Quality Standards for e-Learning Course Design
Statement
of Purpose:
This “Quality
Standards for e-Learning Course Design” document combines and integrates
specific BC standards with all 17 Quality Matters Essential Standards (2008-2010 edition), indicated
with (QM), as well as 9 Quality Matters Important/Very Important
Standards, indicated with (qm).
This document provides detailed annotations (complete with examples) for each standard to further explain the BC Quality Standards. Special thanks to the following faculty for allowing their courses to be used as examples: Professor Mirella Baker-Bemmel, Dr. Dominique Charlotteaux, Professor David Hennessey, Professor Sharon Rifkin, and Dr. Jessica Street. Their courses have been BC internally certified, and nationally recognized by Quality Matters.
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1: Course Overview and Introduction |
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General Standard: The overall design of the course is made clear to the student at the beginning of the course. Category 1: Course Overview and Introduction |
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1.1 Course Preview Page uses the BC Course Preview Page template or includes all the required components in the template. It should reside either on faculty's BC homepage or on http://www.blogger.com. The web address needs to be added into Course Notes. |
Course preview page required components include: 1. Faculty introduction 2. Course description 3. Methods of instruction 4. Learning outcomes 5. Course requirements 6. Course materials 7. How to register for the course 8. Contact information 9. How to access the course once enrolled Click here to view a Course Preview Page example.
Blended Courses: On-campus information (dates, times, locations) must also be provided to students within the course preview pag.
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1.2 Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components. (QM) |
Instructions provide a general course overview, present the schedule for activities, guide the new student to explore the course website, and indicate what to do first, rather than or in addition to listing detailed navigational instructions for the whole course.
Instructors may choose to incorporate some of this information in the course Syllabus. In this case, students should be directed to the syllabus at the beginning of the course. A useful idea is a “Read Me First” or “Start Here” button or icon on the course home page, linking students to start-up information.
Examples: 1. A course “tour” 2. Clear statements about how to get started in the course 3. A “scavenger hunt” assignment that leads students through an exploration of the different areas of the course 4. A graphical table or diagram that depicts the relationship between the online and face-to-face portions of a blended course Click here to view a course tour example. Click here to view a ‘Navigating the Course’ example.
Blended Courses: Instructions in the online classroom make it apparent to students that the course is a blended course with both online and face-to-face components and activities. Instructions specify the requirements for participation in both the online and face-to-face portions of the course. The introductory information clearly states when and where students should participate each week, and a structured set of topics and schedule is provided for each face-to-face meeting. |
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1.3 A statement introduces the student to the course and to the purpose of the course and to its components; in the case of a blended course, the statement clarifies the relationship between the face-to-face and online components. (QM) |
The instructor’s statement gives the new student an idea of how the learning process is structured (including schedule, communication modes, and types of activities) and how student performance will be evaluated. These features are often included in the course syllabus, but they may also be included in an introductory or welcome document.
Look for some or all of the following: 1. The course schedule 2. Types of activities the student will be required to complete (written assignments, online self-tests, participation in the discussion board, group work, etc.) 3. Fully developed course calendar with assignment, activity, and test due dates. In the case of a blended course, the calendar should fully cover both the online and face-to-face portions of the course and specify the dates and times when face-to-face class meetings will be held. 4. Preferred mode of communication with the instructor (email, discussion board, etc.) 5. Preferred mode of communication with other students 6. Testing procedures (online, proctored, etc.) 7. Procedure for submission of electronic assignments
Click here to view a ‘Course Overview’ example.
Blended Courses: Instructors should explain the purpose of both the online and face-to-face portions of the course, and how they complement and reinforce each other. |
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1.4 The Course Syllabus uses the current BC Course Syllabus template or includes all the required components as listed in the template. |
Syllabus required components include: 1. Faculty contact information 2. Course description 3. General course outcomes 4. Course prerequisites and resources 5. Course requirements 6. Required course materials 7. Methods of instruction 8. Course attendance and participation policy 9. Course schedule and assignments 10. Grading and exam policy 11. Communication policy 12. Other policies and procedures 13. Student success tips Click here to view a Syllabus example.
