Welcome to the Toolkit for Online Courses! This resource is designed to support faculty in implementing high-impact practices that enhance the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of online learning experiences. The online education landscape is complex, governed by multiple regulatory bodies focused on ensuring quality, accessibility, and compliance. Butler’s adoption of Quality Matters (QM) Essential Standards guides us toward meeting these regulatory requirements, simplifying and clarifying institutional compliance processes. Additionally, these standards provide several benefits to students:
Improved course design: Clear, organized courses make it easier for students to focus on learning.
Clear expectations: Students understand objectives, assessments, and grading from the start.
Consistency: Quality across courses ensures a dependable learning experience.
Enhanced online support: Courses offer strong resources and guidance for remote learners.
Equity: Accessible materials ensure inclusivity for all students.
Increased engagement: Better design boosts student satisfaction and success.
This toolkit is for faculty teaching the following courses:
Undergraduate courses that are taught online AND that are not part of an online program.
Graduate courses that are taught online AND that are not participating in Butler+ course design services.
If you are unsure if this toolkit applies to you, email OEET@butler.edu for further assistance.
Quality Matters (QM) is a widely recognized, research-based framework designed to ensure high standards in online and blended course design. QM focuses on creating clear, measurable learning objectives, aligning assessments with course goals, and ensuring accessible and engaging instructional materials. Through its peer-reviewed rubric, QM promotes continuous improvement in the online learning experience, supporting educators in crafting courses that enhance student success and engagement. Learn more on the Quality Matters website.
As noted above, the Online Course Toolkit helps faculty meet online standards more easily. The Online Education and Educational Technology (OEET) team will continue refining the toolkit based on your feedback to improve usability and add more details on how its components align with Quality Matters (QM) Essential Standards. These updates will not disrupt those currently using the toolkit. If you plan to use the toolkit:
Email your Associate Dean and let them know you will use the OEET toolkit.
Implement the Canvas course template below.
Review the “Resources for Essential Standards” sections below and add any areas not included in the course template (e.g., learning objectives, syllabus).
Email your Associate Dean to notify them that your work is complete and for which courses.
What if I’m happy with my online course design as it is?
If you are one of our many of our faculty who have years of teaching experience and curriculur design under your belt, if you completed a robust course design process with the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) or the former APDI team, or if you have experience with Quality Matters from another institution, your course may already meet the QM Essential Standards!
If so, you may elect to not use this toolkit and instead complete a self-review of your course using the Essential Standards for the QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition. The self-review option, available on the Quality Matters (QM) website, will help you identify and address any areas where your course may not meet QM Essentials standards. If you encounter gaps and need support, contact OEET for guidance and resources (oeet@butler.edu). The self-review must be completed and entered into the QM system by March 24, 2025, allowing QM coordinators to confirm with Associate Deans that faculty have attested to meeting the standards. To get started, please follow these instructions:
Navigate to qmprogram.org/myqm, enter your Butler email, and select the “I am new here” option. We recommend that you bookmark this site.
After logging in, click the CRMS button from the top navigation menu.
Then select the Start a Self-Review option.
Under Select a rubric, choose the Essential standards from the QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition.
Enter a title for this review. We recommend using your course code and the date here, e.g., ED 245 (2024 self-review).
Overview of Butler’s Online Course Standards & Online Templates
Watch the video below for an introduction to Butler’s online course standards and online templates. Additional recordings (and live webinar opportunites) are located on the Information Sessions page.
Using Butler’s Canvas Course Template for Your Online Course
These resources guide you through how to use a Canvas course template designed to promote best, high-impact practices and a consistent look and feel for Butler students taking online courses. The template includes Canvas features that help students better navigate an online course and provides a consistent experience where students can expect to find common resources in the same locations across courses. Using this template will help you meet the QM essential standards. Launch the resources for the Canvas course template by selecting one of the options below:
To foster a sense of connection and belonging among online students, making them feel like genuine members of the university community.
Accessibility
To make content accessible to all learners.
To meet ADA and WCAG accessibility standards.
Cognitive Load
To provide a predictable structure for course materials that allows students to dedicate more time and attention to mastering the subject matter.
Accreditation
To meet HLC requirements for online education.
Faculty Presence
To meet the “regular and substantive interaction” requirements for instructors.
The online course template is part of an initiative to strengthen Butler’s adherence to federal and state compliance around online instruction, to increase student success and persistence in online courses, and to enhance faculty utilization of Canvas with a focus on practices that lead to student success. This template is the first phase of a multi-year initiative.
Using the Butler course template for online courses not only supports the compliance of the HLC requirement for online and hybrid courses which states, “Students should be presented with a consistent course navigation experience (e.g., designated LMS locations for syllabi across all courses) and key student resources and services should be integrated into the LMS for ease of discovery,” but it also fosters a sense of connection and belonging among online students, making them feel like genuine members of the university community. Visual consistency across courses creates a cohesive identity and reinforces the university’s brand image, confidence in knowing how to navigate the course environment and materials, and an enhanced overall student experience. The visual identity can help establish a strong sense of pride and affiliation with the institution, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and engaging learning environment for online students. In other words, the visual design is not simply aesthetic; the Butler branding used in the template was implemented deliberately and thoughtfully to impact inclusion.
