Course Quality Analysis
Specific Review Standards from the QM Higher Education Rubric, Sixth Edition
Course Overview and Introduction
1.1 Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components. 3/3
The navigation bar clearly labels where students can access course components. Additionally, the powerpoint on the main pages breaks down these categories.
1.2 Learners are introduced to the purpose and structure of the course. 3/3
1.3 Communication expectations for online discussions, email, and other forms of interaction are clearly stated. 1.5/2
These expectations are clearly stated, but you have to either click several slides into the powerpoint or over to the syllabus to find them.
1.4 Course and institutional policies with which the learner is expected to comply are clearly stated within the course, or a link to current policies is provided. 2/2
1.5 Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided. 1.5/2
Students know they are required to use digital tools and participate in online discussions as part of the hybrid course, but I could more clearly state that they need internet access through some sort of device for success in this course.
1.6 Computer skills and digital information literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated. 1/1
1.7 Expectations for prerequisite knowledge in the discipline and/or any required competencies are clearly stated. 1/1
I scored the course on a 1 for this, but since it is an intro course it really doesn’t require any prerequisites.
1.8 The self-introduction by the instructor is professional and is available online. .5/1
Since it is a hybrid course I chose to do my self-introduction in-person, but I do make my contact information available in the introductory powerpoint and at the top of the syllabus.
1.9 Learners are asked to introduce themselves to the class. .5/1
Once again, I’m prioritizing this as an in-person activity, but they are asked to introduce themselves to their discussion groups.
Learning Objectives (Competencies)
2.1 The course learning objectives, or course/program competencies, describe outcomes that are measurable. 3/3
Course learning objectives are described in multiple places on the website, and I feel this is one of its strengths.
2.2 The module/unit-level learning objectives or competencies describe outcomes that are measurable and consistent with the course-level objectives or competencies. 1.5/3
This could definitely use some work. While I do list specific readings, assignments, and activities with context, I could more clearly relate this back to the course-level objectives.
2.3 Learning objectives or competencies are stated clearly, are written from the learner’s perspective, and are prominently located in the course. 3/3
2.4 The relationship between learning objectives or competencies and learning activities is clearly stated. 1.5/3
I do attempt to this, but upon reflection I think I still might be able to do it more clearly–the activities are clearly described and connected back to the general course themes of DH but could be broken down further.
2.5 The learning objectives or competencies are suited to the level of the course. 3/3
I actually feel one of the biggest strengths of this Intro to DH course is that it is designed so the material can be picked up and attempted by anyone. The goal is tinkering and exploring rather than mastering these tools, so students can be exposed to a wide variety of tools and then focus more on certain areas as they move forward in other DH related courses.
Assessment and Measurement
3.1 The assessments measure the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. 3/3
3.2 The course grading policy is stated clearly at the beginning of the course. 2/3
I clearly break down the distribution of grades across assignments but I could more specifically describe a grading scale.
3.3 Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of learners’ work, and their connection to the course grading policy is clearly explained. 2/3
3.4 The assessments used are sequenced, varied, and suited to the level of the course. 2/2
3.5 The course provides learners with multiple opportunities to track their learning progress with timely feedback. 2/2
The course is structured as a hybrid so in-person class sessions can serve as workshops that will allow students to gather feedback from the instructor and peers at every stage of the course.
Instructional Materials
Overall, I felt like this was one of my course’s biggest strengths. My desire to use many of these instructional materials is what gave me the initial idea, and I was passionate about only using open source/open access materials. I had to make a few exceptions on the open access front, but those materials are still available to students for free through the library.
4.1 The instructional materials contribute to the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. 3/3
4.2 The relationship between the use of instructional materials in the course and completing learning activities is clearly explained. 3/3
4.3 The course models the academic integrity expected of learners by providing both source references and permissions for use of instructional materials. 1/2
I could more clearly state permissions for use of the instructional materials. While the majority are open access and directly linked to their source, I could add a statement about this in the syllabus.
4.4 The instructional materials represent up-to-date theory and practice in the discipline. 2/2
One caveat on this: since DH is a constantly evolving field, I’ll need to keep a close eye on the instructional materials to ensure they don’t fall too far behind–particularly if I don’t have the opportunity to teach the course for a while.
4.5 A variety of instructional materials is used in the course. 2/2
Learning Activities and Learner Interaction
5.1 The learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. 3/3
5.2 Learning activities provide opportunities for interaction that support active learning. 3/3
5.3 The instructor’s plan for interacting with learners during the course is clearly stated. 1.5/3
I could definitely provide more clarification on this front. Once again, I was depending on the hybrid nature of the course to allow me to do this in person. Other than listing my email address and requesting students schedule a meeting for office hours, I should better explain my presence on the class Slack page and my general availability.
5.4 The requirements for learner interaction are clearly stated. 2/2
Course Technology
6.1 The tools used in the course support the learning objectives or competencies. 3/3
I feel like this is a really strong component of the course. I selected each digital tool after extensive research and only after trying them myself to ensure they fit my learning objectives for the course.
6.2 Course tools promote learner engagement and active learning. 3/3
6.3 A variety of technology is used in the course. 1/1
Another strong suit of this course, as it should be for a Digital Humanities class.
6.4 The course provides learners with information on protecting their data and privacy. 0/1
While I don’t believe I have incorporated anything into the course that would risk their data/privacy, it is still important to address–especially in a technology based course.
Learner Support
This section as a whole might be my weakest part of the course. While I do make reference to university policies and briefly describe the VISA and various reporting processes, I could more clearly describe this information, or, at the very least, provide links. Additionally, I need to be sure that this information comes across as supportive and not as punitive.
7.1 The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered and how to obtain it. 1.5/3
7.2 Course instructions articulate or link to the institution’s accessibility policies and services. 1.5/3
7.3 Course instructions articulate or link to the institution’s academic support services and resources that can help learners succeed in the course. 0/3
7.4 Course instructions articulate or link to the institution’s student services and resources that can help learners succeed. 0/1
Accessibility* and Usability
8.1 Course navigation facilitates ease of use. 3/3
8.2 The course design facilitates readability. 3/3
8.3 The course provides accessible text and images in files, documents, LMS pages, and web pages to meet the needs of diverse learners. 2/3
As I mentioned in the accessibility weekly assignment, this area could use a bit more research. I could also work more multimedia into the website as a whole.
8.4 The course provides alternative means of access to multimedia content in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners. 1/2
See above.
8.5 Course multimedia facilitate ease of use. 1/2
8.6 Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course. 0/2
I definitely need to look further into this. Although “vendor” doesn’t really apply in this instance, I could investigate to see if various digital tools have specific statements/policies addressing accessibility.
Reflection
I found this to be one of the most useful weekly assignments purely because it made me think about things I had not thought about previously. In particular, the section of this rubric regarding learner support really opened my eyes to some significant gaps in my course. The majority of policies I list are punitive, such as university policies regarding academic dishonesty. I think at some point I might want to completely rehaul the policies section of my syllabus and incorporate more information directed at learner support. At certain points, I wondered if this rubric took hybrid courses into consideration or were specifically built for fully online courses. Regardless, on questions I felt might be influenced by the hybrid nature of the course I still graded myself down. Even though this assignment made me more conscious of areas that need improvement in my course, it also made me feel more confident in my instructional materials and course technology.