Sloan-C Quality Score Card

Quality Standards and Organizational Self-Assessment for Distance Learning and Continuing

Education Organizations

Kim A. Scalzo, Director

SUNY Center for Professional Development

Alexandra M. Pickett, Associate Director

SUNY Learning Network

SLOAN-C Quality Scorecard

• Quality of online education is always in question.

• How do we determine online program quality?

Kaye Shelton, Ph.D. former Dean of Online Education for Dallas Baptist University and currently Associate Professor, Educational Leadership, Lamar University.

SLOAN-C Quality Scorecard

Institute for Higher Education Policy National Education Association report, Quality On the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education (2000) http://www.ihep.org/Publications/publications-detail.cfm?id=69

• Identified 24 benchmarks that are essential to ensure quality in Internet-based distance education.

• These 24 IHEP standards were used as the starting point for the study that resulted in the SLOAN-C award-winning and endorsed Quality Scorecard.

Quality Scorecard Development Process

• Delphi Research method was used.

• Panel of experts was identified by Sloan-C and consisted of online education administrators in higher education.


Results of process - 9 areas of quality/70 indicators

• Quality Institutional Support • Technology Support • Course Development and Instructional Design • Course Structure • Teaching and Learning • Faculty Support • Student Support • Evaluation and Assessment

Implementing the SLOAN-C Quality Scorecard

• Online interactive scorecard: http://sloanconsortium.org/node/add/scorecard-online-program

• Your institution must be a member of Sloan-C.

• Available to SLN education members. http://wiki.sln.suny.edu/display/SLNED/Sloan-C+Institutional+Membership+Benefits

• Paper version:http://sloanconsortium.org/quality_scorecard_online_program

• Free available to anyone.

Quality Scorecard: Guidelines for Scoring9 areas of quality/70 indicators

• 0 points = Not Observed. The administrator does not observe any indications of the quality standard in place.

• 1 point = Insufficiently Observed. The administrator has found a slight existence of the quality standard in place. Much improvement is still needed in this area.

• 2 points = Moderate Use. The administrator has found there to be moderate use of the quality standard. Some improvement is still needed in this area.

• 3 points = Meets Criteria Completely. The administrator has found that the quality standard is being fully implemented and there is no need for improvement in this area.

Quality Scorecard: Guidelines for Scoring9 areas of quality/70 indicators

• A perfect score = 210 points. • 90-99% = 189-209 - Exemplary (little improvement is needed) • 80-89% = 168-188 - Acceptable (some improvement is

recommended) • 70-79% = 147-167 - Marginal (significant improvement is needed in

multiple areas) • 60-69% = 126-146 - Inadequate (many areas of improvement are

needed throughout the program) • 59% and below = 125 pts and below - Unacceptable

Quality Scorecard: Guidelines for Scoring

Category 1: Institutional Support

Quality Scorecard Indicators of Institutional Support:

1. Governance structure enables decision making.2. Student authentication policies.3. IP policy - Copyright ownership policy for course

materials.4. Communication of strategic value of online education.

11

Implementing the SLOAN-C Quality Scorecard

Example Justification Comments in the Category of Institutional Support:

Category 2: Technology Support

Quality Indicators of Technology Support:

1. There is a technology plan with security measures in place.

2. Technology delivery is reliable and there is a process system task benchmarking for the servers.

3. There is a central support system for infrastructure.4. Online course delivery is considered mission critical –

such as a commitment to 24X7 hour uptime.5. A backups system is in place.6. The development and the use of new technologies is

supported.

22

Category 3: Course Dev & ID

33 Quality Indicators of Course Development & Instructional Design:

1. Minimum standards for design and development are in place.

2. Technology used as a tool to support learning outcomes – not just there for bells and whistles.

3. There is a systematic process for the review of course materials.

4. Courses designed to meet learning outcomes.

5. The course learning outcomes are measurable.

6. Appropriate assessments are designed for the course and the audience. For example, it would be difficult for an 18 year old to complete an assignment based on work experience the corporate world but appropriate for an adult learner.

Category 3: Course Dev & ID - continued

33 Quality Indicators of Course Development & Instructional Design:

7. Courses are student-centered.8. Courses across the program have a consistent design/navigation.9. Courses are designed for faculty-student engagement.10. The program has a process to evaluate and recommend emerging

technologies.11. There is instructional design support for effective online pedagogy

provided to the instructor.12. Faculty have responsibility for curriculum.