By standardizing course navigation and creating a consistent structure across courses, the template decreases extraneous cognitive load, allowing students to focus more on the course material rather than navigating through varying layouts. The use of standardized templates enhances accessibility and usability through a familiar menu structure and module layout that simplifies navigation. This approach ensures that students can easily locate course materials, leading to a more efficient learning experience where they can concentrate on the subject matter without being distracted by inconsistent layouts or non-essential components. A streamlined approach not only provides a predictable structure for course materials but also allows students to dedicate more time and attention to mastering the subject matter, ultimately optimizing the learning experience in online courses.
The online course template, used alongside Butler’s syllabus template (links to Ask.Butler), is adapted from Butler’s Canvas template to help faculty implement QM Essential Standards. These research-based benchmarks ensure high-quality course design by aligning with best practices, federal regulations, and accreditation requirements.
Because many of the best practices used in this template are best practices for Canvas and course design regardless of whether your course is online or face-to-face, you likely will find that edits you make to your online course can be used in your residential courses, too.
QM Standard 1.1
The Canvas course template (linked below) includes getting started information on the home page: there’s a quick “Start Here” button as well as a “Getting Started” section with more detail. These link to Module 0, which starts with a “Course Navigation” page. If you’d like, you can replace the course navigation video with one that you record for your specific course. We recommend that you use this as evidence that you met this standard.
QM Standard 1.2
Likely information to meet Standard 1.2 will be found in your syllabus, although you may choose to include this in your “Welcome to the course” section on the home page of the course template. The “Course Introduction” and “Assessment Overview” sections of the syllabus may be used as evidence for this standard. If you do not include a course schedule in your syllabus, there is a page in Module 0 that you can use for this.
While most QM Essential Standards are addressed through the provided syllabus and course templates, certain requirements—particularly those related to learning outcomes—are highly specific to each course. To help you meet these standards, we’ve compiled resources on writing effective learning outcomes. By following the guidance in these short videos (totaling 5 minutes and 47 seconds), you’ll be well-equipped to meet QM Essential Standards 2.1 – 2.5.
This standard is focused on ensuring that your assessments align with your learning objectives. The Canvas course template (linked below) has resources for helping you align your assessments with your learning objectives under the Appendix A: Resources for Assessment Design section.
QM Standard 3.2
This standard ensures that your course grading policy is clearly communicated and accessible from the start of the course and remains available throughout its duration. Likely information to meet Standard 3.2 will be found in your syllabus. If you’re using the Butler Syllabus Template (linked here), the “Grading Schema” section may be used as evidence for this standard.
QM Standard 3.3
This standard ensures that you have provided evaluation criteria to students for all graded work within the course. The Canvas course template (linked below) contains an assignment template that has a “Grading Criteria” section, which may be used as evidence for this standard for each of your assignments. For information on what to include in the “Grading Criteria” section of the template, please see the Templates section for more information. Evidence for this standard may also come in the form of a detailed checklist, rubric, or assignment prompt attached to each of your assignments.
QM Standard 4.1
This standard is focused on ensuring that the instructional materials used in your course directly support and help students achieve the defined learning objectives. To meet this standard, you should carefully examine each piece of instructional material (e.g., readings, videos, presentations) and ensure it directly supports at least one of your learning objectives. Remove or replace any materials that don’t clearly contribute to achieving the objectives.
QM Standard 4.2
Standard 4.2 addresses the relationship between instructional materials and learning activities/assessments in your course. This standard is designed to help your students understand the purpose and relevance of your course materials. The Canvas course template (linked below) contains a “Readings & Resources” template, which you can use to document this information for each of your modules. This information can also be documented in your activity/assessment descriptions. Please see the Reading and Resources Pages section for more information on how to explain the relationship between your instructional materials and learning activities/assessments.
QM Standard 5.1
This standard focuses on the alignment of your learning activities and objectives. To meet this standard, you should ensure that each learning activity has a clear purpose in helping students achieve specific learning objectives. To help you with this, the Canvas course template (linked below) has an assignment, discussion, and quiz template that includes a “Purpose” section within each. Please see the Using Assignment, Discussion, and Quizzes Templates section for more information on what to include in the “Purpose” section.
QM Standard 5.2
This standard is focused on ensuring your learning activities are designed to promote active learning and interaction. Students should be actively engaging in your course rather than passively absorbing information. For this standard to be considered “Met”, you should provide evidence that your learning activities promote active learning through two interaction types: learner-content and learner-instructor (learner-learner is NOT required as evidence for this standard).
