BLACKBOARD EXEMPLARY COURSE PROGRAM RUBRIC

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BLACKBOARD EXEMPLARY
COURSE PROGRAM RUBRIC

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The Blackboard Exemplary Course Program
               The Exemplary Course Program recognizes instructors and course designers
               whose courses demonstrate best practices in four major areas: Course Design,
               Interaction & Collaboration, Assessment, and Learner Support. Submitted courses
               are evaluated by a peer group of Blackboard clients using the Exemplary Course
               Program Rubric. For more information about the Exemplary Course Program and
               to download a copy of the rubric, please visit blackboard.com/ECP.

               Updates to the 2014 Exemplary Course Program Rubric
               What has changed? Weighting values and numeric scores have been added to
               the Exemplary Course Program Rubric. For each sub-category (within the main
               categories of Course Design, Interaction and Collaboration, Assessment, and Learner
               Support), a weighting value (from .5 to 3) has been assigned to indicate the
               relative importance of that sub-category. You will see the weighting value added
               in parentheses next to each sub-category title. For example, the first sub-category
               for Course Design will now say Goals and Objectives (x3).

               Exemplary Course Program submitters and reviewers will now assign a numeric
               score (from 0-6) for each sub-category within the major sections (Course Design,
               Interaction and Collaboration, Assessment, and Learner Support). The numeric scores
               align with the levels of mastery as follows: Exemplary (5-6), Accomplished (3-4),
               Promising (2), Incomplete (1), Not Evident (0). Our goal is to provide a slightly
               wider range of options for scoring while also avoiding the possible ambiguity of
               the “labels” (Accomplished, Promising, etc.) used in the past.

               How to apply the new scoring - It is common for a course to vary in its level
               of accomplishment across all items within a single sub-category. For example a
               course might be very strong in “Content Presentation: Navigation is intuitive” but
               somewhat less strong in “Content Presentation: Content is enhanced with visual and
               auditory elements,” both within the same sub-category of “Content Presentation.”
               In these cases, the higher score (6 for Exemplary and 4 for Accomplished) should
               be reserved for courses that are strong across all items in the sub-category. The
               lower scores (5 for Exemplary and 3 for Accomplished) should be used in cases
               where most, but not all, of the items in the sub-category are strong.

blackboard.com/ecp
Course Design (page 1 of 2)
Course Design addresses elements of instructional design. For the purpose of this program, course design includes such
elements as structure of the course, learning objectives, organization of content, and instructional strategies.

 Sub-Category              Exemplary                          Accomplished                  Promising                     Incomplete
 (weight)                  5-6                                3-4                           2                             1
 Goals and                  • Goals and objectives            • Goals and objectives         • Goals and objectives        • Goals and objectives
 Objectives                   are easily located within         are located within             are not easily located        are not easily located
 (x3)                         the course                        the course syllabus            within the course             within the course
                                                                or the individual
                            • Goals and objectives are                                       • Goals and objective         • Some are missing and
                                                                learning units
                              clearly written at the ap-                                       are not clearly written       others poorly written
                              propriate level and reflect     • Objectives are written         in measurable learning
                                                                                                                           • The level does not
                              desired outcomes                  to reflect desired             outcomes
                                                                                                                             match the desired
                                                                learning outcomes,
                            • Goals and objectives                                           • Students may be               learning outcomes
                                                                although not all are
                              are written in measureable                                       unsure of what they
                                                                written as measure-
                              outcomes (students know                                          are expected to be
                                                                able outcomes
                              what they are expected to                                        able to do
                              be able to do)                  • Students have some
                                                                                             • The level does not
                                                                understanding of what
                            • Goals and objectives                                             match the desired
                                                                is expected of them
                              are made available in a                                          outcomes
                              variety of areas in the
                              course (within the
                              syllabus and each
                              individual learning unit)

