CLRN Publishes 100th Online Course Review

This was posted in the iNACOL forums in the past few days…

CLRN is proud to announce our 100th online course review. Beginning with a complete review of the course’s Common Core or CA content standards, our reviews also include iNACOL’s standards for quality online courses. Read more about our review project here, and view our online course reviews here.

Read more about our review project here

view our online course reviews here

Personally, I’d be interested in seeing some of the empirical data on the inter-rater reliability of the instrument, not to mention an expert review and research literature validation.  But that’s just me, I’m a stickler for using reliable and valid instruments to begin with…

EDTECH597 – Discussion Entry: Do Practitioners Care About Research?

On Monday, in my EDTECH597 – Week 4 entry, I indicated that today I would post a discussion entry to model for my Boise State students. I described a discussion entry as an entry that is ” exactly as it sounds, entries designed to generate discussion. Typically they are self-contained and have a short introduction to give the reader some context and then attempt to pose an open-ended question. Some bloggers will base their discussion question on something they have read or a current event. The main thing to remember about a discussion question entry is that it is designed to generate conversation among the readers of your blog.”

The topic I wanted to ask about today is whether K-12 online learning practitioners care about research or if they are simply looking for things that they can implement?  I ask this question with all sincerity.

A while back I remember seeing someone post a link to a rubric for a high quality online course in one of the iNACOL forums or their LinkedIn Group or Twitter or somewhere.  The tool was met with positive reaction, even though I can find no research to support its construction or research supporting its validation.  Similarly, I have criticized the iNACOL national standards on many occasions for the exact same research – a total lack of research to support the “standards” and no research to validate the “standards.”

At almost every Virtual School Symposium I have attended, I have witnesses the iNACOL leadership misuse the research (often indicating that the research says one thing, when it in fact says the exact opposite) – usually to cheers from the crowd in attendance.

As the vast majority of the readers of this blog are practitioners, I ask in all sincerity…

Does research into K-12 online learning matter in your practice or are you just interested in tools and strategies regardless of its validity?

Attn: K-12 Educators: The QM Program Needs YOU

This showed up in my inbox overnight.

