V.1 Learning activity will achieve objectives & learning outcomes
V.2 Learning activities foster instructor to student and student to content interaction
V.3 Clear standards set for instructor response and availability
V.4 Requirements for course interaction are clearly identified
V.5 Course design prompts instructor to be present, active & engage with students

Learning activities are various including class discussions, case studies, simulation exercise, practice quizzes, tests, etc. Activities align with and support the learning objectives. Most of the objectives can reasonably be achieved by students completing the learning activities.

Examples of mismatches between activities and objectives:

• The objective requires students to be able to deliver a persuasive speech, but the activities in the course do not include practice of that skill
• The objective is “Prepare each budget within a master budget and explain their importance in the overall budgeting process.” The students review information about this in their texts, observe budgets worked out by the instructor, and produce only one of the several budgets

Alignment: This standard is included in Alignment. (Critical course components work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes.)

Examples of learning activities that foster the following types of interaction:

• Instructor – student (consider for ALL courses): Self-introduction; discussion postings and responses; feedback on project assignments; evidence of one-to-one e-mail communication, etc.
• Student – content (consider for ALL courses): Essays, term papers, group projects, etc. based on readings, videos, and other course content; self-assessment exercises; group work products, etc.
• Student – student (if appropriate to this course): Self-introduction exercise; group discussion postings; group projects; peer critiques, etc. Refer to the Instructor Worksheet to determine if student-student interaction is appropriate for this course. If the Worksheet indicates that such interaction is appropriate then consider this in deciding if this standard is met. If the Worksheet indicates that such interaction is not appropriate, then focus only on instructor-student and student-content interaction to decide whether this standard has been met. Where possible, include recommendations and comments where student-student interaction can be incorporated in this course.

Information clearly indicates instructor response time for key events and interactions, including e-mail turnaround time, time required for grade postings, discussion postings, etc. Standards also include instructor availability, including e-mail response time, degree of participation in discussions, and availability via other media (phone, in-person) if applicable.

This standard does not prescribe what that response time and availability ought to be.

For example, students required to participate in discussions are told how many times each week they must post original comments, how many times they must post responses to other’s comments, what the quality of the comments must be, how the comments will be evaluated, what grade credit they can expect for various levels of performance, and whether the interaction is required or optional.

Examples:

• An actively used and well organized instructor-facilitated discussion board
• Optional “electronic office hours” provided in the chat room or chat sessions on selected topics, archived/edited and posted as a FAQ for other students
• An invitation for the class to email the instructor with individual concerns
• Current announcements, either in the classroom or via email

"The Quality Matters™ program (www.qualitymatters.org) is sponsored by MarylandOnline, and was supported in part by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education."