 Content                    • Content is made avail-          • Content is made avail-       • Some content                • Content is not
 Presentation                 able or “chunked” in              able or “chunked” in           segments are overly           “chunked” into
 (x3)                         manageable segments               manageable segments            large (or possibly too        manageable segments;
                              (i.e., presented in distinct      (i.e., presented in            small) for the specified
                                                                                                                           • Navigation is not
                              learning units or modules)        distinct learning units        objectives
                                                                                                                             intuitive and the flow
                                                                or modules)
                            • Navigation is intuitive                                        • Navigation is only            of content is unclear
                                                              • Navigation is some-            occasionally intuitive,
                            • Content flows in a logical                                                                   • The design does not
                                                                what intuitive, but            thus the flow of
                              progression                                                                                    avail of the content
                                                                some “exploring” is            content is sometimes
                                                                                                                             presentation tools
                            • Content is presented using        required to determine          not easily determined
                                                                                                                             (content modules,
                              a variety of appropriate          the flow of content
                                                                                             • The design does not           single pages, links)
                              mechanisms (content
                                                              • Content is presented           avail of the content
                              modules, single pages,                                                                       • No visual or auditory
                                                                using a variety of             presentation tools
                              links to external resources,)                                                                  elements are used to
                                                                mechanisms (content            (content modules,
                                                                                                                             enhance the content;
                            • Content is enhanced with          modules, single                single pages, links)
                              visual and auditory ele-          pages, links to external                                   • Supplementary re-
                                                                                             • Few or no visual and/
                              ments; supplementary re-          resources, RSS Feeds,                                        sources are not made
                                                                                               or auditory elements
                              sources are made available        print material)                                              available (course CDs,
                                                                                               are used to enhance
                              and are well-integrated                                                                        textbooks, course
                                                              • Visual and/or auditory         the content
                              with other course materials                                                                    manuals, etc.)
                                                                elements occasionally
                              (integrated publisher                                          • Supplementary re-
                                                                enhance the content;
                              resources, e-textbooks,                                          sources may be made
                                                                supplementary
                              course manuals, etc.)                                            available (course CDs,
                                                                resources are made
                                                                                               textbooks, course
                                                                available (course CDs,
                                                                                               manuals, etc.)
                                                                textbooks, course
                                                                manuals, etc.)

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

blackboard.com/ecp                                                                                                                                    2
Course Design (page 2 of 2)

 Sub-Category           Exemplary                            Accomplished                    Promising                       Incomplete
 (weight)               5-6                                  3-4                             2                               1
 Learner                 • It is clear how the instruc-      • Instructional strategies      • It is not clear how the       • Instructional strate-
 Engagement                tional strategies will enable       are designed to help            instructional strategies        gies do not provide
 (x3)                      students to reach course            students to reach course        will help learners              students with skills
                           goals and objectives                goals and objectives,           achieve course goals            needed to achieve
                                                               although this relation-         and objectives                  course goals and
                         • Course design includes
                                                               ship may not be obvious                                         objectives
                           guidance for learners                                             • Guidance in using
                                                               to learners
                           to work with content in                                             content materials may         • Content is provided
                           meaningful ways                   • Guidance is provided,           only be provided on a           but it is not clear what
                                                               but could be improved           limited basis                   students are expected
                         • Higher order thinking (e.g.,
                                                               with greater detail                                             to do with it
                           analysis, problem solving,                                        • Higher order thinking
                                                               or depth
                           or critical reflection) is                                          is not required or            • Higher order thinking
                           expected of learners and          • Higher order thinking           encouraged                      is not expected
                           explained with examples             is required for some                                            from students
                                                                                             • Differentiated instruc-
                           or models                           activities but is not
                                                                                               tional opportunities          • No supplementary
                                                               well-explained or
                         • Individualized instruction,                                         are not provided,               resources or activities
                                                               supported (e.g., by
                           remedial activities, or                                             although there may be           are provided for
                                                               providing examples of
                           resources for advanced                                              supplementary content           remediation or
                                                               “good answers”)
                           learning activities, such                                           resources available             advanced study
                           as integrated publisher           • Differentiated instruction
                           resources, are provided             (such as remediation)
                                                               may be available on a
                                                               limited basis

