Glossary

Academic Integrity focuses on the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage as guiding academic work, exploring how online learning environments can be purposefully designed to reduce instances of student misconduct and instead foster their integrity.

Accessibility requirements, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in Ontario, are one part of universal and accessible design. AODA legislation stipulates that “all public sector organizations and private or non-profit organizations with fifty or more workers must make their courses accessible to all learners”. Universal design means creating course environments that are accessible to all people, regardless of ability, disability, age, or other factors. Accessibility means course environments are adaptable and functional for users of all abilities (Grimard, 2021).

HLC definition: “Accreditation protects the interests of students, their parents, the academic institutions themselves, and potential employers, by ensuring that the educational programs offered have attained a level that meets or exceeds standards that were developed by experts in the field.” https://tinyurl.com/3z33p3ew

Backward Design is an approach to design that starts with outcomes first, followed by a consideration of assessment: “What would the students have to do to convince me that they had achieved those learning goals?” Further followed by a question of learning: “What would the students need to do during the course to be able to do well on these assessment activities?” (Fink, 2013).

The action of working with others to produce or create something together.

Constructive alignment is an "outcomes-based approach to teaching in which the learning outcomes that students are intended to achieve are defined before teaching takes place. Teaching and assessment methods are then designed to best achieve those outcomes and to assess the standard at which they have been achieved” (Biggs, 2014, p. 5).

Core components or key characteristics of a program are the essential factors, traits, and qualities that consistently shape the program’s curriculum

Course design is the process of planning the course-based curriculum that makes the program.

“The process of associating course outcomes with program‐level learning outcomes and aligning elements of courses (e.g., teaching and learning activities, assessment strategies) within a program, to ensure that it is structured in a strategic, thoughtful way that enhances student learning” (Dyjur et al., 2019, p. 4).

Decolonization and Indigenization are the terms selected for this unit in representing a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action that call upon educators to learn about and integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms. Here, the essential consideration is focused on decolonization as “the process of deconstructing colonial ideologies of the superiority and privilege of Western thought and approaches”, and Indigenization as “a process of naturalizing Indigenous knowledge systems and making them evident to transform spaces, places, and hearts” (Antoine et al., 2018).

The degree descriptions and the knowledge and skills identified in the Standards capture the most generic aspects of the respective degree levels.

These are the eLearning Tools and software that will enable students to learn online, for example, the Learning Management System and any plug-in tools—such as audience response systems, Web Conferencing software, and Assessment software—as well as the hardware required for the stack to operate.

Three distinct but interwoven concepts are introduced together in a common focus on EDI. Equity represents fair and equitable treatment, access, and opportunity through learning. Diversity focuses in on diverse representation of various identifies and differences. Inclusion represents efforts engaged to create learning environment where students feel included, welcomed, respected, and valued.

The use of evidence that contributes to decision-making about particular problems or issues about best use of resources within institutions and across the healthcare system.

from Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (2006). Weighing Up the Evidence. Making evidence-informed guidance accurate, achievable, and acceptable. A summary of the workshop held on September 29, 2005.

Any post-secondary credentialing institution

Drawing on adult learning theory, this consideration focuses on strategies that meaningfully engage, support, and motivate online learners to take self-directed, goal-oriented approaches to their learning so that they are more likely to persist and succeed through their online learning.

Statements that specify what learners will know, be able to do, or value when they graduate.

A consideration of the technology-enabled teaching, learning, and assessment strategies best suited for online courses and programs. It also involves considering how technologies can be evaluated and selected for their appropriateness and best fit for teaching and learning.

Characteristics and measures that are commonly used to define high-quality online courses. Quality indicators are frequently presented as rubrics or tools that can guide design, assessment, or continuous improvement of high-quality in online education.

Any set of learning experiences and associated supports where learners receive a credential for demonstrating institutionally--approved learning outcomes. Learning Outcomes are taught and assessed primarily through digital tools and technologies and attendance in a physical location is not required to meet the program requirements.

"Program standards apply to all similar programs of instruction offered by publicly-funded colleges across the province and include the following:

-Vocational learning outcomes (the vocationally specific learning outcomes which apply to the program in question),
-Essential employability skills* (the essential employability skills learning outcomes which apply to all programs of instruction), and
-General education requirement (the requirement for general education in postsecondary programs of instruction)."

from Published College Program Standards (Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, n.d.)

The high-level goal or “why” statement that forms the foundation of any program framework.

“The types of teaching that organize the fundamental ways in which future practitioners are educated for their new professions” (Schulman, 2005)

Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results exercise

An organized body within the institution, e.g., academic department, student association, governing body, academic or student support unit, standing committee.