scholarly journals Social and Student Engagement and Support: The Sloan-C Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet C. Moore ◽  
Kaye Shelton
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Student Support ◽  
External Evaluation ◽  
Regional Accreditation ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Quality Scorecard

As combinations of place-based, blended and fully online education proliferate, so do options for support and services. Regional accreditors provide criteria for student support. Aligning with regional criteria, the Sloan-C Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs is a useful way for institutions to measure and compare the quality of social and student engagement and support. The Scorecard aids quality efforts in institutional strategic planning, compliance reporting, and internal and external evaluation. Focusing on two of the nine categories of quality indicators—Social and Student Engagement and Student Support—this paper illustrates some ways institutions can meet Scorecard indicators while complementing regional accreditation guidelines.

scholarly journals Ensuring Online Learning Quality: Perspectives from the State University of New York

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristyn Muller ◽  
Kim A Scalzo ◽  
Alexandra M Pickett ◽  
Lisa Dubuc ◽  
Lawrence Dugan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
The State ◽  
State University ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Quality Scorecard

As online learning continues to grow within higher education, it is important for colleges and universities to ensure that they are delivering quality online courses and programs. This paper will discuss the evaluation and assessment of online learning from an institutional perspective. Open SUNY, the system-wide office of online education that supports and services the State University of New York (SUNY), has developed a process using the Online Learning Consortium’s (OLC) Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs to help SUNY campuses examine and improve the quality of online learning. The first half of this paper will describe the development of that tool and the implementation of the Open SUNY Institutional Readiness Process. The second half of this paper will explain the OLC Quality Scorecard standards for the Evaluation & Assessment section and provide examples of best practices from four different SUNY community colleges.

Emerging Framework for Planning and Implementation of Online Programs

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor M. Hernández-Gantes
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Program Planning ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
The Past ◽  
Effective Program ◽  
Assessment Strategies ◽  
Interactive Feedback ◽  
Dramatic Growth

The dramatic growth of online education over the past two decades is requiring colleges to make a shift from fragmented approaches to program planning and implementation towards a framework integrating both into a coherent support system. This article provides an overview of an emerging holistic framework for planning and implementation of online programs calling for shared strategic planning needs assessment strategies, and establishing program consensus. Guided by a program vision, curriculum and instructional strategies are identified along with internal and external supports needed for successful implementation. The framework suggests demand-driven strategic planning, benchmarking approaches to implementation practices, and interactive feedback to ensure effective program planning and implementation.

Evidencing Quality

2014 ◽  
pp. 394-414
Author(s):  
Kaye Shelton ◽  
Karen L. Pedersen ◽  
Lisa A. Holstrom
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Standard Assessment ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Quality Scorecard

In an era of tightening institutional budgets, ever increasing online enrollments and greater calls for accountability from multiple directions, the need for online program administrators to continually assess the quality of their overall operations has never been greater. But even vigilant administrators have had difficulty defining “quality” and were unable to benchmark to other programs, as standards for quality varied. To address this daunting task, a research-based standard assessment tool known as the Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Education Programs was developed. The primary goals of this case are to Provide a brief overview of the scorecard highlighting the key areas of the quality indicators and the scoring protocol and present practical applications for this research-based assessment tool as evidenced through the administration of the scorecard by three online administrators at four institutions. By focusing on the ways in which different administrators at diverse institutions (public and private, large and small) used the Quality Scorecard to benchmark their online operations against a standard, we are able to illustrate how continuous improvement opportunities, impacting on both learning effectiveness and program improvement, can be implemented at the program or institutional level.

Emerging Framework for Planning and Implementation of Online Programs

2012 ◽  
pp. 164-180
Author(s):  
Victor M. Hernández-Gantes
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Program Planning ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Effective Program ◽  
Assessment Strategies ◽  
Interactive Feedback ◽  
Dramatic Growth

The dramatic growth of online education over the past two decades is requiring colleges to make a shift from fragmented approaches to program planning and implementation towards a framework integrating both into a coherent support system. This article provides an overview of an emerging holistic framework for planning and implementation of online programs calling for shared strategic planning needs assessment strategies, and establishing program consensus. Guided by a program vision, curriculum and instructional strategies are identified along with internal and external supports needed for successful implementation. The framework suggests demand-driven strategic planning, benchmarking approaches to implementation practices, and interactive feedback to ensure effective program planning and implementation.

