) due to the possibility of discrepancy in examination periods.

4. Lecture Content

(1) Production cost

• The sender institution is to cover the cost for lecture content production (including copyright handling expenses). However, it is possible to be supported by business enterprises, etc. in production in production (corporate-supported courses, described later).

(2) Types of lecture content

• Possible types of lecture content are "synchronized type" that combines pre-recorded lectures video with digital teaching material and "video type" consisting of only a video recorded in a classroom, etc., The sender institution and the faculty member in charge are to decide which type is to be used.
• Lecture content is to be organized with attention to maintaining concentration of students, prevention of transmission failure (buffering, etc.), ease in update of lecture content, etc.
• In case of "video type" lecture content, attention should be paid to make information shown on the blackboard or in reference materials clearly visible in the video. If the picture is unclear, supplementary materials should be prepared and made available for students on the Web.

(3) Textbooks and supplementary teaching materials

• Aside from teaching material to be integrated into the lecture content, paper-based textbooks and materials, supplementary teaching materials to be made available on the Web and other supplementary materials such as CD-ROMs and DVDs may also be used. However, attention should be paid to avoid imposing excessive financial load to the recipient institution and students and make them easily accessible.
• The method of access to supplementary teaching materials is to be reported by the sender institution to FOLC in advance.

(4) Copyrights

• When using teaching material copyrighted not by the faculty member in charge but by a third party, the sender institution must complete the copyright administration procedure in advance. However, the procedure may be delegated to the content production partner based on deliberations.

(5) Continued use

• Extended use of lecture content for a number of years is possible, with decision-making by the sender institution and the faculty member in charge. However, action must be taken promptly in case update is necessary. The sender institution must bear the expenses for such an update.

(6) Language & terminology

• There are no restrictions on the language used. When conducting a lecture in a different language from the native tongue of the recipient institution, the sender institution must report to FOLC in advance the language to be used and the required level of competence in the language for subscription and registration in the lecture.

(7) Production requirements

• For reproduction of lecture content, use of software and hardware that require payment by the recipient institution or students or are difficult to access must be avoided.
• For the same reason, attention must be paid to lecture content that is operable on any personal computer of the recipient institution or students and to software settings and parameters (for reception by the maximum number of students possible in terms of animated picture bandwidth, motion picture frame rate, display resolution, etc.).
• Operability of lecture content must be confirmed in advance by the sender institution or content production partner in the projected reception environment.
• When employing motion picture, lecture content must be distributed in streaming format (Downloading is not approved due to copyright issues).
• In order to enable repeated study, attention must be paid to user interface such as availability of indexes, seek bars and jump buttons.

5. Registration of Courses for Circulation

(1) Registration method

• The sender institution is to register a lecture or course for circulation with FOLC for each semester. Although registration can be accepted as needed, registration no later than five months before start of lecture is recommended with attention to preparation period required for recipient institutions.
• The sender institution must report to FOLC information on the faculty members in charge (organization, name, profile, specialized field, etc.), information on lecture content (lecture name, number of credits*, projected year in university*, course summary, theme for each lecture, the person in charge for each topic in the course when shared by a number of faculty members, textbooks, reference literature, supplementary teaching materials and how to obtain them, student performance evaluation standards*, class capacity, language to be used in the lecture and required level of competence in the language, availability of real-time lecture and how such lectures are implemented, other special notes, etc.) and information on lecture management method (circulation partner agencies and their contact addresses, profile of the Learning Management System, sample lecture content, operability requirements for lecture content, course reception fee, method of fee payment, etc.).
  
  * In case of official lecture/course offering credits

(2) Registration termination

• If the registered course is to be terminated, termination will be reported to FOLC after receiving approval of recipient institutions.

6. Course Scheme

(1) Teaching method

• If the lecture is to be conducted as a course offered by the recipient institution, the faculty member in charge is to become a lecturer for the recipient institution. The recipient institution is to complete all necessary internal administrative procedure before start of a lecture or course.
• Lecture fees and payment method for lectures organized as course offered at the recipient institution are to be decided by consultations between the sender and recipient institutions.
• If the lecture is to be conducted as a course at the recipient institution, the faculty in charge at the sender institution and faculty members at the recipient institutions may collaborate in the lecture, depending on request from the recipient institution. In such a case, the faculty in charge at the sender institution and faculty members at the recipient institution are to discuss adequately and in advance issues related to course management, student performance evaluation method, etc.

(2) Ban on use as teaching material

• Lecture content cannot be used simply as teaching material in lectures, without recognition as a course offered at the recipient institution.

