two and a half years of high-quality online course design
Faculty course developers address the critical need, post pandemic, for equitably designed online courses
The Online Course Development Program remedies the historical tendency of online courses to negatively impact minoritized students. OCDP helps faculty design courses for high-impact on learner success.
Courses in the program are meticulously designed following the Quality Matters Higher Ed Rubric. Courses are structured for community and teacher-presence—fundamental to first-generation and Latino student success.
Faculty and Student Success
Huge Participation by Cal State LA Faculty
Over 350 faculty have participated in all iterations of the Online Course Development Program since 2018. As a result, OCDP has helped create collective teacher efficacy or CTE---the communal belief of faculty in their ability to positively affect students.
#2 in the System for most Peer-Reviewed Courses
With 182 courses, Cal State LA is #2 in the CSU system for QM peer-reviewed courses (second only to East Bay with 183 courses). That’s 10% of all Cal State LA Faculty!
After the hard work of building a high-quality online course, Cal State LA faculty had their course reviewed by an expert peer reviewer during a QM Preparatory Review. Faculty received detailed feedback and suggested revisions from a peer reviewer. QM Peer Reviewers are higher education teaching faculty from across the US who are trained in the QM Rubric and agree to review courses. With detailed feedback, Cal State LA faculty course developers further enhanced and strengthened their online course designs.
Faculty from every college have participated in the peer review process.
Quality Assured Courses Positively Impact Student Success
CETL in partnership with Institutional Effectiveness analyzed student success data between Fall 2018 and Fall 2022. Faculty who redesigned courses as part of the OCDP decreased their rates of DFUs from 12.2% to 9.4% post training, a percentage decrease of almost 23%.
| Instructor Role | Class section count pre | Class section count post | # of DFU pre | # of DFU post | # number of students enrolled pre | # number of students enrolled post | DFU pre | DFU post | DFU count if rate unchanged | # of DFU avoided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTT | 428 | 42 | 1433 | 108 | 12699 | 1325 | 11.30% | 8.20 | 150 | 42 |
| TT | 970 | 61 | 3037 | 223 | 23964 | 2204 | 12.70% | 10.10% | 279 | 56 |
| Total | 1398 | 103 | 4470 | 331 | 36663 | 3529 | 12.20% | 9.40% | 430 | 99 |
OCDP is a Positive and Transformative Process
Faculty who have participated in OCDP report a number of benefits from the program, including:
- Building online courses grounded in evidence-based practices.
- Improving the student-centered nature of their courses.
- Creating clearer course learning objectives for students.
- Receiving valuable feedback from external reviewers.
Faculty Testimonials
“Developing an online course through CETL’s Online Course Development Program was a very formative experience! It opened up my eyes to new ideas for online course development that are grounded on evidence-based practices, and helped me transform a remote course I taught during the pandemic into a true online course, student-centered and fully vetted to meet rigorous online teaching standards.”
- Evelyn Alvarez, Spring 2022
"Grateful to experience the support from [CETL staff] to help me navigate through redesigning my in-person course to be just as highly effective as an online course. I feel that my redesign is much more organized, coherent and conducive to the diverse needs of students."
- Lani Cupchoy, Fall 2022
"The first couple of weeks of the OCDP is a bear, but the CETL instructors are awesome and helpful in getting you through the course. If you are serious about better online delivery for your students/courses, the OCDP and QM review experience is worth the investment."
- Stephen Gonzalez, Spring 2022
"I am so glad that I did the OCDP for my MGMT 3070 course (Organizational Behavior & Management). As the coordinator for this course in the Department of Management, I am very grateful to CETL for having this program. Having taught this course for several years now in-person, I was skeptical of transitioning this course to fully online. The amount of support and insights Jeff and Naat from CETL gave me in making this course online is outstanding. While I knew about Bloom's Taxonomy, I was not very confident that I could do a good job in capturing it while designing my course. Thanks to CETL, the program extensively focused on enabling us to come up with course learning outcomes (CLOs) and module learning outcomes (MLOs) and the importance of integrating them in designing the course. Having worked on creating a course map with the help of CETL, I can now confidently create assignments and know how to tie it to the stages of Bloom's taxonomy. CETL is an asset for Cal State LA. Their dedication for student success can be seen from their availability and continuous support to resolve any difficulties we had in designing our online course. The Quality Matters certification further helped me address the nitty-gritty of successfully designing an online course. I congratulate CETL for the amazing work they are doing through OCDP. The icing on the cake is that I have now started creating a course map with CLOs & MLOs for my in-person courses as well."
- Arjun Mitra, Spring 2022
“The OCDP process was straightforward, the support from the CETL team terrific, and the feedback from the external reviewer really helpful and on point. While I was initially wary that I might have to “defend” my course against critique, I found the comments and suggestions from the reviewer extremely thoughtful and manageable. Most of all, both the process of working through the rubric and the notes from the reviewer will make this course more user-friendly for my students, which is hugely important. I highly recommend!”