Blended Courses: On-campus information (dates, times, locations) must also be provided to students within the syllabus. |
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1.5 In online courses, students are required to complete an Online Orientation with expected outcomes. In blended/hybrid courses, it is strongly recommended that students be provided with an orientation, either face-to-face or online. |
Quality online orientations consist of three parts: (1) Welcome, (2) Course Navigation, and (3) Hands-On Activity (or series of activities). Welcome is used to introduce students to the course, and contains information such as faculty bio, course objectives, and course format. Course Navigation can be considered a ‘tour’ of the online course demonstrating how students will access course components including learning materials, syllabus, help desk, ways to communicate with the instructor, and how to use Blackboard tools. Hands-On Activity (or series of activities) ensures that students are able to effectively explore the content and structure of the course, as well as complete learning activities. Suggested hands-on activities include: 1. Submitting an assignment with a file attachment (e.g., scavenger hunt) 2. Participating in a threaded discussion (e.g., welcome and introduction) 3. Sending an email to the instructor (using the Blackboard mail tool) 4. Completing a syllabus quiz.
Students should only be able to access course content (i.e., learning materials) AFTER they have successfully completed the orientation hands-on activities. This feat can be accomplished via Blackboard’s selective release functionality.
Instructional Technology has provided Welcome Letter and Course Navigation templates.
Click here to view a Welcome Letter example. Click here to view a Course Navigation example. |
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1.6 The self-introduction by the instructor is appropriate and available online (qm) and students are asked to introduce themselves to the class. (qm) |
The initial instructor introduction creates a sense of connection between the instructor and the students. It should present the instructor as professional as well as approachable, and include the essentials, such as the instructor’s name, title, field of expertise, email address, phone number, and times when the instructor is typically online or may be reached by phone. Instructors may also wish to include a picture of themselves.
The student introduction helps to create a supportive learning environment and a sense of community. Students are asked to introduce themselves and given guidance on where and how they should do so. Student introductions themselves are not evaluated. Instructors may ask students to answer specific questions (such as why they are taking the course, what concerns they have, what they expect to learn, etc.) or may choose to let the student decide what to include. Instructors may provide an example of an introduction and/or start the process by introducing themselves.
Click here to view an ‘Instructor Introduction’ discussion topic example. |
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1.7 Clear instructions are given to the student on how to view course announcements and/or changes to the Course Syllabus. |
The instructor must make it clear to students how he/she will communicate important information relevant to the course and/or changes to the syllabus (e.g., assignment details/due dates, weather-related announcements, etc.).
Instructors can communicate with students via: 1. course announcements (via the Blackboard announcements tool) 2. emails (via the Blackboard mail tool) 3. banner/header on the course homepage |
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2: Learning Outcomes (Competencies) |
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General Standard: Learning outcomes are clearly stated and explained. They assist students in focusing their effort in the course. |
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2.1 Course Syllabus includes both the course-level General Learning Outcomes and the module or unit-level Specific Learning Outcomes as stated in the BC official Course Outline. |
Course-level general learning outcomes and module-level specific learning outcomes are both required components of the syllabus.
Click here to access the BC Course Syllabus template. |
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2.2 The course-level General Learning Outcomes are measurable. (QM) |
Measurable course learning outcomes precisely describe what students are to gain from instruction, and then guide instructors to accurately assess student accomplishment. Outcomes should describe student performance in specific, observable terms.
Examples of measurable outcomes: 1. Select appropriate tax strategies for different financial and personal situations. 2. Develop a comprehensive, individualized wellness action program focused on overcoming a sedentary life-style. 3. Describe the relationship between the components of an ecosystem. 4. Explain the factors that contribute to economic inflation.
In a course in which students are expected to demonstrate analytical skills and/or ability to express themselves effectively in writing or in other forms of communication, the learning outcomes should include reference to these objectives in addition to outcomes that relate to mastery of content.
In addition to measurable outcomes, a course may have desired outcomes that are not measurable, such as increased awareness, sensitivity, or interest in certain issues or subjects, but these do not substitute for measurable outcomes.
