ecourse improvement rubric

8/12/2019 eCourse Improvement Rubric

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Course:

Instructor:

Instructor Self

Review

Scoring Criteria and

ExplanationsDate:

1 Is the S llabus osted?

2 Is the Orientation Week Lecture present and relevant to the specific course? 3 Is the Orientation Quiz tied to the Orientation Lecture? 4 Is the Academic Integrity Quiz present? 5 Is the Virtual Office Hours section resent and functional?

6 Is the Introduction Thread resent and functional? 7 Are Course Announcements resent?

8 Are Course Announcements are clear and easily understood? 9 Are course/assignment due dates part of course announcements?

10 Is the Pre-Test present and corresponds to course syllabus competencies? 11 Are Course Home content items lo icall se uenced?

12 Is the course introduction screen used? 13 Does the course contain a Post-Test as one of the final content items? 14 Does the Post-Test correlate with the Pre-Test? 15 Is the class arranged or managed in 8 or 16 units plus course home? 16 Is the course grade book set up and functional? 17 Does the grade book correlate with section IX of the Barton Syllabus?

18Are links to campus resources included? (e.g., Tutor, Student Services, Transcripts, Drop

dates etc.)

0

19 Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus template for Sections I-X headings? 20 Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus course description (Sect. I-III)? 21 Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus competencies and outcomes (Sect. IV)?

22Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of students work and

participation (Sect. VIII)?

23 Is the Course Outline (Sect. X) detailed and specific? 24 Is the instructors contact information in the syllabus? 25 Are due dates and grading policies for all assignments clearly stated?

0

26 Is the course competency driven (as opposed to textbook driven)? 27

The assessment instruments selected are sequenced, varied, and appropriate to the content

being assessed? 28 Is each assessment item tied to a course outcome and competency?

Do course assessment tools align with the course competencies and outcomes with regard to

Instructors conducting Self Review: Please read the criteria item and score each item to reflect how well you believe you meet the criteria in the course bein

the criteria, please click the i after each item to view both the explanation and scoring requirements for that item.

For the self evaluation: Please score each item in the correct cell located in the "instructor self review" column of the spreadsheet Please answer each quest

using a scale of 0 to 5: 0= No/None 3= Minimum Requirement Met and 5 = definitely/extensive.

Scores between 0-2 must be improved to at least a value of 3 before a course can pass the improvement process.

As you enter scores in the cells, they will automatically populate a color coded icon following the color scheme of a stoplight: Red Diamond for scores of 0, 1

attention; Yellow Triangle for scores of 3 indicates that the minimum requirement has been met; Green Circle for scores of 4 and 5 indicates that the criteria

Please provide further explanation as needed for each question in the "Comments" cell located at the bottom of the form.

Barton Community College Distance Learning

eCourse Improvement Rubric

I. Course Home and Course Shell Organization

II. Syllabus

III. Learner Engagement

Course Home and Course Shell Organization Score

Course Shell Requirements

Syllabus Score

Course Home Requirements

Assessment and Measurement


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# Question

1 Is the Syllabus posted?

2Is the Orientation Week Lecture present and relevant to the specific

course?

3 Is the Orientation Quiz tied to the Orientation Lecture?

4 Is the Academic Integrity Quiz present?

5 Is the Virtual Office Hours section present and functional?

6 Is the Introduction Thread present and functional?

7 Are Course Announcements present?


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8 Are Course Announcements are clear and easily understood?

9 Are course/assignment due dates part of course announcements?

10Is the Pre-Test present and corresponds to course syllabus

competencies?

11 Are Course Home content items logically sequenced?

12 Is the course introduction screen used?

13 Does the course contain a Post-Test as one of the final content items?

14 Does the Post-Test correlate with the Pre-Test?

15 Is the class arranged in 8 or 16 units plus course home?

16 Is the course grade book set up and functional?

17 Does the grade book correlate with section IX of the Barton Syllabus?


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18Are links to campus resources included? (e.g., Tutor, Student Services,

Transcripts, Drop dates etc.)

19Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus template for Sections I-X

headings?

20Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus course description (Sect.

I-III)?

21Does the syllabus follow the Master Syllabus competencies and

outcomes (Sect. IV)?

22 Are the Methods of Instruction and Evaluation adequate (Sect. XII I)?

23 Is the course outline (Section X of the Syllabus) detailed and specific?

24 Is the instructors contact information in the syllabus?

25 Are due dates and grading policies for all assignments clearly stated?

26 Is the course competency driven or textbook driven?

27The assessment instruments selected are sequenced, varied, and

appropriate to the content being assessed?

28 Is each assessment item tied to a course outcome and competency?


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Do course assessment tools align with the course competencies and

outcomes with regard to the revised Blooms Taxonomy levels?

30 Are assessment instruments designed to enhance academic integrity?

31Do exams/quizzes make appropriate use of Exam Builder security

features?

32Do exams/assessments use grading rubric, correct answer toggle, or

other form of feedback?

33Does the course contain CAT items - Class Room Assessment

Techniques?

34 Is content made available to students in manageable segments?

35 Is the navigation simple and consistent?


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36 Are introduction screens used for each Unit/Section or Module?

37Do learning activities foster instructor-student, content-student, and

if appropriate to this course, student-student interaction?

38Is it easy for students to identify a content item with a specific course

competency?

39 Is course content designed to address various learning styles?

40 Is the course content varied - games, threads, audio, video?

41Do the instructional materials have sufficient breadth, depth, and

currency for the student to learn the subject?

42Do the tools used in the course (Thread, power point, etc.) enhance

learning?

43Are course features functional (Discussion Threads, Drop Box, Journal,

Webliography, etc.)?

44 Does the class make use of "Best Practices"?

45 Does the publisher provide online resources?


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46 Are publisher provided resources smoothly integrated into the class?

47Does the course require outside access codes? Are the access codes

easy to use?

48 Are image files optimized for efficient loading?

49 Are audio files optimized for efficient loading?

50Are the content pages easy to read, with plenty of white space, short

pages?

