OLC Quality Scorecard Suite

The OSCQR scorecard, offered in partnership with SUNY Online, primarily focuses on the design of online courses, addressing technology and tools, design and layout, content and activities, interaction, feedback, and accessibility standards.

The QCTIP scorecard primarily focuses on the delivery of online courses, addressing course development, accessibility, learning outcomes, content, assignments, instructor roles, class discussion and engagement, building community, communication, and course improvement.

The DCIP scorecard primarily focuses on the digital tools used in online courses, addressing how learning technologies align with course outcomes and enhance the student experience.

The Administration of Online Programs scorecard focuses on the quality of fully-online programs, addressing institutional support, technology infrastructure, guidelines for course development, and support for students and instructors.

The Administration of Blended Programs scorecard focuses on the quality of blended or hybrid programs, addressing institutional support, technology infrastructure, guidelines for course development, and support for students and instructors.

The Online Student Support scorecard focuses on the online student experience before, during, and after their time at an institution, addressing admissions, financial aid, orientation, support services, and job placement.

Initial reviews are used to identify and address key issues at the course level. Completed by a trained OLC reviewer using the OSCQR scorecard, initial reviews result in a completed scorecard that identifies areas of strength and suggestions for improvement.

Endorsement reviews provide a 3-year OLC Exemplary Course endorsement for courses that meet the minimum standards outlined on the OSCQR scorecard. The process is identical to that of the initial review except that endorsement reviews include two additional reviews resulting in two completed scorecards. Endorsement reviews first require an initial review.

Institutions initially provide information about their program, and then three trained OLC reviewers use the Administration of Online Programs, Administration of Blended Programs, or Online Student Support scorecards (as requested by the institution) to evaluate the program, resulting in a final report that identifies areas of strength and suggestions for improvement. If the program meets the minimum standards outlined on the scorecard, it will receive a 3-year OLC Exemplary Program endorsement.

Finding the time to complete the scorecard and provide supplemental materials is the biggest challenge that most institutions face in the Program Review and Endorsement process. Through the Navigator service, the experts at OLC will take on this challenge for you, enabling you and your staff to focus on reviewing, planning, and implementing changes. OLC will conduct virtual and on-site visits to replace Step 1 in the process above, saving the institution time and resources. The OLC project manager will:

• Interview key faculty, staff, and administrators to understand the current state of the program or support service
• Review relevant data, documents, policies, and other materials needed to evaluate the existing infrastructure and outcomes of the program
• Write a justification for each of the 70 scorecard indicators
• Upload documenting artifacts to support the response

Once the OLC project manager has gathered and submitted information about your program, the OLC scorecard reviewers will complete Steps 2-4 in the process above.

OLC has published a handbook for each of the three program level scorecards. These handbooks provide in-depth descriptions of the scorecard indicators and offer advice on how to most effectively complete the review process.