Service Description
The Course Design Review process promotes continuous improvement in the instructional design of online and hybrid courses to support the Online and Hybrid Course Offering DOPS policy. This research-based course design review and enhancement model uses the OSCQR tool to assist in the application of instructional design principles to course design.
Instructional Design and Distance Learning is prioritizing course design reviews for courses and programs nominated for SUNY Online Plus Programs and SUNY Online Signature Programs.
Timeline
To ensure completion of the course design review process, requests should be completed according to the following schedule. This schedule was developed using dates from the Academic Calendar.
| Semester to be Taught |
Request Development Shell By |
Course Development / Redesign |
Submit Request By |
Complete Self-Review By |
Complete Course Design Review By
(in Preparation for Banner Preview) |
| J-Term/Spring 2026 |
March 1, 2025 |
March 1 - May 1, 2025 |
May 1, 2025 |
May 31, 2025 |
October 7, 2025 |
| Summer/Fall 2026 |
September 1, 2025 |
September 1 - November 1, 2025 |
November 1, 2025 |
December 1, 2025 |
March 3, 2026 |
The timeline is in place to ensure all involved have enough time to commit to and complete this process before the Banner preview date. The timeline is also designed to support the faculty workplan, giving faculty adequate time and check points as many are teaching a full load while also working on courses for an upcoming semester. If the deadlines outlined within the timeline are not met then the course may need to be resubmitted for review at a later date. The request period for J-Term/Spring 2026 Course Design Reviews is open.
Before Requesting a Review
Before requesting a Course Design Review, please ensure that you have:
- participated in Brightspace training and are comfortable utilizing Brightspace features;
- earned online teaching credentials (referenced in the Online and Hybrid Course Offering DOPS policy);
- requested a Brightspace development shell to work on course development or redesign;
- developed your course in the Brightspace development shell to incorporate basic components, including:
- Course-level student learning outcomes (SLOs)
- Week/module-level learning objectives
- A syllabus with updated dates for the semester to be taught
- All assignments with all necessary directions and resources for students to complete the course
We recommend going through this process for one course at a time. If you have more than one course that needs to be reviewed, please take the timing into consideration when requesting your reviews and plan to start the process prior to the deadlines. We will work to complete the Course Design Review process for one course before moving to another course.
After Requesting a Review
Once a review has been requested, you will receive a link to your OSCQR tool and instructions for completing your self-review. In addition to the best practices and links within the OSCQR tool, an OSCQR Tips and Resources guide is available to guide you through the OSCQR standards. Once the self-review has been completed, an optional peer-review can begin (if requested), and IDDL will then assign an instructional designer to complete the instructional designer portion of the review.
Once the instructional designer review begins, feedback will be provided to faculty within 4 weeks. The instructional designer will reach out to you to meet to discuss the reviews and identify course updates. Multiple meetings may occur during this phase to discuss course design. Instructors will update course design as needed based on reviews to ensure OSCQR standards are present in course design. This revision period may include several cycles of updating the course design, checking these updates based on the OSCQR standards, providing updated recommendations, meeting to discuss course design, and implementing updates to course design.
Depending on the current number of requests, the instructional designer portion of the review may not be able to occur outside of the respective semester's timeline. IDDL reserves the right to modify the timeline based on number of requests that are currently in progress. Requests will be cancelled after 1 month if no action is taken or if there is no response from the requestor.
Standard Features
Optional Features
- Participation in Online Course Development training or other related workshops
Roles and Responsibilities
Instructional Design and Distance Learning
- Create and share OSCQR tool with instructor (via OneDrive)
- Complete course design review and provide feedback to instructor
- Ongoing consultations and meetings with instructor to complete course design review process
- If department/school policy is in place, communicate with instructor's department chair and/or associate dean about review process
- Requests will be cancelled after 1 month if no action is taken or if there is no response from the requestor
- If course design review process is not completed within the timeline for the semester to be taught, the request will be cancelled
Faculty
- Request a development course shell in Brightspace for course design review
- Develop course to be reviewed in a development shell within learning management system (it is our policy to only complete the course design review process in a development shell)
- Update the development course with dates, assignments, etc. for the semester in which the course will be taught
- Complete self-review of course using OSCQR tool (via OneDrive)
- Optionally, faculty can request a peer review in addition to an instructional designer review
- Once the self-review is complete, the instructor will update the ticket to inform IDDL
- Participate in consultations and meetings with instructional designer
- Implement instructional strategies and best practices into course design and facilitation based on review and OSCQR standards
- If the course does not get scheduled for the "semester to be taught", the instructor should notify IDDL
- Complete course design review process within the timeline for the semester to be taught
How to Request:
Click the Open a Ticket button and complete the request form.
Service Audience:
Faculty and staff
Service Level Agreement
Response and resolution times are based on operational hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:00PM).
Instructors must begin the course design review process according to the schedule outlined on this page.
Once review has been requested, requestor will receive the OSCQR tool to complete a self review. Once self review has been completed, IDDL will then assign an instructional designer to complete the ID portion of the review. Feedback will be provided to faculty within 4 weeks after the instructional designer review begins. IDDL reserves the right to modify the timeline based on number of requests that are currently in progress.
Institutional Policies