51 Is text easy to read with enough contrast with the background color?

52 Do graphic and visual enhancements support learning?

53 Does Course Home contain pictures, graphic enhancement?

54 Does Course Home contain audio or video files?

55 Does audio and video content support learning?

56 Is the design consistent throughout the course?


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57 Are video files optimized for efficient loading?

58 Are links provided for required multimedia plug-ins?

59 Do links open quickly and without extensive nuisance pop ups?

60 Are interactive applications optimized for efficient loading?

61Does the course make use of current multimedia techniques for

delivering content?

62Does the course make use of Barton's Screencast video hosting

service?


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CriteriaThe syllabus as posted to the eCourse must conform to the Barton Standard Syllabus format. It can be posted using the

eCollege Syllabus Tool or as a word document. The key point is that the syllabus must be formatted to the Barton

standard, contain each of the eleven major headings and be tailored to the eCourse. Commonality of Syllabi should exist

between all modalities (eCourse, Hybrid, Face-to-Face, and ITV). Commonality does not however mean identical in all

eleven areas. As dictated by the Barton LICC, only the first five sections of the syllabus must be identical to the LICC

approved Master Syllabus for that course. The Master Syllabus can be found on the T-Drive. The remaining sections of the

syllabus, Sections VI-XI, may vary between modality and instructor.For more information on the Barton LICC syllabus requirements visit:

http://www.bartonccc.edu/instruction/iss/licc/index.html

T e irst wee o every Barton ine eCourse is e icate to orientation wee . No aca emic wor s ou e assigne T e

pre-test is not considered academic work). The idea is to familiarize students with the eCollege system, sort out book

problems, payment problems and technical issues. Students need to be well aware of course requirements and

expectations by the end of orientation week. The quality of the orientation week and course home material is vital to the

colleges retention effort.

A sample Orientation Week Lecture can be found in the Barton line .NExT Instructor Orientation tutorial. The sample can

be used as a template however the instructor must customize the Orientation Lecture to their specific class.

The orientation quiz should be customized to ensure relevancy to each specific course. Instructors can copy the Online 101

.NExT Instructor Orientation Quiz into their course to use as a template but it should not be used verbatim.

T e quiz intro uction screen must provi e a we in an a PDF i e or ot t e Aca emic Integrity Poicy an t e Gra e

Appeal Process.

2502 Academic Integrity http://www.bartonccc.edu/administration/policiesprocedures/documents/procedures/2502-

academicintegrity.pdf

2512 Grade Appeal http://www.bartonccc.edu/administration/policiesprocedures/documents/procedures/2512-

gradeappeal.pdf

The uiz can be co ied and used directl from the Online 101 .NExT Instructor Orientation uiz.The idea behind the VOH is to provide a back-up communication plan between students and instructors. The VOH is strictly

for student questions concerning the course or course material. The student question and any posted answer are visible to

the entire class. A record of time and date of both student posting and instructor answer is also visible. Because the VOH is

public, it is not meant to be used for emergency/private student-instructor communication. At a minimum the VOH section

should be in course home or at least in one easily accessible place in the course. Some instructors may use VOH in every

Due to the asynchronous nature of distance learning, students often feel isolated from their peers and disconnected from

their classroom. The Introduction Thread one proven way to get students participating and invested into the class early on.

The Introduction Thread is required, but instructors can determine if they wish the item to be part of the course grade.

Course Announcements are mandatory. At a minimum they should include entries dedicated to a copy of the Welcomemessage and the Course Outline/Due Date Rubric. Most instructors use this area to update the class on schedule changes,

just-in-time information, weekly introductions/reminders, and info on problematic areas the students may encounter.

Keep in mind that too many announcements are not a good thing. For that reason many Instructors set dates for

announcements to appear and or disappear.


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Course Announcements must be clear and easily understood. Announcements may contain multimedia items like graphics,

video or Web 2.0 apps.

Course due dates seem to cause the most confusion to selected groups of students. Posting an announcement concerning

due dates (even though it may be redundant as it may already be in the syllabus) is a proactive measure in preventing

student misunderstanding. Best practice is to develop a detailed Course Outline.

The Pre-Test is a required component of the Course Home. It should also have some correlation with the posted

competencies contained in the syllabus. Best practice is a 8-10 question Pre-Test.

Students enter the course on the Course Home Introduction screen and will find the syllabus as the first navigation item on

the left. The sequence of items in course home can have an impact on student retention. As such, care needs to be taken

to order the Course Home items in a logical manner.

The Course Home Introduction screen is the first thing your students will see, and what they encounter will determine their

first impressions. Your introduction screen should be inviting, informative and personable not blank, disorganized or

neglected. Some content must be included in the intro screen, for example: a welcome greeting, an Instructor video, a

multimedia Introduction to course, audio/video/graphic content, and a list of course competencies.

Post-Tests are a mandatory element. Use the Post-Test in the final unit of your course. The Post-Test cannot be a

substituted for, or substituted by, the course final.

Post-Tests must assess identical knowledge (ask the same questions) as the Pre-Test but may vary in wording. In essence,

the Pre/Post-Tests should be identical.

To enhance the ability to assess learning in our online classes, we collect Pre-Test and Post-Test data for all courses. If

similar Pre/Post Tests are used across all courses, such as all MATH 1821 courses or all ENGL 1204 courses, we can then

collect data to make academic comparisons between the various venues (eCourse, Hybrid, ITV and Face-to-Face). The data

collected for a specific class can be used to indicate progress in student learning. Specific design of Pre/Post tests should be

correlated with the posted competencies contained in the syllabus. The inclusion of the Pre/Post test ensures that we meet

minimum standards for the Barton Assessment Plan.Classes are either 9 or 17 weeks in length. Use of 8 or 16 units is recommended.

