Square Pegs in Round Holes: Evaluating Online Delivery for Course Quality

for program and website: With the expansion of online education, chairs and deans must formulate new strategies for evaluating online course development and instructional delivery. Four chairs (of Business, Education, Sports & Exercise Science, and Psychology Departments), and their dean, will share quality strategies for defining course criteria, developing quality course design, and delivering valued instruction. Presentation Objectives: 1. Provide a framework for assessing quality course evaluation 2. Discuss approaches to evaluating online faculty delivery 3. Examine how online development impacts online delivery Presentation Description: Have you asked yourself: (1) How do I effectively evaluate a faculty member’s online delivery? (2) How do I check for quality instruction within the online learning environment? (3) How do I measure online course development and delivery? (4) How can I provide online instructors with pedagogical, technical, and curriculum support? or (5) What are realistic quality performance expectations for online faculty? These questions are increasingly critical with the shift of traditional learning to online platforms. Online education allows learners improved flexibility and expanding options for continued education; however, this shift requires administration to adapt the means by which faculty are evaluated for their teaching efforts. Using face-to-face methods for evaluating online teaching is akin to hammering a square peg in a round hole; these pieces do not fit and fail to address unique dynamics specific to online education. An instructional evaluation tool designed for online education will help facilitate student engagement and allow faculty to connect teaching efforts with instructional competencies. Departments and schools will benefit by establishing clear strategies and standards for how online instruction should be provided. Instructional delivery evaluation tools can be effective and strategic methods for achieving positive student-instructor engagement as well as institutional growth. Aligning the faculty instructional development and delivery goals with the strategic goals of the department or school will help connect development/delivery expectations to a university’s larger strategic plan. Additionally, providing faculty with development and delivery expectations allow instructors to better meet teaching expectations. This presentation will examine key components of evaluating online design and delivery and discuss how to operationalize key components of online instructional evaluation including: (1) creating instructional guidelines; (2) developing meaningful discussions or peer-to-peer contact; (3) providing multiple levels of information, evaluation, and acknowledgement feedback to students; (4) establishing and effectively communicating assignment deadlines and expectations; (5) creating communication and teaching channels resulting in a positive learning community and interactive environment; and (6) valuing the diverse learning methods of students. Utilizing a design/delivery tool unique to the online environment will foster improved evaluation of online curriculum and the facilitation of quality instructional delivery.