EDUC 4150 – Assignment 6, Reflective Writing #2 – Using Quality Guidelines in eLearning

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INTRODUCTION

 “When it comes to eLearning, content means everything. If eLearning content is not masterfully designed, all the rest will just go down the drain.” – Christopher Pappas

 There is great diversity among learning institutions, programs, and approaches to e-learning, as well as the definition of e-learning and its characteristics. E-learning presents learners with the opportunity to use personalized and flexible learning paths while ensuring the achievement of learning outcomes. The presentation of e-learning content is more flexible than in traditional face to face environments while utilizing online information sources as well as audio and video channels. E-learning is a relatively new, very dynamic, and innovative field of learning. As a result, learning institutions should have processes for the design and approval of their e-learning programs.

E-learning has suffered a bad reputation, and why employers have considered fully online degrees with skepticism as not being equivalent to traditional degrees earned in person. The perception is changing, but slowly (Etherington, 2018). But e-learning is changing. There are e-learning quality rubrics, based on research, to help design and instruct effective rigorous online classes.

OBJECTIVE: 

 What have you learned about the importance of following quality guidelines when developing an online course?

I have not taught an online course, but I know due to COVID 19 the opportunities to teach face to face will be limited. When I taught the Bylaw I and II Certificate Programs, I designed and received recognition and approval without quality guidelines. I did what I felt was the right thing to do and everything worked out well. A lot has changed over these past ten years and academic-industry standards require much more. It is very important to follow quality guidelines because seeking recognized certification will enhance my online teaching in many ways. My course will be in line with industry standards, it will be consistent, and high quality. There are many similarities between instructing face to face and an online course and it is essential that I create a set of quality guidelines for the course I will be designing.

 What potential exists if you don’t use a set of quality guidelines?

Online learning suffers from a bad reputation, and why employers have considered fully online degrees with skepticism as not being equivalent to traditional degrees earned in person. That perception is changing, but slowly (Etherington, 2018). Having designed and instructed the Bylaw I and II Certificate courses I am beginning to understand how much work designing an online course will take. Designing an online course is a major undertaking and the quality guidelines will act as a quality assurance check throughout the process. There needs to be consistency in the creation of the online course within an institution and quality guidelines retain that creative consistency and look. I am aware of how important recognition, certification, reputation, consistency, and perception are when employers are thinking of investing time and money into training employees or if a person is looking for a career change. I can think of nothing worse than paying hundreds of dollars to take a course offering potential employment or certification when the course is not recognized by quality certification.

How can you ensure that your online course meets the needs of your learners when developing your own quality checklist?

Never having taught an online course, I have to rely on the expertise of others. For example, the Quality Matters organization https://www.qualitymatters.org/

has a rubric with eight general sections with forty-three specific review standards that evaluate and design online and blended courses. To meet the needs of my learners, these standards appear to be standards of excellence in the field of online learning. The general sections are:

Because the quality guidelines seem to look at all learner’s the same and not as an individual. I will complete a needs assessment at the start of the course. I will identify what each learner’s needs are and how I can assist them in their educational goals.

As a faculty member, what do I need to know about quality in online learning?

I see many similarities between face to face quality guidelines and online learning. I would need to know…

  • the instructor(s) who created the online course and consult with those who create the instructional materials.
  • the learning materials are based firmly on sound, proven learning theories.
  • the learning materials and instruction meet the institution’s internal and external standards for quality and usability.
  • appropriate media have been selected to meet these standards.
  • the technologies will engage and support both learners and instructors including the accessibility of content, multimedia, hyperlinking, ease of revision, and forms of interaction.
  • the course design is practical and can be developed in a cost-effective and timely way.
  • there is a coherent course design by being logical, consistent, understandable, and coordinated.

 Does your institution have quality guidelines for online courses?

My face to face instruction for the Bylaw Enforcement Level I and II Certificate was completed at Focus College in Kelowna. https://focuscollege.com/ They do not have quality guidelines for their few online courses such as business and bylaw enforcement, but they are accredited with the BC Private Training Institution Branch, Education Quality Assurance of BC, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. After completing research on this learning institution, I would not feel comfortable returning to teach at Focus College due to the lack of credibility, recognition, and transfer to other post- graduate institutions.

