1. CA12
Assessing Online Courses
Howard University
November 2010

2. Workshop Objectives
Upon completing this workshop, you will be able to
do the following:
• Explain how the assessment of online courses
differs from that of face-to-face courses.
• List the benefits of assessing online courses.
• Access an online course on Blackboard.
• Assess an online course, using the Quality
Matters rubric.
• Introduce faculty to CETLA’s template.
• Refer faculty for training and certification.

3. Definitions
• F2F (face-to-face)
• Hybrid* (30-79% online)
• DL (80-100% online)
• Online (Hybrid* and DL)
*aka “Blended”
Source: Unknown

4. Why Assess Online Courses?
Quality Assurance
Better Student Learning
Better Teaching

5. How good are online courses?
Faculty Perceptions
• 70% of faculty believed
online courses were
“inferior or somewhat
inferior” to F2F courses
(APLUS-Sloan National
Commission on Online
Learning, The Paradox of
Faculty Voices: Views and
Experiences with Online
Learning , Washington, DC,
Aug. 2009)
Research Studies
• Hybrids proved more
effective than F2F, while DL
proved as effective as F2F.
(U.S. Department of
Education, Evaluation of
Evidence-Based Practices in
Online Learning: A Meta-
Analysis and Review of
Online Learning Studies,
Washington, DC, Sept.
2010)

6. What affects the quality of online
courses?
• Technology
• Administrative
infrastructure
• Faculty training
• Student readiness
• Course content
• Course delivery
• Course design

7. Why is course design important?
“When learners can’t find what they need or
are confused about where to go and what to
do, it is harder for them to learn. Being an
online learner is challenging enough without
these additional barriers. Plus, frustrated
learners tend to either drop out or drive the
instructor crazy….”
Patti Shank

8. How does assessment compare?
F2F
• Students
– Student evaluations
– Student learning outcomes
• Peers
– Course materials
– Classroom observation
• Administrators
+ Implementation of policies
Online
• Students
– Student evaluations (online)
– Student learning outcomes
• Peers
– Course materials
– Course site visit
– Course site design
• Administrators
+ Implementation of policies,
including HU Distance Ed Policy

9. How can you
visit a course?
• Ask the instructor to add you as
a student.
• Ask the instructor to make all
assignments and tests
available—password-protected
if necessary.
• Log into
http://blackboard.howard.edu.
• If you can’t log in, contact one
of ISAS’s Blackboard System
Administrators: Umesh Giri
(ugiri@howard.edu , 6-2834) or
Konya Hurt
(khurt@howard.edu , 6-2940).

10. How can you evaluate course design?
• Focuses on course design
• Guides course development
• Promotes course improvement
• Provides quality assurance
• Relies upon a peer review process that
includes the instructor

11. How does QM work?
3 reviewers + instructor
Source: Quality Matters

12. What is the QM rubric?
• Based on research, best practices, and
instructional design principles
• Aligned with national standards (e.g., Sloan
Consortium Pillars)
• Aligned with accreditation standards for distance-
learning
• …also, consistent with HU Provost’s syllabus
guidelines

13. QUALITY MATTERS RUBRIC
Now use the rubric
to evaluate
a test site.
Log in to see the annotated rubric

14. How do you score a course?
• If 2-3 reviewers agree that a course meets a
standard, award full points.
• If 2-3 reviewers agree that a course does not
meet a standard, do not award any points.
• A course must meet all 3-point standards.
• An effective course will earn 72 of the 85
points (85%).

15. What resources does CETLA offer?
• Faculty can download CETLA’s template to
facilitate course development and assessment.
• Faculty can earn Blackboard certification via
seven workshops, one three-day seminar, a
previous certificate, or a demo.
• Faculty can earn DL certification via a 5-day
online seminar, certificate, or a demo.
• Faculty can find other resources on CETLA’s
Distance-Learning Resource webpage.