Utilize the course checklist below to ensure that your course is ready to undergo a Quality Review by a QM Certified Course Reviewer.
Course Self-Assessment Checklist
Course Introduction
Are there instructions on how to get started and where to find course components?
Is the purpose and structure of the course stated, including prerequisite knowledge?
Is the Meet Your Faculty page complete? Is there a faculty biography text/video?
Is there a faculty introduction text/video?
Is there a student introduction discussion?
Is there a discussion area, FAQ section, or instructions for student-to-student interaction?
Polices and Support Services
Do you have course policies outlined, including expectations on communication, feedback timeframe, and grading policies?
Do you have technology and software requirements outlined including computer skills, literacy skills, user guides, accessibility statements, and privacy policies?
Do you include information on student and academic support services?
Objectives & Alignment
Are course and module objectives written from the student’s perspective?
Do your course and module objectives contain measurable verbiage (not the words “understand,” “know,” or “learn”)? Remember SMART!
Do course and module objectives meet the appropriate Bloom’s Taxonomy level?
Course Assessments
Are instructional materials/assessments aligned with the module learning objectives? Is this alignment clearly stated or included in the alignment table(s)?
Do your assessments include clear instructions, expectations, deadlines, and rubrics?
Are there detailed grading rubrics for all assignments, discussions, projects, etc.?
Does the gradebook match the grades listed in the syllabus?
Course Materials
Is there a variety of instructional material/technology used in the course?
Is all material properly cited and permissions noted?
Do you provide opportunities for active learning and interactions between students?
Accessibility
Have you edited each page for grammar, spelling, broken links, and readability?
Do linked items utilize document/video titles (not “Click Here” or plain hyperlinks)?
Are videos supported by transcripts or closed captioning?
Are all course documents accessible and have appropriate alt tags?
Are all documents readable by a computer screen reader, or do you avoid the use of scanned documents or images?
Risepoint Quality Review Statement
The Risepoint course quality review team is committed to providing helpful feedback to university partners. These reviewers were trained by Quality Matters* to identify frequently encountered accessibility issues and propose solutions for instructors. Accessibility checks for frequently seen issues include using:
- Built-in accessibility checkers in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to review documents in the course
- Built-in accessibility checker in Adobe Pro to review PDFs in the course
- WAVE by AIM to check content within the LMS
Although Risepoint remains dedicated to prioritizing universal design as a review service, we cannot guarantee accessibility in all instances. In some cases, students with unique disabilities or the use of third-party, publisher content/technologies within courses may pose challenges that extend beyond the scope of our review services.
*Meeting QM’s accessibility standards does not guarantee or imply that specific country, federal, state, and local accessibility regulations are met. Please consult with an accessibility specialist to ensure that accessibility regulations are met.
