Quality Online Courses

Information about and/or a list of needed computer and digital literacy skills, tools, and resources should be included on the course homepage or on the learner dashboard.General, as well as course-specific skills, tools, and resources that learners must have to succeed in the course are specified.

Resources include tutorials and practice exercises to practice computer and digital literacy skills.

Instructor information is provided to learners with contact, availability, and biographical information.Instructor response time and information on how to contact the instructor via phone, email, and/or online messaging tools is provided within the contact information.

If regular contact with the instructor is required as part of the course, clear expectations for meeting this requirement are posted within the course.

Learners are told whether software used in the course runs on both Mac and PC.

Learners are informed that they will need speakers, a microphone, and/or a headset.

Learners are provided with a list of required downloadable resources, including links.

Within the online course, course objectives or competencies are present, explicitly stated, measurable, and can be easily found by learners. After reading the list of objectives or competencies, learners will understand what they will be learning throughout the course.

Course-level learning objectives or competencies are typically provided to learners in a course syllabus and/or at the beginning of a course and establish the basis upon which online instructional units or modules are organized and aligned.

The following are some examples of measurable course-level objectives or competencies:

1. I can select appropriate mathematical operations for problem solving.
2. The learner will be able to develop a personalized plan for success which integrates academic integrity, setting goals, and managing time.
3. You will be able to articulate personal attitudes around risk and its relationship to high risk situations on the road.
4. I can collaborate on a group project on the Solar System by completing designated tasks and offering feedback to team members on their tasks.

Detailed expectations for class participation and/or any other specific expectations the instructor may have for learners are provided within the online course. Learner expectations of the instructor should also be specified.

Course policies regarding attendance, absences, late submissions, feedback, response time, revisions, exams, etc. are detailed.

Learners are told at the course start that they will be expected to complete all readings and assignments, participate in weekly online discussions with the other learners and the instructor, submit a semester project detailed in the project description, and participate in multiple peer-re view activities.

Where state standards and/or other accepted content standards exist for the subject area of the course, those standards must be identified and accurately represented in the content and objectives of the course.

If an elective course is not meant to meet every standard, it should be aligned to those standards relevant to the course.

The content and assignments for the core courses are explicitly and thoroughly aligned to the state’s academic standards, curriculum framework, assessments, or currency. Advanced Placement® courses must be approved by the College Board, and other elective courses should be aligned to other nationally accepted content standards such as computer science, technology courses, etc.

AP Environmental Science is aligned to the AP College Board standards.

Environmental Science is aligned to the state standards.

Digital literacy and communication skills are an integrated, instructional component of the curriculum.

Digital literacy refers to the ability to effectively and responsibly locate, evaluate, create, and communicate knowledge using technology.

Links to support as well as sample assignments are included either within task instructions or an appendix.

Learners are provided with clear and specific expectations for all types of communications and interactions during the online course. Expectations for all online communications should include guidelines on appropriate online behavior in all academic and nonacademic interactions, including peer interactions, as well as interactions with the instructor in both synchronous and asynchronous environments.

Guidelines and rules of conduct for participating in discussion boards, which are introduced within the course overview, are referenced from discussion activity details.

Digital communication skills are emphasized and measured in rubrics and grading.

Learners have access to online academic help resources and optional additional materials to pursue areas of course content more deeply or to branch into related areas that might be of interest.

Course instructions articulate or link to academic support services and resources that can help learners in the course. Learners also have access to resources that enrich the course content.

These resources are made available within the online course from where they are most needed or helpful.

Learners have access to a virtual library of resources from the home page. Course activities may have links to the library when learners are expected or may need to do additional research for an assignment.

Academic support services, such as tutoring, are available, and supplemental learning resources and related instructional and technical materials are available to support and enrich the online learning experience.

A list of prerequisite knowledge and skills for the online course are provided in the course information and syllabus materials along with links to resources for sharpening these skills if needed.

The online course content (including readings, images, assignments, etc.) reflects a predominantly multicultural or bias-free approach. In some courses, it may not be possible or appropriate to take a multicultural or bias-free approach.

The course invites multiple perspectives and reflects an understanding of the perspectives of diverse ethnic groups.

The course includes a diverse and balanced choice of images and other forms of media.

Images and other forms of media in the course reflect a variety of ethnicity, body styles, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability.

The AP textbook used is a current edition and one of the recommended texts of The College Board.

Instructor-created content reflects current industry practices in the content area.

Links to external content are checked regularly to ensure access and consistency.

The course links, materials, and resources do not expose learners to unnecessary advertisements.

The course does not expose learners to pornographic material and subject matter containing content unfit for the age level of the typical learner in the course.

All instructional materials (including media such as pictures and video) used in the course are appropriately cited, including permission to share where applicable. Guidance for learner content use, downloading, and sharing is also included.

Instruction models appropriate source citation following the conventions of an appropriate style guide (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).

The instructor has access to resources to promote effective course facilitation.

