Abstract
The issue of quality is becoming front and centre as online distance education moves into the mainstream of higher education. Many believe collaborative course development is the best way to design quality online courses. This research uses a case study approach to probe into the collaborative course development process and the implementation of quality standards at a Canadian university. Four cases are presented to discuss the effects of the faculty member/instructional designer relationship on course quality, as well as the issues surrounding the use of quality standards as a development tool. Findings from the study indicate that the extent of collaboration depends on the degree of course development and revision required, the nature of the established relationship between the faculty member and designer, and the level of experience of the faculty member. Recommendations for the effective use of quality standards using collaborative development processes are provided.
Highlights
The issue of quality is becoming front and centre as online and distance education moves into the mainstream of higher education (Sloan Consortium, 2004)
In each of the four cases selected for the study, an instructional designer worked with a faculty member to create and implement a collaborative process for using the quality standards to design and review an online course
The small sample size allowed an in-depth look into the course development process and the working relationship a faculty member forged with an instructional designer
Summary
The issue of quality is becoming front and centre as online and distance education moves into the mainstream of higher education (Sloan Consortium, 2004). Recent studies have determined that regarding students’ academic performance, online learning can be as effective as face-to-face learning and, in some cases, more effective (Sachar & Neumann, 2010; Tsai, 2009; U.S Department of Education, 2009) Despite these promising and illuminating findings, universities and colleges that offer online programs must reassure various stakeholders, including learners, that engaging in online studies will be an effective and rewarding learning experience and that they will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge a particular program promises to deliver. All faculty members, including contract instructors, are supported by instructional designers in a centrally operated unit called the Centre for Teaching and Educational Technologies (CTET) This means each course must be designed and developed under the guidance of an academic lead and an instructional designer to ensure alignment with program outcomes and the university-wide instructional design quality standards, compiled and published by CTET in 2004 (Chao, Saj, & Tessier, 2004; see Appendix A). These standards consist of criteria related to learning outcomes and instructional strategies
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