Hayward University offers a unique learning experience that pairspeer-based collaborative learning with advanced information technologies and the Internet. Peer-based learning is a collaborative approach that encourages reflection by engaging students from diverse perspectives in an encouraging learning environment. The theory behind this pedagogical model is that studying within communities is more motivating and challenging than reading alone or listening to online lectures. The peer learning methodology, with Course Instructor facilitation, stimulates students and offers them a powerful platform to learn from one another.
Students learn through the peer-based learning method with the support of Course Instructors. Within the online study communities, students share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments, and complete final exams. The curriculum is supported by Course Instructors who participate in class discussions and oversee all courses.
The University’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning builds procedures for course evaluation and assessment and students are invited to anonymously complete course evaluations at the end of each term, and on occasion are also asked to participate in other surveys. Findings from these evaluations and surveys are used to improve student learning and the overall experience.
All learning takes place online, and students are expected to comply fully with the instructions in the course syllabus and to participate actively in required discussion forums by posting responses to questions and comments posted by Course Instructors and other students. Students are encouraged to seek clarification and assistance from other students as well as their Course Instructors to enhance the learning experience in each course.
The University’s student orientation program, OREN 0001 Hayward University Graduate Preview, introduces new graduate students to Hayward University’s google classroom as well as to the opportunities, responsibilities, and resources that exist for all students at the University. Graduate students gain an advanced understanding of Hayward University’s academic setting and study process, as well as of its support services, with the goal of making a successful transition to the start of their graduate studies.
Participation in orientation is strongly encouraged, but not required; students who are accepted to the University and/or sign their Introductory Courses Agreement within the three-week period before their first term of study at Hayward University are not guaranteed an opportunity to participate in orientation.
| 2020 – 2021 | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course registration opens | Oct 23,2020 | Jan 02, 2021 | Mar 17,2021 | May 27, 2021 |
| Course registration closes | Nov 13, 2020 | Jan 22, 2021 | Apr 07, 2021 | Jun 29, 2021 |
| Last course registration opens | Nov 23, 2020 | Feb 01, 2021 | Apr 16, 2021 | Jun 28, 2021 |
| Late course registration closes | Dec 03,2020 | Feb 12, 2021 | Apr 28, 2021 | Jul 08, 2021 |
| First day of term | Jan 11,2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Last day course drop | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Last day course withdrawal | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Final exam period starts | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Final exam period ends | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Last day of term | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Grads published by | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 17, 2021 | Jun 04, 2021 | Aug 13, 2021 |
Courses take place over a nine-week term in Google class. Each term has eight weekly learning units and a four-day period for submission of end of term final projects. Students are advised to check their course syllabus and the Hayward University Academic Calendar for important deadlines at the end of the term.
The University terms are divided into Learning Weeks and all work for a particular unit must be completed within that Learning Week. Students decide for themselves when to complete their work during the seven-day period of a given Learning Week. There are no specific times when a student must be logged on to study, nor are students obligated to attend a course session at any specific time during the study week.
The Learning Week starts at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday [more precisely, on Thursday at 12:05 am Hayward University Time (GMT-5 time zone)] and ends on the following Wednesday at 11:55pm Hayward University Time (GMT-5 time zone). The weekly study units are made available one week at a time at the start of the new Learning Week and students always have access to the completed units. Note that all reference to time in the study process and schedule is according to Hayward University Time (GMT-5 time zone).
Graduate students begin by reviewing the Learning Guide which lists the requirements for the Learning Week. All texts, readings, cases and other supplemental materials are provided within the course itself with emphasis placed on teamwork and project-centered learning. Courses are taught in small class sections that foster a close sense of community; students work in teams to complete projects, write papers, analyze and document case studies, and prepare class presentations.
Successful course completion depends on following the instructions and guidelines provided in each course syllabus. At the start of each term, students should read the syllabi and learning guides very carefully to fully understand the components and requirements of each of the courses in which they are enrolled. Course requirements include weekly readings, participation, peer assessment tasks, discussion forum responses, written assignments, portfolio and group activities, cases studies and final projects, and quizzes.
The Learning Guide shapes the learning experience for the entire week by providing a framework for directing students through the study material and tasks, including instructions on how to approach the weekly tasks.
Research has shown that student participation is directly related to course success. In order to ensure a rich learning experience, students must take an active approach to their studies by being present and involved.