Note: The course learning outcomes are institutionally mandated, and the individual instructor does not have the authority to change them. Click here to review the learning outcomes for your course within the official BC course outlines.
Alignment: The concept of alignment is intended to convey the idea that critical course components should work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. Measurable course and module/unit-level learning outcomes form the basis of alignment in a course. Other elements of the course, including assessments, learning materials, and resources should contribute to the accomplishment of these outcomes. Click here to view example of alignment (taken from Course Schedule section of Course Syllabus). |
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2.3 The module or unit-level Specific Learning Outcomes are measurable and consistent with the course-level General Learning Outcomes. (QM) |
Measurable module- or unit-level learning outcomes are important. They precisely describe the specific competencies, skills, and knowledge that students should be able to master and demonstrate at regular intervals throughout the course. They provide students with greater focus and clarity of learning expectations and outcomes on a weekly, modular, or unit basis. Module-level learning outcomes are institutionally mandated (see BC Course Outlines).
Module-level learning outcomes should be prominently stated in course materials, such as the syllabus, so that they are accessible to the student from within the online classroom. Module/unit learning outcomes enable instructors to accurately assess student accomplishment. Outcomes should describe student performance in specific, observable terms.
The module/unit-level outcomes should be consistent with the course-level outcomes. The module/unit outcomes may either be implicitly or explicitly consistent with the course-level outcomes. For example, the module/unit objective “Students will write sentences that demonstrate correct use of commas, semicolons, and periods.” is implicitly consistent with the course objective “Students will demonstrate a mastery of rules of punctuation.”
Alignment: The concept of alignment is intended to convey the idea that critical course components should work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. Measurable course and module/unit-level learning outcomes form the basis of alignment in a course. Other elements of the course, including assessments, learning materials, and resources should contribute to the accomplishment of these outcomes. Click here to view example of alignment (taken from Course Schedule section of Course Syllabus). |
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2.4 All learning outcomes are stated clearly and written from students’ perspective. (QM) |
The learning outcomes are clearly stated by the instructor, verbally during face-to-face meetings, if applicable, and electronically in the online classroom. The learning outcomes are written in a way that allows students to easily grasp their meaning. The use of educational jargon, confusing terms, unnecessarily complex language, and puzzling syntax is avoided.
Note: Learning outcomes are institutionally mandated. Click here to review the Course Outlines. |
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2.5 Instructions to students on how to achieve the learning outcomes are adequate and stated clearly. (QM) |
Instructions may take various forms (e.g., narratives, bulleted lists, charts) and may appear at different levels within the course, such as module-based or in weekly assignment sheets. Instructions are (1) stated clearly, (2) complete, and (3) provided electronically in the online classroom.
Examples include: 1. Module-based or weekly assignment pages in narrative, bulleted list, or chart form comprise a list of steps that guide the student in meeting learning outcomes for each week. 2. Information indicates which learning activities, resources, assignments, and assessments support the learning outcomes. Click here to view example (taken from Course Schedule section of Course Syllabus) |
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3: Assessment and Measurement |
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General Standard: |
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3.1 The types of assessments selected measure the stated learning outcomes and are consistent with course activities and resources. (QM) |
Alignment: Course assessments should align with the course and module outcomes of the course (see Standards 2.2 and 2.3) by measuring the accomplishment of those outcomes. It should be clear that the assessments can be successfully completed if students have achieved the outcomes embedded in the course materials and learning activities.
Examples of outcome/assessment alignment: 1. A problem analysis evaluates critical thinking skills. 2. A multiple-choice quiz verifies vocabulary knowledge. 3. A composition assesses writing skills.
Example of inconsistent alignment between learning outcomes and assessment: 1. The objective is to be able to “write a persuasive essay,” and the assessment is a multiple-choice test. |
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3.2 The course grading policy is stated clearly with points and/or percentage schemes. (QM) |
A clear, written statement fully explains how the course grades are computed. The points, percentages, and weights for each component of the course grade are clearly stated. The relationship(s) between points, percentages, weights, and letter grades are explained. The instructor’s policy on late submissions is clearly stated.