Assessment and assignment answers are provided to instructors so that they can provide timely feedback to learners and increase mastery of content and concepts and support instructional capacity.

Guidance is provided regarding opportunities for appropriate instructor-learner interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress and discussion prompts for critical thinking.

Links to documentation, screencasts, instructor orientations, and/or other materials explaining how to most efficiently and effectively use the grading system within the online environment are clearly displayed in the instructor’s course view.

Templates and answer keys for assignments and assessments are provided the instructor.

The course design includes web-based content, which allows learner choice of learning pathway, and self assessment tools that provide feedback and motivation to continue learning evidenced through efforts made to actively engage with course content.

Learners take ownership of their learning through progress trackers and learning-target trackers that provide learners with information and feedback that they need for the next level of proficiency.

Alignment is clear between the learning activities and objectives within a course resulting in learner’s achievement.

Assignments are meaningful, rigorous, and relevant. They contain appropriate levels of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in order to ensure learners can meet the learning objectives or competencies in the course.

A design team/subject matter expert identifies the grade level of the intended online course and a target level of quantitative text complexity.

The online course content is appropriate to the reading level required by content and grade and depth of knowledge. Accommodations should be made available to assist learners with the under standing associated with the reading level.

A course orientation requires learners to learn how to engage with the course and complete assignments/activities.

Learners introduce themselves to their instructor or peers in a discussion assignment.

Learners are required to complete and submit introductory assignments or assessments within the first few lessons.

The course design incorporates assignments in the form of video and audio uploads for a variety of expressions of the students’ learning.

Instructors provide differentiated instruction to meet learners’ individualized instructional needs.

Instructional design represents best practice in online learning and industry-standard tools for engaging learners. Assignments and assessments reflect learner voice and choice and demonstrate 21st century skills of communication and collaboration.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework based on how people learn is used to design engaging activities that address learner variability.

The requirements for learner interaction are clearly stated and substantial.

Learning activities are developed to foster regular learner-learner interaction. The instructional design and course content encourage exchanges amongst the learners through discussion boards, synchronous chats, and/or other communication tools.

Learner agency in question and hypothesis generation, discussions, and the exchange of ideas is essential to learning. Thus, learners should have access to discussion boards to participate both in instructor-directed activities and learner-initiated discussions.

In some courses, learner-learner interaction may not be appropriate, such as, for example, a credit-recovery course and where learners are working at their own pace.

Threaded discussions are available for developing community, asking and finding answers to questions, and commenting on the content. Rules and expectations for the discussion are clear and posted within the course.

Learners are required to respond to a discussion prompt, which directs them to write at least three sentences addressing the prompt, and provide a thoughtful response (at least one sentence) to at least two of their classmates’ answers.

Learners submit an assignment or project for instructor feedback. Instructors monitor a frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) discussion forum.

Learners engage in frequent conversation with their instructor utilizing synchronous and/or asynchronous tools such as e-journals, emails, text, discussion boards, and teleconferencing.

Online course materials and resources are appropriate, relevant, and accessible to diverse learners and convey online course content in an effective and engaging manner to support learner mastery of course content and concepts.

The online course materials contribute to the achievement of the stated course and module/ unit-level learning objectives or competencies, and their relationship with learning objectives or competencies is clearly stated.

The course content and instructional materials are of appropriate cognitive rigor (Depth of Knowledge & Bloom’s taxonomy), scaffolding, and range to support the learning goals.

To meet the objective “Learners will write a five paragraph argumentative essay,” materials are scaffolded to walk learners through the process over a series of assignments that progress from more basic to more complex skills.

A closed-captioned, 3-minute video illustrating cell mitosis is employed to show the process in a unit on cell biology within the context of genetics.

Images of paintings by Van Gogh, da Vinci, and Rembrandt are used to illustrate the painting techniques they used: impasto, sfumato, and chiaroscuro. (Images are alt-tagged and narratively described for diverse learners.)

The online course includes a visible path of formative and summative assessments measuring learner progress toward mastery of content within the course objectives.

Learners are tasked to demonstrate understandings of the immediate major effects of the Great Depression on American politics in the 1930s and 1940s. Multiple formative assessments, such as learning checks, reflections, or short quizzes, are included in the course to measure progress toward mastery as well as a summative assessment to measure mastery. Formative assessments incorporate self-assessments as well as instructor-led assessments.

Writing assignments that allow for the submission of a draft for instructor comments and suggestions for improvement.

The course includes formative assessments, which provide clear feedback for each answer choice.

Learners engage with interactive games and simulations that have feedback built in.

Self-scoring practice quizzes.

Peer reviews.

Example papers or essays provided for learner viewing.

Multiple methods of assessment strategies are included, based on the specified learning objective or competencies and learner need.

Each assessment does not have to have multiple methods, but over the entire course there are multiple methods of assessments used.

In addition, alternative assessments should be open to all learners when appropriate. Alternative assessment strategies may be more appropriate for some subjects and competency types (e.g., knowledge) than others (e.g., CTE skills). In some cases an authentic assessment strategy may be the only reliable way to measure skill mastery.

