At Indiana Online, our commitment to delivering high-quality online education is reflected in our comprehensive course development process. Through careful planning, expert collaboration, and rigorous quality assurance, we create engaging online courses that meet state standards while supporting diverse learner needs.
Course Selection and Initial Planning
Our journey begins with thoughtful course selection. We identify courses for development or revision based on these key factors: Indiana academic course requirements and new standards, valuable partner district/school input, and observed course access challenges. This approach ensures we’re meeting the real educational needs of our districts/schools and students.
To maintain focus and quality, we develop courses one semester at a time. The process starts with selecting Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who bring two essential qualifications to the table: state licensure in their subject area and successful completion of our Course Developer course. These experts work closely with our Instructional Design & Curriculum Manager to create a robust foundation for each course.
Standards Alignment and Course Architecture
Our Instructional Design team engages in intensive planning using three proven educational frameworks:
– ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation)
– UBD (Understanding by Design)
– UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
These frameworks guide the creation of our course alignment document, which carefully maps Indiana Academic Standards to specific lessons and assessments. This crucial step ensures that every component of the course serves a clear educational purpose.
Course Building and Development
The next focus is building the course in Canvas. Our Instructional Designers start with our Quality Matters Certified Course Template – a framework that embodies best practices in online education. This template provides a consistent, user-friendly experience across all our courses while maintaining high educational standards.
Working from the alignment document, the Instructional Designer systematically builds out lessons and integrates assessments created by our Subject Matter Experts. This collaborative approach combines pedagogical expertise with subject matter knowledge to create engaging, effective learning experiences.
Quality Assurance and Review
Quality control is paramount in our process. We conduct a thorough review using two industry-standard frameworks:
– The Quality Matters K-12 Rubric
– NSQ Standards for Online Courses
Our Instructional Design & Curriculum Manager partners with our teachers to evaluate every aspect of the course. This dual perspective ensures both technical excellence and practical online application. Based on their findings, our Instructional Designer makes necessary refinements to optimize the learning experience.
Before release, Subject Matter Experts conduct a final curriculum review, providing an additional layer of quality assurance. This comprehensive approach to quality control helps ensure that every course meets our high standards for academic rigor and student engagement.
Continuous Improvement
Our commitment to excellence doesn’t end with the course launch. We conduct annual reviews of all courses, analyzing performance data, changes in Indiana Academic Standards, and gathering feedback from both students and teachers. This rigorous evaluation cycle provides opportunities to enhance course content, incorporate emerging best practices, and adapt to evolving educational needs.
Through this structured, collaborative approach to course development, Indiana Online maintains its commitment to providing exceptional online learning experiences. Our process reflects our belief that quality online education requires careful planning, expert implementation, and continuous refinement.
By prioritizing quality at every stage – from initial planning through annual review – we create courses that not only meet state standards but truly serve our students’ educational needs. This commitment to excellence in online education continues to drive our course development process forward, ensuring we provide the best possible learning experience for Indiana students.
