Course Quality Improvement Initiative

3-Year Course Review

The 3-year online course review process has been developed with the goal of maintaining the outstanding level of quality of online courses currently provided by St. Petersburg College’s eCampus.

The steps in this process are:

Step 1: List of courses up for traditional 3-year review received from the curriculum services coordinator
Step 2: Current online courses matched against this list by an instructional technologist (IT)
Step 3: Instructional technologists on each campus contacted with list of instructors/courses up for review
Step 4: ITs contact instructors, set up design meetings and training sessions to explain the process in detail to instructors
Step 5: Instructors use 3-year review checklist during course review
Step 6: Instructors notify ITs of completed reviews and forward completed checklist to ITs via email
Step 7: ITs review list against course for completion only and forward to Program Directors
Step 8: Program directors review checklist for content and sign off on course.

Signature Course

The signature course concept is one that was developed by the Project Eagle Action Committee (PEAC) and approved by eCampus administration to insure a high level of quality across courses with multiple sections. This step, along with adoption of the performance expectations for faculty and students in online courses, provides the framework for quality control.

A signature course is a "high enrollment" course that has been identified for the 3-year review. Signature courses are developed in groups based upon the greatest concentration within a particular discipline of courses identified for the 3-year review. Once the courses have been identified, potential developers are identified by eCampus and approved by the provost council. The potential developers are contacted and invited to participate in the development using the signature course form. All signature courses are expected to complete the 3-year reviews as well as meet the qualifications to be a gold star course. Once the development and paperwork are completed for a course, the signature course includes the required curriculum for all adjunct instructors. Full-time faculty members may choose to use the signature course as option to replace their course. The signature course is a complete and high quality course; however, an instructor may embellish the course if so desired. An instructor may not remove content from a signature course.

Signature Course Manager Expectations - Signature course developers are typically the manager of the signature course, whereby they perform various managerial and administrative tasks throughout the semester as detailed in the list of expectations.

Gold Star Course

Similar to the signature courses, the gold star course is one that exhibits the highest levels of “quality” as defined by the use of leading edge technologies, multiple levels of interactivity and projects and other activities which support major learning outcomes. However, potential gold star courses are for low enrollment courses or a course in which a full-time instructor chooses to not use the signature course. A gold star course must demonstrate the components listed on the gold star form. Upon submission of this form, a team of evaluators from eCampus will review the course and make a recommendation for the gold star distinction.