Process Name • CNM Framework for Quality Assurance in Online Courses

Overview of CNM Framework for Quality Assurance in Online Courses

Purpose:As CNM’s online course offerings grow and mature, it is important to create a comprehensive framework in order to assure quality in online courses, sections, and programs.

Rationale for creating a comprehensive framework for quality assurance in online courses:

  1. It serves the learning needs of our students by continuous improvement using research-based best practices in quality online course and program design;
  2. It strengthens CNM’s AQIP journey and is in line with the expectations of the Higher Learning Commission regarding the quality and integrity of our online courses;
  3. It is in line with CNM’s mission to be a leader in education and training.

There has been much, recent, attention to the issue of the “standardization” of course design, and the pedagogy of online courses, in the context of failing to meet accreditation and NC SARA requirements for quality. Tools like course templates, which lead to greater standardization, can be practical for faculty, and an efficient and effective way for institutions to ensure that quality criteria are met. The use of master courses is another tool to provide more standardization when there are multiple sections of the same course. However, there is no inherent contradiction in being internally consistent in the structure or design of online courses that provide a common navigational framework for students, and supporting faculty control over objectives, methods, content, and assessment. This, in turn, allows for institutions to utilize tools and processes, in addition to those just listed, to ensure quality criteria are met. For example, the CNM DL Classroom allows for basic consistency of navigation in online courses and sections. Additionally, using the QM standards consistently ensures that learner-centered criteria for quality are embedded in every course and section.

CNM’s framework for quality assurance in online courses is based on commitments to

(1) quality standards,

(2) academic freedom,

(3) shared decision-making across schools, and within departments, to determine the best and most consistent curricular design,

(4) shared responsibility among faculty, and academic support personnel, for ensuring quality standards in online courses, and

(5) professional development of faculty teaching online.

CNM Way Expert:DL Director

Functional Units Involved:Academic Affairs – Distance Learning

Beginning of Process: Identify and develop all forms necessary for the implementation of the CNM Framework for Quality Online Courses.

End of Process: Review and revision of CNM Framework for Quality Online Courses policy by Faculty Senate and Deans Council.

Definitions:

CNM Learn Classroom: The CNM Learn Classroom provides a basic navigational structure, for all online courses, which requires instructors to map out learning objectives, content, assessment, and course outcomes in a uniform manner, in line with QM standards for course alignment.

Internal QM Review Process: Two CNM faculty, certified as peer-reviewers by Quality Matters, use the QM Rubric and evaluation process to review a course. (SeeCNM Quality Matters).

QM Essential Standards: Essential standards are identified in the QM Rubric as having the highest-ranked value. (See the CNM Quality Matters Self-Assessment Checklist.)

QM Certified Course: Acourse thathas metQMStandards, assessed using theQMRubric, in an OfficialCourse Review. Oncecertified, organizations can display theQM CertificationMark to demonstrate their commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

CNM Consensus Course

  1. Utilizes the CNM Learn Classroom.
  2. Meets QM Essential Standards.
  3. Uses the Collaborative Team Process for design and maintenance. Maintenance includes activities such as, but not limited to, changing, modifying, or editing assignments, exams, projects, etc.
  4. Uses the Internal QM Review Process, coordinated by Distance Learning, for a review of the course every four years, at minimum.
  5. Faculty teaching this course type must have completed TLOL 1010.
  6. Meets the QM requirements for multi-section courses. Content, associated with the following QM standards, may be altered by an individual instructor:

Standard 1.4: Regarding course and institutional policies with which the student is expected to comply includes any instructor-specific policies, for instance, late submission of assignments policies.

Standard 1.8: The instructor introduction corresponds to the new instructor and is appropriate.

Standard 3.2: If a different grading policy is in use by the unique instructor of the course, the grading policy is stated clearly.

Standard 3.3: If different evaluation criteria are provided by the unique instructor, the evaluation criteria are specific, descriptive, and tied to the course grading policy.