 Technology Use          • Tools available within the        • Tools available within        • Tools available within        • Technologies used
 (x1)                      LMS are used to facilitate          the LMS could                   the LMS are not used to         within the LMS do
                           learning by engaging stu-           be utilized more (or            their full extent or not        not engage students
                           dents with course content           more creatively) to             used when it would be           with learning
                                                               engage learners with            appropriate to do so
                         • LMS tools are used to                                                                             • Tools that could
                                                               course content
                           reduce the labor-intensity of                                     • Only a few tools (of            reduce the labor-
                           learning (e.g., providing links   • LMS tools are made              those available within          intensity of online
                           to needed resources where           available to assist             the LMS) are used in a          instruction are
                           they will be used in the            students, but could             way that streamlines            not utilized
                           course, integrating publisher       be organized or                 access to materials and
                                                                                                                             • Students are not
                           resources that are tailored         arranged for even               activities for students
                                                                                                                               expected to use
                           to the course materials,            greater usefulness
                                                                                             • Technologies within the         technologies available
                           and providing streamlined
                                                             • Technologies within the         LMS are used primarily          within the LMS
                           access to supplementary
                                                               course are used in many         by instructors and not
                           materials)                                                                                        • Only a few technolo-
                                                               cases merely to replicate       students (“students as
                                                                                                                               gies available within
                         • Technologies are used               traditional face-to-face        recipients of content”
                                                                                                                               the LMS are used
                           creatively in ways that             instruction                     model)
                           transcend traditional,
                                                             • There is some variety in      • There is little variety
                           teacher-centered instruction
                                                               the tools used to deliver       in use of technologies
                         • A wide variety of delivery          instruction                     within the LMS
                           media are incorporated into
                           the course
                         • An effort has been made
                           to use low-cost or no-cost
                           materials when available

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

blackboard.com/ecp                                                                                                                                   3
Interaction and Collaboration
Interaction and Collaboration can take many forms. The ECP criteria place emphasis on the type and amount of interaction and collaboration
within an online environment.

Interaction denotes communication between and among learners and instructors, synchronously or asynchronously. Collaboration is a subset
of interaction and refers specifically to those activities in which groups are working interdependently toward a shared result. This differs from
group activities that can be completed by students working independently of one another and then combining the results, much as one would
when assembling a jigsaw puzzle with parts of the puzzle worked out separately then assembled together. A learning community is defined
here as the sense of belonging to a group, rather than each student perceiving himself/herself studying independently.

 Sub-Category           Exemplary                                 Accomplished                          Promising                         Incomplete
 (weight)               5-6                                       3-4                                   2                                 1
 Communication           • There are plentiful opportuni-         • Several communication activi-       • Communication strategies        • Little to no
 Strategies                ties for synchronous and/or              ties are included to reinforce        are included, however,            attention has
                           asynchronous interaction, as             the desired                           they may not consistently         been devoted to
 (x3)                      appropriate                              learning outcomes                     reinforce desired learning        communication
                         • Asynchronous communication             • Asynchronous communications           outcomes                          strategies
                           strategies promote critical              sometimes require reflection or     • Asynchronous communica-         • Interaction activities
                           reflection or other higher order         other higher order thinking           tions are focused primarily       that are included do
                           thinking aligned with learning         • Synchronous interactions are          on lower levels of thinking       not invoke critical
                           objectives                               meaningful but may not take           (e.g., summarizing, describ-      thinking, reinforce
                         • Synchronous communication                full advantage of the real-time       ing, interpreting, etc.)          learning, or take
                           activities benefit from real-time        presence of instructor and/or       • Synchronous interactions          advantage of the
                           interactions and facilitate “rapid       peers                                 are used mostly for               specific strengths of
                           response” communication (i.e.,                                                 instructor explanation or         the communication
                           students gain practice discussing                                              clarification of content, or      tools used
                           course content extemporane-                                                    other instructor-focused
                           ously without looking up basic,                                                activities
                           declarative information)