Examples include: 1. A list of all assignments, tests, activities, etc. that will determine the students’ final grades. 2. An explanation of the relationship between the final course letter grade and the student’s accumulated points and/or percentages. 3. An explanation of the relationship between points and percentages (if both of these are used).
Click here to view Grading Policy example. |
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3.3 Specific and descriptive criteria, such as grading rubrics, are provided for the evaluation of students’ work and participation. (QM) |
Students are provided with a clear and meaningful description of the criteria that will be used to evaluate their work and participation in the course. These criteria are stated up-front at the beginning of the course. The description and/or statement of criteria provide students with clear guidance on the expectations and required components of work and participation.
Examples: 1. Evidence that the instructor has stated the criteria for evaluation of students’ paper and assignments, such as rubrics or a list of criteria with associated point values. 2. A description of how the students’ participation in discussions will be graded, including the number of required postings per week, the criteria for evaluating the originality and quality of students’ comments and their responsiveness to other students’ comments, and grade credit they can expect for varying levels of performance.
Click here to view a Rubric example. |
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3.4 Assessments and assignments are linked to module/unit learning outcomes and include due dates and policy on late submissions. |
All assessments and assignments must be aligned to learning outcomes; otherwise, students may ask, “what’s the point?!”
Alignment: The concept of alignment is intended to convey the idea that critical course components should work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. Measurable course and module/unit-level learning outcomes form the basis of alignment in a course. Other elements of the course, including assessments, learning materials, and resources should contribute to the accomplishment of these outcomes.
Click here to view example of alignment (taken from Course Schedule section of Course Syllabus). |
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3.5 The grade book in the Learning Management System should be made available to students for prompt feedback. |
Students are provided with prompt feedback to their assignments, assessments, and activities in their online courses. Instructors may use the assessments, assignments, and discussion tools to automatically create columns within the Learning Management System’s (LMS) grade book. Additionally, instructors can manually create columns within the LMS grade book. Regardless of how columns are created, grades should be released to students and students should be able to review their grades via the ‘My Grades’ tool. This in turn enables students to easily track their progress throughout the course.
Instructors may wish to add additional columns to the LMS grade book to provide more meaningful feedback to students. Columns may include: 1. total points (numeric column that sums up all of the students’ points) 2. calculated grade (to be used when/if the instructor employs a ‘weighted’ grade book) 3. letter grade (based on a numeric or calculated column) |
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3.6 Academic Dishonesty Policy is included and clearly stated in Course Syllabus. |
The instructor’s academic dishonesty policy must be included in the course syllabus (within the ‘other policies and procedures’ section). This policy can be copied verbatim from the BC Student Handbook.
Academic Dishonesty Policy Example:
Academic Honesty (Cheating): Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying the work of another person (plagiarism) or permitting your work to be copied by another person, discussing test answers or questions with people who have not completed the test. Cheating will be considered a breach of Broward College's Code of Conduct Policy and may result in academic penalties (zero points on the assignment/test in question, a failing grade for the course), disciplinary action, and/or a referral to the Dean of Student Affairs. |
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3.7 For high-stake assessments, every measure should be taken to assure the integrity of student work, such as student identification, use of proctored test centers, and time limits. |
The Learning Management System enables instructors to limit the time and availability students have to take exams. Instructors may also require passwords and generate unique exams for every student via the LMS’s randomization capability. Additionally, instructors can use ‘Turnitin.com’ to prevent plagiarism.
Instructors who require students to take proctored exams at a testing center should require student identification. Click here for BC’s e-Testing Center. Contact Instructional Technology for out-of-county/state students who need to take proctored exams. |
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4: Resources and Materials |
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General Standard: Instructional materials are sufficiently comprehensive to achieve stated course objectives and learning outcomes and are prepared by qualified persons competent in their fields. |
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4.1 The instructional materials are current and contribute to the achievement of the stated course and module/unit-level learning outcomes. (QM) |
Course materials, resources, and learning outcomes align in a clear and direct way. Course materials and resources enable students to achieve the stated learning outcomes.
