Online Course Readiness Checklist- Part 1 of 4
The Learning and Educational Center supports all instructors in the development and advancement of their courses. We developed a checklist based on the Quality Matters Rubric and adapted it from a similar checklist from Western Kentucky University which allows instructors to quickly determine their course readiness as it relates to the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. The Course Readiness Checklist was designed and aligned with the 8 Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric. For reference, we have documented the relevant QM Standard in the checklist. Over the next four weeks, we will break down the checklist and review a section or two each week.
This week, we break down the Course Overview and Introduction section of the Online Course Readiness Checklist. Our new LEC Course Templates contain pages with placeholder content for many of the checklist items in this section.
Getting Started
- Clear instructions are provided to the learner on where to get started and how to find various components of the course. By default, most course homepages have a Getting Started or Start Here button.
Course Description/Video
- A course description is included in the course that introduces the purpose and structure of the course. A brief video can be included by the instructor to help illustrate this section.
Course Objectives
- The course learning objectives are written in measurable terms and are prominently located throughout the course syllabus and in the course.
Course Tour
- A brief course overview is included in the course that shows the learners where to find the various components of the course, including Canvas tutorial videos. We suggest including a Course Syllabus quiz as a follow-up activity.
Course Schedule
- A list or table of weekly assignments is included in the course with respective due dates. Although not specifically included in the QM rubric, it is helpful for students to have a high-level overview of the course assignments and can be helpful to the instructor when verifying course alignment.
Grading Policy
- The grading policy is stated clearly in the course syllabus and at the beginning of the course.
Communication Expectations
- Instructor and learner expectations are stated clearly for online communication, email, and other forms.
Course and Institutional Policies
- Course and institutional policies are included in the course syllabus and are stated clearly, or a link is provided.
Meet Your Instructor Message/Video
- An instructor’s self-introduction is made available to the learner. Instructors can post a short professional welcome video.
Instructor Contact Information
- The instructor provides contact information to the learner and lets the learner know how quickly they should expect a response.
Meet Your Classmates
- Learners are asked to introduce themselves to the class in the form of a discussion. This is a great way to have students become familiar with each other before the course starts.
Syllabus – University Resources
- Pre-Requisites – Pre-requisite knowledge in the discipline and/or any competencies are clearly stated.
- Technical Requirements/Skills – Digital literacy and computer skills that are expected of the learner are stated clearly.
- Instructor’s Response Time & Feedback on Assignments – The instructor’s plan for responding to learners during the course is clearly stated.
- Accessibility Policies and Availability of Services – An explanation of or a link to the institution’s accessibility policies and services is provided.
- Description of Technical Support Available and How to Access- A description or a link to the institution’s technical support information is provided.