 Development             • Communication activities are           • Communication activities may        • Effort has been devoted         • Little to no
 of Learning               designed to help build a sense of        help learners build a sense of        to fostering a sense of           attention has
                           community among learners                 community, but do not appear          community in the course,          been devoted to
 Community                                                          to be designed with this in           but only minimally.               building a sense of
                         • Student-to-student interactions
 (x3)                      are required as part of the              mind                                • More focus is needed on           community in
                           course Students are encouraged         • Some student-to-student               designing activities and          this course.
                           to initiate communication with           interaction is built into             a course climate that
                           the instructor                           the course                            foster student-to-student
                         • Collaboration activities (if in-       • Students interact with the            interactions as well as
                           cluded) reinforce course content         instructor, although primarily as     student-to-instructor
                           and learning outcomes, while             a result of instructor-initiated      interactions.
                           building workplace-useful skills         contact
                           such as teamwork, cooperation,         • Collaboration activities
                           negotiation, and                         (if included) support some
                           consensus-building                       team-building skills, but may
                                                                    not purposefully integrate
                                                                    these elements

 Interaction             • Guidelines explaining required         • Expectations of student             • Instructor expectations of      • Few or no
 Logistics                 levels of participation                  participation in communication        student interactions are not      guidelines are
                           (i.e., quantity of interactions) are     activities are given,                 made clear                        provided to
 (x2)                      provided                                 but would benefit from              • Little information is             students regard-
                         • Expectations regarding the qual-         more detail                           provided regarding what           ing the desired
                           ity of communications (e.g., what      • Expectations regarding the            constitutes a “good”              quantity or quality
                           constitutes a “good” answer) are         quality of communications are         response or posting               of communications/
                           clearly defined                          included, but may be sketchy                                            interactions within
                                                                                                        • Students are not given a
                                                                    and lack detail or illustrative                                         the course
                         • A rubric or equivalent grading                                                 clear set of criteria for how
                           document is included to explain          examples                              communications activities       • The instructor does
                           how participation will be              • Minimal information may be            will be graded                    not participate in
                           evaluated                                provided regarding grading                                              communications
                                                                                                        • The instructor appears
                                                                    criteria for communications                                             activities with
                         • The instructor actively                                                        to be largely absent from
                                                                    activities                                                              students
                           participates in communication                                                  communication activities
                           activities, including providing        • The instructor is occasionally      • Few announcements,
                           feedback to students                     involved in communication             reminders, or other
                         • The instructor uses communica-           activities                            updates are provided
                           tion tools to provide course           • The instructor sometimes takes
                           updates, reminders, special              advantage of LMS
                           announcements, etc.                      tools to post announcements,
                                                                    reminders, etc.

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

blackboard.com/ecp                                                                                                                                           4
Assessment
Assessment focuses on instructional activities designed to measure progress towards learning outcomes, provide feed-
back to students and instructor, and/or enable grade assignment. This section addresses the quality and type of student
assessments within the course.

 Sub-Category           Exemplary                             Accomplished                    Promising                      Incomplete
 (weight)               5-6                                   3-4                             2                              1
 Expectations            • Assessments match the              • Assessments match the         • Students are assessed        • Assessments bear little
                           goals & objectives                   goals & objectives              on the topics described        resemblance to goals &
 (x3)                                                                                           in the course goals and        objectives
                         • Learners are directed to the       • Rubrics or descriptive
                                                                                                objectives
                           appropriate objective(s) for         criteria for desired                                         • Expectations or
                           each assessment                      outcomes are included         • There may be some              grading criteria are
                                                                for some assessment             explanation of how as-         not provided
                         • Rubrics or descriptive criteria
                                                                activities                      sessments will be scored/
                           for desired outcomes are                                                                          • Instructions are
                                                                                                graded Instructions lack
                           provided (models of                • Instructions are                                               limited or absent
                                                                                                detail that would help
                           “good work” may be                   written clearly, with
                                                                                                students understand how
                           shown, for example)                  some detail included
                                                                                                to complete the activities
                         • Instructions are written clearly
                           and with sufficient detail to
                           ensure understanding