The 16 unit concept allows a course design of: 1 unit a week for a 17 week course or

2 units a week for a 9 week course

The 8 unit concept allows a course design of:

1 unit per 2 weeks for the 17 week course or

1 unit a week for a 9 week course

The grade book must indicate points available for each item in the course and extra credit items.

The course grade book must be toggled to match the material presented in Section IX: Methods of Instruction and

Evaluation in the course syllabus. Each item that is listed as a graded item on the syllabus should appear in the online grade

book. In addition any item in the online grade book should be on the syllabus.


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The HLC placed emphasis on online student access to campus resources. Links to this information can be added to your

course in a variety of ways, for example: to the Orientation Lecture, in a CH Announcement, or by including the Student

Resources document to your CH items.

One Sto for Student Resources: htt ://onesto .bartonccc.eduAll course syllabi must adhere to the LICC approved Master Syllabus template. This template can be found in the DocShare

of the Online 101 .NExT Instructor Orientation or at the following URL:

http://www.bartonccc.edu/instruction/iss/licc/index.htmlThe course description should be compared to material maintained by the Academic Department and the published

college catalog. The course catalog can be located at the following URL:

http://www.bartonccc.edu/administration/iss/documents/licc/Master%20Syllabus%20Template%201-31-13.docxThe Master Syllabus ensures that the competencies and outcomes remain identical between all venues. Each and every

competency listed on the syllabus should be evaluated and presented in the online course material. As per Barton LICC

policy, Sections I-V cannot be altered without undergoing the proper procedure for revision.

The syllabus review in this section is for the purpose of ensuring commonality of the curriculum. This section is used to

double check not onl Format but s ecific wordin that ma be re uired.

The content of Sect. XIII must enhance the course delivery. Do the evaluation or assessment tools listed in the course

support the competency list? Does the course have multiple types of assessment tools?

The course outline should be set up to mirror the course schedule. Students should be able to determine from the outline

the material that is being presented and when it is due. A course outline should be keyed to specific time frames and

dates. The outline can reference text chapter, units or modules and can be set up by week.

While the online system puts the instructor email information in the email section of the course, it does not include phone

numbers or other contact information. It is not recommended that instructors post home phone numbers. However,

office numbers would be appropriate as well as the email address that is used in the course. The email feature of the

course does not provide the actual email address. The best way to include instructor contact information is by toggling this

information to Display in the eCourse syllabus builder tool.

Due dates for assignments should be posted to Sect. X of the Syllabus and be posted to the Course Announcements.

Besides being posted, they should also be clear and specific. It is not required that the syllabus and announcements havespecific dates unless the course scheduler is not utilized inside the LMS.

Additionally, any assessment tool used in the class should be toggled to indicate the due date (Course Scheduler and Grade

Book features). Due dates in multiple places is advisable, but care should be taken to avoid conflicting data. Using internal

course links are helpful so that one location can be kept up to date and linked to various parts of the course.

An example using the course scheduler would be as follows: Due by midnight Sunday, of week one" listed in the syllabus

and announcements with the specific date selected in the course scheduler for the corresponding item.

Additionally all policies regarding late work, due dates, journal and discussion thread expectations, and any other policy

affecting graded activities should be clearly stated.

The course should be competency driven, meaning the content should be address the course competencies as outlined in

the syllabus and should be aligned to the concept of the revised Blooms Taxonomy. The course should never be based

solely on the text book nor shall it be purely course pack driven. Additional content and instructor interaction must be

provided to ensure the course is comparable to a traditional face-to-face course.The eCourse design should include a variety of assessment instruments. Quizzes, Exams, Journals, Practical Exercises,

Thread Topics. eCourses with only one type of assessment tool, for example - a series of auto-graded objective exams, are

not making full use of the available assessment tools and are less likely to provide opportunities for authentic student

assessment.Review course exam questions and other assessment tools in relation to the syllabus competency list. Is each question and

tool fully tied to an outcome/competency?


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The evaluation of a course competency or outcome should be conducted at the same level of the revised Bloom's

Taxonomy that the outcome or competency is written at. For example, if a student is being asked to remember a

vocabulary list they should be evaluated on their ability to recall that list and not asked to create an entirely knew list of

corresponding vocabulary words. More information on Blooms Taxonomy can be found in the Online 101 .NExT Instructor

Orientation or at http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htmExams can be designed to enhance academic integrity. Selection of course tools, use of test banks, type of questions used

can all contribute to minimizing cheating. Multiple assessments also assist in the integrity issue as it is more difficult for

another student or person to consistently substitute for an online student. Courses designed with just one or twoobjective exams provides easier opportunities for integrity violations.In any educational environment performance assessment is important, and the environment of online learning is no

different. You can schedule exams for a specific time of day, reducing the opportunity for cheating by only allowing a short

window of time when students can enter an exam, and therefore, cannot send "heads up" information to their fellow

students. You can choose to have students kicked out of exams when the time is up allowing instructors to limit, exactly,

the amount of time a student spends in an exam. Exams can be password protected, allowing you to set up proctored

exams or o en an exam to a sin le student b onl ivin that student the assword.

Consistently, researchers have found that when teachers effectively employ feedback procedures, they positively and often

powerfully impact the achievement of their students. The feedback process is the best chance to improve student learning

and enhance their skills. To be effective, feedback needs to be timely, encouraging, and often tailored to the student.

Meaningful comments engage students ideas, they help students understand that grades are not measures of their

intelligence, but of a particular assignments quality. They also help students learn how to self-edit and self-evaluateour course mus nc u e assessmen ems. assroom assessmen ec n ques s er rom es s an o er

forms of student assessment in that they are aimed at course improvement, rather than at assigning grades. The primary

goal is to better understand student learning and so to improve teaching methods. CAT assessments look at learning from

a "qualitative not quantitative viewpoint and are reflective in nature. CATs are specifically designed to dynamically

monitor student learning, but they do so by asking for student reflection and capturing understanding snapshots, not by

graded quizzes and assignments. This can be done by adding CAT items to quizzes, threaded discussion, using

polls/surveys, etc.

