Quality in Online CoursesBarbara A. Frey, D.Ed.

Eastern Psychological Association

March 6, 2009

Quality MattersQuality Matters: : Inter-Institutional Quality Assurance Inter-Institutional Quality Assurance

in Online Learningin Online Learning

Agenda

• About Quality Matters• Quality Matters Rubric• Examples of Course Revisions• Other Assessment Tools• Questions and Answers

About About Quality Matters Quality Matters

Peer Course Peer Course ReviewReview

FeedbackFeedback

CourseCourse

Course Meets Course Meets Quality ExpectationsQuality Expectations

Course Course RevisionRevision

Instructional Designers

InstitutionsFaculty Course Developers National Standards &

Research Literature

Rubric

Faculty ReviewersTraining

Quality Matters:Quality Matters: Peer Course Review Peer Course Review

ProcessProcess

Factors Affecting Course Quality

• Course design QM REVIEWS THIS

• Course delivery (i.e. teaching, faculty performance)

• Course content• Course management system• Institutional infrastructure• Faculty training and readiness• Student engagement and readiness

What QM is NOT About….

• Not about an individual instructor

(it’s about the course)

• Not about faculty evaluation

(it’s about course quality)

• Not about judgment(it’s about diagnosis and improvement)

• Not about “win/lose” or “pass/fail”

(it’s about continuous improvement in a supportive environment)

The Rubric The Rubric

The Rubric: Eight General Standards

1. Course Overview and Introduction2. Learning Objectives 3. Assessment and Measurement4. Resources and Materials5. Learner Interaction6. Course Technology7. Learner Support8. Accessibility

ExamplesExamples

Introduction

• Dr. Barbara Frey from Penn State World Campus 5-minute welcome video

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=BF_coursewelcome&search_pe=&aq=f

 • Dr. Robert Schramm from the University of Wisconsin

Whitewater has kindly agreed to share his introduction video for Business & Professional Communication. http://onlinemba.uww.edu/media/itbe740schramm/

Course Objective

Before

Students will understand cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic theories of learning.

After

Students be able to compare and contrast the factors that cognitive, behavioral, and

humanistic theorists believe influence the learning process.

Grading PolicyParticipation = 25% of final grade

Quizzes = 25% of final grade

Exams = 50% of final grade_________________________________________________________________________________________

Participation = 100 points*

4 Quizzes = 10 points x 4 = 40 points*

3 Exams = 100 points x 3 = 300 points*_________________________________________________________________________________________

* All points are not equal.

Other Assessment Tools

• Blackboard Greenhouse Award

• Penn State eLearning Standards

• CSU Chico Rubric for Online Instruction

Conclusion• Course design process same as face-

to-face

• Course design is continuous quality improvement process

• QM rubric based on national standards of best practice

• For more information visit qualitymatters.org

Questions?Questions?Barbara A. FreyBarbara A. Frey

bafrey@pitt.edu bafrey@pitt.edu