 Assessment              • Assessments appear to              • Assessment activities         • It is not clear whether      • Assessment activities
 Design                    measure the performance              have “face validity” (i.e.,     the assessment activities      appear to lack validity
                           they claim to measure (e.g.,         they appear to match the        actually measure the           due to bias, lack of clar-
 (x3)                      activities are explained using       curriculum)                     desired skill                  ity in questions or tasks,
                           appropriate reading level and                                                                       or because students
                                                              • Some activities involve       • The vast majority of
                           vocabulary)                                                                                         are evaluated on
                                                                higher order thinking           assessments require
                                                                                                                               performance unrelated
                         • Higher order thinking is                                             only low-level thinking
                                                              • Assessment activities                                          to the stated objectives
                           required (e.g., analysis,                                            (memorization, for
                                                                may focus on tasks
                           problem-solving, etc.)                                               example)                     • No higher-order
                                                                similar to real-world
                                                                                                                               thinking skills are
                         • Assessments are designed             application of skills         • Assessment activities
                                                                                                                               required to complete
                           to mimic authentic environ-                                          typically do not include
                                                              • Multiple assessments                                           assessment activities
                           ments to facilitate transfer                                         tasks that are relevant
                                                                are included; at least
                                                                                                beyond the scope of          • There is little or no
                         • Assessment activities occur          three different types of
                                                                                                this course; multiple          evidence of authenticity
                           frequently throughout the            assessments are used
                                                                                                assessments are included       built into assessments
                           duration of the course
                                                                                              • Two types of                 • Assessments are
                         • Multiple types of assess-
                                                                                                assessments are                too few and far apart
                           ments are used (research
                                                                                                included, at a minimum         for the course content
                           project, objective test,
                           discussions, etc.)

 Self-assessment         • Many opportunities for             • Some self-assessment          • There may be self-           • A few self-assessments
                           self-assessment are provided;        activities are included         assessment activities, but     may be included,
 (x1)                                                                                           they are limited in scope      but they offer little
                         • Self-assessments provide           • Self-assessments provide
                                                                                                and do not offer useful        more feedback
                           constructive, meaningful             feedback to learners
                                                                                                feedback                       than flash cards
                           feedback

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

blackboard.com/ecp                                                                                                                                    5
Learner Support (page 1 of 2)
Learner Support addresses the support resources made available to students taking the course. Such resources may
be accessible within or external to the course environment. Specifically, learner support resources address a variety of
student services.

 Sub-Category           Exemplary                          Accomplished                      Promising                       Incomplete
 (weight)               5-6                                3-4                               2                               1
 Orientation to          • Clearly labeled tutorial        • Clearly labeled tutorial        • Tutorial materials that       • Tutorial materials
 Course and LMS            materials that explain how        materials that explain            explain how to navigate         explaining how to
                           to navigate the LMS and           how to navigate the LMS           the LMS and/or the              navigate the LMS or the
 (x.5)                     the specific course are           and the specific course           specific course may             specific course may be
                           included                          are included                      be evident, but not             included but are difficult
                                                                                               easily found                    to find, lack detail, are
                         • Tutorials are found             • Tutorials may not be
                                                                                                                               not well organized, or are
                           easily (few clicks) whether       easily accessed, or require     • Materials do not support
                                                                                                                               incomplete
                           internal or external to the       the learner to leave              multiple learning
                           course, with easy return to       course site without an            modalities and are text-      • Tutorial materials that are
                           other areas of the course         easy return                       based only                      included do not support
                                                                                                                               learning modalities
                         • Tutorial materials support      • Tutorial materials support
                           multiple learning modali-         multiple learning modali-
                           ties: audio, visual, and text     ties: audio, visual, and text
                           based                             based