- Nina O’Brien, Fall 2022
"The training modules are easy to follow. The course design process and the communication between the facilitators and the faculty are clear and efficient. I learned a lot from the OCDP training, and my online course has been significantly improved with better accessibility and alignment."
- Xiaojie (Christine) Sun, Fall 2022
"I went into the OCDP Option 1 training with as open a mind as possible hoping to come out with new competencies about online teaching. The training went far beyond my hope for new skills and opened up a new perspective about teaching and all it encompasses. Teaching and learning methods, relating to students, and questioning why and what has always been done is just the starting point for this program. Naat and Jeff make the learning process effective, supportive and enjoyable; leading and teaching by example, they are stellar instructors and advisors."
- Angela Young, Fall 2022
New Opportunities and Benefits
Continuing our success and to remain competitive within the system, the campus continues to offer three flexible options to complete OCDP, but with new opportunities and program features.
National Course Certification
CETL is sponsoring a limited number of courses for national QM certification. Courses that have already passed a QM Preparatory Review are eligible for national certification by Quality Matters and the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Faculty and courses are recognized on the official QM website, as well as the CSU Online Course Service webpage.
Please note: the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services offers its own college sponsored national course certifications. Congratulations RXCHHS for leading the way!
Become a QM Expert at Large
This semester, take the first step to becoming a QM Expert at Large by completing the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric workshop.
QM Experts at Large help bridge the gap between field and subject-matter specific perspectives and the goals of quality online course design. QM Experts at Large can help their college grow their online offerings, consult with faculty colleagues as they navigate the peer review process, and develop rich, college-specific expertise in online learning.
Eligibility Requirements
- Previously developed a course through the Online Course Development Program, including passing a QM Preparatory Review or a full QM Review (national course certification).
- Complete the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric workshop (this semester).
- Be nominated by your college to serve as a QM Expert at Large.
- Complete the QM Peer Reviewer Course (next semester).
Please note: nominees who previously completed the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric may need to take the QM 7th Edition Rubric Update course.
If you're interested in National Course Certification or becoming a QM Expert at Large, complete our interest form below.
Design Hybrid Courses Starting Spring 2024
Starting in spring 2024, colleges may nominate faculty to develop a 50/50 hybrid course.
Digital File Accessibility Support
Courses developed through OCDP will receive digital file accessibility support. Through a partnership with ITS Digital Accessibility, all digital files within the Canvas course developed through OCDP will be made accessible. This includes Microsoft Office files (e.g. docx and pptx) and PDFs. Support is provided to courses once they are completely built and are ready for QM Prep Review.
Connecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to Online Course Design
With recent updates in the QM 7th Edition Rubric, greater emphasis is placed on DEI and accessibility. Cal State LA along with SUNY Online, the CSU Chancellor’s Office, and many California Community Colleges are working to develop even clearer guidance on embedding inclusive and equitable teaching practice within the design of an online course. The Annotations for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Online Course Design, a cross-institutional coalitional initiative seeks faculty collaborators to review, revise, and contribute to detailed course design annotations addressing DEI.
Nationally Certified Courses
(QM Full Review)
- Andre Avramchuk, Management, BUS 3050
- Edan Epstein, Business, BUS 3050
- Sandor Ferencz, Economic & Statistics, ECON 3060
- Nanda Ganesan, Computer Information Systems, CIS 3010
- Tye Jackson, Marketing, MKT 3100
- James Sera, Anthropology, ANTH 1500
