Quality Matters: Peer Review of Online Courses

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Quality Matters Inter-Institutional Quality
Assurance in Online Learning
Applying the Toolset May 2007
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Session Goals

• Develop a working knowledge of the 14 essential
  standards.
• Apply the standards to given scenarios.
• List ways to enhance your own online course.

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Introductions

• Pair up
• Share name, institution, job, and best distance
  learning practice.
• Introduce your partner to the rest of us.
  Briefly (in one sentence) describe your partners
  best practice.

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Quality Matters Rubric
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The Rubric

• Eight standards
• Course Overview and Introduction
• Learning Objectives
• Assessment and Measurement
• Resources and Materials
• Learner Interaction
• Course Technology
• Learner Support
• Accessibility

Key components must align.
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What is Alignment?

• Critical course elements
• work together to ensure
• that students achieve
• the desired learning outcomes.

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The Rubric Essential Standards
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General Standard ICourse Overview and
Introduction

• 1.1 Navigational instructions make the
• organization of the course easy to
• understand.
• 1.2 A statement introduces the student to the
• course and to the structure of the student
• learning, and, in the case of a hybrid
• course, clarifies the relationship between
• the face-to-face and online components.

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Scenarios (1 - 2)
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General Standard IILearning Objectives
(Competencies)

• II.I The course learning objectives
• describe outcomes that are
• measurable.
• II.2 The module/unit learning objectives
• describe outcomes that are measurable and
  consistent with the
• course-level objectives.

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Scenarios (3 - 4)
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General Standard III Assessment and Measurement

• III.1 The types of assessments selected
• measure the stated learning objectives
• and are consistent with course activities
• and resources.
• III.2 The course grading policy is stated
  clearly.
• III.3 Specific and descriptive criteria are
• provided for the evaluation of students
• work and participation.

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Scenarios (5 - 7)
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General Standard IV Resources and Materials

• IV.I The instructional materials support
• the stated learning objectives.
• IV.2 The instructional materials have
• sufficient breadth, depth, and
• currency for the student to learn the
• subject.

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Scenarios (8 - 9)
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General Standard VLearner Interaction

• V.1 The learning activities promote the
• achievement of stated learning objectives.
• V.2 Learning activities foster instructor-
• student, content-student, and if appropriate
  to this course, student-student
• interaction.
• V.3 Clear standards are set for instructor
• response and availability (turn-around
• time for email, grade posting, etc.)

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Scenarios (10 - 12)
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General Standard VICourse Technology

• VI.I The tools and media support the
• learning objectives and are
• appropriately chosen to deliver the
• content of the course.

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Scenarios (13)
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General Standard VII Learner Support

• No 3-point elementsThis standard has no
  essential 3-point elements because its
  primarily concerned with academic support
  services, student support services and technical
  support services.usually thought to be the
  primary responsibility of the institution and not
  the individual instructor.

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General Standard VIIIAccessibility

• VIII.1 The course acknowledges the importance of
• ADA requirements.
• To meet this standard, the course must include
  BOTH
• of these elements
• The course must be offered using software that is
  accepted as ADA compliant.
• AND
• The course should include a brief statement that
  clearly tells students how to access ADA services
  at the institution.

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Scenario (14)
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Planned Course Improvements Handout
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QM Applications Index Card Activity
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Thanks to YOU Quality Matters!