Quality Standard 7: Course Design and Development
Scope:
A course is a component of a broader programme of study. The course content is underpinned by research. The course material clearly presents objectives and learning outcomes, content, approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, learner support and the use of technology. There is a clearly documented process of developing and reviewing courses and as much as possible, course development is a team effort. Where eLearning courses are involved, there is appropriate design of content to facilitate effective learning.Summary of Standard Criteria
- The courses are designed according to the stated programme objectives.
- There are guidelines for instructional design and development and the guidelines are followed.
- Course design takes into consideration and incorporates recent advances in educational technology.
- Courses are designed based on learner-centered principles.
- Creative and critical thinking, independent and lifelong learning, and interpersonal communication and teamwork are encouraged.
- Instructional design recognizes diversity of learners’ learning contexts and learning preferences, and ensures realistic scheduling of activities.
- Instructional design enables assessment of learning against stated learning outcomes.
- Complete instructional and learning packages demonstrate the appropriate scope, sequence, and depth of each course in relation to the stated learning objectives and outcomes.
- A variety of learning activities is provided to encourage active, collaborative learning and self-assessment.
- The course development process incorporates a range of relevant expertise.
- Quality assurance and management procedures are in place to ensure the quality of course materials and their timely production processes.
- Mechanisms exist for clear collaboration, agreement for adoption and adaptation of course materials and delivery amongst national, regional, and international bodies.
Quality Assurance Evaluation
Performance Measure Keys:
- 0: Fails to meet criterion
- 1: Unsatisfactory
- 2: Marginal
- 3: Good
- 4: Excellent
| Criteria Standards | Performance Indicators | Sources of Evidence | Performance Measure | Motivation/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 The course is coherent and contributes towards the achievement of the stated programme outcomes. | 7.1.1 Course design takes into account national and international priorities, and the needs of prospective learners and other stakeholders. | Course materials, which hereinafter include course outlines, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff, professional accrediting bodies, governments, and employers. National Qualifications Framework (NQF) |
0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.1.2 Courses reflect current developments and knowledge in the relevant field of study. | Course materials, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and employers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.1.3 The design of individual courses contributes to achieving the overall programme objectives. | Programme and course objectives and course materials. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.2 There are instructional design guidelines which are used in the design and development of courses. | 7.2.1 Templates for effective instructional design and efficient course development are approved. | Course templates and course materials. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.2.2 Staff involved in instructional design and development receive prior training on the approved templates and formats | Minutes for the course planning and course design committees, interaction with staff and course developers, training materials and feedback data. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.3 Course design takes into consideration recent advances in technology to support learners. | 7.3.1 The choice of media (technology) is appropriately integrated in the course design. | Teaching and Learning Policy Course materials, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. Technology profiles of the institutions, stock books, user records. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.3.2 Course design reflects institutional policy on ICT for learning. | Course materials, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, Corporate Plan. ICT policy | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.3.3 The choice of media and technology takes into account the range of media and infrastructural support that the institution can make available to its learners. | Course materials, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, Discussion with students and staff. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.3.4. Communication strategies with learners use technologies that are most accessible to the learners such as the internet, mobile phone, telephone, television and radio. | Technology profiles of the institutions, stock books, user records, information packages or brochures, interaction with teachers, staff and students. Feedback of students, students’ profiles including access to technology, institutional data base, interaction with students and teachers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.4 Courses are designed based on learner-centered principles. | 7.4.1 Course design considers teaching/learning strategies, and methods, learner activities, and appropriate ICTs | Course materials, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students and staff | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.4.2 The teaching/learning methods are consciously planned and monitored keeping in view different learner abilities and needs. | Course materials, information package, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.4.3 The teaching /learning strategies are clearly stated and explained in the course material. | Course materials, information package, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.5 Courses are designed to promote creative and critical thinking, independent and lifelong learning and the development of interpersonal communication skills. | 7.5.1 Learning activities are designed to contribute to the development of creative and critical thinking | Course materials, information package, assessment and evaluation scheme, assignments and question papers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.5.2 Learning activities encourage interpersonal communication and teamwork | Course materials, information package, assessment and evaluation scheme, assignments and question papers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.6 Instructional design recognizes diversity of learners and their contexts and ensures realistic scheduling of activities. | 7.6.1 The instructional design template takes into account the profile of the learners and provides a variety of activities that accommodate different learning styles, circumstances and preferences. | Course materials, information package, interaction with students, staff and course developers, research studies on student feedback. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.6.2 Scheduling of activities addresses the needs of distance learners and their access to technology and other facilities. | Course materials, information package, year planner, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.7 Assessment strategy enables assessment of learning against stated learning outcomes | 7.7.1 Assessment is designed to measure achievement of e-learning outcomes in terms of defined criteria. | Course materials, information package, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. Results of development testing. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.7.2 There are clear statements on the e-learning outcomes to be assessed. | Policy documents information package M.I.S, Interactive with Learners | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.8 Complete instructional and learning packages demonstrate the appropriate scope, sequence and depth of each course in relation to the stated learning objectives and outcomes. | 7.8.1 The instructional package is comprehensive and contains a learner friendly description of the syllabus, course plans, learning outcomes assessment and evaluation details, credit hours, teaching/learning strategies, completion requirements, multimedia, supplementary learning resources, interactive course activities, community building activities and assessments. | Instructional package, interaction with students and teachers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.8.2 The learning package includes all guidelines to LMS and annual calendar of activities. | LMS, academic calendar | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.8.3 The instructional package is available on-line and off-line to all registered learners and staff prior to the course offering. | Instructional package, interaction with students and teachers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.8.4 The instructional package is evaluated and updated regularly through a systematic review process. | Instructional package, interaction with students and teachers, institutional data base, minutes of review committees. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.9 A variety of learning activities is provided in the course to encourage active and collaborative learning, and self-assessment. | 7.9.1 Appropriate learning strategies (such as experiential learning, collaborative learning and personal learning) are included in the course. | Teaching and learning Policy Course materials, information package, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. Course outlines Study guides |
0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.9.2 Self-assessment activities are included | Minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with staff and course developers, Course outlines Study guides |
0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7. 10 The course development process incorporates a range of relevant expertise, especially in online courses. | 7.10.1 Courses are developed with contributions from experts in the academic subject area, instructional design in course delivery, artificial intelligence and others | Course materials, information package, year planning, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with students, staff and course developers. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.10.2 Course development plans detail the processes, timelines, finance, infrastructural requirements, resources and roles and responsibilities of people involved. | Minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with staff and course developers, training materials and feedback data. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.11 Quality assurance and management procedures are in place to ensure the quality of course materials. | 7.11.1 Roles and responsibilities for quality assurance in course materials design, development and production are clearly specified | Quality Assurance Procedure(s) Course policy documents and approval records |
0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.11.2 Technical and production standards in course design, development and production are clearly specified | Quality/Assurance Framework; Course Development plans | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.11.3 The course materials developed are pilot-tested and quality assured with reference to the objectives and outcomes of the programme and learners’ needs prior to field release. | Minute of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with staff and course developers and feedback data, evidence for editing, moderating, peer-review, pilot testing feedback and modification. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.11.4 The institution obtains regular feedback from tutors and students on the course materials, with reference to their user - friendliness, appropriateness and effectiveness. | Various formats for feedback, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with tutors.
Student feedback |
0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.11.5 The feedback is always used in improving the course materials and assuring their quality. | Various formats for feedback, data base, minutes of the course planning and course design committees, interaction with tutors, staff and course developers, comparison of course materials before and after feedback. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.12 Where necessary, mechanisms exist for clear collaboration, agreement for adoption and adaptation of course materials and delivery amongst national, regional and international bodies. | 7.12.1 There are MOUs/MOAs with national, regional and international bodies to share quality materials which demonstrate good practice in course design, development, delivery and review of materials. | Policy documents, MOUs, minutes of course development committees, executive bodies and interaction with staff and management. | 0 1 2 3 4 | |
| 7.12.2 The institution has linkages with national, regional and international agencies to exchange expertise for content development and delivery methods. | Policy documents, MOUs, minutes of course development committees, executive bodies and interaction with staff and management. | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.12.3 There are clear provisions for contracting out e-learning course development with specific clauses for their evaluation, modifications and enhancements | Policy documents, MOU/MOA,M.I.S | 0 1 2 3 4 | ||
| 7.12.4 Clear allocation of quality management of responsibility exist for all programmes and courses offered in partnership with other institutions/organisations, nationally, regionally and internationally. | Quality assurance and management policy and procedures; partnership agreements | 0 1 2 3 4 |