Page | 1
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Online Course Design Best Practices Checklists
What is it?
This checklist provides guidelines to assist with creating high-quality online courses.
This checklist can be used when designing and developing new online courses,
reviewing a previously developed online course, or to provide ideas for revising an
existing online course.
The checklist is divided into two steps: Foundational Best Practices and Advanced
Best Practices. Step 1 – “Foundational” contains best practices that are relatively easy
to integrate into an online course. Step 2 – “Advanced” contains best practices that
are also integral, but may take more time to implement.
The items in the checklist coincide with many of the standards in the Quality Matters
(QM) rubric, which is based on research in online learning and instructional design.
The checklist is meant to be a self-check guide for online course design and not meant
to be prescriptive.
Why use it?
The checklist provides a convenient way to consider research-based best practices in
online learning when designing, reviewing, and revising online courses. This checklist
will help in areas such as organization and navigation, online-specific course policies,
alignment, presence, accessibility, technology, and more.
How to use it
Use the checkboxes to the left of each statement to identify whether your course
contains that particular item. If it does not, or if you would like more information on
the item or information on how to include it in your course, click the link to go to the
Resources page of the Online Teaching website (www.kent.edu/onlineteaching),
which will provide added guidance and tutorials. For items contained in the Kent
State Online Syllabus template, the template is available when creating or copying
your course in Bb Learn, and is fully editable and customizable. For additional help or
information on using the Kent State Online Bb template, email:
Page | 2
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Step 1: Foundational Best Practices
☐Instructor Introduction and Contact Information
1
What is it? A way to establish teaching presence and preferred methods of
contact. At a minimum, include a photo of yourself and contact information, as
well as anything you wish to share about your expertise, teaching philosophy,
expectations, etc. Ideally, a short video is recommended so that students can
see and hear you as well.
Why should I do it? To introduce yourself to your students and let them
know how to contact you. This item also addresses QM Standard 1.8, “The self-
introduction by the instructor is appropriate and is available online.”
How do I do it? Create a text item on the course homepage, or consider
creating a short webcam video with Kaltura or another technology. Include
your email, phone number, and preferred communication method in the
syllabus and in this item. Resources on how to create videos for online
learning are available on the Kent State University Online Teaching Build
webpage in the document How to Create an Instructor Introduction Video.
☐Course Overview/Orientation
What is it? Created as a screencast or narrated presentation, this item
provides an overview of the course learning objectives and structure that may
also highlight student expectations and some larger assignments.
Why should I do it? To provide students with crucial overview information
that helps them understand course structure and expectations. This item also
addresses QM Standard 1.2, “Learners are introduced to the purpose and
structure of the course.”
How do I do it? The course overview can be a screencast navigation walking
students through the course, and/or a narrated presentation or text-based
narrative. The key aspects to include are clear statements on how to get
started, where to find key pieces like the course schedule, exploration of the
course organization, etc. Resources regarding how to create videos for online
learning are available on the Kent State University Online Teaching Build
webpage in the document How to Create a Course Overview Screencast.
☐“Start Here” Item or Folder
2
What is it? The “Start Here” item or folder gives students sequential steps for
what they need to read, watch, or do to begin the course on the first day.
Why should I do it? This course component lets students know how to begin
their course when they first log in, and addresses QM Standard 1.1,
“Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course
components.”
1
Placeholder for this item is included in the Kent State Online Bb template.
2
Placeholder for this item is included in the Kent State Online Bb template.
Page | 3
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
How do I do it? You can provide the link to the Kent State University Online
Learning webpage called Getting Started in Your Online Course to minimally
meet this best practice. However, consider including this link as just one item
in a homepage folder that also includes items such as the syllabus, the course
schedule, and the course overview/orientation.
☐Syllabus With Information Specific to Online Courses
1
What is it? Online courses have special policies and expectations that the
syllabus should outline including attendance, netiquette, communication,
where to go for technology help/support, etc.
Why should I do it? Students need to be aware of both course and
institutional policies, especially those that are specific to online courses.
How do I do it? Refer to the Kent State Online Syllabus template for
suggested wording and examples of what to include in your online course
syllabus.
☐Technology: Skills, Access, and Help
2
What is it? Online students need to know what technology they’ll need to
know/use, how they can access/download any required technology for the
course, and how they can get help or support when they have a technology
problem.
Why should I do it? Making sure that students know what technology skills
they must have, what software/hardware they need, and who to go to for help
will set them up for success and greatly reduce or eliminate their turning to
you for technology support. This item also addresses QM Standards 1.5, 1.7,
6.3, and 7.1.