 Supportive              • Clear explanations of           • Clear explanations of           • Software (in addition         • The need for additional
 Software                  optional and/or required          optional and/or required          to the LMS) required to         software required to use
 (Plug-ins)                software including any ad-        software (in addition to          use course materials is         course materials may be
                           ditional costs are provided       the LMS) are provided             mentioned, but                  mentioned
 (x.5)                     within the course                 within                            not explained
                                                                                                                             • Links to software may be
                                                             the course
                         • Software required to use                                          • Links to where it can be        missing
                           course materials is listed      • Software required to use          captured and installed          or incomplete
                           with links to where it can        course materials is listed        are provided, although
                           be captured and installed         but links to where it can         they may not be
                                                             be captured and installed         conveniently located
                         • Links are located within
                                                             are not found near where
                           the course where learners
                                                             it will be used
                           will use the software
                           (i.e., near the materials
                           requiring its use)

 Instructor Role         • Contact information for         • Contact information for         • Contact information for       • Contact information for
 and Information           the instructor is easy to         the instructor is included        the instructor is provided      the instructor is sketchy,
                           find and includes multiple        but may not be easy to            but not easy to find            at best
 (x1)                      forms of communication            find; contact information
                                                                                             • Contact information           • Lacks information
                           (for example, e-mail,             includes more than one
                                                                                               includes only one way to        concerning response
                           phone, chat, etc.)                type of communication
                                                                                               reach the instructor            time for e-mail replies is
                                                             tool
                         • Expected response                                                                                   included
                                                                                             • Information concerning
                           time for e-mail replies is      • Expected response time
                                                                                               response time for e-mail      • Information regarding
                           included                          for e-mail replies may
                                                                                               replies is not included         the instructor’s role in the
                                                             be included
                         • The instructor’s role within                                                                        course is not included
                                                                                             • Little or no information
                           the course is explained         • Instructor’s role within
                                                                                               is given regarding            • Instructor’s methods of
                           (for example, whether he/         the course is not clearly
                                                                                               the instructor’s role in        collecting and returning
                           she will respond to “tech         spelled out to students
                                                                                               the course                      work are confusing or
                           support” type questions)
                                                           • The instructor’s methods                                          non-existent;
                                                                                             • The instructor’s methods
                         • The instructor’s methods          of collecting and
                                                                                               of collecting and returning
                           of collecting and returning       returning work are clearly
                                                                                               work are evident but not
                           work are clearly explained        explained
                                                                                               clearly explained

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

blackboard.com/ecp                                                                                                                                    6
Learner Support (page 2 of 2)

 Sub-              Exemplary                               Accomplished                           Promising                            Incomplete
 Category          5-6                                     3-4                                    2                                    1
 (weight)
 Course/            • Links to institutional policies,     • Links to institutional policies,     • Links to some institu-             • Links to some institutional
 Institutional        materials, and forms relevant for      materials, and forms rel-              tional policies, materials, and      policies, materials, and forms
                      learner success (for example,          evant for learner success (for         forms relevant for learner           relevant for learner success
 Policies &           plagiarism policies) are clearly       example, plagiarism policies)          success (for example,                (for example, plagiarism
 Support              labeled and easy                       are included but may require           plagiarism policies) are             policies) are
 (x.5)                to find                                searching to find                      included but are difficult           not included
                    • Links allow easy navigation from     • Links allow easy navigation            to find                            • Some course/instructor
                      the course to the information          from the course to the               • Course/instructor                    policies regarding decorum,
                      and back; course/instructor            information and back                   policies regarding decorum,          behavior, and netiquette
                      policies regarding decorum,          • Course/instructor policies             behavior, and netiquette are         may be included but are
                      behavior, and netiquette are           regarding decorum, behavior, and       included but are not clearly         not clearly written or would
                      easy to find and written clearly       netiquette are included and are        written or would benefit             benefit from more detail
                      to avoid confusion                     written clearly to avoid confusion     from more detail                   • Links to institutional services
                    • Links to institutional services      • Links to institutional services      • A few links to institutional         such as the library, writing
                      such as the library, or writing        such as the library, writing           services such as the library,        center, or financial aid office
                      center, are clearly labeled and        center, or financial aid office        writing center, or financial         are not included
                      easy to find                           may be included but require            aid office may be included
                                                             searching to find                      but require searching to find

