ISTC 603: Course Evaluation

Meghan Meads

ISTC 603

Towson University
 Introduction

I chose to use the Penn State A Peer Review Guide for Online Courses to evaluate the Instructional Technology course 603 (ISTC

603) Foundations of Distance Education. The course is instructed by Dr. Liyan Song and taken online through Towson University. The class

is completely asynchronous with no face to face or live online instruction. The course is a seven week summer class for graduate students in

the instructional technology program. The audience that took the course are all educators in either Baltimore County Public Schools or

Howard County Public Schools. All students enrolled in the course are part of a cohort that take classes together. Throughout the ISTC 603,

teaching strategies, technologies, learning styles and instructional design principles with relation to distance-based and online learning are

introduced and discussed. Contemporary research, theories, practices, and critical issues relevant to the field are addressed through an online

learning environment.

There are six learning objectives or goals for the ISTC 603 course. Learning Objective #1: Describe distance education, opportunities,

challenges and potential based on current and historical research. Learning Objective #2: Exchange ideas and concepts about the role,

characteristics, theory and research on distance education through the lens of community building. Learning Objective #3: Compare and

contrast teaching and learning in traditional versus online learning environments based on current and historical research, practice and

experiences. Consider instructional strategies to support student success in distance education. Learning Objective #4: Describe and evaluate

your instructional practices and processes based upon current distance learning standards. Learning Objective #5: Review and evaluate
current original research in the field of online learning and teaching. Share perspectives on impact and application of results. Learning

Objective #6: Evaluate an online instructional unit through the lens of educational theory, research and current online teaching standards.

Digital Tools

Throughout the course many digital tools were used in instruction. Blackboard was the learning management system that the course

could be accessed. Email was also used for communication between the instructor and students. Word processing applications were used to

complete assignments. The course was broken down into three modules. Within each module, Dr. Song included links to assigned readings.

Additional readings were also included to give students the opportunity to dive deeper into a specific concept. Discussion boards were used

throughout the course to encourage peer interaction. Podcasts and videos were tools that were suggested for use throughout the course.

Flipgrid was used during the icebreaker activity. A concept map, infographic, podcast, and screencast were other digital tools that were

suggested for use during the course.

Penn State Evaluation Tool

Distance education is quickly growing in popularity and demand. There are many evaluation tools that are similar in the standards that

are evaluated within courses. The Penn State Review consists of seven principles for “good practice”. The principles are: 1. Encourages

contact between students and faculty; 2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students; 3. Encourages active learning; 4. Gives

prompt feedback; 5. Emphasizes time on task; 6. Communicates high expectations; and 7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning. The

peer review guide provides space for the reviewer to note teaching and learning strengths, as well as areas for improvement. Within each

principle there is an explanation, examples of evidence to look for, where to look and resources. I, the reviewer, participated in the course and
as I evaluated the course, I reflected on personal experiences and information included on the Blackboard site. The completed evaluation tool

with my specific notes is included in Appendix A.

Principle 1: Good practice encourages contact between students and faculty.

Principle 1 focuses on frequent and timely student-faculty contact as the most important factor in student motivation and involvement

in a distance education environment. Principle 1 examples of evidence to look for include a “welcome message” at the beginning of the

course that encourages student-to-instructor contact for course-related discussions or concerns. Dr. Song posted a welcome message as an

announcement on blackboard. The welcome message told students to get familiar with the course and their classmates by going to the "start

here" link. Students were also instructed to become familiar with Module #1 by clicking on the modules link. Principle 1 explains that the

instructor encourages a healthy exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences among course participants. In addition, the instructor provides

students with interaction space for study groups, "hallway conversations,” etc. The icebreaker activity encourages students to share

experiences with their peers. The “cafe 603” discussion board also encouraged students to share about their personal lives in order to create a

classroom community. A help me discussion board was made available where students could post and/or respond to peers' questions about

assignments. Principle one suggests that a prominent announcement area is used to communicate important up-to-date course information to

students. Announcements were posted each week by Dr. Song to provide students with an overview of assignments to be completed and any

other useful information about the course . Another “look for” is the instructor initiates contact with students on a regular basis in order to

establish a consistent online presence in the course. Dr. Song responded to emails within 24 hours and thoroughly explained any

misconceptions.
 To improve the course in relation to principle one, the welcome message could have been posted in a different format (ex. video) to

make it more personalized for students. Another suggestion that could improve the course is a screencast could have been included by the

instructor that explained expectations within the course. Office hours were held by Dr. Song but to encourage students to attend the office

hours time, Dr. Song could have posted reminders in the announcements.