How do I do it? Refer to the Kent State Online Syllabus template for
suggested wording and examples of what to include. Technology help links are
also part of the Kent State Online Bb template, and information is also listed on
the Getting Started in your Online Course webpage, which is kept updated.
☐Turnaround Time
3
What is it? A way to let students know when they can receive a reply to a
question and when they will receive grades/feedback from an assignment.
Why should I do it? Letting students know when they can expect a response
to questions will help them plan better and reduce their anxiety. Also, timely
assignment feedback ensures that students can use your feedback when
1
Placeholder and suggest wording for this item is included in the Kent State Online syllabus template.
2
Placeholder and suggested wording for this item is included in the Kent State Online syllabus
template. Information and direct links to technology help are also included in the Kent State Online Bb
template.
3
A placeholder for this item is included in the Kent State Online syllabus template.
Page | 4
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
working on the next assignment. This item also addresses QM Standard 5.3,
“The instructor’s plan for classroom response time and feedback on
assignments is clearly stated.”
How do I do it? Decide when students will receive a reply to a question (for
example 24 hours during the week; 48 hours on the weekend), and when they
can expect grades/feedback on assignments (consider the duration of the
course and when they will need your feedback so they can implement it on the
next assignment and/or gauge how they are doing in the course).
☐Communication Policy/Netiquette
1
What is it? Information to let students know your expectations for
communicating professionally in an online environment (commonly referred
to as “netiquette”).
Why should I do it? Online students need guidance on how to interact with
each other in a virtual classroom, including things such as what is considered
an appropriate, substantive contribution to an online discussion. Netiquette is
addressed in QM Standard 1.3, “Etiquette expectations for online discussion,
email, and other forms of communication are clearly stated.”
How do I do it? Include a netiquette policy and additional guidance on how
students should contribute quality posts in online discussions, group work,
etc.
☐Course Schedule with Due Dates and Times
2
What is it? A document or checklist showing due dates (and times!) for
activities and assignments. Consider following a consistent pattern of
activities and due dates from week to week throughout the course span to help
students better plan and manage their time.
Why should I do it? Having a concise list of due dates is essential for online
students, who have to self-manage their time more than face-to-face students.
As you develop your course schedule, consider that having nights and
weekends available to complete school work benefits students with
professional and family commitments. This item also addresses QM Standard
1.2, “Learners are introduced to the purpose and structure of the course.”
How do I do it? A course schedule template is available on the Kent State
University Online Teaching Build webpage.
1
Placeholder and suggest wording for this item is included in the Kent State Online syllabus template.
2
This item can be created as part of either the Designing your Online Course or Building your Online
Course self-paced online session. Sign up for either at: www.kent.edu/onlineteaching/faculty-
workshops
Page | 5
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
☐Consistent Course Structure and Good Navigation
1
What is it? Course structure refers to the organization of the course content
and assessments; consider creating learning modules and having a consistent
structure within the modules. Navigation refers to how your course is laid out
and whether it is user-friendly for your students.
Why should I do it? Good course structure and navigation can reduce
frustration and allow students to focus more on learning rather than finding
items. This item also helps to address QM Standard 8.1: “Course navigation
facilitates ease of use.”
How do I do it? For good navigation and layout, begin with the Kent State
Online template. Within your course, the structure needs to be logical and
consistent and organized, rather than just listing items on your course
homepage.
☐Measurable Learning Objectives/Outcomes
2
What is it? Learning objectives/outcomes are measureable, performance-
based statements describing what students are expected to be able to do by
the end of the course.
Why should I do it? To let students know from the beginning what they will b
able to do by the end of the course. This item also addresses QM Standard 2.1,
“The course learning objectives, or course/program competencies, describe
outcomes that are measurable.”
How do I do it? Unless your learning objectives/outcomes are mandated and
cannot be changed, ensure that your outcomes are measurable, performance-
based, and written clearly from the student perspective. For help in
developing measurable learning objectives, please visit the Design Page on the
Online Teaching Website.
☐Assignments: Knowledge checks, Assessments, and Alignment
3
What is it? Assignments are comprised of assessments (larger projects
showing evidence that students have achieved course objectives) and practice
learning activities (knowledge checks).
Why should I do it? Assignments provide evidence of student learning in a
course, and should be sequenced and include different types of activities in
order to promote learning achievement and increase engagement, motivation,
and self-efficacy. This item also helps to meet QM Standards 3.1 (“The
assessments measure the stated learning objectives or competencies”) and
1
Structuring your course is covered in the Designing your Online Course self-paced online session; good
navigation, based on standards of usability, is already reflected in the Kent State Online Bb template.
2
This is covered in the Designing your Online Course self-paced online session.
