Master Blueprint Course Policy – Albright College

Master Blueprint Course Policy

 

Policy Name Master Blueprint Online Courses
Policy Category Academic
Policy Approved By Vice President
Responsible Division Head or VP Provost
Responsible Department Digital Learning and Innovation
Responsible AVP or Director Assistant Dean for Online and Digital Learning
Original Policy Date 4/13/2021
Last Known Revision Date 11/20/2021
Current Policy Effective Date 2/7/2022
Recommended Policy Review Date 2/7/2024
Policy Applies To Faculty
Additional Authority/References None

 

POLICY PURPOSE

To maintain quality and consistency of all Albright College’s Asynchronous Online Courses.

BACKGROUND

The Albright College Office of Digital Learning and Innovation uses an internationally recognized rubric of quality standards and process of quality assurance for online and blended courses. Based on research, this rubric allows us to use a peer-based approach to continuous improvement in online course design and student learning.

Albright’s Course Evaluation Rubric provides our campus access to:

  • Faculty-centered continuous improvement models and networks for assuring the quality of online courses through peer review
  • Professional development workshops and certification courses for instructors and online learning professionals
  • Rubrics for applying quality standards to course design
  • A self-review tool to guide early design and revision
  • Ability to review courses through the Instructional Design team and Certified Peer Reviewers
  • The Higher Education Rubric provides a set of standards to guide faculty and instructional designers through the principles of quality online course design. Faculty who elect to have their courses undergo a rigorous, faculty-centered peer review process using the Rubric; courses which meet the standards are certified by Albright and listed at Albright Recognized Online Courses.

 

DEFINITIONS

TERM DEFINITION
Asynchronous Online Asynchronous learning happens on your schedule. While your course of study, instructor, or program will provide materials for reading, lectures for viewing, assignments for completing, and exams for evaluation, you can access and satisfy these requirements on your own schedule, so long as you meet the expected deadlines.
Master Blueprint Course The Learning Management System allows for a blueprint of a course to be created and automatically distributed to courses as they are placed from the College’s Student Information System.
Quality Matters Quality Matters is the global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments.

 

POLICY TEXT

When Quality Matters reviewed and recognized courses are developed and facilitated at Albright College, they follow the master course (blueprint) process listed below:

1.      Fully online (asynchronous) courses are loaded into the student information system by the Registrar’s Office

2.      The courses are then brought over to the learning management system automatically

3.      Each course receives the “blueprint” or copy of the master course in the live term shell

4.      Instructors of the course use the shell to teach the online course

The developer/instructor of the course is responsible for updating, maintaining, editing, facilitating and grading of the online course.  The developer/instructor is also responsible for keeping a list of all edits made during the course and notify a member of the Digital Learning and Innovation staff of those changes.  The changes will be reflected in the master course.

It is advisable that the developer (owner) of the course be the same person that teaches the course, but that is not required.  We ask that the instructor of the course be in contact with the designer of the course to make sure any changes will not affect the integrity and delivery of the course and be approved by the department who offers the course.

All edits to the master courses will be made in conjunction with a member of the Department of Digital Learning and Innovation to ensure course integrity and alignment with standards.

 

ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES LOCATION

Master Online Blueprint Courses Procedures

 

REVISION LOG

DATE OF REVISION MAJOR CHANGES

(Note:  electronic copies of the former versions of the policy must be maintained within the unit, department, or division)
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