Course Design Review (OSCQR)

Service Description

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. Course should be fully developed in a Brightspace development shell before participating in the Course Design Review process. It is our policy to only complete the course design review process in a development shell. If needed, you can request a Brightspace development shell. 

To ensure completion of the course design review process, course design review requests should be completed according to the following schedule. This schedule was developed using dates from the Academic Calendar.

Assistance with reviewing and refreshing online and hybrid course design. Traditional (in-person) courses can also be reviewed (some OSCQR standards may not apply). Instructors should begin the course design review process at least 4 months before the course is scheduled in Banner. Requests will be cancelled after 1 month if no action is taken or if there is no response from the requestor.

The course design review process uses Buffalo State's customized version of the Open SUNY Course Quality Review (OSCQR) tool. This version of the OSCQR tool was developed with feedback from faculty representatives from each of Buffalo State's colleges to reflect the needs of Buffalo State faculty, students, and courses.

Once a review has been requested, instructors will receive a link to their OSCQR tool. 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 ID portion of the review. Once the instructional designer review begins, feedback will be provided to faculty within 4 weeks. 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.

Standard Features

• Course Design Review – For online and hybrid courses
• Faculty may request a development shell in Brightspace for review and refresh.
• Copy of Buffalo State's OSCQR tool via OneDrive
• Individualized support from an instructional designer

Course Design Review Process

1. Communicate Intent to Department
   • Check with your department to ensure that this course can be offered online or hybrid. You may provide information as to why the modality will benefit the student learning experience. Before continuing with the Course Design Review process, faculty should have online teaching credentials (e.g., completion of online course development series, credentials from an outside institution or reputable organization in online teaching and learning).
2. Request a Course Design Review
   • After the course is fully developed in a Brightspace development shell, faculty can request a Course Design Review. Requests should be submitted at least 4 months before the course is schedule in Banner to allow enough time to complete the Course Design Review (OSCQR) process.
3. Meet with Course Design Review Team
   • Meet with instructional designer and peer-reviewer (if requested) from the Course Design Review team to discuss the course, OSCQR tool, process, and timeline.
4. Complete OSCQR Rubrics
   • Review course design using the OSCQR tool.
     1. Faculty begin by completing a self-review of the course design.
     2. Once the self-review is complete, the peer-reviewer (if requested) will complete a peer-review
     3. Instructional designer review
   • Multiple meetings may occur during this phase.
5. Develop Action Plan
   • Meet with instructional designer and peer-reviewer (if requested) to discuss Course Design Reviews with the OSCQR tool and identify course updates. Multiple meetings may occur during this phase to discuss course design.
6. Update Course Design
   • Update course design as needed based on reviews to ensure OSCQR standards are present in course design. This update 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.
7. Course Design Review (OSCQR) Process Complete
   • The Course Design Review (OSCQR) process is complete when all "essential" OSCQR standards are marked as "sufficiently present". The instructional designer provides feedback from review to the instructor, department chair, and/or associate dean.

Optional Features

• Participation in Online Course Development training or other related workshops

Roles and Responsibilities

Instructional Design and Distance Learning

• Copy prior semester content into development course shell, if requested
• Create and share Open SUNY Course Quality Review 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

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
• Update the development course with dates, assignments, etc. for the semester in which the course will be taught
• Complete self-review of course and fill out 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 it has been completed.
• 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

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 at least 4 months before the course is scheduled in Banner.

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

• DOPS IV:07:00 Distance Learning Policy
• DOPS IV:07:03 Instructional Modalities
• DOPS IV:07:04 Online and Hybrid Course Offering
• Admin Policy Library: Campus-Supported Learning Management System Policy
• School of Arts & Sciences - Initial Practices and Procedures Online Course Scheduling
• School of Education - Online and Hybrid Review Process
• School of the Professions - Online/Hybrid Course Offering Policy