Materials other than standard textbooks and articles published by recognized publishers are prepared by the instructor or instructional designers skilled in preparing materials for distance learning.
Click here to view example of alignment (taken from Course Schedule section of Course Syllabus). |
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4.2 The relationship between the instructional materials and learning activities is clearly explained to the student. (QM) |
Students can easily determine the purpose of all content, materials, resources, technologies, and instructional methods used in the course, and how each will help them achieve the stated learning outcomes. Moreover, it is clearly stated which materials are required and (if applicable) which are recommended resources.
For example, a course may be richly garnished with external links to Internet resources, but it is not clear whether those resources are for background information or additional personal enrichment, or if they are required for an assignment.
If various instructional materials (e.g., books, manuals, videos, CD ROMs, computer software) are used in the course, the purpose of their use and relationship to one another should be clearly explained to students. For example, a course requires students to use the following materials: a textbook divided into chapters, video segments ordered by topics, a website organized around specific skills, and a tutorial CD-ROM that has an opening menu consisting of “practice quizzes,” “images,” and “audio examples.” Consider whether it would be clear to students the order in which they should approach these varied materials, how each is related to the core content and learning outcomes, and how the materials are related to one another. |
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4.3 All resources and materials used in the course are appropriately cited and are free from copyright infringement. (qm) |
Sources for materials created by the instructor and those borrowed from elsewhere are clearly identified. Text, images, graphic materials, tables, videos, audios, websites, and other forms of multimedia are appropriately referenced according to BC’s copyright and intellectual property policies.
Courses that use an e-pack or course cartridge may provide a blanket statement acknowledging that a significant portion of the course materials came from the publisher rather than include individual citations for each instance of publisher materials. |
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4.4 BC Copyright statement is located in the footer on the Course Homepage. |
The following statement must be included on all online course homepages (within the footer): The materials used on this course Web site may be protected by copyright and are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for the purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
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4.5 Wherever appropriate, the course content is organized into Learning Modules and laid out in a weekly or modular structure. |
Course content should be presented to students in an easy-to-follow, organized manner. More specifically, lecture notes, assignments, discussions, and assessments should be grouped into units, chapters, or weeks within e-Learning courses via the Learning Modules tool.
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4.6 If publisher content is used, it should reside within BC’s Learning Management System. |
Whenever possible, all course content must reside within BC’s Learning Management System. This in turn allows students to easily locate resources and maintain focus.
If students are required to access external web sites (e.g., My MathLab, Math Zone), then a link to the external web site(s) should be provided within the online course. |
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5: Learner Engagement |
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General Standard: Meaningful interaction between the instructor and students, among students, and between students and course materials is employed to motivate students and foster intellectual commitment and personal development. |
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5.1 Learning activities promote the achievement of stated Learning Outcomes. (QM) |
The purpose of learning activities is to facilitate the student’s achievement of the stated outcomes.
The learning activities should actively engage the learner with the course content. Learning activities are varied to provide reinforcement and mastery in multiple ways and to accommodate multiple learning styles. Activities may include reading assignments, student presentations, labs, discussions, case studies, role playing, simulation exercise, practice quizzes, tests, etc.
Click here to view an interactive exam review. Note: You will need to view the PowerPoint document in slide show mode.
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5.2 Learning activities foster instructor-student, content-student, and if appropriate to the course, student-student interaction. (QM) |
Student-to-content interaction stimulates critical thinking and knowledge development, student-to-instructor interaction builds confidence and provides support to students, and student-to-student interaction impacts student attitudes toward the course.
Interactions between the instructor and the students are designed to facilitate students’ understanding and mastery of the learning outcomes. These interactions may be supportive (e.g., welcome and introduction messages, weekly announcements, etc.) and instructional (direct instruction, assignment feedback, FAQs, etc…). The communications between student and instructor may be one-to-one (i.e., personal emails) or one-to-many (i.e., discussion postings, class announcements).
Students learn best when they are actively engaged in their learning process. Thus, all courses require student-to-student interaction. The degree and type of student-to-student interaction may vary with the discipline and the level of the course.