You can find more information about CAT questions in the ASSESSMENT UNIT of the Online 101 .NExT Instructor

Orientation Tutorial

The eCourse must be designed in manageable bites. The eCourse model uses week long segments. Is material packaged

into week long segments of relatively equal workload? Are reading assignments, exams, and assessment instruments

spread through the course? The intent is to avoid large distribute workload throughout the weeks of the course. .

as to which content item should be looked at first? In many cases the order of the content items solves the simple

navigation rule.

Does each section, unit or module follow a consistent design? For example is the first content item in each unit titled

"reading"? An inconsistent design would have reading as the first item in some units and as the third in others. Another

inconsistent design would be using a different label. One week we call it reading the next week textbook assignment and

the third week homework.

Organization of a class will depend on the content delivered. It is however, important to stay within the eCourse model of

weeklong segments with established due dates. Open ended courses are not desired. A course can be organized in weekly

units, modules, chapters, or the course can be set up by outcome or competency. The intent of this portion of the

evaluation is to ensure smooth flow of the class. Besides just the arrangement of the blocks or weeks, how are the specific

items arranged under each of the major headings? Is the text book reading first or last? Does the sequence of the material


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The course should make use of the introduction screens. They should not be blank. The introduction screen can also be

used as a tool to explain navigation or as a lead into the unit or module. An additional option is to include the LO/CC

covered in the unit on the introduction screen. While not required, it makes a nice place to commonly inform students of

the competencies and outcomes they will cover in the unit.u en - ns ruc or n erac on s an essen a componen o e e uca on process. s n erac on nc u es ree ace s o

instructor involvement: stimulating interest and motivation, organizing the course and learning process, and to counsel,

support, and encourage each student.

Student-Content interaction is essential to the learning process. By interacting with the course material the overall

understanding to the student changes and personal construction of knowledge is enabled.

Student-Student interaction occurs when students share information with their peers and receive feedback. If appropriate,

the course should have various means for interaction other than just email. Thread Topics and group projects are possible

examples.

While it may be evident to the faculty member that a competency is being taught is that fact clearly conveyed to the

students? For example a content item could contain in the introduction a comment indicating that - during this week we

will cover competency x, y and z. The thread topic for the week is focused on competency x. The practical exercise will deal

with competency Y. Chapter 11 of the text book will cover competency z, which will be evaluated on the weekly quiz. items

indicate

Consider student learning styles in the design of a class. Material can be presented in multiple fashions to reach a greaternumber of students. The three most common learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. More information on

Learning Styles can be found in the Online 101 .NExT Instructor Orientation Tutorial.T e course content s ou e more t an just text materia . A we esigne course wi use varie met o s o presenting

material. The use of interactive activities are highly encouraged in order enhance course content delivery and student

retention. These activities could include video-based activities such as those created with Camtasia (included in the

portable multimedia kits), links to third party interactive simulations (examples: mapbuilder.net - nces.ed.gov/nces

kids/create graph), or by using Web 2.0 applications such as VoiceThread, Voki, or Xtranormal. YouTube video, songs,

audio, simulations and other practice activities allow students to see and interact with the course content in a variety of

environments. By doing this the course material becomes more relevant and understood more deeply. Students with

different learning styles benefit from different types of educational instruction. Courses designed to incorporate

kinesthetic elements a eal to a broader ran e of learnin st les and create more meanin ful learnin environment.ourse ma er a nee s o e curren enoug o promo e re evancy o e s u en as we as prov e enoug con en as o

fully explain the material to the student. Additionally, the material must fully cover the topics at this level for the entire

course. For example, a course on modern European history that does not cover the European Union and whose course

materials entirely cover the Battle of Waterloo by continually repeating that Napoleon surrendered there would not be

current, nor adequate with regard to depth and breadth of the topic.

Many textbook companies provide materials for use in courses. While it is fine to incorporate this material into your

course, Instructors are encouraged to provide additional content that goes beyond the curriculum provided by the

publisher and functions as the primary teaching mechanism. An instructor may choose to customize the textbook provided

course pack or utilize them as a supplement to the other material they teach in their course. Instructors are a valuable

resource for Barton and the students and only utilizing the textbook course materials in a course limits the value that the

students receive from the experience and denies them access to the knowledge and experience each instructor has to

The course environment contains a number of course tools: discussion threads, journal, drop box, webliography, doc

sharing, a groups feature, etc. Are these tools used to provided varied methods of teaching or achieving the course

competencies?

Check the discussion treads, drop boxes and course features to be sure that they work and contain content.

Review the material contained in the Best Practices topic of the Online 101 .NExT Instructor Orientation.

For an eCourse it would make sense to use a textbook that is internet friendly. Pick a book that will enhance the

instructors ability to put the course online, but do not let the publisher drive the course content, delivery or assessment

tools. Keep the course competency focused.


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Publisher material can greatly enhance a course, but not if it cannot be smoothly integrated. Course packs that can be

loaded into the eCourse environment are preferred, or links that go straight to the publisher site. Additional access codes,

passwords etc. are not the preferred option. If the course uses a CD with the book, how does the CD interface with the

course?

If a publisher access code is needed to view material how well does it interface with eCollege? Is the transition smooth?

Fi e size s ou not excee 20 . T is i e size wou ta e 3-4 secon s to oa on a ia up 56 ps . An 8 to 10 i e wou

be preferable, particularly if an instructor plans to use multiple graphics per content item. Optimum graphic size for a 17"

monitor is 800x600 and for 19" monitor it is 1024x768.

Animated images, commonly referred to as animated gifs (for their .gif file extension), can also be good visual additions to

an online course, especially if you want to draw attention to something--an important assignment, announcement, etc. It's

a good idea to use animated gifs somewhat sparingly, though. They can be distracting, at the very least, and can add

undesirable download time to a page. The preferred image/graphics file format should be .jpg or .png.

