Program Certification Candidacy: Online Program Design
The Annotated Program Criteria should be referenced in conjunction with the candidacy chart.
The Online Program Design Certification is for programs designed by QM-trained faculty or QM-trained instructional design staff in accordance with the relevant QM Rubric. Note the candidacy is broken into three phases, but activities from different phases may be completed at any point in the candidacy (and may be completed in less than three years) with the goal of establishing QM-trained faculty and staff and all online courses in the program being aligned with the QM Rubric. All activities, as evidenced with data and reports, will be completed by the end of the candidacy. A minimum of three years’ worth of data with context and explanation enables the program to be submitted for QM Program Review. Even if the phases are completed in less than three years, the review-ready reports at the end of Phase 3 should include three full years of data.
Criterion 1 – Measurable Learning Objectives or Competencies |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify and refine measurable program learning objectives or competencies, and take all necessary institutional steps for approval and implementation. |
Year 1 (preliminary) list of measurable learning objectives or competencies, by program |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Update with any modifications of program learning objectives. |
Year 2 (updated) list of measurable learning objectives, by program |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Update with any modifications of program learning objectives or competencies. |
Review-ready list of measurable learning objectives, by program |
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Criterion 2 – Alignment Between Program and Course/Module/Unit Learning Objectives or Competencies |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Map measurable course objectives or competencies in each online academic program to the relevant program objectives or competencies in all programs included in the candidacy. |
TA 1 - Year 1 Initial course-program objectives or competencies alignment maps for up to 5 programs that will be submitted for review |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - With all discrepancies reconciled, and all approvals in place, update or complete the mapping of course objectives to program objectives or competencies for all programs included in the candidacy. |
Year 2 Enhanced course-program objectives or competencies alignment maps, by program |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Update the maps for each program with any recent changes, and prepare the maps to be considered for Program Design Certification. |
Review-ready, 3-year course-program objectives or competencies alignment maps for up to 5 programs |
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Criterion 3 – QM Professional Development for Faculty and Staff |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify the needed resources, and put in place a 3-year plan with the goal of providing QM training for all online faculty (both full and part-time) and dedicated support staff and annual target training numbers. The plan should result in having sufficient qualified faculty to conduct any qualified internal course reviews. Note: A qualified internal course review uses QM tools and is conducted by a minimum of 2 reviewers who have completed either the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) or the Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) workshop, at least one of whom is also a QM-Certified Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer. |
TA 1 - 3-Year Professional Development Plan with specific targets for Phases 1, 2, and 3 of candidacy
TA 2 - Year 1 Professional Development Activity Report |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Continue implementing the 3-year QM Professional Development Plan for online faculty and dedicated support staff. Be sure to include newly hired or assigned individuals. Move to further QM training for instructors and staff who received basic QM training, such as the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric Workshop (APPQMR) or Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) in Phase 1. |
Year 2 Professional Development Activity Report |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Complete the 3-year plan to provide basic QM training to all online faculty and provide further QM training to instructors and staff who received basic training in Phase 1. Ongoing training should become a permanent feature of the online programs. |
Review-ready Professional Development Activity Report covering all 3 years of activity |
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Criterion 4 – Alignment of Course and Program Objectives or Competencies with QM Rubric |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify the needed resources, and put in place a plan to conduct official, qualified internal, and Preparatory Reviews over the 3 years of candidacy and beyond. Reviews should be conducted in all programs included in the candidacy for certification, but more detailed documentation should be assembled for the programs to be highlighted in the review for Program Design Certification. |
3-Year Course Review Plan with specific targets for Phases 1, 2, and 3 of candidacy
Year 1 Course Review Activity Report |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Continue with Phase 2 schedule of official, qualified internal, and Preparatory Reviews across all programs included in the candidacy. Include newly developed courses. Ongoing course reviews should become a permanent feature of the online programs. |
Year 2 Course Review Activity Report |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Continue with Phase 3 schedule of official, qualified internal, and Preparatory Reviews across all programs included in the candidacy. Include newly developed courses. Ongoing course reviews should become a permanent feature of the online programs. |
Review-ready, combined 3-year Course Review Activity Report |
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Program Certification Candidacy: Online Teaching Support
The Annotated Program Criteria should be referenced in conjunction with the candidacy chart.
The Online Teaching Support Certification is for programs that require all online faculty to undergo training in best practices for online course delivery, provide faculty with ongoing pedagogical support, encourage faculty professional development to increase their knowledge and skill in online teaching, emphasize instructor availability and feedback to learners, and collect and use feedback from learners to improve online teaching. Note the candidacy is broken into three phases, but activities from different phases may be completed at any point in the candidacy with the goal of establishing QM-trained faculty and staff. All activities, as evidenced with data and reports, will be completed by the end of the candidacy. A minimum of three years’ worth of data with context and explanation enables the program to be submitted for QM Program Review. Even if the phases are completed in less than three years, the review-ready reports at the end of Phase 3 should include three full years of data.
