<< Faculty Services Overview

Course Review and Approval

Introduction
Peer Review
Course Approval Instructions

Introduction

This section describes the process to be followed when development of the new online or hybrid course is complete. The course designer is required to conduct a self-evaluation of the course using the Peer Review Form; the Online Faculty Mentor conducts the peer review; and the department chair or school director reviews the course content and approves delivery. New online and hybrid courses are not listed in the distance section of the semester schedule until this process is complete.

Peer Review

Because Online Faculty Mentors (OFMs) are not permitted to conduct peer reviews on incomplete courses, course designers must make sure all elements noted in the Baseline column of the Peer Review Form are included. Students must be able to complete all course requirements and learning outcomes if use of a publisher or supplemental website is unavailable.

Course Approval Instructions

When the development of an online or hybrid course is complete, please follow these instructions for delivery approval. Please note: Online Faculty Mentors (OFMs) are not permitted to review incomplete courses.

• Course Designer:
  • Adds their assigned Online Faculty Mentor and department chair or school director to the course by completing the Add A User Request Form.  ITD should inform the course designer when they are added.
  • Conducts a self-evaluation of the course using the Peer Review Form. 
  • Emails the self-evaluation to the assigned OFM to begin the review process.

• OFM:
  • Reviews the self-evaluation, conducts the peer review (using the Peer Review Form) and shares the review with the course designer.
     
• Course Designer:
  • Has the opportunity to make revisions based on OFM recommendations.
     
• OFM:
  • Reviews course changes for possible re-rating of sections affected.
     
• Course Designer and OFM:
  • Note all actions taken on the OFM's Peer Review Form.
     
• OFM:
  • Submits the final Peer Review Form to Distance Education Faculty Services.
     
• Faculty Services:
  • Emails a Course Approval Form and the completed Peer Review Form to the appropriate department chair/school director for course content review and delivery approval.
     
• Department:
  • Chairs/school directors review the course including content, which is not addressed in the peer review.
  • Emails approval to Distance Education Faculty Services and signs and returns the Course Approval Form to that office.
     
• Faculty Services:
  • Adds the course to the Approved Distance Courses inventory.
  • Emails the Scheduling Center that the course designer's department may add the course to the target semester schedule.
  • Completes a pay document to compensate the course designer per the fee noted in the development agreement.
  • Emails the course designer that the pay document has been processed.
     
• Department
  • Adds course to the semester schedule.
  • Schedules meeting rooms as required for hybrid courses.
  • Schedules meeting rooms for optional meetings for online students if requested by instructor.
     
• Course Designer:
  • Receives development fee usually within eight (8) weeks of course approval.
  • Teaches the course in the target semester.