improving

Back ** Evaluating and Improving Online Courses - Jodi Holzman, Chris Rapp, Donna Hutchison & Jeff Simmons ** //Colorado Online Learning (COL) and Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) will overview their Course Review and QA Programs, utilizing NACOL’s National Standards of Quality for Online Courses. COL recently completed the review of over 20 courses with input from dozens of experts from across the country. IDLA has been evaluating and revising courses with a team of Curriculum & Instruction specialists. Learn about the review processes and tools, and the resulting content and instructional improvements.//



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COL’s story

Over 70 courses designed by instructors - first generation were from 1998. How were they going to look at courses and evaluate them? COL used NACOL standards for quality online courses. Cycle of review, proposed course changes and revision.

Who will review? Teacher, expert reviewer I and 2. Designed a new review instrument that allows lots of comments based on NACOL standards. Numerical scores and reviewer comments.

What feedback does the instructor receive? All information is shared with the instructor.

What process is used for revising? The instructor submits a written proposal for the course from the teacher. Conference with the instructor about proposal. Contract with instructor for course revision plan. Instructors needed to be taught to write course revision proposals.

(Student surveys are done at the end of each course. This information doesn't get back to the instructor in a meaningful way - they are working on this including past longitudinal data.)

A third of courses per year - 20-25 / year. How prioritizing? Highest enrollment courses first. Multiple minds that include external reviewers deepens quality of review.

Reviews and revisions provide a foundation for professional development. Funds need to be committed. $15,000 on reviews in FY 07. Paid reviewers and instructors to make revisions. Scope of work defines how much is paid ($2000 - 4500).

Questions: Have the revisions addressed the issues raised in the reviews? Are courses aligned with NACOL standards? Student success rates and survey data?

What's next? Increasing interactivity 21st century skills

IDLA

Online courses created as a resource for Idaho districts. (Owned by IDLA not teacher/creators) Conceived in 2001 by superintendents association and established by 2002 Idaho legislature (straight line appropriation for 4 years) Sanctioned by SDE and State Board of Education Comprehensive curriculum for grades 7-12 100% of IDLA teachers meet highly qualified 87% of Idaho districts participate Tuition: $50/course

Authorized to be K-12 but only serving 7 -12. Funded on an enrollment growth model.

Curriculum Team model - Specialist in C&I and content developer (knowledge of online and pedagogy important)

Infrastructure: Curriculum Team, content area e-learning experts, oversee/conduct course development and revision.

Course Template: BB course copied for course developers to use when building a new course, bombing range (pilot course structure), streamlined instruction, template syllabus, course design best practices

Course developer is the course instructor. There is a demo version of a course. Use master course concept.

Feedback form given to course developer.

Data driven revision - student evaluation by an external agency. Student completion data. Anecdotal teacher feedback

Course data includes student course evaluations, AP test scores, FT curriculum specialist audit, college board audits, higher ed institutions approval, SEA review, master course databank, standardized template, standardized process for design and development, online pedagogy required components, state standards, student completion rates, instructor feedback, incorporates multimedia to address diverse learning styles, requires active teacher role, course evaluation rubric.

Best course developers and best online teachers may not overlap. Intensive training on course development and online pedagogy.

There is no set percentage for interactive multimedia. Multimedia and interaction is desired/encouraged. At this conference they are looking for learning objects (Michigan's four Bs - buy, borrow, build, _)

Jeff checks into copyright issues.