Developing Online Distance Learning Awards
Aims
1. Provide course teams with a series of prompts and areas to consider when planning the development of an
award delivered solely, or primarily online to distance learners
2. Provide validation panels with details of areas to explore when considering proposals for solely, or primarily,
online distance learning programmes
Learning outcomes
The materials contained in this resource will enable you to:
1. Evaluate the business case and pedagogic rationale for developing an online distance programme
2. Analyse the course structure and design of proposed online distance programmes
3. Identify issues which need to be considered in terms of the structure, design, implementation, assessment and
support of an online distance programme
4. Prepare for successful validation of an online distance programme and deliver an effective student learning
experience
Acknowledgements
This document has been developed from work undertaken by the QA-QE Special Interest Group (SIG) during 2010-11,
supported by funding from the Higher Education Academy (HEA). This work resulted in the development of a toolkit to
link QA process to technology-enhanced learning, and can be accessed via the Jisc Design Studio.
Table of contents
Introduction and how to use this document
1
Activity 1 Formal Proposal of a New Online Distance Learning Award or Revalidation of an Existing Award to include Online
Distance Delivery
3
Activity 2 Development of the course model, structure, delivery and support infrastructure prior to validation
5
General Issues Pertaining To The Course Design
5
Developing Assessment for Online Distance Programmes
6
Supporting Students in an Online Distance Learning Environment
9
Implementation Issues Associated with Online Distance Programmes
Filename: 265329851
Author: Neil Ringan
10
Updated: 13-Jul-17
Introduction and how to use this document
This document is intended to assist programme teams throughout the development process when they are considering
the development of a route through the award where it will be delivered wholly, or primarily, via online distance
learning. The guidance can be used either for awards which will be offered solely via online distance delivery, or for
awards where the online distance mode is offered in parallel to other delivery modes (for example face-to-face). The
guidance includes a number of areas that the programme team should consider when planning for the strategic
approval, validation and implementation of all awards that will be offered via online distance learning. Programme
teams are advised to adopt a systematic approach to working through this guidance document.
Programme teams should utilize appropriate sections of this guidance document when preparing for the following 2
stages of course approval:


Strategic or Faculty Approval - primarily Activity 1
Programme Approval, Review & Monitoring (PARM) – primarily Activity 2
You should ensure that both Activity 1 and Activity 2 are discussed with LRT at appropriate stages of the development
process, and both sections need to be countersigned by LRT staff as part of the approvals processes.
Strategic Approval
Programme teams should review this document prior to submitting strategic approval documentation and throughout
the initial associated stages of course planning. In particular programme teams will wish to consider elements of
Activity 1 to ensure that the strategic approval forms contain sufficient detail as to the business case, pedagogic
rationale, operational infrastructure and support mechanisms associated with the course model and delivery.
Programme Approval, Review & Monitoring (PARM)
This document will be utilized within internal PARM processes in two distinct ways.