Audio hardware requirements do not extend beyond the basic sound cards, speakers, and audio players unless specifically

needed to meet course goals and objectives.

Audio files meet minimum standards in the following areas:

-- Audio quality is clear (preferably .mp3 or .wav as an alternative)

-- Audio file size is adequate to meet the goals of the activity without being so large that it restricts the users ability to

stream or download the file onto computers with a slower internet connection

-- Audio file length is adequate to meet the goals of the activity without adding unnecessary information.

The intent here is to have material that is in bite size chunks, or if the page is lengthy, it contains some transition points.

Examine font type, size, and color for readability. Text should limit the number of total attributes ( each size, type, and

color change) to no more than five. Best practice is to reserve color, bold and size variations for titles and headings.A plain text course is not desired. Visual enhancement is one of the goals. Are images, maps, portraits charts etc. used to

illustrate course concepts? Images that do not relate to the course are not desired. Students with different learning styles

benefit from different types of educational instruction. Courses designed to incorporate visual elements appeal to a

broader range of learning styles and create more meaningful learning environment.Plain text is not the standard for a course. It is easy to add some pictures and variety to an online class. The instructors

picture, course related graphics and other symbols of an appropriate nature will enhance the feel of a specific course. Plain

text is not the standard of a well-developed course.

The goal is to have some type of audio or video content on the CH Introduction screen. The example provided in the Online

101 .NExT Instructor Orientation Course Home includes a Prezi.com presentation. While not a traditional video, the use of

Web 2.0 applications is acceptable. Instructors can also choose to include a more traditional audio or video file.

The course content should be more than just text material. A well designed eCourse will use varied methods of presenting

material, YouTube video, songs, audio, simulations etc. Any course that is only text based is far below the intended

standard. Students with different learning styles benefit from different types of educational instruction. Courses designed

to incorporate auditory, video, or multimedia elements appeal to a broader range of learning styles and create more

meanin ful learnin environment.

For usability and accessibility the page design (font, format, layout, labeling) should be consistent throughout the course.


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Video files need to meet a set of minimum standards in the following areas:

-- Video quality is clear, preferably encoded as an .mp4 with H.264 encoding; .wmv or .mov file format.

-- Video dimensions should not exceed 800x600 for videos embedded into an eCollege unit or used as part of a lesson built

using SoftChalk. The only exception to this rule are videos from an external video source i.e. link to other websites such as

YouTube.

-- Video file size is adequate to meet the goals of the activity without being so large that it restricts the users ability to

stream or download the file onto computers with a slower internet connection-- Video file length is adequate to meet the goals of the activity without adding unnecessary information.

-

stated in your course home or in the page where the multimedia content is placed in your course. There should also be

links for the sites were the plug-ins can be obtained from.

Examples of multimedia files that may require plug-ins, add-ons or applets include file formats with the following

extensions:

Audio: .aac / .asf / .mp3 / .m4a / .ra / .wav / .wma

Video: .avi / .divx / .flv / .mov / .m4v / .mp4 / .xvid

Adobe Flash: .flv / .swf

Adobe Reader: .pdf

Adobe Air: .air

*Recommended Media Players: Adobe Flash Player / Apple QuickTime / RealPlayer / Windows Media Player / VLC Media

Player

If using links from an external website, does the site open without pop up ads that might otherwise distract or take away

from the competency being taught

Interactive applications of all types (Camtasia, mapbuilder.net, VoiceThread, Xtranormal, etc.) should load quickly and havelimited lag-time. Is audio/video clear? Is the technology intuitively easy for students to use. Are the embed parameters

(size, location) optimized for easy viewing?

Instructors are encouraged to make use of a variety of multimedia technologies currently available online that can be used

to enhance the quality of their course. Examples of these technologies include, Podcasting, Screencasting and RSS Video

feeds. There is also room in this category for instructors to explore new technologies that are currently being Beta tested

or not currently available for mass consumption.

The Screencast video hosting service is available to any professor needing to host video segments to be used in their

course. It allows for a secure way to deliver video content for your course without any pop-up ads, spyware or any other

Internet nuisance or security concerns that might otherwise distract your students away from course competencies.


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0

Not present.

Not present.

Not Present.

Not present.

Not present.

Not present.

Not present.


17/57

Not present.

Not present.

Not present.

Random Sequencing or Confusing

Not present.

Not present or the final exam is used as the

post test.

Not present.

Inappropriate number of units.

Not set up.

Not set up.


18/57

Not present.

Syllabus not present.





Contact information not present

Not present.

Not competency driven. No material added

beyond text book reading assignments

Provides only final exam.

Assessments items not correlated to course

competencies


19/57

Course assessments do not align with the

outcomes and competencies indicated level of

knowledge acquisition with regard to the

revised Blooms Taxonomy Levels.

Not present.

None used.

Not present.

No CAT items used.

Course navigation is not consistent.


20/57

Not present.

Only text based content material provided.

Instruction student interaction does not occur.

No student to student interaction occurs.

Not present.

Text Based material only

Not present.

No material added beyond text book reading

assignments

No use of course tools.

Not present.

Not present.

Publisher digital content available and the only

material used in the course.


21/57

Publisher digital content available and either

implemented incorrectly (not working) or

students do not have access to the necessary

technology to utilize the material.

Direction for required codes not given to

student s within the course.T ere are no course competency re ate

images and/or graphics in the course. The text

material alone is not enough to support a

course competency or to successfully teach

the course material. Inappropriate or offensive

images and/or graphics are included in the

course

There are no course competency related audio

files in the course. The audio file links are

broken and/or don't work. The text material

alone is not enough to support a course

competency or to successfully teach thecourse material. Inappropriate or offensive

audio content is included in the course

Pages are text heavy, without chunking,

whitespace, or transition points.

More than 5 font changes. And or color used

excessively.

Not present.

No pictures or graphic enhancements present.

No audio or video enhancements present.

Not present.

Page design (font, format, layout, labeling) is

not consistent.