 Technical          • Course materials use standard        • Course materials use standard        • Course materials use               • Course materials sometimes
 Accessibility        formats to ensure accessibility        formats to ensure accessibility        standard formats to ensure           use standard formats to
                    • If specific software is required     • If specific software is required       accessibility                        ensure accessibility
 Issues
                      to which some learners may             to which some learners may           • If specific software is            • If specific software is
 (x.5)                not have access, alternative file      not have access, alternative file      required to which some               required to access course
                      types are provided                     types are sometimes provided           learners may not have                materials, no mention of this
                    • Large files are identified to help   • Large files are not identified as      access, alternative file types       is included and alternative
                      learners consider download times       such; alternative (smaller) files      are not provided                     file types are not provided
                    • Alternative (smaller) files are        are not provided                     • Large files are not identified     • Large files are not
                      provided where appropriate           • Video files are streamed in            as such and alternative              identified as such and
                                                             some cases                             (smaller) files are not              alternative (smaller) files
                    • Videos are streamed whenever
                                                                                                    provided                             are not provided
                      possible; graphics are optimized     • Graphics are not be optimized
                      for web delivery and display           for web delivery but display         • Video files are not streamed       • Video files are not streamed
                      without needing extensive              without extensive scrolling          • Graphics are not optimized         • Graphic files are not
                      scrolling                                                                     for web delivery and may             optimized for web
                                                                                                    require extensive scrolling          delivery and require
                                                                                                                                         extensive scrolling

 Accom-             • Supportive mechanisms allow          • Supportive mechanisms                • Supportive mechanisms              • Supportive mechanisms
 modations            learners with disabilities to          allow learners with disabilities       allow some learners with             allow some learners with
                      participate fully in the online        to participate in the online           disabilities to participate          disabilities to participate in
 for                  community                              community for most activities          fully in the online                  the online community for
 Disabilities       • The design and delivery of           • The design and delivery                community                            some activities
 (x1)                 content integrate alternative          of content integrate some            • The design and delivery            • The design and delivery of
                      resources (transcripts, for            alternative resources or enable        of content do not include            content do not apply alterna-
                      example) or enable assistive           assistive processes                    alternative resources nor en-        tive resources nor enable
                      processes (voice recognition,          for those needing accom-               able assistive processes for         assistive processes for those
                      for example) for those needing         modation                               those needing accommoda-             needing accommodations
                      accommodation                        • Links to institutional policies,       tion                               • Links to institutional policies,
                    • Links to institutional policies,       contacts, and procedures             • Links to institutional policies,     contacts, and procedures
                      contacts, and procedures               to support learners with               contacts, and procedures             to support learners with
                      for supporting learners with           disabilities are included but          to support learners with             disabilities are not evident
                      disabilities are included and          may not be easy to find                disabilities                       • Design factors such as
                      easy to find                         • Design factors such as color,          are not evident                      color, text size manipulation,
                    • Design factors such as color,          text size manipulation, audio        • Design factors such as               audio and video controls,
                      text size manipulations, audio         and video controls, and alt text       color, text size manipulation,       and alt text have not been
                      and video controls, and alt text       have been considered in some           audio and video controls,            considered
                      reflect universal accessibility        cases                                  and alt text have not been
                      considerations                                                                considered

 Feedback           • Learners have the opportunity        • Learners have the opportunity        • Learners have the op-              • Learners do not have the
                      to give feedback to the instruc-       to give feedback to the instruc-       portunity to give feedback           opportunity to give feedback
 (x1)                 tor regarding course design            tor regarding course design            to the instructor regarding          to the instructor regarding
                      and course content both during         and/or course content, but             course design or course              course design or course
                      course delivery and after course       only after course completion           content, but only after              content
                      completion                           • Feedback mechanisms                    course completion                  • Feedback mechanisms do
                    • Feedback mechanisms allow              allow students to participate        • Feedback mechanisms do               not guarantee privacy to
                      students to participate anony-         anonymously in course                  not guarantee privacy to the         the student
                      mously in course evaluation            evaluation                             student

If there is no evidence provided to support a sub-category, a numeric score of 0 should be assigned that represents the “Not Evident” level of mastery.

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