Attendance is measured and recorded from posted responses to weekly Discussion Forum questions, participation in the peer assessment process; and submission of weekly assignments, case studies and final projects.
Students discuss course material and raise issues and questions related to a course in the Course Forum. The Course Forum is regularly monitored by Course Instructors. Participation is not required, but highly recommended.
Hayward University courses use Open Educational Resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with permission for free educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. All required textbooks can be readily accessed inside each course, although there may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites which students can also access at no cost.
Peer-to-peer learning, a hallmark of the Hayward University program, is central to the learning process at Hayward University. In critiquing the work of peers, students consolidate their own knowledge and skills even as they are contributing to the growth and learning experience of others. Students whose work is being discussed have the benefit of input from multiple sources, which extends their understanding of the concepts. It also fosters deeper learning on the part of the students doing the assessing because theymust first consolidate their own level of knowledge and skill before they can do an assessment. Assessing the work of others also helps to develop higher order thinking, communication, and evaluation skills.
Students are taught about the evaluation process and, as they progress through their studies, learn how to assess the work of their fellow students with increasing insight and precision. During the Learning Week following the submission of an assignment, students are given anonymous assignments from other students in the classroom for peer assessment. A student’s final grade is determined both by the work that he or she submits and by the quality of his or her peer assessments.
Giving unjustifiably poor or exaggeratedly positive reviews of the work of others brings down astudent’s grade as it is a sign that the student has not learned to evaluate the material properly according to the criteria. Students must therefore correctly apply the assessment elements set forth in the rubrics established for a given assignment.
Peer assessment is under the supervision of Course Instructors who monitor peer reviews for anomalies. Because the student’s assignment is assessed three times, Course Instructors identify discrepancies in grading when monitoring the scores of the assessments and may adjust the scoring, as appropriate, or override and re-grade a student’s work where necessary.
Most units require students to complete a Discussion Assignment by posting a well-formed response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. Students must participate in the discussion byresponding to at least three of their peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum by rating their submissionsand providing substantive written feedback.
Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment and/or participate in the Discussion Forum may result in failure of the course.
Most units require students to complete a written assignment. Assignments can vary in type including but not limited to short papers, research-based papers, and case studies. Students first submit their assignments by the required deadline and then assess three classmates’ assignments according to provided instructions in the Learning Guide. Students are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the corresponding assignment’s Peer Assessment Form with an explanation for the rationale of the grade awarded. Failure to submit assignments and/or peer-assessments may result in failure of the course.
Portfolio Activities are tools for self-reflection and evaluation within the context of the course. Designed as a way for students to document and reflect upon their learning process and critical thinking skills, Portfolio Activities encourage students to draw upon their life experiences and what they’ve learned in other courses to showcase their overall growth in developing and sharpening their professional goals.Portfolio Activities are used as part of the Capstone experience.
Most courses require students to complete work as part of a small group, giving students the opportunity to engage in projects while working on teams. Group work is an important component of graduate level coursework, and allows students to gain a more thorough understanding of the topics covered in a course with their fellow classmates. Unless otherwise noted, students are randomly assigned to groups and are expected to work with their teammates throughout the term.
Courses may contain two types of quizzes – the Self-Quiz, and the Graded Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple choice, true/false, or short answer questions. It is highly recommended that students complete all quizzes to ensure that they have adequately understood the course material.
Late work is not permitted at Hayward University unless there is an exceptional personal circumstance/illness (clear, documented proof is required), or a systemic Google Classroom site technical error. Documented proof of an exceptional, extended systemic city/region-wide power outage is required to be considered for late work to be considered. Extensions are not guaranteed for students experiencing random power outages or lapses in computer/Internet access prior to assignment deadlines.Students are strongly encouraged to submit their work as early as possible to avoid such unfortunate circumstances.
Students should be aware that Hayward University does not provide access to courses, including students' own contributions to their courses, beyond the current term. Following the first week after unofficial grades are posted within Google classroom, access to the previous term’s courses is discontinued.
Students are advised to save all of their work on their computers in case they want to access it at a later date. To request access to a course syllabus for a course they have completed, students may contact the Office of Academic Affairs at academic.affairs@Hayward.university
All Hayward University course readings are available to enrolled Hayward University students in the google class room. The repository may assist students in preparing for a prospective course, or referencing and reviewing course materials after completing a course.