22/57

The videos used in the course fail to load due

to HTML errors in the course structure.

- The video displays but there is no audio.

- The video link streams audio but the video

image is missing.

- The video is improperly formatted and the

image resolution is not sized adequately forvideo streaming.

There is no mention of additional plugins,

applets or add-ons necessary for the display of

multimedia content in the Course Home

and/or Introduction

There are links in the course that force the

student to log out from BARTONline and/or

activate distracting pop-up's, pop-under,

additional windows and/or applets that take

away from the interactive learning experience.

Interactive applications either embedded on

the course or linked to an outside content

provider fail to load or don't properly work

when accessed by the students.


23/57

1

Orientation week lecture present but content does not address course tools or is

missing key sections.

Present. Content is not relevant to orientation lecture or course syllabus. Time limits

and retakes are not defined.

Present. Content is not relevant to Academic policy. Time limits and retakes are not

defined.

Present. Not a discussion thread.

Introduction thread present but no topic information, limited directions and no

instructor participation.

Announcements present but missing welcome letter and Course/Assignment Due

Dates.


24/57

Majority of announcements have the following issues: font type, font size, font color,

improper format, video/graphic too large, links not working

Present. Format issues. Only shows unit/week and chapter outline.

Present. Content does not correspond to LO/CC.

Random sequencing is confusing.

Contains only course title.

Content does not correspond to Pre-test. Different questions, different number of

questions.


25/57

Section missing.

Present. Format issues. Only shows unit/week and chapter outline.

Competency driven. Textbook material makes up 75% or more of course content.

Less than 25% of assessment items correlate to course competencies.


26/57

Less than 50% but more than 0% of course assessments align with the outcomes and

competencies indicated level of knowledge acquisition with regard to the revised

Blooms Taxonomy Levels.

Exams are limited to T/F or MC


27/57

Contains only course or unit title.

only a hello thread present in the course but no additional discussions incorporated inthe course

Opportunity for Student-Instructor interaction limited to email and/or VOH.

methods used do not enhance learning.

Less than 25% of the material comes from sources outside of textbook.

Effective use of appropriate course tools in less than 25% of the units.

Selected course tools in course are not functional


28/57

Contains 3-4 of the following issues: Pages are text heavy, no chunking, no whitespace,

or transition points.

Maps, images, charts, portraits do not illustrate course concepts

Audio/Video material do not illustrate course concepts


29/57


30/57


31/57

Less than half of announcements have the following issues: font type, font size, font

color, improper format, video/graphic too large, links not working

Present. Format issues. Only shows unit/week and chapter outline. And one of the

following: Week/Unit, Activities (what to do) Assignments (what to turn in).

Present. Less than 5 questions. Corresponds to LO/CC. Content contains poor

wording/question type.

Text-based introduction/welcome or only a graphic.

Present. Less than 5 questions. Corresponds to LO/CC. Content contains poor

wording/question type.

Content does not correspond to Pre-test. Same questions wording, different number

of questions.

Grade book set up and includes gradable items but no point values are assigned.

Grade book gradable items match Syllabus Section IX (Methods of Instruction and

Evaluation). No points shown or points in grade book do not match syllabus section IX.


32/57

Syllabus present but does not contain all Barton master syllabus template defined

sections.

Syllabus sections 1 through 3 do not match LICC approved master syllabus and the

instructor is not submitting syllabus to LICC to replace existing master syllabus.

Syllabus sections 4 do not match LICC approved master syllabus and the instructor is

not submitting syllabus to LICC to replace existing master syllabus.

Section XII contains: Letter grade equivalency only.

Syllabus is missing at least one key information items. Key information items for each

week of the course are the 1) unit(s) covered; 2) textbook chapter(s) and material(s)

covered; 3) any activities that need to be completed; and 4) assignments, exams, or

other assessment tools that need to be taken and submitted.

Present. Format issues. Only shows unit/week and chapter outline. And one of the

following: Week/Unit, Activities (what to do) Assignments (what to turn in).

Competency driven. Textbook material makes up 51% to 75% of course content.

Provides only mid-term and final exam.

Less than 50% of assessment items correlate to course competencies.


33/57

Exams are limited to a combination of T/F, MC, and MMC

Security features used but inappropriately set.

Exams or assessments allow correct answer shown upon submission.

Showing the answers upon submission makes it easier for students to cheat by having

one student submit an exam early and then sharing the answers with fellow classmates.

It is best practice to wait till the due date and time has passed before giving students

then answers for review.

Item reported as CAT does not assess the learning process.

Units exceed/fail to meet the boundaries of a typical "workload" for the unit/week.

Unit items are not evenly distributed throughout the units (reading, exams,

assignments)

Course navigation is consistent throughout 50% of the units. Unit titles do not reflect a

clear progression through the course.


34/57

Contains the course or unit title and only a short statement that does not introduce the

material or content of the unit.

Student-student: the presence of 1 or more discussion threads in addition to the hello

thread, but the additional discussion threads only allow for student-instructor

interaction and not student-student interaction.

Opportunities for students to interact with instructor within discussion thread, not in

each unit.

With Material: Only text, audio/video content provided

Learning Outcome/Course Competencies listed only in Syllabus

Only text based and either audio or video content provided but not both

Course content uses a variety of methods to present course material for less than 50%

of the material.

26% to 49% of the material comes from sources outside of textbook.

Effective use of appropriate course tools in 25- 49% or more of the units.


35/57

Contains two of the following issues: Pages are text heavy, no chunking, no whitespace,

or transition points. More than 5 font changes. Color used excessively.

Font changes limited to 5. Color schemes not consistent through the course.

Illogical inclusion of pictures or graphic enhancements or formatting not appropriate

for course home area.

Illogical inclusion of audio or video enhancements or formatting not appropriate for

course home area.

Page design (font, format, layout, labeling) is consistent throughout 25% of the units.