Criterion 1 – Required Training of Online Instructors Prior to Teaching Online |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify and describe policies for training of online instructors. |
TA 1 - Policies for training of online instructors
TA 2 - Syllabi for required training courses for instructors
TA 3 - Baseline data on current percentage of instructors, by online academic program, that have completed the training |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 – Report any modifications of policies regarding training of online instructors.
TA 2 – Report any revisions to syllabi of instructor training workshops and courses.
TA 3 – Update the percentage of instructors completing professional development. |
TA 1, 2 & 3 - Updated reports on policies for online instructor preparation, syllabi, and data on the percentage of instructors who have completed the training |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Report any modifications of policies regarding training of online instructors.
TA 2 – Report any revisions to syllabi of training workshops and courses.
TA 3 – Prepare 3-year report on percentage of instructors completing professional development, by online program.
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TA 1, 2 & 3 - Review-ready report on policies for online instructor preparation, syllabi, and data on the percentage of instructors who have completed the training |
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Criterion 2 – Ongoing Pedagogical Support |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Describe the institutional policies and services that address ongoing internal support for online instructors.
TA 2 - Document how the policies are being implemented.
TA 3 - Initiate any needed reforms to ensure full support of online instructors. |
TA 1 - Institutional policies and services internally supporting online instructors
TA 2 - Description of the way online instructors are using the ongoing support available to them |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 – Continue efforts to enhance the institutional policies and services to ensure support for online instructors.
TA 2- Update documentation on instructor usage of ongoing support. |
TA 1 - Report any revisions to policies and services
TA 2 - Year-2 report on the way online instructors are using the ongoing support available to them, by online program |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1– Continue efforts to enhance the institutional policies and services to ensure full support for online instructors. |
Review-ready report on the way online instructors are using the ongoing support available to them, by online program, over a 3-year period |
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Criterion 3 – Ongoing Professional Development |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 – Identify needed resources, and put in place a 3-year plan to provide ongoing professional development opportunities for online instructors with the goal of providing it for all interested online faculty (both full and part-time).
TA 2 - Implement Phase 1 of the plan for ongoing professional development. Begin tracking the number and percentage of online instructors who take advantage of these opportunities each year, by program. |
TA 1 - 3-Year Professional Development Plan with specific targets for Phases 1, 2, and 3 of candidacy
TA 2 - Year-1 ongoing Professional Development Activity Report |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Continue implementation of the 3-year Professional Development Plan for online instructors. |
Year 2 Professional Development Activity Report |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Complete a 3-year report on usage of professional development opportunities by online instructors in each included program. Ongoing professional development should become a permanent feature of online programs. |
Review-ready Ongoing Professional Development Activity Report for a 3-year period |
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Criterion 4 – Use of Learner Feedback to Improve Online Teaching and Availability of Online Instructors |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 – Identify the online learner feedback that is or should be collected annually.
TA 2 – Assure that online learner feedback instruments address (1) satisfaction with online teaching, (2) instructor availability, and (3) instructor responsiveness, and that this information is shared with instructors.
TA 3 – Begin tracking online teaching reforms that have been made based on learner feedback. |
TA 1 - Online learner feedback report on satisfaction with teaching, instructor availability, and instructor responsiveness
TA 2 & 3 - Process for sharing and acting on learner feedback |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 – Improve learner feedback collection and begin analysis and identification of multi-year trends.
TA 2 – Update any online teaching reforms that have been adopted. |
TA 1 -Year-2 learner feedback report and trend analysis
TA 2 - Summary of Online Teaching Reforms |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 – Continue improvement of learner feedback collection and analysis, if needed.
TA 2 – Prepare report with 3 years of learner feedback, analyzing the data to identify trends in learner satisfaction with online teaching and instructor availability, and summarizing any reforms that have been enacted. |
TA 2 - Review-ready, 3-year learner feedback report and trend analysis and a summary of any reforms that have been adopted as a result |
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Criterion 5 – Policies on Instructor Availability and Response Time |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 – Describe the current institutional policies on instructor availability and responsiveness to learners.
TA 2 – Review policies for possible modifications.
TA 3 – Incorporate questions on instructor availability and responsiveness to learners in annual learner survey (see criterion #4 above).
TA 4 – Develop a plan to factor learner feedback into institutional policy and practice. |
TA 1 - Current institutional policies with contextual explanation
TA 4 - Plan to incorporate learner feedback into policy review |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 – Modify institutional policies on instructor availability and responsiveness to learners where needed. Learner feedback (see criterion #4, above) should be factored into any modifications to policy. |
Report on any institutional policy changes |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 – Develop a 3-year report on instructor availability and response time policies, summarizing learner feedback, identifying any modifications of policy that have occurred during that time, and indicating the role of learner feedback in making changes. |
Review-ready, 3-year report on instructor availability and response time |
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Program Certification Candidacy: Online Learner Support
The Annotated Program Criteria should be referenced in conjunction with the candidacy chart.
