Purdue University North Central Recommendations for Online Courses Note: At least 12/14 indicators must be met for the course to be considered “passing.” Detailed feedback will be provided to the faculty member to assist him/her in further improving his/her course. Name of Instructor Course Reviewed Date of Review Purpose of Review the PNC University syllabi policies found at: http://www.pnc.edu/academic_affairs/syllabi.pdf In addition to these online standards, you must adhere to university and departmental policies in regard to syllabi construction. Not Met Limited Met Syllabus *These standards are representative of best practices for online courses and are supplemental to Assessment/Grading – Criteria: A statement exists in regard to due dates/scheduled exams that are missed or disrupted due to problems with the Learning Management System (Blackboard). Communication/Participation-­‐ Course Schedule-­‐ Criteria: A process for communicating with students and timeframes for responding to one another is clearly defined (weekdays, weekends, and holidays). A statement about student participation and netiquette is provided. Recommendations: For example: require students to respond within 24 -­‐48 hours during the week, longer for weekends and holidays. Require students to check their course email twice a week and post to a weekly discussion a minimum of 3 times. Criteria: Information is included about the required assignments and associated due dates for the entirety of the online course. Comments about Syllabus: Ø Purdue University North Central Accessibility – Criteria: Text size and font are appropriate. Color choices are of high contrast, making them readable for all students. Web links are functional. Images contain alternative text. Recommendations: When uploading an image to Blackboard, always type in alternative text. Refer to: http://juicystudio.com/services/luminositycontrastratio.php to check your colors for accessibility. Refer to: http://www.w3.org/WAI/ to learn more about web accessibility for ALL. Structure – Criteria: Course has a consistent organizational structure that offers ease of navigation. Process is in place for students to get information on initial steps to begin the course. Recommendations: Use clearly labeled folders. Keep things clean and simple to avoid overwhelming the viewer. Have a “start here” feature in Blackboard. Met Limited Course design refers to the functionality, navigability, and accessibility, of course content. The institution’s learning management system (i.e. Blackboard) should be used as the course gateway (even if a different system is used for the actual course). Not Met General Course Design Comments about General Course Design: Ø Course Content/ Instructional Materials Not Met Limited Met Delivery of course content in an online environment requires a shift in the traditional paradigm of teacher-­‐led instruction. A well-­‐planned online course provides students with quality social opportunities, support, guidance, and feedback, while adhering to the standards for copyright and accessibility issues. Alignment-­‐ Assessment-­‐ Copyright – Criteria: Clear and measurable course objectives, learning activities, and assessments are aligned. Recommendations: Refer to: http://www.pnc.edu/distance/align.html for helpful tips. Criteria: A variety of forms of assessment are utilized. Recommendations: Use Blackboard for assignments, graded online discussion forums, and quizzes. Criteria: Proper permissions and use of citations for copyrighted materials are utilized. Recommendations: Refer to: http://creativecommons.org/ to protect your intellectual property. Use royalty-­‐free images: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ Refer to: http://www.pnc.edu/distance/it_resources.html for more information. Course Evaluation – Criteria: A plan to obtain student feedback, in regard to course quality, is in place. Recommendations: Promote the importance of Digital Measures evaluations. Use an anonymous survey via Qualtrics and/or discussion forums. Feedback-­‐ Criteria: A variety of opportunities are available for students to practice and obtain timely feedback. Recommendations: Consider using Blackboard to provide frequent practice quizzes, discussions, and assignments, and use the Grade Book function to provide student access to course progress. Purdue University North Central Interaction – Criteria: A forum for introductions and activities that create community and collaboration are evident. Recommendations: Use group discussions, chats, email, and announcements in Blackboard. Provide a brief introductory of yourself and invite students to do the same. Learning and Technology Resources – Criteria: Information in regard to learning assistance and technology support is provided. Recommendations: Publisher tutorials and textbook websites should be made available. Provide link to: www.pnc.edu/distance/student.html Student Integrity-­‐ Criteria: A plan is in place to help ensure authentic student work in the online environment. Recommendations: Consider using SafeAssign to check for plagiarism and Respondus LockDown Browser to ensure authentic student work during exams. In Blackboard, set narrow testing windows and employ passwords, as well as randomize questions. Also, consider creating open-­‐ended exam questions that require application of higher-­‐order thinking skills. Technology Enhancement-­‐ Criteria: Technology tools and various forms of media are used to enhance the learning outcomes. Recommendations: Consider creating interactive PowerPoints or lectures with the following: Adobe Presenter, or Jing/Camtasia. Meet in real-­‐time using Adobe Connect. Record lectures and post online using Echo 360. Use graphics and media such as: flowcharts, diagrams, videos, and images to help convey meaning. /14 Purdue University North Central Comments about Course Content/Instructional Materials: Total Areas “Met”