36/57


37/57

3

Syllabus posted

Aligns with LICC guidelines

Not a word upload or syllabus builder tool

Generic Lecture Only

Present, current, and functioning

Present

Contains 3-6 questions.

Time limits and retakes are defined.

Present.


Includes a link to the Academic Policy statement.


Present

Discussion thread for questions concerning the course or course material

No instructor contact information

No Helpdesk link.

Present

Guided directions

Limited topic information

No instructor participation.

Present including welcome letter and Course/Assignment Due Dates.


38/57

Have one of the following issues:

font type,

font size,

font color,

improper format,

video/graphic too large,

links not workin

Present.Easy to read.

Missing two of the following:

Unit/Week,

Activities (what to do)

Assignments (what to turn in).

Present.

4-6 questions.

Corresponds to LO/CC.

No time limits and retakes undefined

Includes one of the following: Introduction to course, LO/CC, instructions for CH week,

instructor contact information.

Present.

4-6 questions.


Time limits and retakes not defined

Identical to Pre-Test.


39/57

Links to transcripts, drop dates, tutoring, and Student Services provided in Orientation

Lecture.

Syllabus present and contains all Barton master syllabus template headings but

headings are out of sequence or additional headings/sections are included within the

first 10 master syllabus sections.

Section XII contains: Letter grade equivalency, list of gradable items indicating points.

Present. Easy to read format. Missing two of the following information: Unit/Week,

Activities (what to do) Assignments (what to turn in).

Competency driven. Textbook material makes up 50% of course content.

Provides gradable items beyond midterm and final.

More than 50% of assessment items correlate to course competencies.


40/57


41/57

Contains the course or unit title and includes one of the following: Introduction to

course unit, instructions for unit/week.

the presence of 1 or more discussion threads in addition to the hello thread that allow

for student-student interactions

Opportunities for students to interact with instructor within each unit discussion

thread.

Material: Provides content material for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Verbal, or

Interpersonal, for more than 50% of courser materials.

Learning Outcomes/Course Competencies posting in some, but not all units.

Includes text, audio and video content

Course content uses a variety of methods to present course material for 100% of

material.

50% of the material comes from sources outside of textbook.

Effective use of appropriate course tools in 50% or more of the units.

A Best Practice ideas used in course effectively.

Publisher digital content not available.


42/57



Images through the course are improperly sized or need to be optimized for faster

loading times; excessive use of images and/or animated .gif distract students and take

away from course competencies.

The audio files available through the course are of poor quality, need to be re-encoded

or replaced with optimized .mp3 files. There are no links for the required media players

or specific audio players required to listen to audio files in the course.

Pages use one of the following: chunking, appropriate whitespace or transitions points

when necessary.

Font changes limited to 5. Color used sparingly.

Maps, images, charts, portraits illustrates course concepts- not every unit.

One required Course Home item Includes a picture or graphic enhancement

(instructor's picture, topic graphic, symbol, table, chart, etc.)

The course home introduction screen includes audio or video enhancements.

Audio/Video material illustrates course concepts- not every unit.

Page design (font, format, layout, labeling) is consistent throughout 50-75% of the

units.


43/57

There are videos present in the course but not all of them are optimized for streaming.

There are broken video links present in the course.

There are some pop-ups required to access additional content outside of BARTONline.

Interactive applications dimensions do not conform to standard monitor sizes (17" /

19") or are sized to dimensions that limit the students ability to fully interact with them.

No new technology is present in course

The course contains streamable video content that is hosted by a content provider

other than Screencast.com. If special arrangements need to be made for specific

content please contact the Multimedia Specialist.


44/57

4

Present. Quiz template is customized to course orientation and syllabus. Contains 6-10

questions. Time limits and retakes are defined.

Present. Contains 7-10 questions. Include a link to the Academic Policy statement.


Introduction thread present with guided directions and topic information and limited

instructor participation.


45/57

Course Announcements use easy to read font type, size and color. Not formatted for

announcement area, broken links or poor video/graphic size.

Present. Easy to read format. Missing one of the following information: Unit/Week,


Present. 7-10 questions. Corresponds to LO/CC. Reasonable time limits are set and

retakes are restricted.

Includes Introduction to course and one of the following: LO/CC, instructions for CH

week, or instructor contact information.

Present. 7-10 questions. Corresponds to LO/CC. Reasonable time limits are set and

retakes are restricted.



46/57

Links to Library, Book Store and Student Services provided in Orientation Lecture and

Course Announcements.

Section XII contains: Letter grade equivalency, list of gradable items indicating

assessment type (exam, paper, etc.) and points.

Present. Easy to read format. Missing one of the following information: Unit/Week,


Provides a variety of assessment instruments in at least 50% of the units.

More than 75% of assessment items correlate to course competencies.


47/57


48/57

Each Unit includes a list of corresponding Learning Outcomes/ Course Competencies.

Provides content material for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Verbal, or Interpersonal for

up to 75% of material.

Course content uses a variety of methods to present course material and provide

interactive content to enhance learning for a broader range of learning styles - for less

than 50% of course material.

Variety of additional material beyond the textbook added to 50-75% of material.

Effective use of appropriate course tools in 51-75% of units.


49/57

Pages use two of the following: chunking appropriate whitespace and transitions points

when necessary.

Page design (font, format, layout, labeling) is consistent throughout 75% of the units.


50/57

New technology is being used but it is not properly loading in the course.

The course makes use of the Screencast video hosting service and some or most video

material is optimized for streaming to include mobile platforms.


51/57

5

Syllabus posted

Aligns with LICC guidelines

Uses a word upload or syllabus builder tool

Syllabus Item for sections I-XI.

Generic Lecture customized to course

Present, current, and functioning

Present.

Customized to course


Uses Introduction page.


Present.


Include a link to the Academic Policy statement.


Uses Introduction page.

Present

Discussion thread for questions concerning the course or course material.

Explains usage and/or purpose

Has instructor contact information

Has Helpdesk link.Present

Guided directions

Extensive topic information

Extensive instructor participation.