Quality Assurance for Online Programs

2011 ◽  
pp. 307-326
Author(s):  
Yi Yang ◽  
Curtis J. Bonk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
School Policies ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Education Administrator ◽  
Education Administrators

Roles of administrators are often overlooked when discussing the quality of online education. Administrators have long asserted the pivotal influence on school policies, faculty members’ morale, and learning atmosphere. This chapter examines the challenges administrators face in ensuring the quality and viability of online programs. In the chapter, we suggest that the responsibilities of an effective higher education administrator encompass roles as strategic planner and manager, effective motivator, aggressive promoter, and strong supporter of others. We also put forth recommendations for administrators that might help them improve the quality and success of online programs.

Exploring Chinese Faculty Perceptions of Quality Standards for Online Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 944-963
Author(s):  
Dave Dai ◽  
John M. Dirkx
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Chinese Scholars ◽  
The U.S

This chapter explores how U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese online faculty. Thirty-one quality indicators from the U.S. literature were analyzed to develop a survey that was administered to 400 Chinese online faculty and their teaching assistants at a Chinese institution. The results indicate that U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese faculty as relevant and valuable. Based on responses to this survey, however, the U.S. based standards do not fully capture the essence of quality for online education because these indicators focus more on inputs rather than outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of the local settings in determining the characteristics of online education quality. Chinese scholars and administrators should not blindly adopt quality standards from other countries but use them as tools to help Chinese universities develop their own standards to improve quality of their online education programs.

scholarly journals Powerful or Powerless? Chief Online Education Officers’ Legitimate Power over Online Program Quality in U.S. Higher Education Institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgianna Laws
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Online Program ◽  
Steady Growth ◽  
Legitimate Power ◽  
Quality Scorecard

As the online higher-education market continues along its trajectory of steady growth, it becomes increasingly competitive.  Since quality sets online programs apart in the current competitive market, it is a priority for higher-education institutions.  Consequently, presidents and provosts at many U.S. higher education institutions have been placing the quality of online program administration under the purview of a new role known under the umbrella term of chief online education officer (COEO).  However, when looking for empirical research to help calibrate the COEO role in a way that maximizes its influence on quality, senior leaders find a gap in the literature.  The purpose of this quantitative, correlative, non-experimental study was to ask COEOs from all over the nation to use the Online Learning Consortium Quality Scorecard (QSC) to share their perceptions of the quality of their institution’s online program.  Additionally, COEOs were asked to self-assess their ability to influence quality based on their legitimate power and to describe environmental factors that could potentially impact their legitimate power.  Key findings indicate a strong, positive correlation between overall legitimate power and overall quality, as well as between overall legitimate power and the hierarchy of COEO job titles (E1).  Additional environmental factors significantly correlated with legitimate power categories included the number of units making a full report to the COEO (E3) and the breadth of COEO’s current portfolio of responsibilities (E12), among others.  Finally, data indicate that the hardest quality category to influence is technical support.

scholarly journals A Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Education Programs

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaye Shelton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
Study Quality ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Policy Study ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Quality Scorecard

As the demands for public accountability increase for the higher education, institutions are seeking methods for continuous improvement in order to demonstrate quality within programs and processes, including those provided through online education. A six round Delphi study was undertaken with 43 seasoned administrators of online education programs who agreed upon 70 quality indicators that administrators should examine within their programs to evaluate quality. A method for scoring was also developed. The original set of quality indicators from the Institute for Higher Education Policy study, Quality on the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education (2000) were used as a starting point and determined still valid in 2010, with modifications. The study resulted in a quality scorecard for the administration of online education programs.

Exploring Chinese Faculty Perceptions of Quality Standards for Online Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 20-39
Author(s):  
Dave Dai ◽  
John M. Dirkx
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Chinese Scholars ◽  
The U.S

This chapter explores how U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese online faculty. Thirty-one quality indicators from the U.S. literature were analyzed to develop a survey that was administered to 400 Chinese online faculty and their teaching assistants at a Chinese institution. The results indicate that U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese faculty as relevant and valuable. Based on responses to this survey, however, the U.S. based standards do not fully capture the essence of quality for online education because these indicators focus more on inputs rather than outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of the local settings in determining the characteristics of online education quality. Chinese scholars and administrators should not blindly adopt quality standards from other countries but use them as tools to help Chinese universities develop their own standards to improve quality of their online education programs.

scholarly journals Roles of administrators in Ensuring the quality of online programs

2010 ◽  
pp. 363-369
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Online Education ◽  
School Policies ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Faculty Morale ◽  
Education Administrators

Roles of administrators are often overlooked when discussing the quality of online education. Administrators have long assumed the pivotal influence on school policies, faculty morale, and learning atmosphere. This paper will examine the challenges administrators face and their new roles of quality assurance for online education. Recommendations will also be made for improving the quality and success of online programs.

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