The Online Learner Support Certification is for programs that provide all the critical student and academic services needed for learner success and use learner feedback to continuously improve those services. Note the candidacy is broken into three phases (or years), but activities from different phases may be completed at any point in the candidacy with the goal of establishing that critical learner support services are provided for online students and that these services are continuously improved. All activities, as evidenced with data and reports, will be completed by the end of the candidacy. A minimum of three years’ worth of data with context and explanation enables the program to be submitted for QM Program Review. Even if the phases are completed in less than three years, the review-ready reports at the end of Phase 3 should include three full years of data.
Criterion 1 – Remote Access to Services |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Collect and review statements of commitment to serving online learners and any supporting policies and documents explaining how online learners are supported by each of the following units or functions:
TA 2 – Review statements for thoroughness and consistency and recommend any needed changes. TA 3 – Develop or describe any existing planning process to address any gaps or deficiencies in learner support services. |
TA 3 - Learner Support Improvement Plan |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Update unit statements of commitment to serving online learners and any supporting policies and documents with any modifications of online learner support services for each unit or function previously identified. TA 2 – Report activity in addressing any gaps in service and closing them. |
TA 1 - Unit statements describing services and goals for supporting the online learner
TA 2 - Progress report on addressing gaps or deficiencies in learner support |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Update, refine, and finalize with any modifications of statements of commitment to serving online learners and any supporting policies and documents about online learner support services for each unit or function previously identified. TA 2 – Summarize changes in the planning process in place to address gaps in service and close them, and note any organizational changes that have resulted. |
TA 1 - Final unit statements of learner support
TA 2 - Review-ready 3-year report on improvements to learner support |
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Criterion 2 – Use of Learner Feedback |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Document the learner feedback data that is collected on the support of online learners for each of the following units or functions:
TA 2 – Document how feedback informs changes in |
TA 2 - Learner feedback data, analysis, and emerging recommendations for change |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Continue collecting and, if needed, refining the data that are collected on the support of online learners for each unit or function previously identified. |
TA 1 & 2 - Updated learner feedback data, analysis, and recommendations for change in the organization, policy, and practices of learner support services |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Assemble and review the past three years of learner feedback data and identify trends in learner satisfaction with the support they receive from each unit or function previously identified. |
TA 1 - Review-ready 3-year learner feedback data, analysis, and recommendations
TA 2 - Review-ready 3-year changes to online learner support organization, policy, and practices, based on learner feedback |
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Program Certification Candidacy: Online Learner Success
The Annotated Program Criteria should be referenced in conjunction with the candidacy chart.
The Online Learner Success Certification is for programs that are able to articulate a mission-driven definition of success for their learners that also meets the expectations of their external stakeholders and to demonstrate that their learners are achieving success at a high rate, based on external comparisons and benchmarks. Note the candidacy is broken into three phases, but activities from different phases may be completed at any point in the candidacy (and may be completed in less than three years) with the goal of establishing that learner success, as defined by the institution or program, is being achieved. All activities, as evidenced with data and reports, will be completed by the end of the candidacy. A minimum of three years’ worth of data with context and explanation enables the program to be submitted for QM Program Review. Even if the phases are completed in less than three years, the review-ready reports at the end of Phase 3 should include three full years of data.
Criterion 1 – Definition of Learner Success |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify or draft a definition of learner success for the up to 5 representative online programs included in the candidacy, consistent with the philosophy, history, mission, and goals of the institution and mindful of the available resources and characteristics of the learner population. |
Phase 1 (existing or preliminary) definitions of learner success, by program |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Update the definition of learner success for the online program(s) in the candidacy, to reflect any changes in institutional direction or learner population. |
Phase 2 (updated, if needed) definition of learner success, by program |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Update, refine, and finalize the definition of learner success for the online program(s) in the candidacy, to reflect any changes in institutional direction or learner population. |
Review-ready definitions of learner success and identified measures, by program, for up to 5 programs |
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Criterion 2 – Measurement of Learner Success |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Target Activity (TA) | Documentation | Mark Completed Notes |
| Phase 1/Year 1 |
TA 1 - Identify 3-5 measures of online learner success for up to 5 representative online programs included in the candidacy. Measures may require either hard date and/or surveys that demonstrate the extent to which learners are succeeding according to the definition of learner success. TA 2 - Initiate data collection on the 3-5 measures of online learner success (hard data and/or surveys) that demonstrate the extent to which learners are succeeding according to the definition of learner success.
TA 3 – Establish measures of substantial learner success by comparing each included program’s results with available benchmarks based on national data and research studies. |
TA 1 - Identification of 3-5 measures, by program
TA 3 – Year 1 Learner Success Data and Analysis Report |
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| Phase 2/Year 2 |
TA 1 - Refine program measures of online learner success based on year-1 data and benchmarks.
TA 2 – Continue collecting data on the 3-5 measures of online learner success. TA 3 – Continue analysis of program learner success data compared to benchmarks. Begin to identify trends. |
TA 3 – Year-2 Learner Success Data and Analysis Report |
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| Phase 3/Year 3 |
TA 1 - Complete 3-year data collection. TA 2 – Compile 3-year learner success report, analyzing the data, identifying trends and comparing results to external benchmarks to establish degree of learner success in up to 5 online programs. |
TA 2 - Review-ready 3-year Learner Success Data and Analysis Report |
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