Course Reviews
Course reviews should be a regular part of your instructional practices. Reviewing your course helps ensure it is a high quality course to promote student learning and teaching effectiveness. Course reviews can be conducted during the course design process, before the semester starts, or during the semester to gauge how the course is functioning and troubleshoot any issues. Course reviews conducted after the semester can provide can identify needed revisions and updates for future semesters.
Tip - Keep notes during the semester to self-assess how a course is going. Notes can include things you want to change or need updating, ideas for future content or assessments, documents that may need updating, and feedback from students or other resources (think Faculty Development Center).
Some things to consider during any type of course review include:
- Learning outcomes - Are the learning outcomes the same as on the course charter? Are they clear and measurable? Do they align with the content and assessments?
- Content - Is the content accurate and up-to-date? Is it presented in a clear, consistent, and engaging way? Is there various methods of presentation (UDL)?
- Accessibility - Is the content accessible to ALL learners?
- Activities/Assessments - Do the activities and assessments align with the learning outcomes? Are they challenging yet attainable? Are there various types of activities/assessments (UDL)? Do students have some choice in types or ways of engaging with the activities/assessments (UDL)? Are they authentic activities/assessments?
- Engagement - Is the instructor engaged with the students? Are there opportunities for the students to engage with each other? Is feedback timely, constructive, and specific to scaffold learning?
National organizations such as Quality Matters and the Online Learning Consortium conduct formal course reviews. UMA's Distance Course Development Grant process was designed based on aspects of both organizations but adapted to be specific to UMA. In addition to the types of course reviews on subsequent pages there is the option to apply for a UMA Course Development Grant. A page specifically dedicated to the supports LXD's can provide, including the Course Development Grant describes the process, which was designed based on aspects of both national organizations but adapted to be specific to UMA.