Principle 2: Good practice develops reciprocity and cooperation among students.

The focus of principle number two is on cooperative learning. Formal and/or informal discussions of course topics was encouraged by

Dr. Song through the use of discussion boards. Students participated in discussions related to course topics by responding to their peers work.

The icebreaker activity on flipgrid and the “cafe 603” discussion board introduction post served as a "meet one another" activity at the

beginning of the course. Dr. Song included ways to succeed in an online course and defined a worthwhile post on the “Start Here” page on

blackboard. Dr. Song included discussion prompts that helped guide student participation in class discussion activities.. To improve the course

related to principle number two, collaborative course assignments could have been included. There was only one opportunity for a

collaborative assignment which really limited peer to peer interaction during this course. Dr. Song could have modeled good discussion

participation practices by responding to students on Blackboard.

Principle 3: Good practice encourages active learning.

The focus of principle three is active learning methods engage students in the learning process by encouraging them to discover,

process, and apply information. The activities throughout the course encouraged active use of writing, speaking, and other forms of

self-expression. The teaching and learning traits activity allowed students to explore new technology tools as they researched information
about distance educators and learners. The community building activity encouraged students to explore dialogue pertaining to social

behavior, community, and scholarly conduct. The community building activity and teaching and learning traits activity allowed students to

customize their learning as they discussed their beliefs about face-to-face learning in relation to distance education. Examples of student work

where they The journals that students completed at the end of each module encouraged students to think, talk, and write about their learning.

Students evaluated information when completing the research analysis activity. To improve the course, Dr.Song could incorporate more group

assignments. This will encourage students to collaborate with their peers as they respond to discussion posts.

Principle 4: Good practice gives prompt feedback.

Principle 4 is defined by instructors helping students frequently assess their knowledge and competence and providing them with

opportunities to perform, receive meaningful suggestions, and reflect on their learning. Dr. Song includes an overview of assignments in the

course syllabus. Dr. Song also has the weight or point value associated with each assignment in the syllabus. The breakdown makes it easy to

determine the weight of assignments on our overall course grade. Rubrics were included with each assignment that clearly communicated

course and individual assignment grading criteria. Dr. Song kept an up-to-date, student-accessible course gradebook on Blackboard. The "help

me" discussion board is available for students to ask and answer questions about course assignments. Dr. Song also responds to further answer

students' questions. To improve, Dr. Song could give the option for students to submit drafts of assignments for feedback. Dr. Song provided

feedback for each assignment using a rubric. Dr. Song highlighted the score students received for each section on the rubric. Although this

gave students some insight into their performance, Dr. Song could provide more specific feedback to students so they know how to improve

their work.Dr. Song may also consider including examples of student work that demonstrate advancement toward learning goals.
Principle 5: Good education emphasizes time on task.

Principle five focuses on the frequency and duration of study, as well as effective time management skills, are critical for students and

professionals alike. Dr. Song includes a course schedule within the syllabus and under the course information page. At the top of the course

schedule is a blurb that says all assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the due date. The dates of the weeks within each module are on the

course schedule. Dr. Song recommends dedicating at least one hour a day to the course. Suggestions for what should be done during this time

are also included on the succeeding in an online course page. The rubrics and assignment feedback provided by Dr.Song provided students

with information on where to focus their studies. However, more specific feedback from Dr. Song would make it easier to understand areas I

could improve in. One major area of improvement for this course would be assignment due dates and timeframes that take into account the

nature of the target audience. Dr. Song could improve by including specific due dates for assignments. Dr. Song included general weekly due

dates but would often not share the specific day assignments were due until an announcement was posted on Sunday or Monday. A lot of the

assignments were also due on Fridays. This made it difficult for many of us in the class as we work full time jobs during the week. Changing

due dates to Sunday nights would make it easier for the group of students taking the course as we all are teachers working during the week.

Principle 6: Good practice communicates high expectations.

