Department Chair Observation of Distance Education Courses: Summary Sheet

—FOR FACULTY USE ONLY—

 

Getting in to Observe a course

  1. Have the instructor add you as a Course Builder.
    • This is done from inside the course through the blue Course Management menu at the lower left of the Blackboard screen. In that blue menu, click:
    • Users and Groups > Users > Find Users to Enroll
    • Your username = YSU email address minus the “@ysu.edu” part.
  2. Log in to Blackboard

What Are You Looking For?

When you observe online, you see very nearly the whole course at once, rather than one or two classroom sessions. There’s too much to view it all ... so sample the course (some content, a few discussions, a few assignments, etc.).

Broadly speaking, look for:

  1. Content Items
    • Some variety:
    • Readings, web resources, audio or video lectures, PowerPoints, video demonstrations.
    • Generally 3+ types used.
    • Quality
      • Materials are substantive, have merit.
      • You know your discipline
        • What are the excellent materials?
        • Are we channeling students towards them?
  2. Interactive Items
    • Frequency of Use:
      • Give the course a lively, active feel, with a sense of personal connection.
      • Interactions can be used to teach as well as to assess.
    • Some Variety:
      • Discussions, quizzes, essays, papers, tests, student presentations, group work, synchronous interaction.
      • Generally 2+ types used.
  3. Clarity
    • Structure is clear and consistent.
    • Content is clearly written, spoken, or displayed:
      • Written items clear, use good grammar.
      • Any audio and video is recorded clearly
  4. Learning Objectives & Alignment
    • It's important for the instructor to define the goals of the class.
    • Can have objectives at course level and module.
    • Course level objectives are generally required.
    • Alignment: The rest of the class (content, assignments) is geared towards towards meeting the defined learning objectives.
      • If you’re aiming for “lower” levels of knowledge (factual information, comprehension), this means:
        • Readings, lectures, quizzes, exams.
      • If you’re aiming for “higher” levels of knowledge (application of concepts, analysis, synthesis):
        • Discussions, case studies, essays, student presentations.