Because I will be taking my master’s degree online at Yorkville University in September, I searched their web site and Google but failed to locate quality guidelines for their online programs. I requested the information from my program advisor, but he has not received a reply from administrators at the time of writing this assignment. https://www.yorkvilleu.ca/about-us/

Vancouver Community College, Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Research has Best Practices for Online Teaching and Learning. https://ctlr.vcc.ca/teaching–learning/teaching-and-learning-online/best-practices/  This site has teaching and learning instructional advisors, technical support, and practical online use checklists including:

  • To establish an online instructor presence.
  • To establish channels of communication with the students.
  • To establish an off-campus assessment strategy.

The section called principles of online teaching and learning includes key principles and practices of effective design for blended and online student learning. Other resources have helpful web sites, videos, online discussions, online facilitation, student participation on zoom, approaches to support student assignments, and tips and tricks.

I feel comfortable learning online learning from Vancouver Community College, and I find the courses very professional and all my needs have been met as an online learner.

REFLECTIVE:

What does “quality” in an online course mean to me?

I know the goal is to provide tools for assessing and ensuring the quality of online courses but it is challenging to choose what quality guidelines make for a great online course when there are so many to choose from. For example, the eCampusAlberta quality suite rubric and essential quality standards have 27, http://library.athabascau.ca/files/projects/ecampusalberta/quality/Rubric_Booklet_Dec2013_FINAL.pdf

Vancouver Community College has 17, https://ctlr.vcc.ca/teaching–learning/teaching-and-learning-online/best-practices/

the University of British Columbia (UBC) online/blended learning course quality checklist has 57. https://wiki.ubc.ca/images/2/25/OnlineQualityCheckList_SiteFinal_Sep2016.pdf

Once again, the decision appears to be objective and I have to make my own decision as to what is quality and what rubrics to include.

What does quality mean to others?

It gives others the reassurance the online course is in line with industry standards and of high quality. Most people would agree that designing an online course requires a lot of work. Designers of the course would be aware of industry standards and follow quality guidelines when developing their course. For example, I may not be the only person to design a course or portions of the course. The quality of the course should be consistent in its content and methodology including the use of technology.

It is a “faculty-centered, peer review process that certifies the quality of online and blended courses.” (Shattuck, Zimmerman, & Adair, 2014, p. 25).

What makes an online course good or great? How does this fit with your experience?

I have been accepted into the Master of Education Program at Yorkville University and it is taught entirely online. I am fortunate to have had three BC Provincial Instructor Diploma Program (PIDP) online courses and working through the Certificate in online/eLearning. My online course experience is entirely from Vancouver Community College and I have been very pleased with the results.

All PIDP and EDUC assessment items, whether an assignment, test, or essay, matched up to the course outcome. I found all parts of the course to be aligned which helped me achieve all the intended learning outcomes and made a positive impression on the integrity of the course.

But the most important guideline to follow is to ensure tight coherence, or alignment, among all your course components. (Nilson & Goodson, 2018, p. 37).

What successes and/or frustrations have you experienced in your eLearning that may have been attributed to following (or not following) quality guidelines?

In 2015, I enrolled in the PIDP and the first course I chose was PIDP 3240 (Media Enhanced Learning). Rather than withdraw from the course for different reasons and receive a ‘W’ on my transcripts, I was so frustrated, I ignored the course guidelines and walked away from the program for a year. I now have an ‘F’ on my official transcripts for that course. In 2019, I passed the course and received an ‘A’. This paragraph explains what I felt. Many students drop out of online courses because they feel overwhelmed and sometimes frustrated with the amount of information presented to them and the way it is presented. Learners can experience “cognitive overload” if the information presented to them is not logically organized and the course design is not easy to follow. In such cases, learners will end up spending a lot of mental energy just trying to figure out how the course is organized and how to find information and may end up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The design and layout of the course can minimize this frustration and help students focus on the content rather than on navigation issues. (Kumar & Skrocki, 2016, p. 2).

It has been suggested that the best way to instruct an online course is to take a couple of online courses myself and experience them from the learner’s perspective. I have taken online courses and agree.

