Quality Course
Development & Review

Overview

The Department of Instructional Innovation and Design works with NICC faculty to build new, and continuously improve, NICC courses through the application of our Quality Course Design Standards. Course builds are an opportunity to promote a culture of quality course design. Research shows that courses developed with an instructional designer and reviewed against quality standards better support student success. 

Procedure for New Course Builds

1. Step 1: Initiate the course build: A dean or instructor can request a new course build or course redesign by emailing online@nicc.edu with the subject line, "Course Build Request." Include the course start date, course developer (this is typically the instructor), course modality and schedule, and any other pertinent information. Note: Requests initiated by instructors will be forwarded to the appropriate dean or administrator for approval before proceeding.
   
   

2. Step 2: Prepare for the course build: An instructional designer (ID) will be assigned to the course, and will create a sandbox course and make any other necessary preparations for the course build. When ready, the ID will reach out to the course developer to schedule the initial course development meeting (in-person or via Zoom). The ID will also create a project in our ticketing support system to track progress on the course.
   
   

3. Step 3: Blueprint the course: The course developer and ID will meet to discuss goals for the course, timeline for completion, and the course structure (weeks, units, modules, etc.) The ID will provide the course developer with a course blueprint loaded with the course's current course guide information. The course developer will map the course using the blueprint with assistance from the ID as needed.
   
   

4. Step 4: Build the course: The ID and course developer review the course blueprint and make adjustments and clarifications as needed. Then, the ID will begin building the course in Brightspace using the blueprint. Regular meetings between the ID and course developer are crucial during this building phase.
   
   

5. Step 5: Review the course and prepare for launch: Once the course has been built and the course developer has approved it, the ID will complete a pre-launch review using our Quality Course Design rubric. It is recommended that a faculty colleague or other instructional designer also review the course at this time. The ID will also check the course for functionality (broken links, accessibility issues, etc.). After the review,  final tweaks  will be made and then the ID will copy the course into the appropriate semester Brightspace shell(s). The sandbox course will be labeled as a "core course" for future instructors to utilize. 
   
   

6. Step 6: Run the course and note issues: The instructor will teach the course's first run and makes notes of issues or areas for improvement along the way. The ID will check in at least once during the first semester to support the instructor as needed. At the end of the semester, the ID and course developer will meet to discuss the course and make any necessary updates to the blueprint and sandbox for the next term.

Once the course has been built, we recommend a quality review every three years. See process below.

Procedure for Evaluating Existing Courses

Educational trends and technology are ever-changing. To maintain quality courses that serve all learners, DIID encourages reviews of courses using our Quality Course Design Standards. The Quality Course Design Rubric consists of 20 pieces of evidence from our Quality Course Design Standards that can be assessed by instructional designers, faculty, deans, peers, etc.

1. Step 1: Initiate the review: An instructor or dean can initiate a quality course review by emailing online@nicc.edu with the subject line, "Course Review Request." Please include the course name, section, instructor, and any other pertinent information in your request. An instructional designer may also initiate a course review with the approval of the instructor or dean.
   
   

2. Step 2: Prepare for the review: An instructional designer (ID) will be assigned to the review. This is usually the ID that works with that course and/or faculty member most often. The ID will prepare the quality course design rubric for the review, and will share a link with the course instructor and any other reviewers. The ID will reach out to the instructor to schedule a meeting to discuss the review plan and process.
   
   

3. Step 3: Complete the review. The ID, instructor, and any other requested reviewers (deans, colleagues, etc.) will each review the course independently using their assigned tab on the rubric. The rubric will automatically average results and provide a final proficiency level for each standard.
   
   

4. Step 4: Discuss the results and next steps: The ID will schedule a meeting to review the results with the instructor. At this meeting, the two will discuss strengths, areas for improvement, and a make a plan for updating the course blueprint and sandbox for the next term.