Present and include welcome letter, Course/Assignment Due Dates, Student Services

information.


52/57

Properly use font type, font size, font color, format, video/graphic size, hyperlinks

Present.

Easy to read.

Includes the following:

Unit/Week,

Activities (what to do)

Assignments (what to turn in).

Provides links to an necessar information.

Present.

7-10 questions.


Uses Question pools

Uses Time limits

Retakes are restricted.

Sequenced in logical order or administrative (Syllabus, VOH), required activities

(Introductions, Lecture, Quizzes), and added material.

Includes: Introduction to course, instructions for CH week and one of the following:

LO/CC or instructor contact information.

Present.

7-10 questions.


Uses Question pools.

Uses time limits

Retakes are restricted.


Uses Question pools

Proper number of units for term or irregular number defined in Schedule/Course

Outline.

Grade book is set up with all gradable items and all point values assigned.

Gradable items and assigned points match Syllabus Section IX (Methods of Instruction

and Evaluation).


53/57

Link to Student One-Stop webpage

Can be posted:

separate CH item

Course Announcement

included in orientation lecture.

Syllabus present and contains all master syllabus headings in sequence with additional

headings/sections included after the required 10 master syllabus sections.

Syllabus sections 1 through 3 match LICC approved master syllabus or instructor is

submitting syllabus to LICC to replace existing master syllabus.

Syllabus sections 4 and 5 match LICC approved master syllabus or instructor is

submitting syllabus to LICC to replace existing master syllabus.

Section XII contains: Letter grade equivalency, list of gradable items indicating

assessment type (exam, paper, etc.) and points, policy on late work, policy on make-up

or extra credit.

Syllabus contains all key information items. Key information items for each week of the

course are the 1) unit(s) covered; 2) textbook chapter(s) and material(s) covered; 3) any

activities that need to be completed; and 4) assignments, exams, or other assessment

tools that need to be taken and submitted.

Contact information present.

Present. Easy to read format. Includes the following information: Unit/Week, Activities

(what to do) Assignments (what to turn in). Includes links to appropriate content.

Competency driven. Textbook material makes up less than 50% of course content.

Provides opportunity for assessment in each unit.

All assessment items correlate to course competencies.


54/57

100% of course assessments align with the outcomes and competencies indicated level

of knowledge acquisition with regard to the revised Blooms Taxonomy Levels.

Exams use test banks and higher order thinking question types. Multiple assessments

are used. Multiple Authentic Assessment techniques are used (writing assignments,

projects, performance assessment

Uses time limits, calendar settings, and/or Exam guard, password protection or

proctoring.

Exams or assessments allow correct answer shown by the day following the

assignment/exam due date. Grading rubrics or expectation examples provided to

students prior to assignments. Instructor's plan for prompt feedback is included in

Section IX of the Syllabus.

A CAT item used at least once. Feedback from CAT results provided to students on each

occasion.

Units are within the boundaries of "workload" for a typical unit/week. Unit items are

evenly distributed throughout the units (reading, exams, assignments)

Course navigation is consistent throughout all units. Units are in logical order,

Additional units located at end of unit navigation. Unit items are logically organized andconsistent between units.


55/57

Contains the course or unit title and includes an introduction to course unit and

instructions for unit/week.

the presence 1 or more discussion threads in addition to the hello thread that allow for

student-student interactions as well as the incorporation of a group assignment or

some other group activity beyond a threaded discussion.

Variety of methods and opportunities for students to interact with instructor within

each unit

Provides content and assessment material for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Verbal, and

Interpersonal for all course materials.

Each course item is associated with the corresponding Learning Outcomes/course

Competencies.

Provides content material for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Verbal, or Interpersonal for

all material.

Course content uses a variety of methods to present course material and provide

interactive content to enhance learning for a broader range of learning styles for all

course materials.

Additional material beyond the textbook added to all course material

Effective use of appropriate course tools in each unit.

Selected course tools in course fully functional in each unit.

Best Practice techniques used and instruction techniques used innovate beyond best

practices.

Publisher digital content used as a supplement to the course material


56/57

Publisher digital content used and works properly.

Required codes are provided to students or directions are given within the course.

Images included in the course fully support Course competencies and are appropriately

sized to be displayed on monitors 17 thru 19. All images in the course load rapidly

and dont take away or distract the student away from course competencies.

There are course competency related audio files in the course. The audio material in

the course support all of the course competencies and it is of high quality. There are

links to required media players or specific audio players in support of the course.

Pages use chunking, appropriate whitespace and transitions points when necessary.

Font changes limited to 3. Color used sparingly.

Maps, images, charts, portraits illustrates course concepts in every unit.

More than one required Course Home item Includes a picture or graphic enhancement

(instructor's picture, topic graphic, symbol, table, chart, etc.)

The course home introduction screen as well as one or more one required Course

Home item includes audio or video enhancements.

Audio/Video material illustrates course concepts in every unit.

Page design (font, format, layout, labeling) is consistent throughout all units.


57/57

All videos in the course are formatted to the appropriate dimensions and encoded

using a video codec optimized for streaming. The videos add a visual element to the

course and reinforce the course competencies without being intrusive or distractive;

links to external sites work properly and dont require the student to log-out from

BARTONline.

All of the appropriate plugins, add-ons and/or applets are clearly listed in the Course

Introduction, Home and/or Orientation. There are URL links available for students to

download the plugins, add-ons or applets.

There are no distracting pop-up's, pop-under's or other forms of nuisance that will take

time away from the student. All external links are set to open in a separate window or

tab.

All interactive applications used in the course load quickly and without any delays. The

audio is clear, videos are encoded for streaming and optimized for faster loading times.

The application dimensions are optimized for full or window viewing and the student

can fully interact with the application.

New technology is being used and it loads properly inside the course.

The course makes use of the Screencast video hosting service and all video material is

optimized for streaming to include mobile platforms.

ecourse improvement rubric

Documents