- Paul Narguizian, Biological Sciences, BIOL 4200
- Maria Ambriz, Chicano/Latino Studies, CLS 1500
- Carrie Adase, Nutrition and Food Science, NTRS 4110
- Dwan Bridges, Kinesiology, KIN 31000
- Stephen Gonzalez, Kinesiology, KIN 1110
- Kim Gottesman, Nutrition and Food Science, NTRS 4340, NTRS 5110
- Mandy (Kathryn) Hillstrom, Nutrition and Food Science, NTRS 4180
- Ashley Munger, Child Development, CHDV 3440, CHDV 3750
Peer Reviewed Courses
(QM Preparatory Review)
- Miguel Acedo, Television, Film, & Media, TVF 1938
- Kamran Afary, Communication Studies, COMM 3400
- John Ballinger, Music, MUS 1520
- Joel Chandler, Philosophy, PHIL 1600, PHIL 3330
- Dustin Garnet, ART, ART 4600
- Patti Kilroy, Music, MUS 1500
- Katie Kurtin, Communication Studies, COMM 4320, COMM 4330
- Greg McFall, Music, MUS 1520
- Jane McKeever, Television, Film, & Media, TVF 1200
- Joao Pedro Mourao, Music, MUS 1520
- Josh Pearson, Liberal Studies, LBS 4665
- Eilene Powell, Modern Languages & Literatures, SPAN 3001
- Melissa Saywell, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, WGSS 3400; xlisted with HIST 3405
- Melissa Saywell, Liberal Studies, LBS/WGSS 3665
- Alicia Tycer, Theater and Dance, TA 1520
- Rhonda Albey, Management, MGMT 4108
- Samila Amanyraoufpoor, Buisness, BUS 4150
- Cezhan Ambrose, Finance Law, Real Estate, FIN, 3030
- Jeffrey Anderson, Marketing, MKT 3100
- Lizzette Arroyo, Economics & Statistics, ECON 2020
- Arun Aryal, Computer Information Systems, BUS 5027
- Andre Avranchuk, Business, BUS 3050
- Patrick Borja, Accounting, ACCT 2100
- Nguyen Carlin, Marketing, MKT 3100
- Li-Hsueh Chen, Economics & Statistics, ECON 3060, ECON 4030
- Duane Cofield, Marketing, MKT 3400
- John Cooper, Accounting, ACCT 5860, ACCT 5910
- Charles Danso, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3350
- Marco Del Angel, Economics & Statistics, ECON 3060
- Rafik Elias, Accounting, ACCT 4340, ACCT 5340
- Edan Epstein, Business, BUS 3050
- Fang Fang, Management, MGMT 4504
- Yalan (Frances) Feng, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3250
- Liuliu Fu, Computer Information Systems, CIS 4840
- David Gadish, Computer Information Systems, CIS 3010
- Tatiana Gershberg, Accounting, ACCT 4240A
- Soojung Han, Management, MGMT 4400
- Mohammad Hashemi Joo, Finance, FIN 4340
- Devika Hazra, Economics & Statistics, ECON 2010, ECON 2020
- Haihong He, Accounting, ACCT 3220
- Anna Hovhannisyan, Economics & Statistics, ECON 2010
- Pamella Howell, Computer Information Systems, CIS 3010
- Rui Hu, Accounting, ACCT 2110, ACCT 3200B
- Mahshid Jessri, Management, MGMT 3070
- Nausheen Khan, Management, MGMT 4108
- Iksuk Kim, Marketing, MKT 4449
- Gretchen Lawrie, Accounting, ACCT 3210
- Daniel Lee, Finance, Law, Real Estate, FIN 3390
- Dong-Woo Lee, Accounting, ACCT 2110
- Lusi Li, Computer Information Systems, CIS 4200
- Scott Li, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3320
- Yuanyuan Li, Marketing, BUS 4150
- Chenyong Liu, Accounting, ACCT 5240A
- Jean Loo, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3030
- Nazgol Makki, Economics & Statistics, ECON 2010
- Silvia Martin, Marketing, MKT 4449
- Ramin Maysami, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3350, FIN 4340
- Arjun Mitra, Management, MGMT 3070
- Edward Monsour, Accounting, ACCT 4210A, ACCT 5870, ACCT 5910
- Neda Mossaei, Marketing, MKT 3100
- Audrie Na, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 3250
- O'Brien Nina, Business, BUS 3050
- Minyoung Noh, Accounting, ACCT 3200A
- James Refalo, Finance Law and Real Estate, FIN 3030
- Mabel Sanchez, Management, MGMT 3080
- Brandon Shamim, Management, MGMT 4105
- Monica Sharif, Management, MGMT 3080
- Stacey Sharpe, Marketing, MKT 3100, MKT 3400
- Christine Sohail, Management, MGMT 4101
- Xiaojie (Christine) Sun, Accounting, ACCT 2110
- Pooya Tabesh, Management, MGMT 3070, BUS 4970
- Parkev Tatevosian, Finance Law and Real Estate, FIN 3030
- Maryam Tofighi, Marketing, MKT 3100, MKT 3200, MKT 4460
- Juanita Trusty, Management, MGMT 3080
- Mine Ucok-Hughes, Marketing, MKT 3100, MKT 3400
- Shikha Upadhyaya, Marketing, MKT 4461
- Nathalie Virem, Management, MGMT 4101, MGMT 4102
- Bingbing Wang, Finance, Law, and Real Estate, FIN 4390, FIN 4390
- Anne Fujung Wu, Management, MGMT 4106
- Song Xing, Computer Information Systems, CIS 4100
- Jong Yi, Finance, FIN 4340
- Angela Young, Management, MGMT 4103
- Jingwen (Joanna) Zhao, Accounting, ACCT 2110
- Lijuan Zhao, Accounting, ACCT 2100
- Pearl Chen, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDIT 5060
