OHIOBOARD OFREGENTS

HEI Enrollment Data Submissions

 Distance Learning Course Offerings (DO) File
Revised November 13, 2002

File Description

The Distance Learning Course Offerings (DO) file will be used to identify course sections that will be offered via distance learning for the prospective term. Distance Learning is broadly described as the process of extending the majority of learning or delivering instructional resource-sharing opportunities to locations away from the classroom site using video, audio, computer, multimedia communications, or some combination of these with other traditional delivery methods.

Courses described in the Distance Learning Course Offerings (DO) file submission should be those that are offered to students regardless of the institution of enrollment, as well as those distance education courses restricted to students enrolled at the institution.

Submission Schedule

The Distance Learning Course Offerings (DO) file should be submitted before the beginning of each term.

Relationship to Other File Submissions

Courses for degree credit described in the Distance Learning Course Offerings (DO) file submission should be reported in the Course Inventory (CI) submission at the end of the term.

Data Fields

Field Names	Field Attributes and Procedures	Data Format
Course Identifier	Enter the permanent identifier which distinguishes the course from all others offered by the institution. This identifier should resemble those used on transcripts and/or catalogs. If the course is used for degree credit the course identifier must match a course identifier reported in the Course Inventory (CI) file for the same year and term.	Alphanumeric  12 characters  Columns 1-12
Term	Enter the term in which the course will be offered.	Alphabetic  2 characters  Columns 13-14
Year	Enter the 4 digit year in which the course will be offered.	Numeric  4 characters  Columns 15-18
First Subject Code	Enter a code from Subject Codes to describe the subject matter of the course.	Numeric  6 characters  Columns 19-24
Second Subject Code	Enter a code from Subject Codes to describe the subject matter of the course. If there is no other subject code to describe the course leave the field blank.	Numeric  6 characters  Columns 25-30
Third Subject Code	Enter a code from Subject Codes to describe the subject matter of the course. If there is no other subject code to describe the course leave the field blank.	Numeric  6 characters  Columns 31-36
Undergraduate  Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course serves undergraduate programs. Otherwise, enter “N.” Note that a single course can support multiple course types.	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 37
Graduate Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course serves graduate programs. Otherwise, enter “N.” Note that a single course can support multiple course types.	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 38
Certificate Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course serves certificate programs. Otherwise, enter “N.” Note that a single course can support multiple course types.	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 39
Continuing Education Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course serves continuing education students. Otherwise, enter “N.” Note that a single course can support multiple course types.	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 40
Noncredit Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course is a noncredit course. Otherwise, enter “N.” Note that a single course can support multiple course types. (Noncredit courses do not need to be reported in the Course Inventory (CI) submission submitted at the end of the term.)	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 41
Other Course Type	Enter “Y” if the course serves another type of program. Otherwise, enter “N.”	Alphabetic 1 character Column 42
Low Credit Value	Enter the lowest credit hour value assigned to the course, expressed in tenths.	Numeric  3 characters  Columns 43-45
High Credit Value	Enter the highest credit hour value assigned to the course, expressed in tenths.	Numeric  3 characters  Columns 46-48
Course Title	Enter the title of the course.	Alphanumeric  80 characters  Columns 49-128
Keywords for Searching	Enter the specific words that you wish a catalog user to find. If there are no such keywords enter “NA.”	Alphanumeric  128 characters  Columns 129-256
Prerequisites	Enter “Y” if the course has prerequisite requirements. Otherwise enter “N.”	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 257
Transition URL	Enter the web address where students can learn more about the course. Do not enter “http://.” If no such URL exists enter “NA.”	Alphanumeric  128 characters  Columns 258-385
Calendar Type	Enter “Q” if the course is offered on a quarter calendar, “S” for semesters and “O” for other.	Alphabetic 1 character Column 386
Deactivate Switch	Enter “Y” if this Course Identifier is no longer offered via Distance Learning, and should therefore not be displayed on the OLN Course Catalog. Otherwise, enter “N.”	Alphabetic 1 character Column 387
Delete Switch	Enter “Y” if the record is to be deleted from the database. Otherwise, enter “N.”	Alphabetic  1 character  Column 388
Course Description	Enter a description that describes the content of the course and the instruction that the student will receive.	Alphanumeric  Up to 1000 characters
Course Comments	Enter any comments related to the course in this field.	Alphanumeric  Up to 50 characters

Important Notes

Data reporters have two options with this file submission. They can pad out the fields to include the appropriate number of characters (example: if the URL has only 28 characters, it would need to be padded out to 100 characters). The second option is to enter a tilde (~) between each field (example: courseid~term~year~firstsubjectcode~secondsubjectcode). If the field is blank, a space must separate the two tildes (example: courseid~term~year~firstsubjectcode~ ~thirdsubjectcode).

Definitions and Descriptions of Data Fields

Subject Code: The subject code is an optional field used to describe the content of the course. Users can enter up to 3 subject codes to describe a course.

Low or High Credit Value: Enter the credit hour value assigned to the course and express the credit value in tenths. For example, if a course has a variable credit value ranging from three to six hours, enter 030 in Low Credit Value and 060 in High Credit Value. A course with a fixed credit hour value will have identical entries in Low Credit Value and High Credit Value. For example, a three-credit hour course should show 030 in both the Low Credit Value and High Credit Value fields.

Keywords for Searching: Enter words or phrases that users can use to find the course in the OLN catalog. Note that the field is an optional one. If there are no such words or if the course will not be part of the OLN catalog enter “NA.”

Prerequisites: If the course is listed in the OLN catalog any prerequisite requirements should be listed on the OLN transition page maintained by the institution.

Transition URL: The transition URL field contains the web address of the OLN transitional web page. Data entered into this field should follow standard web address format, as in “www.xxxx.xxx/xxxx.” Do not enter “http://” as the first part of the URL. Note a URL should be entered here if the course description can be used to describe all section offerings of this course. If each section of this course offering will have its own URL to describe its content, then report “NA” as the Transition URL field value, and report each section's URL in the Transition URL field value in the Distance Learning Course Sections (DS) file submission.

Course Description: After entering the text for the course description data reporters should enter a tilde (~) to separate the text of the course description from the text of the course comments.

Course Comments: This is an optional field for containing internal notes. It is never seen by catalog users. If there are no comments enter “NA” in the first 2 character positions.

Last updated November 13, 2002