Following strategic approval, this document should be used by the programme team throughout the PARM
process as an informal action-planning checklist to help prepare for the validation event, irrespective of the
format of this event (full validation, major modification, Faculty event, etc.) Programme teams should use the
“Comments/Outcomes” column of this document to record actions to be undertaken, or issues to consider,
against each of the areas highlighted within the document. These action plans can be revised and updated as
the course development progresses, with informal comments, actions and responsibilities updated accordingly.
As part of the documentation submitted for the validation panel, a final version of the document should be
submitted alongside all other course documentation. This final version should describe how the programme
team has considered each of the issues highlighted in the guidance; actions which have been undertaken as
part of the course design process and any issues which remain unresolved; how other stakeholders have been
engaged to ensure appropriate planning for course implementation has occurred, etc. Overall the purpose of
the final version of the document submitted as part of the formal validation process is to provide the validation
panel with confidence that issues associated with the design, implementation and delivery of online distance
learning has been considered by the programme team to ensure the most effective student learning
experience is delivered.
Engagement with Other Stakeholders
Within the guidance document, programme teams are asked to liaise with a broad range of stakeholders within MMU
who will be key to ensuring the effective operation of the course. It is strongly recommended that the relevant Faculty
E-Learning Support Officer (ELSO) is involved as a key member of the course planning team and that initial liaison is
undertaken with the ELSO to ensure a systematic approach is adopted to working with other stakeholders.
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PLEASE NOTE: This document has been created so that text can only be entered into the text boxes in the
Comments/Actions column and no other text can be edited. To add text to this column, or edit existing text,
place your cursor in the grey box in the Comments/Actions column and type/edit as normal.
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Activity 1 Formal Proposal of a New Online Distance Learning Award or Revalidation of an Existing
Award to include Online Distance Delivery
Questions to Consider
Possible Actions
Comments / Outcomes
Develop a sound and appropriately costed business case.
Is there a business case for delivering the award
via online distance learning?
Complete market research to determine likely demand for
the award and proposed delivery model.
Is there a pedagogic argument for delivering the
award via online distance learning?
Is there an appropriate technical and
administrative infrastructure in place (centrally
and locally) to support the delivery of the award
via online distance learning?
Are all learning technologies being proposed
within the award supported by MMU?
Develop a clear pedagogic rationale to support the
proposal.
Complete market research to determine likely demand for
the award and proposed delivery model.
Engage with LRT, CELT, ITS, SAS and CASQE as early
as possible to assist in development of the course
proposal.
Ensure that the appropriate ELSO (e-learning support
officer) is a full member of the course planning team.
Utilize MMU supported learning technologies within the
proposal unless these do not enable the model to be
implemented. Discuss with LRT as soon as possible in
course planning.
Provide a technology specification as part of the proposal
detailing all learning technologies to be utilized along with
details of access, licensing, support models, etc.
Has a risk assessment been undertaken in
relation to any proposed learning technologies
that are not controlled or supported by MMU?
Undertake a risk assessment for any learning
technologies not supported by MMU providing full details
of how these will be supported and any technical issues
will be mitigated.
Do licensing arrangements exist which will
enable distance learners to utilize all of the
proposed learning technologies?
Ensure appropriate licenses in place for all software,
content and tools used in the course. Consider how
MMU-created content can be controlled / licensed or
made available on an open basis as appropriate.
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Determine whether staff have appropriate skills to create,
deliver, support and assess the award. Produce a staff
development strategy to ensure a consistent baseline of
staff digital literacy across the entire award team
Do staff delivering the programme have the
necessary skill sets to design, deliver, support
and assess the award?
Consider whether any partners or collaborators will be
required to support the award and assess the reliability of
these.
Ensure the validation panel has membership with
appropriate expertise to assess the proposal, drawing in
additional members as necessary.
What model for blending online content, online
communication & collaboration, online formative
and summative assessment is being proposed?
How will this model facilitate effective student
engagement with the programme?
What special course marketing, recruitment or
promotional processes will be required to
support effective online distance delivery?
Produce a clear demonstration of the course model and
structure, including a mapping document which
demonstrates how the range of technologies being
utilized within the award relate to programme and unit
learning outcomes; elements of assessment and
graduate outcomes.
Develop a clear rationale for how the proposed delivery,
assessment and support model for the course will
encourage and support effective student engagement.
Produce a technical specification of what learners will
require to have access to in order to effectively undertake
the course (computer, additional hardware (speakers,
microphone, webcam), software, connectivity, etc.)
Liaise with IT Services; Marketing and Recruitment &
Admissions to ensure students are fully aware of what
they need to be able to undertake the course.
Undertake a risk assessment to identify any potential
Are there any issues around the award proposal,
