Continuous Improvement Strategies for Advancing Quality Digital Learning

This workshop series introduces participants to the fundamental concept of quality within digital learning contexts through the exploration of leading-edge resources, research, standards, and practices for continuous improvement. Participants will complete a formal course review of an online or blended offering, identify areas for improvement at the course and/or program levels, and refine quality institutional implementation strategies. This offering supports a wide variety of campus stakeholders and will cover the following topics:

• Resources and approaches to online course evaluation and assessment
• Course redesign practices across modalities
• Equity-minded digital learning assessment
• Building buy-in and support for continuous improvement

While this workshop leverages the OLC Quality Scorecard Suite (covering the assessment of online course design, online teaching, blended course design and facilitation, administration of online programs, student success, and digital courseware), participants will engage these strategies in conjunction with other quality assurance tools, including the Quality Matters rubric.

Lastly, two tracks are offered within this service – a faculty experience and a train-the-trainer experience. The train-the-trainer experience includes the opportunity for this curriculum to be remixed and contextualized by institutional team members for future offerings from the institution.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the train-the-trainer course, participants will be able to:

• Leverage evidence-based techniques, resources, and tools to build culturally responsive and culturally relevant digital learning experiences
• Drive institutional buy-in and support for continuous improvement through training and mentorship opportunities for those who seek to operationalize quality digital learning using equity frameworks to support student success
• Champion equity-minded digital learning assessment by leveraging student analytics and employing strategies for engagement, accessibility, cultural relevance, and representation
• Facilitate course redesign initiatives across modalities utilizing frameworks and evaluation tools for assessing the equity and quality of online course design and instruction
• Provide thought leadership to address the challenges of endemic racial and socioeconomic inequities that persist within digital learning environments

Upon completion of the faculty course, participants will be able to:

• Leverage evidence-based techniques, resources, and tools to build culturally responsive and culturally relevant digital learning experiences
• Employ equity-minded digital learning assessment by leveraging student analytics and using strategies for engagement, accessibility, cultural relevance, and representation
• Complete course redesigns across modalities utilizing frameworks and evaluation tools for assessing the equity and quality of online course design and instruction
• Champion solutions to address the challenges of endemic racial and socioeconomic inequities that persist within digital learning environments

Intended Audience

This service is geared toward stakeholders of different roles and levels of expertise who contribute to the evaluation and continuous improvement of teaching and learning across modalities, including online, blended, hybrid, and digitally-enhanced face-to-face experiences. Participants may include, but are not limited to:

• Faculty
• Instructional Designers
• Librarians & Multimedia Specialists
• Academic Support Staff
• Program Coordinators/Directors

Depending on the expertise and professional responsibilities related to quality assurance procedures, participants will be recommended to participate in a train-the-trainer track or a faculty/designer track.

Service Format

The service consists of two tracks of instruction based on the participants’ role and level of experience:

• Train the Trainer Experience
  • Facilitated HyFlex kickoff (synchronous online offering with asynchronous option)
  • Facilitated asynchronous train-the-trainer workshop (with cohorts of 25 or less)
  • Facilitated synchronous participant showcase (with asynchronous option)
• Faculty/Designer Experience
  • Facilitated HyFlex kickoff (synchronous online offering with asynchronous option)
  • Self-paced asynchronous modules for faculty/staff (unlimited participants)
  • Light facilitation for self-paced modules initially offered by OLC initially then turned over to train-the-trainer completers at the institution
  • Asynchronous participant showcase celebrating the efforts and artifacts of the faculty/staff who complete this engagement

NOTE: The following components can be added to the core services listed above for either track:

• Formal course or program quality review
• Landscape analysis and recommendations report
• Institutional webinar series presenting findings from recommendations report
• Strategic consulting engagement

Service Length

• Train the Trainer Experience
  • 4 week asynchronous engagement per cohort
  • 5-10 contact hours per week
• Faculty/Designer Experience
  • Variable asynchronous experience depending on preference of participant
  • 2-5 contact hours per module