1. Katherine M. Hitchcock, Ph.D. Michelle Franz
Seven Principles and Eight Standards: Alignment Toward Quality Online Instruction
Katherine M. Hitchcock, Ph.D.
Michelle Franz

2. Presenter Introductions
Katherine M. Hitchcock, Ph.D.
Northeastern University
Michelle Franz
Howard Community College
Katherine M. Hitchcock, Ph.D., serves as the Director of Online Education at Northeastern University in the College of Science. She has over 14 years of experience in distance education instruction and administration spanning public, private, for-profit, 2-year, 4-year, and graduate institutions. Her administrative responsibilities have encompassed strategic program planning, ensuring quality in online course design and delivery, developing policy and practice for online programs, facilitating online student services and support, and creating and managing faculty support services and development opportunities. Katherine is certified by Quality Matters as a Master Reviewer and Online Facilitator. In her role as Director of Online Education, Katherine provides long-term and day-to-day leadership and management of online and hybrid graduate programs and courses, in collaboration with faculty and administration.
Michelle Franz serves as the Director of eLearning at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD. I've held a variety of administrative positions which include being Faculty Developer at Northern Virginia Community College’s Extended Learning Institute, the Assistant Director for eLearning at Florida Gulf Coast University and Manager of eLearning for The Society for Human Resource Management. I have developed and taught many undergraduate and graduate level courses focusing on instructional design, pedagogy, and other educational topics. I am a practicing instructional designer and am finishing up my doctorate in instructional technology and distance education.

3. Background & Purpose Introduction to Chickering and Gamson (1987)
The Seven Principles:
1. Encourages contact between students and faculty
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students
3. Encourages active learning
4. Gives prompt feedback
5. Emphasizes time on task
6. Communicates high expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning
Applying the principles to online education
In 1987, Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson consolidated research into “good” teaching at the undergraduate level with the goal of identifying practices that would help improve undergraduate education and help address problems like poor teaching, student apathy, etc. The resulting article, “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” has become a cornerstone of quality assurance efforts in undergraduate teaching and learning.
The Seven Principles relate to 6 important educational “forces” (Chickering & Gamson, 1987, p.2): activity, expectations, cooperation, interaction, diversity, and responsibility
1. Encourages contact between students and faculty (interaction)
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students (interaction, cooperation)
3. Encourages active learning (activity, responsibility)
4. Gives prompt feedback (expectations, interaction, responsibility)
5. Emphasizes time on task (responsibility, activity, expectations)
6. Communicates high expectations (expectations, responsibility)
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning (diversity, responsibility)
The principles have been adapted many times for applicability in various settings, including the distance learning environment. For example, Batts, Colaric, and McFadden (2006) examined the application of these principles to an online undergraduate course. Arbaugh and Hornik (2006) tested the application of the principles to an online MBA program and found them to be a valid starting point for quality teaching.

4. Background & Purpose
Introduction to Quality Matters Rubric 5th edition
The Eight Standards:
Course Overview and Introduction
Learning Objectives (Competencies)
Assessment and Measurement
Instructional Materials
Course Activities and Learning Interaction
Course Technology
Learner Support
Accessibility and Usability
The Concept of Alignment
As online and distance education evolves assuring that quality is a focal point for both course design and delivery needs to remain at the forefront of administrator, designer and faculty member’s minds. Though primarily focused on the process of developing blended and online learning courses, QM recognizes and articulates a distinction between design and delivery by identifying standards that encourage developers and instructors to create experiences that allow for quality instruction.
In terms of design, QM standards are widely recognized to be best practices in the same way that Chickering and Gamson’s principles are considered to identify best practices in delivery. QM’s concept of alignment provides a unique opportunity for examining the synergy between the two toward quality online instruction and continuous improvement.

5. Instructions for Group Activity
Please break into small groups.
Session presenters will assign each group specific standards for which the handout provided will be used to do the following :
In column 2, identify the Chickering and Gamson principle or principles that align with the General Standard.
In column 3, provide at least one application for quality instruction that addresses both the General Standard and the principle(s) identified.
Present your group’s ideas to the larger group.
Breakout groups will brainstorm to create good practices and will share and discuss ideas. Each group will be assigned specific standards and given blank handouts to complete the alignment and applications columns. Participants will rank ideas that will be most useful for promoting quality instruction.

6. Standards Alignment Quality Matters Chickering & Gamson
Application For Quality Instruction
GS 1:
Course Overview and Introduction
The overall design of the course is made clear to the learner at the beginning of the course.
Principle:
1. Encourages contact between students and faculty (interaction)
Example: Use of VoiceThread to create audio/video introduction that students can respond to with their own audio/video introduction. Creates visual conversation.
GS 2:
Learning Objectives (Competencies)
Learning objectives or competencies describe what learners will be able to do upon completion of the course.
GS 3:
Assessment and Measurement
Assessments are integral to the learning process and are designed to evaluate learner progress in achieving the stated learning objectives or mastering the competencies.
Specific discussion of alignment between QM General Standard and Chickering & Gamson principle.

7. Standards Alignment Quality Matters Chickering & Gamson
Application For Quality Instruction
GS 4:
Instructional Materials
Instructional materials enable learners to achieve stated learning objectives or competencies.
GS 5:
Course Activities and Learner Interaction
Course activities facilitate and support learner interaction and engagement.
GS 6:
Course Technology
Course technologies support learners' achievement of course objectives or competencies
Specific discussion of alignment between QM General Standard and Chickering & Gamson principle.

8. Standards Alignment Quality Matters Chickering & Gamson
Application For Quality Instruction
GS 7:
Learner Support
The course facilitates learner access to institutional support services essential to learner success.
GS 8:
Accessibility and Usability
The course design reflects a commitment to accessibility and usability for all learners.
Specific discussion of alignment between QM General Standard and Chickering & Gamson principle.

9. List of Alignments http://bit.ly/1sewKUO
Please click the link below to view the list of alignment ideas:
Please click the link to view the results of the group activity.

10. References
Arbaugh, J.B., & Hornik, S. (2006). Do Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles also apply to online MBAs? The Journal of Educators Online, 3(2), pp Retrieved from
Batts, D., Colaric, S.M., & McFadden, C. (2006). Online courses demonstrate use of seven principles. Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, 3(2). Retrieved from
Chickering, A., & Gamson, Z. (Eds.). (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, 38(7) 3-7.