Checklist for quality online instruction: outcomes for learners, the professor and the institution

College Student Journal, June, 2003 by Marianne C. Bickle, Jan C. Carroll

The purposes of this paper are to examine the evolution of online instruction and to describe the outcomes to tools made in relation to the learners, instructor and department at a midsize university. Multiple differences are identified with online instruction compared to resident instruction. First, the learner populations are more diverse. Second, their familiarity with the use of computers and WebCT[R] varied significantly. Third, the traditional triangular interaction of instructor, learner, and content is more complicated with the introduction of technology, software, and, communication complicated the teaching environment. The application of twenty-four tools as they related to the learner, professor, content, technology, software, and communication resulted in the enhancement of teaching methods in online and resident instruction. The outcomes of quality of online instruction through the use of tools resulted in benefiting the learner, professor, and department at a midsize university.

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The majority of two- and four-year college and universities across the United States are developing and delivering online courses (Davey, 1998). Many learners take core requirements at community colleges that transfer to an accredited four-year university after their sophomore year. Online courses offer learners supplemental courses in preparation for attending a university.

Online learning provides a diverse group of people the opportunity to participate in higher education (Davey, 1998). The background of online learners may vary significantly among resident classroom learners, professionals in the community, and professionals who travel for their jobs. Resident instruction classroom learners may take a course online for a variety of reasons including a busy work schedule, time conflicts, and closed on-campus course due to full enrollment. Professionals anywhere may take an online course to strengthen their skills and/or build their portfolios.

The purpose of this paper is to describe tools that assisted in establishing high quality online instruction of a Merchandising Certificate Series (MCS) at Colarado State University (CSU) (http://www.learn.colostate.edu/csun/). In addition to the typical triangular interaction in resident classroom instruction among the learner, instructor and content, online courses have two sets of interacting triangles. The first triangle consists of the learner, instructor, and content. The second triangle consists of technology, software and methods of communication (Hanna, Glowacki, Dudka & Concericao-Runleee, 2000) (see figure 1). This triangle represents the interaction that makes online learning a quality educational experience. A secondary purpose of the paper is to describe the positive outcomes for online learners, the instructor of a MCS, and the academic unit at a midsize university for using online education.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Most users of personal computers at one time or another (some more than others) will accidentally sabotage their online efforts by pressing the wrong computer key. This errant keystroke may, make the day seem like the worst day of the course, thereby also sabotaging the desire to take another online course in the future. In order to minimize such days, activities were built into the online courses in the MCS that 1) taught learners how to become proficient in using the technology, 2) allowed for human error while accepting responsibility for one's actions, and 3) provided encouragement to continue this course and other online courses.

According to the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985), consumers "perceived ease or difficulty of performing a behavior is essential to whether or not the behavior will be carded out". It may be assumed that learners who are familiar with online courses or at least comfortable with using the Internet with be more prone to and eager to study via online curriculum. In resident classroom learning, variables include the learner, instructor, and content. Online learning however, becomes far more complex due to the addition of technology (e.g., user knowledge, breakdown), software, and communication (e.g., despite someone's statement "I have good communication skills", it is difficult to communicate when people are in different rooms, buildings, and/or states) (Hanna, Glowacki-Dudka, & Conceicao-Runlee, 2000).

Online Merchandising Certificate Series: Case study.

The MCS offered at CSU consists of three courses offered through the Division of Educational Outreach (DEO). The courses include AM 270 Merchandising Processes, DM 300 Customer Sales & Retail Strategies, and DM 360 Retailing. The online courses were developed for two target markets: 1) industry personnel, namely retailers who desire to learn more about merchandising concepts and theory, and 2) learners nationwide who desire to earn university credit. The credits can be applied toward the Bachelor of Science degree in Apparel and Merchandising at CSU or used as general electives in other majors. Learners who take all three online courses earn a Merchandising Certificate from CSU. The courses are offered during fall, spring and summer semesters.