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Quality Matters Program A National Benchmark for Online Course Design March Highlights We Need You G6-12 Rubric Hallmarks Quick Links Register Now Online Calendar Workshop Descriptions Subscriptions More On Us  QM in Education Week Learn More K-12 Educators: The QM Program Needs You! Quality Matters Program Needs Trainers and Peer Reviewers. QM is looking to certify QM G6-12 Trainers and Peer Reviewers to support the full roll out of the G6-12 QM Program. Here’s who can participate: K-12 Online teachers, instructional designers, and teacher education faculty who wish to play a central role in the dissemination of research supported best practices in online course design by becoming QM certified trainers and certified reviewers for the Grades 6-12 Quality Matters Rubric. Both trainers and reviewers receive stipends for their work. Eligibility Requirements: QM Trainers: To be eligible for certification as a G6-12 trainer, K-12 personnel must have taught or developed an online or blended course during the previous 18 months or participate in teacher education programs.  QM certified trainers will have successfully completed the G6-12 APPQMR and the Grades 6-12 Reviewer Certification Workshop as well as the QM New Trainer’s Program.  We are looking for new trainers beginning August of 2011.  For more information about becoming a QM certified G6-12 trainer, contact Deb Adair. QM Course Reviewers: To be eligible for certification as a G6-12 course reviewer, K-12 personnel must have taught or developed an online or blended course during the previous 18 months.  Certified higher education peer reviewers may also qualify to be dually certified, if they have prior K-12 teaching experience, have taught dual enrollment courses, or participate in teacher education programs. Participants must successfully complete the G6-12 APPQMR and the Grades 6-12 Reviewer Certification Workshop. Upon successful completion, participants will be certified as G6-12 course reviewers and posted by QM. Creating a National Database QM is looking to build our national database of certified G6-12 peer reviewers immediately.  Below is scheduling and registration information. Participants may be awarded one (1) Continuing Education Unit on successful completion of the assignments and quizzes in some of the trainings. Be sure and check the descriptions. Questions? email QM At A Glance Schedule. Read the online Schedule and Course Descriptions Workshop Title: (G6-12 IYOC) Improving Your Online Course Dates: March 10, April 14, May 19 Workshop Title: (G6-12 APPQMR) Applying the G6-12 Rubric Dates: March 31 Workshop Title: (G6-12 DYOC) Designing Your Online Course Dates: April 7, June 21 Workshop Title: (G6-12 RCW) Grades 6-12 Reviewer Certification Workshop Dates: April 28 Registration Information Register Online. View the online calendar. The link: https://k12.qmprogram.org/qmresources/registration/index.cfm Introductory Fees and Subscription Information Fees are $225 per participant. For QM program subscribers, fee is $150. G6-12 RCW is $50 per participant. $90 for non-subscribers. View course descriptions and fees. Access to the web-based Rubric and savings on QM trainings is available with a QM subscription.Questions? email subscriptions. Hallmarks of the Grades 6-12 (G6-12) QM Rubric: Integrating National Standards and Best Practices in K-12 Online Education The G6-12 Rubric has been created to address the need for a set of standards that is specific to guide the development, enhancement, and evaluation of online and blended courses for middle and high school students.  The G6-12 Rubric integrates existing national standards for K-12 online education promulgated by: The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) The North American Council for Online Learning (iNACOL) The Partnership for 21st Century Skills The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) At the core of the Quality Matters Grades 6-12 Program is the fully annotated Quality Matters Rubric, the centerpiece of a continuous improvement model for assuring the quality of online courses through a faculty peer review process. The Grades 6-12 Edition of the Quality Matters Rubric is a set of nine general standards used to evaluate the design of online and blended courses. General Standard 1: Course Overview and Introduction The overall design of the course is made clear to the student at the beginning of the course. General Standard 2: Learning Objectives Learning objectives are clearly stated and explained. They assist students in focusing their effort in the course. General Standard 3: Assessment and Measurement Assessment strategies use established ways to measure effective learning, evaluate student progress by reference to stated learning objectives, and are designed to be integral to the learning process. General Standard 4: Resources and Materials Instructional materials are authoritative, up-to-date and appropriately chosen for the level of the course. General Standard 5: Learning Activities Meaningful interaction between the teacher and students, among students, and between students and course materials is employed to motivate students and foster intellectual commitment and personal development. General Standard 6: Course Technology Course navigation features and the technology employed in the course foster student engagement and ensure access to instructional materials and resources. General Standard 7: Learner Support The course facilitates student access to institutional services essential to student success. General Standard 8: Accessibility The face-to-face and online course components are accessible to all students. General Standard 9 – Compliance Standards This section of the rubric is optional and may be tailored to particular requirements or mandates at the state or local level. These requirements may deal with subject matter standards, inclusion of specific information in the course outline or syllabus, mandated communications, etc. The G6-12 Applying the QM Rubric APPQMR workshop is appropriate for teachers, teacher education programs, instructional designers, administrators and regulators who wish to understand more about research supported best practices and mandates required by state and local governments. The Rubric and training opportunities can be used for professional development, curriculum development, quality assurance for current courses and evaluation of instructional design practices. Integrating National Standards and Best Practices The award-winning Quality Matters (QM) Program is a teacher-administrator centered, peer review process that is designed to certify the quality of online and blended courses. The Quality Matters Grades 6-12 Rubric integrates existing national standards for K-12 online education promulgated by The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), The North American Council for Online Learning (iNACOL), The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Quality Assurance. Continuous Improvement. Faculty Development. March 2, 2011   Questions? E-mail Quality Matters

Quality Matters | 1997 Annapolis Exchange Pkwy | Suite 300 | Annapolis | MD | 21401

Ten Week Online Course For High School Students

This message was sent out over IT Forum about two weeks ago (and I apologize for just getting around to this now – too much travel I believe).

I am working with a university to convert what is currently a 3-week residential course for highschoolers (15 – 18 yr) into a 10-week online course (to be conducted during the school year).  With the current amount of content we are looking at 8 hrs of required student time/week with 1.5 – 2 hours of synchronous events per week (held on Saturdays only).  I have no experience with designing a course for highschool students….if you do, what has been your experience with them?  Is 8 hr/wk too much to expect (note: the audience typically consists of academically elite students) during the school year?  Is 1.5 – 2 hours of synchronous event time on 10 successive Saturdays too much to expect?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Without responding to the specific questions, I wanted to provide some general advice first.  In terms of course design there are a variety of resources that I could point to…