Measuring the success of scaleable open online courses

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane E. Klobas
Keyword(s):  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Course Success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose measures of online open course success for non-commercial institutional providers of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and other scaleable open online courses (SOOCs). Design/methodology/approach – The measures are derived from the characteristics of open online courses, existing knowledge about open online course providers and users and their motivations, and current practice in MOOC evaluation and data analytics. Findings – Current practices for evaluation of open online courses are dominated by MOOC analytics which provide insights into user demographics and behaviour with some implications for evaluation of reach and course design but leaving many unknowns. Measures for evaluation of success at the institutional level can be derived from institutional goals for open online courses. Success from the point of view of teachers and technical teams involved in design, development and delivery of open online courses can be derived from team members’ expectations, resources and satisfaction as well as measures of cost and effort compared to budget and benchmarks. Users are classified as registrants (information seekers, window shoppers, samplers), downloaders and participants (starters, partial participants and full participants who are further divided into auditing, active and certificate takers); different measures are appropriate for each group. Practical implications – Practitioners and researchers must consider a variety of levels and indicators of success to adequately evaluate open online courses. Tables in the text propose measures, methods, timing and roles. Originality/value – This is the first published paper to take a holistic view of open online course evaluation and propose detailed measures.

Most courses are not born digital

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangeline Marlos Varonis
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Shared Services ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design and certification, reports on the development of a statewide consortium in Ohio, and explores future directions in online courses. Design/methodology/approach – This paper offers a brief historical review of the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning. It describes attitudes toward online learning and the creation of the non-profit QM program as a vehicle for improving online course design. It summarizes the eight standards of the QM rubric, describes the QM peer review process, and discusses the implementation of the Ohio QM Consortium (OQMC) as a shared services model. Findings – Given existing barriers to online learning, the QM program can improve learning outcomes by offering best practices in online course design, validating the quality of online courses, encouraging faculty buy-in through a focus on design rather than content, and facilitating degree completion through recognition of quality courses. Practical implications – Institutions that seek to validate online course quality in a cost-effective manner can explore a shared services model such as that developed by the OQMC. Originality/value – This paper introduces to an international audience a program and process, widely implemented in the USA, which encourages inter-institutional cooperation and promotes a supportive culture among online educators.

scholarly journals A “just-in-time” pragmatic approach to creating Quality Matters-informed online courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 121 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 365-380
Author(s):  
Angela P. Murillo ◽  
Kyle M.L. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Formal Quality ◽  
The Creation

Purpose Quality Matters is one of the most widely regarded standards for online course design. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many instructors have needed to quickly convert face-to-face classes into an online environment. However, many instructors do not have online education expertise. Standards such as Quality Matters can help guide the creation of quality online course environments. This paper aims to provide a research-based and pragmatic approach for creating QM-informed online courses. Design/methodology/approach The Quality Matters Standards Rubric consists of eight General and 42 Specific Review Standards. Each standard was analyzed to determine the ease of implementation and implementation approach for a Quality Matters-informed online course template. Findings Of the 42 specific review standards, 16 (38%) are easily achievable, 20 (48%) are achievable, but required some intervention, and six (14%) are difficult to achieve through a course template. Practical implications This study provides guidance for implementing Quality Matters-informed online course design. As many instructors without an instructional design or online education background now need to conduct online classes, Quality Matters provides structure and guidance to assist with creating high-quality learning environments. As receiving formal Quality Matters certification is time-consuming and requires peer-review, this research provides guidance to create Quality Matters-informed online courses in a timely manner. Originality/value This study is particularly timely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will help prepare instructors for any second-wave scenarios. Furthermore, through providing guidance on the creation of Quality Matters-informed online course design, this paper will help instructors have a greater chance of instructional success for online course delivery.

scholarly journals Online Course Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally J. Baldwin ◽  
Yu-Hui Ching
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
The United States ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Evaluation Instrument ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Quality Matters

The evaluation of online courses is an important step in providing quality online courses. There are a variety of national and statewide evaluation tools used to help guide instructors and course designers of online courses (e.g., Quality Matters, OSCQR). This paper discusses a newly released course evaluation instrument from Canvas, the second largest learning management system (LMS) used by higher education institutions in the United States. The characteristics and unique features of the Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist (CCEC) are discussed. The CCEC is also compared to established national and statewide evaluation instruments. This review is helpful for those interested in online course design and developments in the field of online education.

Environmental service-learning approach in higher education – a descriptive case study on student-led life cycle assessments of university cafeteria meals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Johannisson ◽  
Michael Hiete
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Descriptive Case Study

Purpose This study aims to share experiences of an easy to adapt service-learning approach in a graduate course on life cycle assessment (LCA). Specifically, it reports on how students helped the university’s cafeteria to assess meals by conducting an LCA for 25 meals and identifying environmental hotspots. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive case study of a graduate course at Ulm University is presented. The course included lectures and problem-based exercises, both theoretical and software assisted. A course evaluation was conducted during the course and one year after completion to poll improvement potentials, as well as its impacts on students’ everyday life. Findings It was found that although it was the first LCA for all students, the resulting LCA information of 25 different meals were homogeneous, comparable to the scientific literature and beneficial to the cafeteria’s sustainable development strategy. The concept of service-learning had a higher impact on students’ motivation than a good grade and active-learning is explicitly requested by students. The course design sensitized students to the real-life problems of LCA and made their consumption patterns more elaborate and ecological. Furthermore, this digitization of higher education could be carried out with only minor changes in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation. Originality/value As the subject of service-learning in natural sciences is still expandable, this study presents an easy to adapt case study on how to integrate such an approach into university curricula dominated by traditional learning. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this case study presents the first published LCA university course explicitly describing and evaluating a service-learning approach. The topic touches the everyday lives of students, allows comparisons between different student groups, is easily scalable to different group sizes and credits, and supports learning both how to study in small groups and cooperation between groups to ensure comparability of LCA results.

