Courses: Experimental Courses

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The experimental course is a method by which colleges can pilot test a course. The experimental course is valid for two years or four full semesters from the beginning of the effective term stated on the Experimental Course Proposal form.

Numbers used for Experimental Course (Back to Top)

An experimental course is numbered either:

059 (developmental)

199 (college level course without prerequisites)

299 (college level course with prerequisites).

The MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation is responsible for assigning the suffix to the experimental course number once the college has submitted the proposal.

Development of an Experimental Course Proposal (Back to Top)

The following steps must be followed in completing the experimental course proposal. The steps are the same as those defined for development of a new course proposal with two exceptions. This includes the header on the proposal defining it as an experimental course and a last/year term defined.

On the first page of the proposal form, create the running header that will appear on all pages of the proposal. Do not leave spaces between the colon and the entry that follows.

Identify the Prefix, Number, and Suffix.

Provide the Development Date (the numeric date the proposal was finalized by the initiating college).

Type the name of the proposal initiator and the acronym of the college initiating the proposal. See the section entitled Proposal Standards for a list of college acronyms.

Provide the name of the college Curriculum Development Facilitator, the person who assisted the initiator in the development of the proposal.

Identify the first year/term of the course. MCCCD Terms are as follows: Fall=6, spring=2, First summer session=4, Second summer session=5. Examples of beginning or first year/term to be entered on the proposal are: 20006 to indicate fall 2000 or 20002 to indicate spring 2000.

Identify the last year/term of the course. Note: experimental courses are only valid for four full semesters.

If the course is cross-referenced, provide the prefix/number/suffix for all courses that apply.

Type an X in the appropriate space after Course Type to identify the course as an occupational course, or an academic course.

Enter the District Curriculum Committee Online Agenda Dates (numeric) and the MCCCD Governing Board agenda date (numeric). These dates can be found on the Curriculum Processing Calendar on the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website for the respective months.

Provide a Maintenance Date if the proposal was revised after it was finalized. Note: the Maintenance Date will be revised/updated by the college and the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation staff as needed if the proposal is modified anytime after the initial submission of the proposal to the Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation..

SAMPLE: EXPERIMENTAL COURSE PROPOSAL RUNNING HEADER MCCCD Curriculum Course Proposal Proposal Development Type:EXP (experimental) Development Date:3/29/01 Initiating College:SC Effective First Year Term:20016 Cross-Referenced Course(s): Prefix/Number/Suffix:JUD199 Initiator:John Kavanaugh Curriculum Development Facilitator:Pat Bradley Effective Last Year/Term:20032 Course Type = Occupational:X Academic: Maintenance Date:

Provide the name of the Vice President of Academic Affairs who has given approval to release the proposal to the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation. Comments from the Vice President of Academic Affairs may be provided such as, "Approved for processing to the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation." This entry will allow the District Center to begin the review and approval processes in preparation for placement of the proposal on the different agendas at District level.

Type the name of the Instructional Council(s) responsible for evaluating the new course. Provide the numeric code for the Instructional Council in parenthesis after the name of the Instructional Council. This code is found on the Instructional Council Membership List on the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website. It is referred to as the Instructional Council Code.

If the college receives an evaluation from the instructional council prior to the deadline when the proposal has to be placed on the server for MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation processing, enter the outcomes of the evaluation on the proposal.

SAMPLE: EXPERIMENTAL COURSE PROPOSAL, INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL (IC) AND RECORDED IC EVALUATION Instructional Council Receiving Proposal/(IC degree audit code):Administration of Justice(01) Instructional Council Recommendation: Approved:X Disapproved: No Response:

Provide a brief course need statement and any additional information to help clarify the development of the proposal and facilitate the approval process. For example, if the development of the proposal is an outcome of early articulation, describe how the proposal is in response to articulation/transfer needs. These comments may be incorporated into the proposal for course equivalency prior to submitting the course for university evaluation purposes.

Identify the suggested university equivalents by prefix/number after the university's name. If no equivalency exists, state that by typing, "None".

In the Proposed section:

Provide all the required information following the established format (see New Course sample for additional information).

Provide the proposed 120-character unabbreviated title, the proposed 36-character title, and the proposed 24-character title. (Characters include spaces).

Identify the load formula.

Identify the activity type, credits, periods, and load for the course.

Indicate if the course is a common competency course by placing an X immediately after Common Competencies on the proposal. See Suffixed Courses: Common Competencies Course for specific information.

CURRICULUM REMINDER Common Competencies Course on Proposal: If the experimental course is a part of several suffixed courses in process for approval, the proposal developer should list the prefix, number, suffix of these courses immediately following the X entered identifying the course as a common competencies course. This facilitates the processing and placement of these courses on District agendas. Once the courses with common competencies are approved, this allows for the common competencies course proposal process to be used for submission of any new suffixed courses related to the common competencies experimental course .

Enter the description (in phrases) for the course and in the Requisite area, enter the prerequisites and/or corequisites.

Provide any additional information requested for placement in Course Notes.
See Course Notes section for types of information that can be added to this area.

CURRICULUM REMINDER Prerequisites on Proposal: To facilitate the electronic transmission of the information from the proposal to other reports/agendas, after the word Requisites on the proposal, enter the word Prerequisites and then identify the actual prerequisites. If the course does not have prerequisites enter “None”. Corequisites should also be entered in the same fashion, but if the course does not have corequisites, it is not necessary to state, “Corequisites: None”.