Standard 5.3: Regarding instructor turn-around times for email, discussion board involvement, and return of graded assignments.

CNM Template Course

  1. Utilizes the CNM Learn Classroom.
  2. Meets QM Essential Standards.
  3. Uses the Collaborative Team Process, or a department-approved discipline team employing a self-defined process, to design and maintain the course.
  4. Follows decisions made by the course design team, and approved by the department, that identify aspects of the course which may be modified by individual section instructors so that greater than 50% of the course content remains constant (e.g., modifiable aspects may include text(s), major assessments, sequence of topics, etc.), as aligned to existing department guidelines articulated in the master syllabi.
  5. Faculty using the Template Course, as is, must have completed TLOL 1010.
  6. Faculty modifying the Template Course must have completed TLOL 1015 or the “Applying the QM Rubric” training.
  7. Faculty using a CNM Template Course must have a QM Self-Assessment Checklist on file, that was completed within the past two years.
  1. Is reviewed using the Internal QM Review Process, coordinated by Distance Learning, every four years, at minimum. Upon completion of the QM Internal Review, the course discipline team will communicate any substantive changes made as a result of this review to faculty using the CNM Template Course with expectations for individual updates.

CNM Individual Course

  1. Utilizes the CNM Learn Classroom.
  2. Meets QM Essential Standards.
  3. Created by an individual faculty adhering to the master syllabus requirements.
  4. Faculty that create or use an Individual Course must have completed TLOL 1015.
  5. Faculty using an CNM Individual Course must have a QM Self-Assessment Checklist or QM Internal Review on file, that was completed within the past two years.
  6. Is reviewed using the Internal QM Review Process, coordinated by Distance Learning, every four years, at minimum.

Related Documents and Forms:

  1. CNM Quality Matters
  2. CNM Quality Matters Self-Assessment Checklist
  3. DL Course Inventory Form

Process:

Faculty Qualifications to Teach Each Course Type

Faculty that create any of the online courses defined above must have completed TLOL 1015. Faculty using a Consensus Course, or unmodified Template Course, must have completed TLOL 1010. Faculty modifying a Template Course must have completed TLOL 1010 and TLOL 1015, or the Applying the QM Rubric training.

Policies

  1. Program-level decisions resulting in CNM Consensus Course adoption (e.g. for the Online College, CBE implementation, etc.) will (1) be made collaboratively by discipline faculty and administrators, and (2) consist of review and revision by a clear process on a defined cycle.
  2. For online courses not addressed by program-level decisions, full-time discipline faculty will determine which course type (CNM Consensus, CNM Template, or CNM Individual) will be used for particular discipline courses using a defined process.
  3. Faculty using a CNM Template Course must have a QM Self-Assessment Checklist on file, that was completed within the past two years. Faculty using an CNM Individual Course must have a QM Self-Assessment Checklist or QM Internal Review on file, that was completed within the past two years.
  4. Disciplines using CNM Individual Courses will determine the faculty members who will complete the QM Reviewer training, and conduct reviews of these courses, for the purpose of the development and implementation of a 4-year cycle for the Internal QM Review. This 4-year cycle will be submitted to school associate deans and the Distance Learning office, and updated as new faculty are assigned to teach individual online courses.
  5. Disciplines using CNM Individual Courses will also designate a CNM Individual Course that can be adopted as a CNM Template Course by any faculty who have not completed the required training to adopt the CNM Individual Course approach.
  6. Individual course copy requests will be honored for CNM Template and Individual courses on a term by term basis.
  7. Course copies of CNM Consensus courses will be coordinated by a designee of the collaborative team and the Distance Learning Office.
  8. Participating as a peer reviewer for the QM Internal Reviews is counted as College Service.