Category 4: Course Structure

44 Quality Indicators of Course Structure:

1. Students have access to an online course syllabus that details all aspects of the course & requirements prior to registration.

2. Online students have access to learning resources such as library, writing center, labs, etc.

3. Grading expectations and assignment instructions are provided. 4. Access to technical support for students is clearly provided in the

course.5. Course materials are easy to access and to use.6. The course adequately addresses special needs students. 7. Student to student collaboration is encouraged, supported, and

technically facilitated in course activities, assignments, etc.8. Consistent document formats used to present course content/share

content.

Category 5: Teaching & Learning

55 Quality Indicators of Teaching and Learning:

1. Student-student and faculty-student interaction is facilitated.

2. Faculty provide effective, engaging and timely feedback.3. Effective research methods are taught. 4. Library support is provided.5. Instructor presence is demonstrated in specific, deliberate,

and effective ways.

Category 6: Social & Student Engagement

66 Quality Indicators of Social and Student Engagement:

1. Students are provided a common space for student interaction outside the course.

Category 7: Faculty Support

77 Quality Indicators of Faculty Support:

1. Technical assistance is provided for both online course development and delivery.

2. Faculty development and support is provided. 3. Faculty understand Fair Use, ethical issues, and guidelines

for plagiarism.4. Ongoing professional development is provided to

continuously improve online teaching and learning. 5. Standards are established for faculty regarding online

teaching expectations. 6. Workshops are provided for faculty in the use of emerging

technologies.

Category 8: Student Support

88 Quality Indicators of Student Support:

1. Students can determine if they will be successful online.2. Minimum technology and skills standards are provided.3. Clear program information is provided.4. Student receive training and information on how to access

and use library materials and resources.5. Technical assistance is provided.6. There is a process in place to collect and address student

questions, problems, bugs, feedback, etc. 7. Students are provided academic, personal, & career

counseling.

Category 8: Student Support - continued


8. Minimum requirements for tech skills and equipment are established and made available to students.

9. Support services such as advising, financial aid help, payment services, peer support are provided.

10. Services are provided for students with disabilities. 11. Course material information including (ISBN) numbers are

provided at the time of registration.12. Support services are tailored and provided specifically for the

online student. 13. engagement w/ prog./institution is facilitated at a distance.

Category 8: Student Support - continued


14.Students are instructed in appropriate netiquette. 15.Technology changes are supported.16.Tutoring is available.17.Students are instructed on how to get help when needed.

Category 9: Student Support

99 Quality Indicators of Evaluation and Assessment:

1. There are specific standards for online program evaluation.2. A variety of data is captured for continuous programmatic

improvement.3. There is a clear regular and systematic process for the

evaluation of learning outcomes at both course and program levels.

4. Faculty and student support services are systematically assessed.

5. Course and program retention is assessed.

Quality Indicators of Evaluation and Assessment:

6. Recruitment and retention are reviewed. 7. The program demonstrates ADA compliance.8. Course evaluations are taken into account in faculty

performance evaluations. 9. Faculty performance is regularly assessed. 10. Learning outcomes align from course to course. 11. Student feedback is collected and reviewed.

99Category 9: Student Support - continued

Questions about the SLOAN-C Quality Scorecard

1. How is this different from Quality Matters?

QM is a course design rubric that focuses only on the instructional design of an online course, the scorecard examines the entire online program.

2. How does it fit in with the Sloan-C 5 pillars?

The quality standards for the scorecard clearly fall into those same 5 pillars in the Sloan-C Quality Framework of learning effectiveness, access, faculty and student satisfaction, and scale.


3. Can I use the scorecard freely without constraints?

The scorecard is free to use. To use the interactive scorecard on the website, you must be a Sloan-C

institutional member. SLN education members have an affiliated membership that gives them

access to Sloan-C resources as a benefit of membership in SLN.

4. What if I already have a list of standards that I use?

The scorecard should mesh with other standards easily. The Sloan-C pillars of quality aligned easily.


5. Can I give the scorecard to others?

Yes, share the link http://tinyurl.com/qualitysc

6. Will my information in the interactive scorecard public?

Private, the information you provide will not be shared.

7. Why is the scorecard input-based and not output?

The scorecard offers broad goals for outputs, but focuses on things administrators can influence.

Thank You!

Sloan-C Quality Score Card

Education

Transcript of Sloan-C Quality Score Card