I am a mature student and less familiar with computers, so I struggle with learning  technology while spending more time just trying to do basic tasks online. I keep telling myself to embrace rather than reject technology. As stated by (Cook et al., 2009), fear and suspicion transform into interest and enthusiasm, concerns into confidence, and frustration into an appreciation for technology and its role in active and personalized online learning. My lifelong learning journey in technology continues.

Because of the quality guidelines used by Vancouver Community College for their online courses, I feel all my expectations for online course quality were met. Categories include orientation, outcomes, assessments, course materials, instructional strategies, technology and multimedia, navigation, and accessibility.

 INTERPRETIVE:

 What do you need to be successful?

I will learn from others who have been successful in designing and instructing online courses. I will use the cliché and ‘not reinvent the wheel’ but take the best from the best. To be successful in any business, the key is marketing. My course will be distinct from the other traditional instructional-planning models and it will support the design and development of high-quality instruction.

I need support (my family) and motivation (internal/external) to persist and succeed. When quality guidelines are clear, I have clear direction, expectations, and motivation.  I know the course materials will be relevant to engaging assignments to help me learn and complete my course.

What does this new learning mean to you?

It is clear to me that I require quality guidelines to create an effective online course in which real learning takes place. I will have to adapt my course and undergo some professional development to equip me and my course to successfully meet the standards. For example, complete the EDUC Certificate.

I can see how quality guidelines can be used to develop online courses and instruction to promote best teaching practices. For example, providing learners with prompt feedback, and upholding high expectations.

What new insights do you now have?

I am now aware of how important rubrics or checklists are to provide a systematic structure for considering design elements that I may not have examined critically before. A quality rubric will help me take a step back and consider my online course from a learner’s perspective. This will help me identify any gaps or areas for improvement in the course design. The quality guidelines will let me honestly assess my online course for areas I can strengthen the learner experience.

I will remember that the rubrics, checklists, and guidelines are all centered on the design of my course, but not how well I instruct the course. The course design is everything I do to create and start the course but the delivery of it, or teaching, is what takes place during the course while interacting with the learners. With a good design, I can set the stage for better teaching of my course.

My quality guidelines checklist designed for my course will be used and improved over time. The guidelines will be used to market my course to Okanagan College when I feel I am ready to instruct. The College will have a complete picture of the design of the course.

How has your thinking changed because of this learning while creating the content and materials?

By thinking like a learner and instructor, it will be easy to work through the quality standards as I assess my online course for areas where I can strengthen the learner experience. The course will be constantly updated, and the quality standards will allow me to make improvements wherever I can.

The research is clear that most of the practices and principles that appear in the instructional design of face to face literature can transfer to online courses. (Nilson & Goodson, 2018, p. 14). The quality guidelines I have used for my face to face instruction will be used for the design of my online course.

The quality guidelines have made it clear to me that I must receive further training in both technology and online pedagogy before I teach online. I have to continue learning more about best online teaching practices and this will improve student learning.

DECISIONAL:

How can this new learning be applied in your online course?

I have a tendency to get off-topic. When someone asks me for the time, I explain how to build a watch. The quality guidelines will keep me more on track and be more specific about what I am doing, why I am doing it, and how it is benefiting the learner. I will use the quality guidelines appropriate for the context of my course. I will periodically review the Canadian Recommended E-learning Guidelines

https://www.futured.com/pdf/CanREGs%20Eng.pdf because they are based on best practices and research in distributed learning and learning technologies, developed through an international consultation process, and sponsored and endorsed by a number of national and international organizations (Barker, 2007). The organizations and participants stipulated the e-learning quality standards meet these criteria: consumer-oriented, consensus-based, comprehensive, recommended, futuristic, and adaptable (Barker 2007).

I will be reviewing the Coulter Faculty Center Elearning faculty fellows online course assessment tool (OCAT) and peer assessment process from Western Carolina University. This assessment tool, or a variation which I will create, will be used for my first online course assessment by peers and learners.

https://www.wcu.edu/WebFiles/PDFs/facultycenter_OCAT_v2.0_25apr07.pdf

I was aware there are quality guidelines for designing online courses and most post-secondary courses. I was not aware of how varied the options were with respect to the number of guidelines available. I am not one to re-invent the wheel and I will use proven and effective quality guidelines mentioned above.

I will have my peers and locate a few experts in online eLearning requesting they review my course while utilizing my checklist. I will request their opinions and input on course improvements.