3
This is covered in the Designing your Online Course self-paced online session
Page | 6
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Standard 3.5 (“The course provides learners with multiple opportunities to
track their learning progress.”).
How do I do it? Ensure your online assignments are aligned with course
objectives/outcomes, and that students have low-stakes ways to check their
knowledge with quizzes, short essays, reflective journals, etc. For help in
developing online assignments, visit the Design Page on the Online Teaching
Website.
☐Narrated Presentations/Lectures
1
What is it? A narrated PowerPoint or other type of visual presentation that
presents course information and concepts and is created as a video file that is
ten minutes or less. Text-heavy presentations and “talking head” videos
without visuals should be avoided, and larger topics can be “chunked up” for
ease of viewing and cognitive processing.
Why should I do it? Narrated presentations are a primary way to add your
expertise and guidance. They are the “lectures” of an online course.
How do I do it? Resources regarding how to create illustrated, narrated
presentations for online learning are available on the Kent State University
Online Teaching Build webpage.
☐Student Interaction
2
What is it? In an online class, students have a variety of ways to interact, such
as: discussions, blog comments, wikis and other group/collaborative work,
and peer feedback.
Why should I do it? Student-student interaction can serve to increase social
presence, promote engagement, reduce transactional distance, and contribute
to the formation of an online learning community.
How do I do it? Interaction opportunities must be designed and built into
your online course. Provide opportunities for students to engage with each
other through collaborative assignments including group/class discussions,
small-group projects, problem-solving assignments, and/or peer critiques.
1
This is covered in the Building your Online Course self-paced online session.
2
Interaction and presence are both covered as topics in the Online Teaching Orientation and Refresher.
Page | 7
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Step 2: Advanced Best Practices
☐Alignment
1
What is it? Alignment refers to all course components working together to
ensure students meet the desired outcomes. Stated simply, the materials in
your online course should directly support students in completing your
assignments, which should provide evidence to you that they have achieved
your course learning outcomes/objectives.
Why should I do it? Alignment ensures that there are no gaps or
redundancies in your course, that students are only doing the work that is
connected to your course objectives, and that only the most relevant content is
included.
How do I do it? For step-by-step self-help with alignment, please visit the
Design Page on the Online Teaching Website. For guided help on designing an
aligned course, enroll in the Designing your Online Course self-paced session.
☐Accessibility
2
What is it? In online learning specifically, accessibility refers to the extent to
which an online course, including materials, the LMS (Learning Management
System), etc., is accessible for learners with disabilities.
Why should I do it? University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students
with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their
equal access to course content. An important consideration of accessibility is
that it must be provided to students with a documented need, and legal
liability and financial penalties can be applied if it is not.
How do I do it? Examples of reasonable accommodation and accessibility of
course learning materials includes text transcripts for audio files and narrated
presentations, closed-captioned videos, ALT tag descriptions for images, and
tables and use of styles in MS Word documents. For questions or support,
please contact Student Accessibility Services for assistance. You can also find
more information on accessibility by reading through the Accessibility
Considerations document listed under “Checklists” on the Online Teaching
Website.
1
This item is covered in the Designing your Online Course self-paced online session.
2
This item is partially covered in the Building your Online Course self-paced online session.
Page | 8
Kent State Online – http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
☐Provide Context for Content/Materials
1
What is it? All items within your course should have a short description to
provide students with an explanation of why the item is included and how it
supports the outcomes/objectives (what they’ll use the information for).
Why should I do it? To help your students know what to read/listen for
when interacting with course content, and also help them focus on how they
will use this information on course assignments. This item also meets QM
Standard 4.2, “Both the purpose of instructional materials and how the
materials are to be used for learning activities are clearly explained.”
How do I do it? Add a 1-3 sentence description for each content item that
identifies: what it is, how students will access it, and how they should use it
(e.g., “This is a scholarly article on [topic], and is a downloadable pdf that will
open in a new tab. When you read it, pay particular attention to [these topics].
You will use information from this article to complete [name of assignment].)
☐Copyright
What is it? Quotes, videos, articles, images, and any other content that you
include in your course, should be available for use in the manner you have
applied it, be properly cited, and/or you should have clearance to include it in
your course.
Why should I do it? Copyrighted materials may require a Fair Use /
Copyright assessment to meet the university’s legal obligations.
How do I do it? Consider using Creative Commons, Wikimedia Commons, or
other websites for Public Domain content to be certain that you are not
infringing on anyone else’s intellectual property. For more information, visit
Copyright Services through Kent State University Library. The university
allocates up to $500 per course for copyright clearance. Requests for copyright
clearance must be submitted to: Cindy Kristof, Head, Copyright and Document
1
This item is covered in the Building your Online Course self-paced online session.