- Erica Hamilton, Curriculum & Instruction, EDCI 4000
- Moonyup (Joshua) Kim, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDFN 1090, EDFN 1092
- Wonjoo Kim, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDFN 1090/1092
- Kezia Gopaul-Knights, Special Education and Counseling, COUN 5001
- Nazgol Makki, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDFN 1090/1092
- Jamie Marsh, Curriculum & Instruction, EDEL 4160
- Gina Michell, Special Education & Counseling, EDSP 4050
- Zhengqing Ni, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDFN 1090/1092
- Deborah Oh, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, EDFN 1090/1092
- Jennifer Symon, Special Education and Counseling, EDSP 5886
- Lani Cupchoy, Chicano/Latino Studies, CLS 3300
- Felicia Montes, Chicano/Latino Studies, CLS 1600
- Navid Amini, Computer Science, CS 4550, CS 4665
- Mathias Brieu, Mechanical Engineering, ME 3200
- Lily Chen, Technology, FPAT 3520
- Jessica DeBerardinis, Mechanical Engineering, ME 5830
- Yilin Feng, Technology, TECH 4460
- Negin Forouzesh, Computer Science, CS 2148
- Jiang Guo, Computer Science, CS 4440
- Huiping Guo, Computer Science, CS 4780
- John Hurley, Computer Science, CS 2012, CS 3801
- Jungsoo Lim, Computer Science, CS 2445
- Chengyu Sun, Computer Science, CS 3220
- Kory Schaff, Engineering, ENGR 3010
- Michael Thomas, Technology, FPAT 4590
- Yuqing Zhu, Computer Science, CS 3186
- Shweta Adur, Sociology, SOC 3910
- Amira Ainis, Anthropology, ANTH 3700
- Luoman Bao, Sociology, SOC 4500
- Jessica Bodoh-Creed, Anthropology, ANTH 3380
- Michele Bleuze, Anthropology, ANTH 3610
- Jeremy Busacca, Political Science, POLS 4250
- Katie Dingeman, Sociology, SOC 3910, SOC 4000
- Dawn Dennis, History, HIST 2020
- Jessica DeShazo, Political Science, POLS 1000
- Gaithri Fernando, Psychology, PSY 3250
- Steven Frenda, Psychology, PSY 3220
- Richard Groper, Political Science, POLS 1000
- Giovanni Hortua, History, HIST 2050
- Kristen Hourigan, Sociology, SOC 3700
- Anita Juarez, Latin American Studies, LAS 3020
- Hyojoung Kim, Sociology, SOC 3100
- Patrick Krug, Biological Sciences, BIOL 3500
- Theodoric Manley, Sociology, SOC 3300
- Luis Nuno, Sociology, SOC 3900
- Pamela Regan, Psychology, PSY 4150
- James Sera, Anthropology, ANTH 1500
- Camille Suarez, History, HIST 2080
- Karen Wu, Psychology, PSY 4650
- Alexandra (Sasha) Wright, Biological Sciences, BIOL 3000
- Frances Abderhalden, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 3300
- Evelyn Alvarez, Public Health, PH 4140
- Akhila Ananth, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 4280
- Maja Broz, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Food Science, NTRS 2500
- Siouxsie Calderon, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 3410
- Jessica Morales-Chicas, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 3210
- Andy Cornwell, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Food Science, KIN 3400
- Ionna Dimitracopoulou, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 3400
- Gabriel Ferreyra-Orozco, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 2030
- Patricia Flores, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 4930
- Jane Gauthier, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 3030
- Kim Gottesman, Kinesiology, Nutrition, & Food Science, NTRS 4185
- Mandy (Kathryn) Hillstrom, Nutrition and Food Science, NTRS 3130
- Brieanne Kohrt, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 4120
- Shichun "Asminet" Ling, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM, 4830
- Saemi Lee, Kinesiology, KIN 3820
- William London, Public Health, PH 3120
- Carolyn Devon Malik, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 1200
- Simona Montanari, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 4920, CHDV 4960
- Xiaohan Mei, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 2010
- Minas Montanari, Child & Family Studies, CHDV 3500
- Simona Montanari, Child & Family Studies, CHDV 4960, CHDV 4920
- Victoria Buxton-Pacheco, Kinesiology, Nutrition, & Food Science, NTRS 4150
- Michele Nicolo, Nutrition & Food Science, NTRS 4176
- Christine Park, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 1400
- James Simon, Social Work, SW 5203, SW 5204
- Bill Sanders, Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, CRIM 4010
- James Simon, Social Work, SW 5203, SW 5204
- Azita Tabatabaei, Kinesiology, Nutrition, & Food Science, FST 4440
- Rita Tamer, Communication Disorders, COMD 1500
- Su Jeong Wee, Child and Family Studies, CHDV 2000