Effective instructors have high, but reasonable, expectations for their students. They clearly communicate those expectations and

provide support to their students in their efforts to meet those expectations. Explicit communication of the skills and knowledge every student

needs to have in order to be successful in the course was included in the “Ways to be successful in an online course” post on the “start here”

page on Blackboard. The definition of a worthwhile post is also included on the start here page. The syllabus highlights six learning
objectives for the course. Each module page includes learning objectives and module goals. The purpose of each module is also stated and

expectations of what students should be able to do by the end of the course are outlined. Dr. Song could improve the course by creating some

announcements that motivate and encourage students to move past the easy answers to more complex solutions. Another suggestion for

improvement is to make it easier to understand how specific activities are meeting lesson objectives, the learning objectives could be included

with each activity. Including the lesson objectives with specific activities will allow students to more easily understand the connection

between the activity and the objective. Dr. Song could include more specific feedback beyond the rubric to help students understand specific

areas of improvement. Examples of high quality work could be included to help students understand what is expected for assignments.

Principle 7: Good practice respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

Students need the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and to “personalize” their learning so that it is relevant to them. It is also

important to give students opportunities to learn in ways that may be less comfortable in order to improve their learning skills. Dr. Song

offered alternative assignment options for most of the work throughout the course. Each assignment listed options that included podcasts,

infographic, papers, presentations, spreadsheet, audio recordings etc. Supplemental materials were provided by Dr. Song listed under core

reading materials. Within each module Dr. Song also included required readings and a "dive deeper" section that included additional articles

and videos with more information on the specific topic. Dr. Song gave feedback for assignments using rubrics. Dr. Song created a positive

online climate where I, as a student, felt comfortable and confident seeking assistance if needed. Dr. Song quickly responded to emails and

explained any misconceptions I had throughout the course. Within the syllabus, accomodations were explained. To improve, Dr. Song could

include more of a variety of assessment tools to gauge students progress in the course. Most assignments that were used to assess progress
were papers or discussion board posts. Dr. Song could limit emails from students by posting questions asked by students and her answers in

the "Help Me" discussion board.

Application of Penn State Evaluation Tool

Refer to appendix A for my application of the Penn State Evaluation tool in assessing the ISTC 603 course.

Application of Knowledge in Online Teaching Environment

Elements of best practice for learners in distance education include ease of access and usability, accurate instructions, intuitive

navigation and well-integrated tools. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2019), the main focus of designing effective

overall instruction is making sure the instruction meets the needs of the learner. Online education demands that students become engaged in

the learning process. Sorensen, Baylen and Cercone suggest guideline elements for involving students in quality learning experiences. These

include communication with students, collaboration among students, active learning experiences, prompt feedback, high expectations, and

respecting diversity (Simonson et al., 2019). Policies must be in place that clarify distance teaching responsibilities (Simonson et al., 2019).

Each institution must create guidelines for instructional practice or experience essential for quality teaching at a distance (McCabe and

Gonzalez-Flores, 2016). To best meet the needs of the learners, the instructor must be responsive to the course and group of students. Using

technology to implement activities that actively engage students with their learning will set the students and instructor up for success with

distance education (Simonson et al., 2019).

When designing online courses, there must be inclusion of collaborative activities and the ability to reflect help from the teacher and

peers (Luppicini, 2007). Participating in an online course can be isolating for students and the teacher. In order to avoid this and set the
students up for success with their online learning, a sense of community must be built. As Wenger shared in the article, social aspects of

education are most important and must be addressed before any teaching of information. I agree with Wenger and believe that regardless of

whether the course is in person or distance-based a sense of community must be established. By working to create this sense of community

through active interaction on discussion boards and the sharing of resources a positive sense of community can be created. As Luppicini

shared, more than simply a common meeting space online, the learning community in an online course allows for mutual exploration of ideas,

a safe space to reflect and develop those ideas, and a collaborative, supportive approach to academic work (Luppicini, 2007).

The seven principles included in the Penn State evaluation tool along with my research into communities and the needs of distance

learners allowed me to take a deep dive into the ISTC 603 course. Overall, I think the ISTC 603 course meets the criteria for a “good” online

learning course. The course successfully meets the needs of a distance learner with some room for improvement.

Review of Work Completed

The link will take you to my review of work completed. https://www.loom.com/share/6f8b6dc34fcd4b1cace70928baf6a74e

Rocci Luppicini. (2007). Online Learning Communities. Information Age Publishing

Penn State, (2017). A Peer Review Guide for Online Courses at Penn State.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M. & Zvacek, S. (2019). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance

education (7th ed.). Information Age Publishing.

Song, L. (2022). Foundations of distance education. Blackboard.

My evaluation of the ISTC 603 course using the Penn State Peer Review Guide for Online Courses. I also attached the evaluation to my
discussion post.