cultural, geographic or other issues that may impact on
model and student engagement processes that
the design or delivery of the award. Produce a mitigation
need to be addressed (e.g. cultural issues,
strategy to outline how any such issues will be addressed
multiple time zones, etc.)?
during the course.
I confirm that LRT have been consulted in the development of this proposal
Signature
Date
Prof. Mark Stubbs (Head of LRT) or Dr. Neil Ringan (Assistant Head of LRT (Learning Innovation))
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Activity 2 Development of the course model, structure, delivery and support infrastructure prior to
validation
General Issues Pertaining To The Course Design
Questions to Consider
How might structures and delivery models for
existing face-to-face courses be modified for an
online distance delivery model?
Possible Actions
Comments / Outcomes
Provide course design guidelines, models or templates
that illustrate how MMU core learning technologies can
be utilized to deliver the learning experience. Ensure
LRT and CELT are involved in the course design process
and that the Faculty ELSO is a member of the course
planning team.
Consider developing a standard consistent approach to
the structure, organization and delivery of units
throughout the programme and agreeing this standard in
advance with all members of the programme team.
Ensure that the student learning experience is identical
across different proposed delivery modes. In particular
ensure equivalence of learning outcomes. Ensure that
If the course is to be offered in different delivery students studying online develop the same skills and
values as well as knowledge as those studying face-tomodes (face-to-face, online distance) is there
face, and that they have opportunities to practice and
equivalence in learning outcomes, assessment
strategy and overall student experience between develop all of these within the programme.
the different modes?
Develop guidance on the organization and facilitation of
group work in online distance delivery to ensure
equivalence of the student experience compared to faceto-face delivery.
What processes are in place to involve students
in the design of the overall programme and
trialing online content and activities?
Include student participation in the overall course design
process and describe how this has occurred in the course
documentation.
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Ensure all online content and activities (communication,
assessment, etc.) are tested in advance of course
implementation, using similar student cohorts within the
testing.
Ensure that any new, untested or innovative approaches
to the use of learning technologies are trialed and
evaluated with students prior to their adoption as a
standard part of the course. This is particularly important
for any technologies that the programme team has never
utilized before or which do not form part of the MMU core
technology set.
Online distance courses are an effective way of delivering
learning to learners who are already in employment.
Specific consideration should be given to design
processes whereby learning which students undertake
within the workplace is embedded, utilized and, where
How will work-related or work-based learning be appropriate, assessed within the programme.
integrated within the course structure?
Ensure that all learning outcomes and assessment
strategies allow for realistic assessment within the
workplace and to enable students to demonstrate
knowledge, skills and experience that they have
developed within the workplace.
Developing Assessment for Online Distance Programmes
Questions to Consider
Are the summative assessment opportunities in
the programme appropriate for online distance
delivery, particularly where the programme has
been developed from existing face-to-face
provision?
Possible Actions
Comments / Outcomes
Ensure appropriate staff development has occurred
(involving staff in LRT and CELT as appropriate) to
ensure academics associated with the programme are
familiar with approaches to designing, implementing and
facilitating formative and summative assessment within
an online distance learning environment.
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If computer-marked assessment (multiple choice quizzes)
is to be utilized within the programme for formative or
summative purposes, ensure appropriate staff
development in objective test and question design has
occurred, and that rigorous testing of all such approaches
has occurred.
Are there sufficient and appropriate formative
assessment opportunities available within the
programme to underpin the summative
assessment activities?
Ensure appropriate staff development has occurred
(involving LRT and CELT as appropriate) to ensure staff
are familiar with approaches to designing, implementing
and facilitating formative and summative assessment
within an online distance learning environment.
Ensure students have the opportunity to develop
experience and confidence in the use of online
assessment tools in a “safe” environment and to practice
their skills in advance of formal activities.
Provide guidance to staff and students on the
Are processes for providing feedback and marks mechanisms for online coursework submission and return
of feedback and marks.
to students effectively embedded within the
programme; are they equivalent to face-to-face Ensure that all assessment activities are correctly
delivery, and consistent with the MMU
specified in the MMU coursework receipting system and
Commitment?
student record system in order that online submission and
marks transfer can occur correctly.
Test and trial ALL formative and summative assessments
(ideally with students) prior to release.
How will equivalence of learning outcomes and
assessment strategy be ensured across face-to- Produce a mapping document that shows how individual
face and online distance versions of the course? formative and assessment activities in all delivery modes
relate to unit learning outcomes.
Are robust and reproducible processes in place
for online summative assessment activities to
ensure appropriate security, verification and
Develop QA and authentication processes for all online
summative assessment activities which ensure that the
overall process is as robust as possible, for example:
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access mechanisms to confirm the correct
student is undertaking the activity?

