UMass Boston

Online Course Development Checklist

Complete these steps to ensure your course meets the UMass Boston standards for online courses and aligns with the OSCQR (SUNY) Quality Framework.

1. Course Orientation & Foundation

Goal: Establish a "Welcome" experience that reduces student anxiety and clarifies expectations. OSCQR Reference: Course Overview & Information

  • Apply the OL Template: Organize all content according to the official template for visual consistency. Download UMB OL template.
  • Course Orientation Module: Populate the provided template pages. Create a welcome page and a narrated Course Tour video.
  • Instructor Presence: Add photo to Canvas profile; post a bio in the template page.
  • Syllabus: Provide an accessible Syllabus file on the course menu and set it to "Preview Expanded" by default.
  • Verify Dates: Update all dates for the new semester. Apply availability dates to modules.
  • Add Due Dates for graded assignments to help students keep track of deliverables.
  • Update Terminology: Remove any references to Blackboard, SafeAssign, Ally and other Blackboard-specific terminology that may have carried over from the previous LMS.

2. Module Architecture & Navigation

Goal: Create a consistent, "3-click" navigation structure that lets students focus on learning, not searching. OSCQR Reference: Course Design & Layout

  • Logical Sequencing: List modules (Week 1–12) in chronological order.
  • Descriptive Naming: Use clear titles that match the course topic map (e.g., Module 1: Introduction to Bioethics).
  • Overview & Objectives: Start every module with a Page containing measurable objectives (using action verbs like Identify, Analyze, Create).
  • Weekly To-Do List: Include a checklist of all tasks due for that module (action verbs, Read, Watch, Submit ).
  • Learning Materials: Place links to all required readings, files, and videos in order within the module.
  • Video Display: Embed videos in Pages for easier viewing.
  • Library Links: Use OpenAthens permalinks for library resources.
  • File Preview: Files must be set to open within the browser using the link Preview options Students should not have to download files to view them. Uploaded files must be accessible.
  1. Accessibility

Goal: Provide high-quality content that is accessible to all learners on any device. OSCQR Reference: Accessibility

  • Canvas Text Formatting: Use the Canvas "Clear Formatting" option on pasted text; use Heading styles (H2, H3) for content structure.
  • Descriptive Links: Ensure links describe their destination (avoid "Click Here").
  • Document Accessibility: Create accessible documents using universal design features and the accessibility checker in Microsoft or Google Docs. Check your Yuja Panorama score for all content.
  • Sourced PDF: Ensure all PDF documents are OCR-readable and tagged, or replaced with library permalinks or web-based versions.
  • Alt Tags: Ensure descriptive Alt Tags are added to all image content in your course.
  • Complex Image Description: For complex images that you can’t describe in the 120-150 character Alt tag, such as charts or infographics, place a long description in paragraph text near the image.
  • Video Captions: Review and manually edit auto-generated captions in Canvas Studio, Echo 360 or other video tools for 100% accuracy. When sourcing other video content, be sure to select videos that are captioned.
  • Video Transcripts: Place transcripts of video narration below the embedded video, so screen reader users can view the narration at their own pace.

4. Communication & Engagement

Goal: Foster a "human-centered" course where students interact with the instructor and each other. OSCQR Reference: Interaction

  • Introductions/Ice Breaker Activity: Set up social activities to reduce social distance and anonymity.
  • Interaction Hubs: Include a "Course Q&A" forum for peer support and for reporting issues with content.
  • Active Learning: Ensure every module contains at least one graded activity and/or opportunity for communication (discussion, quiz, or assignment).
  • Announcements: Update announcements so they appear with your profile photo (instead of “U”). Apply the availability dates at the beginning of the semester to send announcements weekly to guide students through milestones.
  • Communication plan: Make clear (in the Syllabus) your schedule for sending announcements, posting grades, responding to discussions, and the communication format (Course Q&A for general course-related inquiries; email for private matters).
  • Humanize the course: Post a short video or audio overview in modules or assignments. This allows you to highlight "muddy points," offer real-world context, and reduce the isolation felt in online learning.

5. Assessments & Gradebook

Goal: Provide transparent grading and timely feedback. OSCQR Reference: Assessment & Feedback

  • Rubrics: Attach a Digital Rubric to all major assignments to clarify grading criteria.
  • Alignment: Verify that assignments directly measure the module’s Learning Objectives.
  • Assignment Groups: Ensure all assignments are placed in the appropriate assignment groups and they match the grade weights and categories in your Syllabus.
  • Grades: Ensure the Grades link is available on the Navigation Menu and the Grade Posting Policy is reflecting your grading and feedback policies.
  • Feedback: Provide constructive feedback on assignments and discussions and ensure Quiz Settings provide post-quiz feedback according to your feedback policies

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