The College’s online course Academic Quality Review (AQR) ensures that the learning experiences and academic rigor in an online course are consistent with college-wide and departmental quality standards. The AQR is a review of the quality of the course’s instructional design, not the individual instructor’s performance.
The AQR identifies the following criteria under review: course navigation, course content, student to student interaction, student-instructor interaction, student to content interaction, and assessment. Each academic department is responsible for performing an AQR on all newly designed online courses as well as continuing to review existing online courses every three years. Each academic department determines who performs AQRs, and usually puts together a team that may include the lead instructor, instructors who teach the same course, other department instructors, or instructors outside the department. The AQR form is accessed online or on paper. The AQR process can include the faculty designer of the course during the review. The results of the AQR are discussed with the course designer and may include suggestions for improvement.
The AQR evolved from its original questionnaire to a set of criteria based on the new Standard Shell format in 2016. The AQR Task Force, a faculty subcommittee, reviewed the AQR, updated the content to match the menu items in the Standard Course Navigation, and moved its approval through the OAA faculty committees.
Below are common instructional technology tools used by Columbus State Community College. Click the tool name to download or access technical support.