Student identity can be verified and assured

Systems are robust, sustainable and reliable

Systems are stable & usable across a range of
internet speeds and across the range of
technologies being used by students

Access to activities is secure and only accessible
to intended users
Undertake a risk assessment to identify all potential
system issues which could impact on student
assessment, including, for example:
Are there effective processes in place to mitigate
against any potential technical or system failures
in relation to e-assessment?

Inability of students to submit work

Inability of staff to access, mark and feedback on
work

Failure of local or central systems midway
through undertaking summative MCQ
assignments
Identify and implement backup processes that can be
immediately put in place in the event of technical failure of
e-assessment tools as identified in the risk assessment
undertaken.
Might the use of an online distance learning
programme increase the potential for poor
academic practice and/or plagiarism in specific
situations?
Ensure summative assessment activities are designed so
as to minimize the potential for plagiarism to occur.
Provide guidance on good assessment design involving
LRT and CELT as necessary.
Consider ways in which Turnitin or other technologies can
be used in a formative manner to enable students to
reflect on drafts of assignments prior to submission,
potentially including a critical reflection on the process as
part of the summative activity.
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Supporting Students in an Online Distance Learning Environment
Questions to Consider
Possible Actions
Comments / Outcomes
Identify a named individual with responsibility within the
programme team for student support issues.
How will student support mechanisms that are
physically available to face-to-face students be
made available to online distance learners?
Identify the different levels of student support which will
require to be made available – academic support,
technical support, pastoral support, administrative
support, etc. Identify which areas of MMU will be
responsible for delivering these and ensure they are part
of the programme team.
Ensure there are identified and named points of contact
for all students for all support elements identified above,
and that appropriate processes are in place to enable
students to effectively access this support irrespective of
their location or time of study.
Ensure equivalence of the student support infrastructure
between face-to-face and online distance learners is in
place.
Ensure that all physical support services (SIPs, Hubs,
Careers & Employability, Learner Development, etc.) can
How might student support issues and demands be accessible by online distance learners in a format and
from online distance learner differ from face-to- timescale appropriate to the needs of that learner.
face learners and how are these issues
Provide full details of staff availability times (academic,
addressed?
administrative, pastoral, technical, etc.) and details of
service levels in terms of response times (e.g. for email
responses, etc.)
Involve SAS; ITS and other appropriate stakeholders
within the course design process to ensure appropriate
support infrastructures are implemented.
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How can accessibility, inclusion, cultural &
diversity issues impact on the design of the
programme and the associated support
infrastructure?
Undertake an audit of the types of learners likely to enroll
on the programme and complete a risk assessment to
identify any potential issues that may impact on the
design or implementation of the support infrastructure,
and how these risks can be mitigated.
Identify the minimum student digital literacy skills and
ensure a detailed technology specification of the
hardware, software & connectivity requirements for the
programme is developed. Publicize these to potential
students as part of the course marketing and recruitment
processes.
Do students possess the appropriate digital
literacies, technical skills and technology
infrastructure to effectively and successfully
engage fully with the online distance
programme?
Consider undertaking student surveys at the point of entry
and implementing appropriate development activities to
address any shortfalls. Ensure all software and
technologies that students will need to access during the
course can be downloaded and appropriate licensing is in
place.
Signpost additional student support opportunities
available to develop their digital literacies.
Review student utilization of, and engagement with,
learning technologies within the programme and adapt
the structure, delivery and support accordingly.
Implementation Issues Associated with Online Distance Programmes
Questions to Consider
Possible Actions
Comments / Outcomes
Ensure institutional, faculty and departmental processes
Is there appropriate support for academic staff to and systems (in particular workload modeling) recognize
implement, support and assess an online
and address the additional overheads in terms of time
distance programme?
and effort associated with running an online distance
programme.
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Consider including specific references to the design,
delivery and support of online distance programmes in
staff recruitment and promotion processes.
Ensure those staff that will be involved in the delivery,
support and assessment of online distance programmes
receive appropriate induction, staff development and
support, and that PDR processes specifically focus on
these aspects.
Ensure that specific staff development & support is
provided for all innovative or unfamiliar learning, teaching
and assessment processes (e.g. moderation of online
discussion forums, online marking and feedback of
assessments, etc.). Involve LRT as early as possible in
the implementation process to ensure these are
embedded.
Pay particular attention to the use of external staff,
associate lecturers, guest speakers and similar staff who
may be involved in delivering or supporting the
programme. Ensure that appropriate training, support
and technical access are provided.
Ensure institutional and local processes and systems (in
particular workload modeling) recognize and address the
additional overheads in terms of time and effort
associated with running an online distance programme.
Is there appropriate support for administrative
and technical staff to implement and support an
online distance programme?
Consider including specific references to the design,
delivery and support of online distance programmes in
staff recruitment and promotion processes.
Ensure those staff that will be involved in the delivery,
support and assessment of online distance programmes
receive appropriate induction, staff development and
support, and that PDR processes specifically focus on
these aspects.
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Develop and circulate operational & implementation
handbooks to staff involved in the programme to ensure a
clear understanding of operational processes, and a
consistent student experience.
Provide clear guidance to staff on what they can, and
cannot do, in terms of finding and re-using content and
resources within the programme.
How will issues around copyright and intellectual Ensure that copyright and IPR issues are considered for
property rights associated with online content
all geographic locations in which the programme may be
and resources be considered and addressed?
accessed.
Discuss the proposed development with MMU Legal and
MMU Library staff as early as possible to ensure these
issues are taken into consideration.
I confirm that LRT have been consulted in the development of this proposal
Signature
Date
Prof. Mark Stubbs (Head of LRT) or Dr. Neil Ringan (Assistant Head of LRT (Learning Innovation))
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