Examples of student-to-student interactions include discussions, small-group projects, and peer critiques. Every discipline can benefit from discussions. Example discussion topics from ‘hard’ disciplines include: 1. Describing situations when students experienced and handled difficulties in completing math homework exercises 2. Science test preparation tips 3. Methods for overcoming speech anxiety |
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5.3 Clear standards are set for instructor responsiveness and availability (turn-around time for email, grade postings, etc.). (qm) |
A clear statement of instructor responsibilities is an important component of an online or blended course. Students are better able to manage their course activities when the instructor has stated his or her timeframe for responding to student emails and discussion postings and letting students know when they will receive feedback on assignments and when grades will be posted. By sharing these expectations, the instructor also deflects unrealistic student expectations of 24/7 service from the instructor. Frequently, these expectations are conveyed in the syllabus (within the ‘Communication Policy’ component).
If it is necessary to modify the instructor’s responsiveness and/or availability during the course, the instructor is encouraged to clearly communicate the adjustments to the students.
Example Faculty Response Policy: Course emails and discussion posts will be answered within 48 hours. Emails sent on Saturday or Sunday may not be answered until Monday. It is recommended that you post course related questions in the discussion area. If you need information related to a test or assignment, plan ahead and submit your questions well ahead of the due date. Your instructor is not online 24 hours per day, please allow time for response. |
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5.4 Etiquette expectations (sometimes called “netiquette”) for online discussions, email and other forms of communication are clearly stated. (qm) |
Expectations for student conduct online and in the classroom are clearly stated. Frequently, these expectations are conveyed in the syllabus (within ‘Communication Policy’ component).
Examples: 1. Rules of conduct for participating in the discussion board 2. Rules of conduct for email content 3. “Speaking style” requirements (e.g., use of correct English required as opposed to popular abbreviations used online) 4. Spelling and grammar expectations 5. Rules of conduct for classroom participation 6. Expectations for the tone and civility used in communicating with fellow students and the faculty member
Click here to view a ‘Netiquette’ example (found within the ‘Communication Policy’ component of the course syllabus).
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5.5 The requirements for student interaction, such as participation in discussions, are clearly articulated. (qm) |
A clear statement of the instructor’s expectations with regard to student participation in required course interactions (frequency, length, timeliness, etc.) helps students plan and manage their class participation and provide a basis for the instructor to evaluate student participation. The more specifically defined these expectations are, the easier it is for the learners to meet these expectations.
Typically, general statements of student performance expectations are included in the course information page or syllabus. These general requirements may specify the nature of the required participation and expectations for frequency and quality of the student’s interactions. More specific task-related performance expectations may be included in the individual task description. The instructor may also share with students a rubric detailing how student interactions are evaluated, including reading and responding to the instructor’s and classmates’ posts.
Click here to view an example of a general Participation Policy for a blended/hybrid course. |
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5.6 Students are required, whenever possible, to use the course email within the Learning Management System for communication. |
All course related emails should make use of the Learning Management System (LMS) mail tool. Thus, students should utilize the LMS mail tool whenever possible versus gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc. In the unlikely event that an LMS problem makes it impossible to use the course mail tool, then students should communicate (if necessary) with the instructor via their BC email addresses. |
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6: Course Technology |
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General Standard: Course navigation and technology employed in the course foster student engagement, and ensure access to instructional materials and resources. |
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6.1 The tools and media support the achievement of Learning Outcomes and are appropriately chosen to deliver the course content. (QM) |
Tools and media used in the course support learning outcomes and are integrated with course materials and assignments. Clear information and instructions should be provided regarding how the tools and media support the learning outcomes. Technology is not used simply for the sake of using technology. Examples of tools include discussion boards, chat rooms, white board, etc.
Instructors are encouraged to employ appropriate media into their online courses. Examples of media include video, audio, podcasting, animations, simulations, blogs, virtual classrooms (Wimba), etc.