Implementation Plan

Phase I (AY 2017-2018):

  1. Identify and develop all forms necessary for the implementation of the CNM Framework for Quality Online Courses.
  2. Disciplines complete part of the DL Course Inventory Form, identifying current approach used and approach that will be adopted, for each discipline course offered online. This will be submitted to the designated school administrator.
  3. The school administrator, in collaboration with the DL office, will complete the part of the DL Course Inventory Form that identifies any faculty certified to teach CNM Individual Courses, and/or to modify CNM Template Courses, for those disciplines in which these approaches are adopted. This will be submitted to the DL office.
  4. The DL office will complete the part of the DL Course Inventory Form that identifies the most recent date of an Internal QM Review, and the proposed date for the upcoming QM Internal Review, for all CNM Consensus and Template Courses. A copy of this will be submitted the school administrator.
  5. The school administrator will work with discipline faculty to (1) identify faculty who need certification to teach a CNM Individual Course, and/or to modify a CNM Template Course, as well as certification timelines, (2) identify CNM Individual Courses that can be used as a Template Courses (as appropriate), and (3) develop a timeline for designated faculty to be trained as QM Peer Reviewers in those disciplines adopting a CNM Individual Course approach.
  6. Academic Affairs will identify a budget and timeline for supporting faculty to complete APPQMR and QM Peer Reviewer training.

Phase II (AY 2018-2019):

  1. All faculty using a CNM Individual Course or CNM Template Course, will have a completed QM Self-Assessment Checklist on file when requesting their course copy.
  2. All disciplines using CNM Individual Courses will submit a schedule of the Internal QM Reviews of these courses, including the faculty responsible.

Phase III (AY 2020-2021)

  1. Review and revision of CNM Framework for Quality Online Courses policy by Faculty Senate and Deans Council.

Form Distribution:

DL Course Inventory Form – disciplines, designated school administrator, and the DL office, each complete a portion of the form for the implementation of the CNM Framework for Quality Online courses.

QM Self-Assessment Checklist –faculty using a CNM Individual Course or CNM Template Course will complete.

Schedule of the Internal QM Reviews – all disciplines using CNM Individual Courseswill submit.

Activity Tracked/Results:

Overview of Quality Assurance in Online Courses

The table below provides an overview of the CNM Framework for Quality Assurance in Online Courses.

Course Type / Consensus Course / Template Course / Individual Course
Definition / Created and/or maintained using the Collaborative Team Process. Maintenance includes activities, such as, but not limited to, changing assignments, assessments, etc.
Meets the QM requirements for multi-section courses in what can be changed by individual instructors. / Created and/or maintained using the Collaborative Team Process or by a department-approved discipline team using a self-defined process.
Changeable items are identified by the course design team, such that, approximately 50% of the course must remain constant. / Created and/or maintained by an individual faculty member or by using the Collaborative Team Process.
Evaluation Method & Cycle
(What, Who & How Often) / CNM Internal Review or QM Review of Consensus Course completed every 4 years at a minimum (after being used a minimum of two terms).
Note: It is recommended to update CNM Consensus courses annually, as determined by the collaborative team. Updating more often than this may be counterproductive. / QM Self-Assessment Checklist completed by the individual faculty once every two years if modifying the CNM Template Course.
CNM Internal Review of Template Course completed every 4 years at a minimum (after being used a minimum of two terms).
Note: It is recommended to update CNM Template courses annually. Updating more often than this may be counterproductive. / Faculty using an CNM Individual Course must have a QM Self-Assessment Checklist or QM Internal Review on file, that was completed within the past two years.
Internal QM Review of each Individual Course (review of one section if multiple sections of Individual Course taught by one instructor) completed every 4 years at a minimum (after being used a minimum of two terms).
Course Copies / Course copies of CNM Consensus courses will be coordinated by a designee of the collaborative team and the Distance Learning Office. / Individual course copy requests will be honored for CNM Template courses on a term by term basis. / Individual course copy requests will be honored for CNM Individual courses on a term by term basis.

Last Reviewed/Improvements made: Created 01/2018.

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