Date of Last Attendance
Under federal guidelines, attendance in a Distance Education course is measured by engagement in the course. Simply logging into the class and viewing a page is not considered engagement. The Date of Last Attendance, as defined by Del Mar College and according to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, Part 668.22, includes but is not limited to:
- Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students.
- Submitting an academic assignment.
- Taking an exam, in interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction.
- Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution.
- Participating in (contributing to) an online discussion about academic matters.
- Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
Attendance does not include activities where a student may be present, but not academically engaged, such as:
- Logging into an online class without active participation
- Participating in academic counseling or advisement
A determination of "academic attendance" or "attendance at an academically-related activity" must be made by the institution; a student's certification of attendance that is not supported by institutional documentation is not acceptable.