Quality Framework and Learning Theory
Characteristics of Quality Online and Blended courses
There is much literature on the characteristics that define quality online learning. Many authors speak to the course structure and organisation, to the levels of learner engagement and the types of assignments. We will provide a few web resources below if you are interested in reading more about this. However, in your discussions about a quality framework, you most likely came to a few conclusions of what quality means to you, within the context of your course. Based on that, you will implement your own quality framework to support your design.
Although it is good to rely on best practices, as they demonstrate what has worked best in the past, no online or blended course is equal in the need they address or the audience they reach. One size does not fit all in online teaching and learning and relying on a set formula will jeopardize quality. Each course will have different characteristics that will define quality within the context it is delivered.
Assignment
It is now time for you to define what quality will mean for your course! Based on the discussions you had with your peers, create a checklist with the criteria you will follow as you design and implement your course and upload it to the Quality Checklist assignment box.
Example
You may use this example of a checklist as a guide to build your own. Remember that the checklist will vary somewhat from course to course, as a criterion that is applicable to one course may not necessarily be appropriate to a different course. However, most of the criteria should be applicable to most online courses you develop, so you only have to do this work once, and then just adapt it and re-use it.
The following web resources discuss various premises of quality for online and blended courses. The Chickering and Gamson paper is particularly interesting in that it focuses on a seven principles aimed at improving learning experiences in higher education which are applicable to both face-to-face and online learning environments.
