Standard 4: Instructor Response and Availability

Instructor response time and availability is clearly communicated to the student.

This standard does not prescribe what the response time and availability ought to be, but rather examines whether this information is conveyed to the students.

Required evidence that this standard has been met includes notifying students of the following:

  • e-mail and discussion forum posting turnaround time
  • time required for grade postings
  • degree of instructor participation in specific discussions
  • instructor availability via other media (phone, IM)
  • exceptions to normal standards

Suggested Best Practices:

  • Response time and availability are included in syllabus or other course orientation information and in specific assignments where students will be expecting an instructor response. Examples:
    • “I will respond to course e-mails within 24 hours.”
    • “Quiz assignment grades will be posted within one week of the due date.”
    • “I will be monitoring your class discussion and will be posting summary comments after your discussion period ends.”
    • “When I am available by instant messenger, my screen name is InstructorJoe.”
    • “I will be out of town at a conference this week, so may not be able to respond to your emails within 24 hours.  I will reply as quickly as possible or within 24 hours after I return on Wednesday.”

Resources: