24th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
For more resources: http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference
Quality and Online Classes
Roxie Hoffman
Online Specialist, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center
Northcentral Technical College
Dennis James
Instructional Technologist, Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning
Madison Area Technical College
Terri Langan
Instructional Designer/Instructor
Fox Valley Technical College
Introduction
Wisconsin’s sixteen Technical Colleges joined together to develop Appendix E, a model for the state's
Colleges to assess and ensure the quality of their online courses. The Colleges identified 50 elements
across eight standards that positively enhance online student learning. The standards assessed include:
1.
Accessibility: Courses are accessible online from anywhere, anytime via the Internet and
Web browser.
2.
Learner Focus: Instructor welcomes learner to course and provides information
necessary for learners to successfully start the course.
3.
Course Organization: Course materials are coherent, complete, and easily accessible to
learners.
4.
Course Syllabus: A syllabus is available and contains all of the required components.
5.
Learning Content Area (e.g., learning plans, learning units, instructional materials):
Include targeted competencies, core abilities, and learning objectives along with learning
activities and performance expectations. Coherent and complete directions and materials
adequately prepare the learner for the assessment.
6.
Interaction: Opportunities for appropriate interaction exist and standards for
communication and response time are included.
7.
Assessment Components: Assessment directions, guidelines, and scoring guides are
included and clear.
8.
Satisfaction With/Effectiveness of the Online Learning Experience: Learners are
given an opportunity to provide feedback on the course.
Background: eTech College of Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) eTech College of Wisconsin provides key
stakeholders another option and greater access to education. The consortium, made up of the sixteen state
Copyright 2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
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author(s) and the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
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24th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
For more resources: http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference
technical colleges, offers flexible entry to high-quality learning experiences and reduces the barriers of
time and place. Creativity and innovation are the cornerstones of this dynamic delivery channel.
Through eTech College of Wisconsin, the WTCS achieves a significant competitive advantage. The
collaborative development and ongoing administration of eTech College of Wisconsin creates new
efficiencies for all Wisconsin technical colleges through standardized course competencies, shared
curriculum, joint marketing, and cost effectiveness.
eTech College of Wisconsin was started in the Fall of 1999, as a commitment by the presidents from each
of the 16 WTCS colleges, the WTCS state director, and the executive director of the WTCS Boards
Association to expand stakeholder access to high-quality, online learning opportunities. It grew out of
collaborative efforts and a working structure of a board, a committee, and teams to strategize, define, and
implement the eTech College of Wisconsin that we have today.
eTech offers a web portal at www.etechcollege.org which makes it easy for students to find registration,
admissions, financial aid, calendar, and other important information located on the local college Web site.
Background - Quality Standards
Very early in the creation of eTech, the collaborative teams agreed that quality standards were necessary
to ensure that students were offered courses that met a consistent and agreed-upon quality standard across
the board for all institutions. The decision was made that only courses meeting the curriculum quality
standards for the eTech College of Wisconsin would be offered through eTech.
Initially called "Appendix D," the eTech College of Wisconsin Curriculum Project Team offered a
bulleted list of standards that each course should meet. From this initial bulleted list of standards, a
checklist-based Appendix E was created.
In 1999, prior to eTech's inception, Terri Langan, from Fox Valley Technical College, developed a set of
standards for online courses at FVTC. When eTech was under development, Lori Weyers, Vice President
of Instructional Services, introduced those standards to a group of technical college educators from
around the state and the state Curriculum Team and others used them to develop the initial set of
standards for online courses. Standards were then revised and developed for eTech and each college had a
designated reviewer who was trained in use of those standards to review all courses prior to their being
sent to eTech.
From Then to Now - Updated Quality Standards
The impetus for updates to the standards came from the need for more rigorous standards. Several of the
Colleges had rigorous standards in place while others were just beginning to look at online classes and the
quality standards that were needed. The standards were reviewed and updated in early 2000s and then
again within the past 3 years. In 2005, a need to develop a peer review tool was recognized. The original
Appendix E was difficult to use because each standard had a checkbox with bulleted points underneath.
Reviewers weren't sure whether all the bulleted points needed to be present for the standard or if the
bulleted points were suggested items to meet the standard. Listing each criterion separately along with a
rating scale made the form more user-friendly. Today the standards are a component of the Internet
Qualification Series training so that people are aware of the rigor expected in courses offered.