(3) Course name

• The course name is to be decided by the recipient institution. When using course name registered with FOLC as part of the curriculum at a recipient institution, difference in course name is acceptable. However, attention should be made so that the course name will not cause problems among students in course selection, attendance, etc.
  Example:
  Original course name, "Cross-Cultural Communication Theory" is changed to "Cultural Study (I)" ; the improved new course name is "Cultural Study (I) (Cross-Cultural Communication Theory)."

7. Course Administration

(1) Class capacity

• The maximum number of students per course per semester will be decided by the sender institution and the faculty member in charge.
• The sender institution will be responsible for management of the number of students per semester (Including the examination of reach of capacity and an action should be taken when capacity is reached). However, the sender institution is able to delegate management of the member of students to the circulation partner agency.

(2) Unit of course management

• On-demand lecture is to be managed per course per institution for each semester. Multiple numbers of recipient institutions receiving one course during the same semester cannot be combined and regarded as one.

(3) Scope of teaching coach supervision

• The number of teaching coaches per course per semester will be decided by the sender institution and the faculty member in charge.

(4) Access to student data

• In registration of students in the Learning Management System, the recipient institution is to provide data based on final registration results to the circulation partner agency (data not to be provided before final registration, in order to avoid confusion in lecture management).

(5) Course schedule

• The course schedule is to be established to comply with schedule of the recipient institution. However, the sender institution is able to suggest a lecture implementation schedule model (desired schedule) in advance.

(6) Suspension of lectures

• If adequate number of students cannot be secured (number drastically lower than capacity) after student recruitment at the recipient institution, the lecture may be suspended or canceled, after consultations between the recipient institution and the sender institution, along with the circulation partner agency. Requirements for lecture suspension are to be established in advance under terms and conditions of contract.
• If the lecture becomes impossible to implement prior to start of the course, due to unavoidable circumstances pertaining to the sender institution or the faculty member in charge, the sender institution may suspend or cancel the lecture after consultations with the recipient institutions and circulation partner agencies. However, suspension or termination is not authorized after start of course. In such a case, measures such as appointment of alternative lecturer must be taken to continue the course. Requirements for lecture suspension or continuation are to be established in advance under terms and conditions of contract.

(7) Protection of personal data

• All persons and entities involved in lecture management with FOLC are to take adequate precautions and preventive measures to protect personal data of students, faculty members, etc.

8. Learning Management System (LMS)

(1) System requirements

• The Learning Management System is to have functions capable of transmitting lecture content via the Internet, conducting examinations, reports and questionnaires, enabling interactive communication on BBS, etc., and managing study history of each student.
• Lecture content transmission, conducting examinations, reports and questionnaires and interactive communication with BBS, etc., are to be capable also of management of "implementation period".
• The Learning Management System must enable to identify a student with ID and password.
• For use of the Learning Management System, use software or hardware that requires purchasing by the recipient institution or student or that is difficult to obtain must be avoided.
• The Learning Management System manual should be made available to registered students. Manual accessible by Internet browsing is recommended.

(2) Management organization

• The circulation partner agency must build a Management organization that is able to restore LMS failure at all times.
• The circulation partner agency is to set up a help desk to deal with questions regarding LMS from students, faculty members, teaching coaches, etc., and handle problems throughout the duration of the lecture period.

9. Circulation Course Reception Fee

• The reception fee for the course is to be decided upon consultations between the sender and recipient institutions.

10. Corporate-Supported Courses (by Business Enterprises, Etc.)

• Courses offered by sender institutions and produced with corporate support (by business enterprises, public-interest organizations, etc.) are called corporate-supported courses.
• Copyright and ownership of lecture content produced with corporate support by the sender institution is held by the sender institution.
• Handling of rights in case an academic member X provided corporate support in production cost is to provide such a support to another academic member Y for production of lecture content is to be decided by deliberations between X and Y. The production cost is to be paid by X to the content production partner with that Y has concluded contract.
• Name or banner of the corporate sponsor may be placed inside lecture content visible to the student, after consultations with a corporate sponsor in question, etc.
• The corporate sponsor is able to make use out the lecture content for its own publicity activities, after consultations with the sender institution.
• Partial revision of lecture content that has been completed in the past must be done with the sender institution bearing responsibility and expenses. However, this shall not apply in the corporate sponsor who agrees to cover the revision cost.
• Among corporate-supported courses, there may be courses in which lecture content is produced by a corporate member and that are distributed through recipient academic members (sender institutions).
• In production and transmission of lecture content in corporate-supported courses, the sender institution is to be responsible for lecture management, after advance consultations between the recipient academic member (sender institution) and the corporate member providing lecture content regarding lecture content and plan.

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