List 5-10 items that I feel enhance my learning experience in an online course and how will I apply them in my online course?

  1. Taking the EDUC and PIDP courses which are high quality, active, online learning environments.
  2. It is important for my course to do more than merely accommodate learner’s needs. It will be fun to learn and promote lifelong learning.
  3. I have discovered that timely and appropriate interaction between instructors and learners should be a high priority.
  4. The Vancouver Community College and EDUC course Moodle ensured I had access to and could effectively use the library, technical, and administrative resources.
  5. In EDUC and PIDP I have easy access to a range of student services including admissions, financial aid, academic advising, delivery of course materials, and counseling.
  6. In EDUC and PIDP I have benefited from having clear course content, well thought out titles for each week, complete modules, and each chapter detailed in a linear way that made sense.

Which guidelines will you keep in mind as you develop your own online materials?

The online eLearning course quality guidelines I have chosen are from the University of British Columbia. The guidelines are clear, concise, thorough, and based in part, from the Commonwealth of Learning Quality Checklist and Standards from the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric, 5th Edition. The UBC guidelines and checklist will take more time to complete and check off as my course is in progress, but for assessment and accreditation purposes it will appear thorough and professional.

https://www.qualitymatters.org/

https://wiki.ubc.ca/images/2/25/OnlineQualityCheckList_SiteFinal_Sep2016.pdf

CONCLUSION

Although I have not designed or taught an online course, research has shown that eLearning outcomes were not significantly different from outcomes in traditional face to face classrooms. My goal is to have my online course distinguished in its quality and to foster innovation and excellence in instruction and learning. I want to support my learner’s employability of lifelong learning and prove to them the online learning mode of delivery holds significant benefits. By using quality guidelines in my course design, I will be able to accomplish everything I set out to achieve.

References

Anderson, Terry. (2008). The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Edmonton: Athabaska University Press.

Barker, K. (2001). Creating Quality Guidelines for Online Education and Training. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/jeductechsoci.10.2.109.pdf

Barker, K. (2002). Canadian Recommended E-Learning Guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.futured.com/pdf/CanREGs%20Eng.pd

Barker, K. (2007). E-learning Quality Standards for Consumer Protection and Consumer

Confidence: A Canadian Case Study in E-learning Quality Assurance. Educational Technology and Society, 10(2), 109-119. Retrieved from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.113.1244&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Boettcher, Judith V., Conrad, Rita-Marie. (2016). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. San Francisco:     Jossey-Bass.

BC Ministry of Education. (2010). Standards for K-12 Distributed Learning in BC. Retrieved from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/distributed-learning/dl_standards.pdf?bcgovtm=CSMLS

Darby, Flower. (2019). Small Teaching Online. Applying Learning Science in Online Classes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Etherington, C. (2018). Have Online Degrees and Credentials Finally Lost their Stigmas? Retrieved from https://news.elearninginside.com/have-online-degrees-and-credentials-finally-lost-their-stigma/

Etherington, C. (2017). Why Jordanian Universities are Embracing Learning. Retrieved from  https://news.elearninginside.com/jordanian-universities-embracing-elearning/

Huertas, E., Biscan, I., Ejsing, C., Kerber, L., Kozlowska, L., Ortega, S.M.,…Seppmann, G. (2018), Considerations for Quality Assurance of E-Learning Provision, European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, Retrieved from https://enqa.eu/indirme/Considerations%20for%20QA%20of%20e-learning%20provision.pdf

Kumar, Poonam, Skrocki, Marilyn. (2016). Ensuring Student Success in Online Courses, Faculty Focus, Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/ensuring-student-success-online-courses/

Nilson, Linda B., Goodson, Ludwika A. (2018). Online Teaching at its Best. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Pappas, Christopher. (2015). [Photograph]. eLearning Course Evaluations: The Ultimate Guide for eLearning Professionals. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/elearning-course-evaluation-the-ultimate-guide-for-elearning-professionals

Shattuck, K, Zimmerman, W.A., & Adair, D. (2014). Continuous Improvement of the QM

Rubric and Review Processes: Scholarship of Integration and Application. Internet Learning, 3(1), 25-34. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons./apus.edu/internetlearning/vol3/iss1/5

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