Copyright 2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
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24th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
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How It's Working
The committee recommended using a scale so that people who received the rating report could see what
needed no revision, what could use some revision, what was not acceptable and what was not applicable
to the course under review. WTCS faculty have appreciated the thoroughness of the review process and
have easily been able to improve courses as a result.
The state technical colleges recommend that the standards be provided to faculty as they are beginning
course development. This way, they can be used as a guide for developing an online course, and faculty
are not surprised when the review comes back with ratings for items in the standards list. They're already
familiar with expectations and may just need a bit of assistance getting the course to the highest level.
Some colleges have also arranged the standards list to fit their online course template. For example, any
of the standards that relate to the syllabus and general course information are listed under a "Course
Information" section; those that refer to the instructional material go under a "Learning Plans" section.
They have also used the Appendix E standards as a basis for a checklist for hybrid courses.
A couple of years ago, the standards were mentioned on a listserv for online learning. Immediately, there
were over 250 requests from all over the world for copies of the standards. Panel members have also
presented numerous workshops about the standards as Wisconsin Technical College’s approach to quality
online courses and have been inundated with questions about the process. This is indeed a direction in
online learning.
Future Plans
The state committee has recommended a regular review cycle for the standards so that they are current
and are maintained at the highest acceptable levels. Currently colleges are looking at re-reviewing all
online courses at least every three years, while continuing to be reviewed before they go online for the
first time. An eTech seal for quality is currently under discussion. This seal would be prominently
displayed as a sign that the course is of the highest quality. Also under discussion is a peer review system
so faculty can become more involved in the process.
To better support faculty and course developers in course design, development, and instruction, another
aspect of the state committee's work is to gather quality examples and references for various Appendix E
criteria. These examples and references will then be made available through an “Appendix E Library” to
be accessed by faculty and course developers.
About the Presenters
Roxie Hoffman is an online specialist with the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLTC) at
Northcentral Technical College (NTC) in Wausau, WI. She trains faculty in the use of their online course
management tool (currently Blackboard) and an additional online testing tool (Perception) and provides
administration and support for both tools. Roxie is an NTC adjunct faculty member and has facilitated an
online business proofreading and editing course for several years. She has attended several distance
learning conferences and participated in workshops related to teaching and learning online. Ms. Hoffman
has a B.S. degree in Business Education and an Information Processing Specialist technical diploma.
Address: Northcentral Technical College
1000 W. Campus Drive
Wausau, WI 54401.
E-mail: hoffman@ntc.edu
Copyright 2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
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author(s) and the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
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24th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
URL:
Phone:
Fax:
For more resources: http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference
www.ntc.edu
715.675.3331, Ext. 4153
715-675-9776
Dennis James, Instructional Technologist, Madison Area Technical College, Madison, WI is part of the
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Madison Area Technical College. In his role,
he manages MATC’s Learning Management System – Blackboard and is responsible for State of WI
Grant for encouraging the use of technology in teaching and learning. Dennis also manages instructional
technology projects for Instruction, Facilities and Technology Services and assists in developing
curriculum and content for online courses. In addition, he purchases technology for, and manages,
MATC’s Technology Resource Center and makes Institutional recommendations on the purchase of
Instructional software.
Address: Madison Area Technical College
3550 Anderson Street
Madison WI 53704
E-mail: djames@matcmadison.edu
URL:
http:// www.matcmadison.edu
Phone: 608.243.4501
Fax:
608.246.6342
Terri Langan, Instructional Designer/Instructor, Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI, has been
with FVTC since 1975. Her MS Ed is in Education: Change and Innovation from Walden University and
BA is in Secondary Education: English/German from Marian College of Fond du Lac. She has extensive
teaching and curriculum development experience and is currently working as an instructional designer
focusing on alternative deliveries, assessment and curriculum. She also teaches program and
Communication Skills classes, certification courses, classes in alternative delivery methodologies for
faculty, and the Internet Qualification Series. She is the College's Faculty Mentorship Coordinator and
serves on various College- and Statewide committees, as well as the liaison for the College to the CQIN
WIRED Innovation Curriculum Project.
Address: Fox Valley Technical College
1825 N. Bluemound Drive
Appleton WI 54912
E-mail: langan@fvtc.edu
URL:
www.fvtc.edu
Phone: 920.735.4760
Fax:
920.735.5618
Copyright 2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the
author(s) and the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
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