A U.S. History course provides learners with choice and flexibility in demonstrating their application of content knowledge, including oral reports, videos, computer presentations, group posters, musical projects, etc. These may be chosen at the time of assessment or as a second choice option for revisions, as provided by the instructor.

Learners have an opportunity to correct errors and receive feedback on their level of proficiency. Learners may demonstrate mastery of any content using varying assessment strategies.

Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of learners’ work and assist the instructor in determining the level of achievement of learning objectives and competencies.

Rubrics allow learners and instructors to understand expectations for varied levels of proficiency. Rubrics might be created by instructors as well as course designers, but course designers should create space for rubrics and add templates in accordance with the norms of the school.

Rubrics clearly define expectations by being linked to learning objectives and current state and/or other accepted content standards.

Navigation refers to the process of planning, controlling, and recording the movement of a learner from one place to another in the online course.

Navigation throughout the course is consistent, logical, and efficient and facilitates ease of use.

Consistent layout and design are employed throughout, making content, instructional materials, tools, and media easy to locate from anywhere in the course. Design elements are used consistently, increasing predictability and intuitiveness.

Online course pages have links that are consistently labeled with easy-to-understand, self-describing, and meaningful names (for example, the text “National Standards for Quality Online Learning website” is the hyperlink rather than www.nsqol.org. Icons used as links also have a text alternative that describes the function of the icon or an accompanying text link.

The course design enables learners to easily locate where they are within the course and to easily return to the homepage from any location.

The hierarchy of material in a page or document is clearly indicated through heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.). A table of contents is included that allows learners to move easily throughout documents.

Online course design elements maximize usability by facilitating readability and minimizing distractions.

For information pertaining to the reading level of course content, see Indicator C4.

Content is formatted to serve specific instructional purposes. For example, format and text color are used purposefully to communicate key points, group like items, and emphasize relevant relationships. Color alone is not used to convey meaning, and sensory characteristics (size, shape, location) are not required for understanding directions.

Similar content is grouped together; headings are used to indicate change of topic.

Heading and body styles are consistent throughout the course and follow a logical structure.

White space or negative space is used around content to help increase comprehension and reduce eye fatigue that occurs with large blocks of text or use of many images.

All online course content (text and images, documents, LMS pages, web pages, media, etc.) used in the course are accessible to all learners, or an equitable alternative is available. The international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide additional guidance for achieving accessibility.

Achieving accessibility means that individuals with sensory, physical, cognitive, or learning disabilities can independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same learning experiences, with substantially equivalent ease of use as individuals without disabilities. Alternative content is “equally effective,” which means that the same information is as readily available as the original content.

Images and graphs are described via alternative text, long description, or audio description.

All tables are set up as text and not embedded as images.

Tables are set up with headings for columns and rows and are used only for summarizing data, not for formatting.

Document or HTML titles, headings, etc. are formatted using styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) found in the word processing software (such as Word) style gallery; they do not merely utilize a larger or bold or italic font.

PDFs that contain text are not merely image scans; any text contained in PDFs is selectable and searchable.

If the audio content corresponds with the visual content in a way that conveys meaning (e.g., a video demonstrating how to operate a Bunsen burner in a chemistry lab), captions provide an equivalent experience.

Visual information that is critical to meaning is conveyed through audio description.

Graphics and animations are used to enhance instructional materials and illustrate ideas without causing distractions.

Images are appropriately sized and can be viewed in their entirety without scrolling.

Audio quality is clear.

Learners have access to information on the accessibility of the learning management system and all additional required technologies and content.

Course tools and materials link to the vendor’s accessibility statement or vendor-provided details through a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

A vendor’s accessibility statement is provided in the course syllabus or a page on resources or required technology software.

A district manages a web page that includes anchored links to the accessibility statements for technologies used in the course, including the learning management system, any integrated third-party software (e.g., plagiarism-detection software), and polling and social media tools.

Online course tools and technologies chosen, whether included in the learning platform or external to the learning platform, comply with applicable state and relevant U.S. child protection laws such as the following (if outside of the U.S., consult relevant national law):

• The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

The online course allows the instructor to select, add, sequence, and modify the assessments and content provided.

The online course has the capability for the instructor to upload documents and links and add text and commentary to course pages.

In online courses where assessments are designed to interact with an online gradebook, the publisher must provide the necessary technical integrations that allow assessment results to be automatically recorded in the gradebook.

If a gradebook is provided, it should be a flexible tool, providing functions beyond the recording of individual scores on assignments.

The gradebook provided within the course allows an instructor to manage the class roster, assign weights to assignments, examine specific individual learner assignments or quiz results, and import and export scores/grades.

The gradebook allows for generation of scores/grades by learning objective.

Technical functionality within a course allows for analysis of grading patterns – statistics, charts and graphs – by course, learning objective, etc., in addition to statistical analysis of performance on individual questions or unit learning objectives – mean, median, percentile, standard deviation, etc.