 

SAMPLE: EXPERIMENTAL COURSE PROPOSAL, PROPOSED SECTION 120-Character Title:Basic Mediation of Judicial Settings 36-Character Title:Basic Mediation/Judicial Settings 30-Character title:Basic Mediatn/Judicial Setting 24-Character Title: BASIC MEDIATION/JUDICIAL Load Formula:S   Activity Type: Lec:X Lab: L+L: Credits: 3 Periods: 3 Load: 3 Credits: Periods: Load: Credits: Periods: Load: Common Competencies: Course Description: Introduction to basic conflict mediation concepts and procedures. An overview of the mediation process within judicial settings, including mediation techniques, control issues, problem-solving strategies and practice mediation sessions. Requisites:Prerequisites: None. Course Notes:

 

CURRICULUM REMINDER Course Elements Not Part of the Proposed Experimental Course: In cases where course elements such as Course Notes or Common Competencies are not part of or apply to the new course, it is not necessary to enter the word “None” after the area. The area may be left blank. Notice that no spaces were created between the colon and the entry that followed.

List the competencies along with the reference points to the course content outline.

SAMPLE: EXPERIMENTAL COURSE PROPOSAL, COURSE COMPETENCIES 1. Describe the mediation process and outline the basic principles of mediation. (I) 2. Define conflict and explain the role of mediation in conflict resolution within judicial settings. (I) 3. Identify and describe situations within the judicial system where the use of mediation would be appropriate. (I) 4. Outline the steps involved in a mediation session. (II) 5. List and explain the skills necessary to conduct effective mediation sessions. (III) 6. Identify and give examples of inappropriate or potentially harmful mediator techniques. (III) 7. Identify and give examples of control strategies used in the mediation process. (IV) 8. Identify and explain the techniques and skills necessary to craft mediation solutions and settlements. (V) 9. Describe the issues of confidentiality and impartiality as they relate to the mediation process. (VI) 10. Describe how diversity factors such as race, religion, culture, status, gender, and age may affect the mediation process. (VI) 11. Mediate hypothetical disputes. (VII)

 

SAMPLE: EXPERIMENTAL COURSE PROPOSAL, CONTENT OUTLINE I. Overview   A. The mediation process within the judicial system     B. Principles of mediation     C. Conflict and conflict resolution within judicial settings     D. Role of mediation in conflict resolution     E. Mediation amenable situations   II. The Mediation Session     A. Preparation     B. Opening statement     C. The Exchange     D. Separate meetings     E. Setting the agenda     F. Building and writing the agreement     G. Closing statement   III. Mediation Skills     A. Active and reflective listening     B. Acknowledging     C. Identifying group needs     D. Setting the tone     E. Encouraging     F. Using simple language     G. Working with language and hearing difficulties     H. Recognizing inappropriate or harmful mediator techniques   IV. Mediation Control Strategies     A. Directing     B. Intervening     C. Setting boundaries and ground rules     D. Summarizing     E. Restating     F. Confronting     G. Protecting     H. Intervening     I. Knowing when to quit   V. Solving Disputes with Mediation     A. Stretching Exercises     B. Fitness Testing     C. 1. Cardiovascular Endurance     D. 2. Dynamic Strength Tests     E. Flexibility     F. Jogging     G. Running     H. Alternative Respiratory Training Methods     I. Absolute and Endurance Strength Training     J. Alternative Respiratory Training Methods     K. Absolute and Endurance Strength Training   VI. Special Topics     A. Confidentiality     B. Impartiality     C. Issues related to diversity       1. Race/ethnicity       2. Cultural       3. Gender/age       4. Status       5. Sexual orientation       6. Other   VII. Mediation Practice Sessions

 

Sample: Complete Experimental Course Proposal Document - Revised May 21, 2007

Template: Experimental Course Proposal Document - Revised May 21, 2007

Course Processing - Experimental Course (Back to Top)

The processing of the experimental course differs from the standard curriculum proposal review/approval processes in that the course does not have to be placed on the District Curriculum Committee agenda for action. The college can submit experimental courses at any time.

The following describes how the experimental course is processed through the various college curriculum staff and administration.

The Curriculum Development Facilitator or Curriculum Technician is responsible for forwarding the curriculum proposal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for his/her review.

Once the Vice President of Academic Affairs has reviewed the proposal, the staff forwards copies of the proposed experimental course to the appropriate Instructional Council(s) for evaluation and the original proposal to the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation.

The District Director of Curriculum and Transfer Articulation or designee submits the experimental course to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for approval.

The MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation personnel, before placing the experimental course on the MCCCD Governing Board agenda, will forward copies of the proposed experimental course to the District Curriculum Committee for their information. The Vice President of Academic Affairs is responsible for forwarding copies to the College Curriculum Committee for their information.

After ten (10) instructional working days and approval by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the proposed experimental course is eligible to be presented to the Maricopa Governing Board for approval.

After the MCCCD Governing Board approves the experimental course, the proposal is filed at the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation. The approved course information is entered in the Course Inventory Audit for release to the colleges. Experimental courses are not placed on the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website.

Processing an Experimental Course as a Permanent Course

If after offering the experimental course the college decides to process the experimental course as a permanent course, the new course process must be followed.

 

The Curriculum Procedures Handbook is a product of the Maricopa County Community Colleges District. Any and all changes to the Handbook are monitored and coordinated through the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation. Please give credit to the Maricopa County Community College District if the Handbook or sections of the Handbook are duplicated.