scholarly journals ON THE NATURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL PRESENCE IN ONLINE COURSE DISCUSSIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Swan ◽  
Li Fang Shih
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Quantitative Results

“Social presence,” the degree to which participants in computer-mediated communication feel affectively connected one to another, has been shown to be an important factor in student satisfaction and success in online courses. This mixed methods study built on previous research to explore in greater depth the nature of social presence and how it develops in online course discussions. The study combined quantitative analyses of survey results from students enrolled in four online graduate courses, and qualitative comparisons of students with the highest and lowest perceptions of social presence. Quantitative results revealed significant correlations between perceived social presence and satisfaction with online discussions, and teased apart the respective influences of the perceived presence of instructors and peers. The findings indicate that the perceived presence of instructors may be a more influential factor in determining student satisfaction than the perceived presence of peers. Correlations with other course and learner characteristics suggest that course design may also significantly affect the development of social presence. Qualitative findings support the quantitative results. In addition, they provide evidence that students perceiving the highest social presence also projected themselves more into online discussions,and reveal meaningful differences in perceptions of the usefulness and purpose of online discussion between students perceiving high and low social presence.

scholarly journals 9. Quality Matters: A Faculty-Centred Program to Assure Quality in Online Course Design

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Shattuck
Keyword(s):  
Review Process ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Quality Assurance Program ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Quality Matters

One of the dilemmas faced by today’s faculty is assuring quality in online courses. As one solution to that dilemma, Quality Matters (QM), a program of MarylandOnline, built a rubric of design standards informed by existing research literature and best practices. The rubric was implemented within a faculty-centred, peer review process in which colleagues share their expertise to facilitate course design improvements and to achieve an established level of quality in online course design. This article will describe the basic tenets and processes of QM as an inter-institutional quality assurance program for online learning.

Examining Design Pattern Strategies as a Means to Achieve Social Presence in the Online Classroom

2015 ◽  
pp. 22-49
Author(s):  
Araminta Matthews ◽  
Robert M. Kitchin Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Design Pattern ◽  
Design Patterns ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Web Design ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Design Learning ◽  
Potential Benefits

Design patterns have received much attention across multiple design domains where social interaction is a central goal because they have great potential for capturing and sharing design knowledge. Design patterns, design pattern language, and design pattern libraries demonstrate potential benefits to novice and expert online course designers. Trends affecting the growth of online courses and resultant pitfalls negatively affecting students and instructors indicate the need for social presence design. A literature review addresses the importance of social interaction, differentiated design, learning-oriented social networking, and Web design structures in an effort to assuage the experience of isolation reported by the majority of online students. The authors argue that design patterns are a method of overcoming many of these apparent obstacles to quality online course design and learning engagement. Additionally, they present example design patterns to solve specific social interacting problems.

Preparing Part-Time Instructors for Success in Online Course Development and Teaching

2019 ◽  
pp. 250-297
Author(s):  
Dan Piedra
Keyword(s):  
Continuing Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Course Development ◽  
Education Theory ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Online Course Development

Part-time instructors are at the heart of each continuing education operation throughout the world. They bring a wealth of industry experience which adds real-life undertones to classes. However, many lack foundational training in areas of instructional strategies and adult education theory, learning management systems (LMS) and their use in online courses, and course design and development. This chapter will provide an overview of how McMaster University's Centre for Continuing Education has addressed all three of the above areas with a view towards better equipping their part-time instructors in providing a better-quality learning experience. Central to the above is the use of online training and a thorough and highly structured approach to online course development.

Building Quality Online Courses

2018 ◽  
pp. 309-331
Author(s):  
Veronica Outlaw ◽  
Margaret L. Rice ◽  
Vivian H. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Course Development ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Online Course Development ◽  
And Training

The authors have personally experienced the burdens of creating online courses without the assistance of trained instructional designers. Many faculty are employed in conditions where they develop online courses without the proper knowledge and training of many essential aspects that should accompany the development of an online course (e.g., design, development, learning styles, copyright, design principles, accessibility, incorporating technology, and technical skills) (Singleton et al., 2013; Speck, 2000; Wickersham et al., 2007). The authors propose and describe the use of a detailed online course development and delivery model (Outlaw & Rice, 2015) that was created to provide distance education units with a systematic approach to course development. The proposed model nourishes the partnerships between faculty and designers to improve the quality of online courses, while providing the support faculty need to successfully create online courses. The authors discuss a model that provides consistency in efforts to create efficient workflows to develop online courses.

Preparing Part-Time Instructors for Success in Online Course Development and Teaching

2021 ◽  
pp. 554-598
Author(s):  
Dan Piedra
Keyword(s):  
Continuing Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Course Development ◽  
Education Theory ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Online Course Development

Part-time instructors are at the heart of each continuing education operation throughout the world. They bring a wealth of industry experience which adds real-life undertones to classes. However, many lack foundational training in areas of instructional strategies and adult education theory, learning management systems (LMS) and their use in online courses, and course design and development. This chapter will provide an overview of how McMaster University's Centre for Continuing Education has addressed all three of the above areas with a view towards better equipping their part-time instructors in providing a better-quality learning experience. Central to the above is the use of online training and a thorough and highly structured approach to online course development.

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