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6.2 The tools and media support student engagement and guide the student to become an active learner. (QM) |
Tools and media used in the course help students actively engage in the learning process, rather than passively “absorbing” information. Selected tools and media should encourage the student to reflectively grasp and respond to the deeper learning process. Types of learner engagement include learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner. Interactions can provide opportunities to increase learners' comfort levels, but the goal should be to facilitate the broadest and deepest learner engagement possible in the course.
Examples: 1. Automated "self-check" exercises requiring student response. 2. Animations, simulations, and games that require student input. 3. Participation in discussion threads.
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6.3 Navigation throughout the online components of the course is logical, consistent and efficient. (QM) |
Navigation refers to the process of planning and controlling the movement of a learner from one place to another in the online course.
Online courses should be organized so that students can easily and efficiently locate important course components (e.g., syllabus, learning materials, discussion topics, assignments, assessments, technical help, etc.). Consistency (within the learning modules) is also important; i.e., all learning modules should have the same look and feel.
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6.4 Students have ready access to technologies required in the course. (qm) |
The term “technologies” covers a range of software and plugins such as Acrobat Reader, media players, Java, etc. In addition, courses might require special software packages (e.g., e-Packs, spreadsheets, math calculators, etc.). Students must be provided with clear instructions for obtaining and installing all of the required software and plugins (within the Course Requirements component of the syllabus). Moreover, all of the required technologies should be easily downloadable, provided by the institution, available for purchase at the bookstore, or otherwise easy to obtain and include clear instructions for installation.
The BC website provides students with links to software resources (e.g., media players, web animation players, Microsoft viewers, Internet browsers, document readers, Java, and file zip utility).
Click here to access the BC Student Resource website. Note: You may want to include a link to this page in your syllabus (within the Course Requirements section). |
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6.5 All content pages and web links work properly. |
Use the ‘Student View’ function of BC’s Learning Management System to ensure that all of the online course components function appropriately. Course content should appear, and web links should open in new tabs or windows. Instructors should also check external web links each semester to ensure they are still ‘live.’ |
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7: Learner Support |
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General Standard: Courses facilitate student access to instructional services essential to student success. |
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7.1 Help Desk and technical support information is clearly posted on the Course Homepage or clearly articulated in the Course Syllabus. (qm) |
Technical support includes information about topics such as how to login and how to use the tools and features of the Learning Management System; a browser testing tool; information on minimal software and hardware requirements; and links for downloading software.
Broward College provides students with 24/7 assistance to its Learning Management System, Blackboard. All courses should have a link to BC’s help desk on the homepage and/or within the syllabus. Click here to access the Blackboard Help Desk.
Instructional Technology also provides step-by-step video and visual tutorials for students to assist them in learning how to use the Learning Management System. Click here to view Blackboard Tutorials for Students. Note: Instructors should include a link to these tutorials within their online courses. |
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7.2 Information is provided on how students can access BC’s academic support services such as library resources, tutoring services, and testing centers. (qm) |
Learners should be provided access to academic support services from within online courses. Useful resources for e-Learners include: tutoring services, Blackboard tutorials, library services, e-Testing center services, etc.
Click here to access Academic Support Services for BC Online Students . Note: Instructors should include a link to academic support services within their e-Learning courses. |
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7.3 The End-of-Course Survey is a reqired component of the course, and students are encouraged to complete it toward the end of the course. |
E-Learning courses are never ‘finished’; they are forever improving and evolving based on the technologies and resources available as well as student feedback. Thus, all e-Learning courses are required to provide an end-of-course survey, which is available to download here and upload into a course..
Click here to view the questions in the End-of-Course Survey. |
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8: Accessibility |
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General Standard: The face-to-face and online course components are accessible to all students. |
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| 8.1 The course incorporates ADA standards and reflects conformance with institutional policy regarding accessibility in online and blended/hybrid courses. (QM) |
All web-based courses should comply with BC’s accessibility and/or disability policies and procedures.
To meet this standard, a course should: - include a statement or a web link that tells students how to gain access to BC’s Office of Disability Services - employ an ADA-compliant Learning Management System, such as Blackboard |
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Instructional Technology, Broward College, December 2010