5. Online Course Design and Delivery Principles and Standards

The following principles and standards are to be followed for the design, delivery, and maintenance of BYU–Idaho online courses. All courses align with quality practices in online course design and pedagogy. Exceptions to these standards will be presented to the Online Development Council for consideration.

University Mission Alignment

1. Courses help develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities.
2. Course outcomes are the department and university approved outcomes for all modes of delivery.
3. Assessments are designed to measure course outcomes.

Student Focused

1. Learning activities can be completed by the intended audiences (domestic, international, etc.).
2. Materials are digitally accessible and affordable for the intended audience.
3. To accommodate adds and drops, group work is flexible prior to lesson three.
4. Courses are designed not to require synchronous sessions beyond small group sessions.
5. Student load does not exceed an average of three hours per week per credit, and is distributed throughout a course.
6. Media and graphics are relevant and functional for the intended audience.
7. Internal and external tools and resources are verified to be operational.

Learning Model Alignment

1. Courses employ Learning Model principles and processes.
2. Courses are designed so that students receive sufficient and regular feedback to monitor their learning progress.
3. Students have regular opportunities to interact with their instructor and each other.
4. Courses are designed so students progress as a cohort throughout the semester.
5. The target online course capacity is 50.

Online Instructor Support

1. Lesson Notes provide sufficient information for an instructor to guide and monitor learning activities.
2. Scoring criteria are included and sufficient to ensure that assignments are graded consistently.
3. Instructor load does not exceed an average of three hours per week per credit, and is distributed throughout a course.

Maintainability and Scalability

1. Materials meet the current legal standards of web accessibility.
2. Course resources and materials are used with permission and properly cited.
3. Internal resources are available through university systems or approved external resources.
4. To ensure the ongoing maintainability of a course, the delivery of a course does not rely on a single individual.
5. Courses follow the online course template.
6. Course design considers reach, quality and cost.