From the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Posted: Thursday, November 2, 2023Online and Hybrid Course Review Process Update
At my request, the director of instructional design and distance learning and the Online Oversight and Readiness Committee have discussed the use of the SUNY Online OSCQR (Open SUNY Course Quality Review) tool for course design reviews of our online and hybrid course offerings based on DOPS IV:07:04 Online and Hybrid Course Offering (PDF, 90 KB). Early this semester, the committee reviewed other alternatives and found SUNY Online OSCQR to be the most appropriate for Buffalo State. It is openly licensed, has been selected by the Online Learning Consortium as its standard scorecard for course design reviews, and will continue to be adapted as online learning evolves.
The SUNY Online OSCQR tool promotes high-quality course design through standards related to course overview and information, course technology and tools, design and layout, content and activities, interaction, and assessment and feedback. These standards also ensure campus compliance with federal regulations. Buffalo State has been using a customized version of the SUNY Online OSCQR tool since 2020, which was modified in 2021 to incorporate the U.S. Department of Education (DoE) regulatory definitions. In 2023, OSCQR was updated based on recommendations from the associate deans of each school. A new version of the tool, which includes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards, is currently being worked on by SUNY; California State University, Chico; and the Online Learning Consortium.
I approve the following recommendations:
- SUNY Online OSCQR is currently the campus-approved tool to be used for course design reviews for all hybrid and online instructional modalities (PDF, 90 KB).
- The Online Oversight and Readiness Committee will review the current process and achieve further streamlining of the OSCQR rubric to ensure that regulatory requirements for online and hybrid courses are met.
- The Online Oversight and Readiness Committee will explore possible options for instituting a continuous improvement model/cycle.
National Distance Learning Week 2023 will be held November 6–10; during that week, sessions will be held on these topics. Registration is open on the Workshop Registration System. Please direct any questions to Meghan Pereira, director of instructional design and distance learning.