Examples of learner-content interaction:
Reading assigned textbooks, articles, or other written materials
Watching video lectures or educational videos
Completing online quizzes or self-assessments
Participating in online discussions about course material
Applying learned concepts to case studies or real-world scenarios
Examples of learner-instructor interaction:
Instructors and students engaging in course-related discussions together
Receiving personalized feedback on assignments and projects
Exchanging emails for clarifications or feedback
Regular course announcements
Receiving motivation and encouragement from the instructor
QM Standard 5.3
Standard 5.3 addresses your plan for interacting with your students during the course. If you’re using the Butler Syllabus Template (linked here), the “Expectations” and “Grades” sections may be used as evidence for this standard.
Examples of what to include in your communication plan:
Response Time: Specify how quickly you will respond to student inquiries, typically within 24-48 hours.
Feedback Timeframe: Provide a clear timeline for providing feedback on assignments, often within 3-7 days of submission.
Interaction Methods: Outline various ways you will interact with your students, such as through email, discussion forums, or virtual office hours.
Regularity: This standard emphasizes the importance of regular and substantive interaction between the instructor and learners throughout the course.
Clarity: This information should be clearly stated in the syllabus or course introduction, ensuring students understand what to expect regarding your communication and feedback.
QM Standard 6.1
Standard 6.1 focuses on ensuring that the tools and resources used in the course directly contribute to helping students achieve the learning objectives. Tools refer to software or applications that facilitate learner interaction and serve as means for delivering content. The aim of this standard is to ensure that the tools used should have a purpose and shouldn’t be used just because they are available. To align the tools used in your course with your learning objectives, offer details on how the tools contribute to achieving those objectives.
Here’s an example of alignment between tools and objectives:
A course objective is that students will be able to analyze and evaluate the environmental impact of different energy sources. A data visualization tool is used to create interactive charts comparing the carbon footprint, resource consumption, and efficiency of various renewable and non-renewable energy technologies.
In this example, the data visualization tool directly supports the learning objective by allowing students to visually analyze and compare complex environmental data related to different energy sources, facilitating their ability to evaluate and draw conclusions about environmental impacts.
QM Standard 7.1
Standard 7.1 addresses technical support for learners. By clearly articulating technical support options, this standard helps ensure your students can quickly get help with any technology issues, allowing them to focus on learning course content. Your syllabus is a great place to provide this information. If you’re using the Butler Syllabus Template (linked here), the “Getting Help” section has information about technology support and may be used as evidence for this standard.
QM Standard 7.2
The purpose of this standard is to ensure that all students, including those with disabilities, are aware of their rights and the resources available to support their learning in the course. Your syllabus is a great place to provide this information. If you’re using the Butler Syllabus Template (linked here), the “Getting Help” section has information about Butler University’s accessibility policy and how to for contact Student Disability Services. This may be used as evidence for this standard.
QM Standard 7.3
Standard 7.3 is focused on ensuring students are aware of and can easily access the academic support services available to help them. Your syllabus is a great place to provide this information. If you’re using the Butler Syllabus Template (linked here), the “Getting Help” section has information about Butler University’s student and academic support services and how to contact these services. This may be used as evidence for this standard.
QM Standard 8.1
Standard 8.1 focuses on ensuring that your course is designed in a way that makes it easy for students to navigate and find what they need. The Canvas course template (linked below) includes a home page that is easy to navigate. The template also contains other useful navigation features including a progress bar for modules. This can be used as evidence for this standard.
QM Standard 8.2
Standard 8.2 is focused on ensuring your course is designed in a way that is easy to read and minimizes distractions. The Canvas course template (linked below) used appropriate design elements such as fonts, graphics, colors, headings, and spacing that promotes readability and is consistent throughout the template. This may be used as evidence for this standard.
Some other general tips for this standard include:
Proper spelling and grammar
Avoid the use of color, bolding, and underlining for meaning
Chunk content into smaller sections to avoid endless scrolling
Use consistent naming conventions across the course
Consistent learning activity and assessment instructions across the course
Use white space to break up large chunks of text
QM Standard 8.3
Standard 8.3 is focused on ensuring your course features accessible text, ensuring that files, documents, Canvas pages, and web pages are accessible to all students.
Examples of accessible text include:
Heading styles are used to provide page or document hierarchy (Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, and so on)
Text color is not used to convey meaning
Text in PDF documents is searchable and is not just an image of text
Ensure text has adequate contrast
This toolkit would not be possible without the support and help of faculty and university leadership stakeholders. Please join us in thanking the faculty who helped shape this resource, and add your own voice by filling out the feedback form below!
In early January 2024, five faculty were identified by the Associate Deans to test the first draft of the 2024 Summer Online Toolkit. These faculty provided valuable feedback to the Academic Partnerships (AP) team, which resulted in a second iteration of the toolkit. Based on their feedback, AP:
Began adding more about the purpose of the toolkit.
Included more information about regulatory requirements.
Simplified several template pages to make editing easier.
Clarified technical language.
Modified the workflow based on common faculty tasks (e.g., combining multiple course sections)
Following the faculty review, University leadership conducted an internal review of the second draft of the toolkit. This review resulted in the AP team clarifying the pathways for faculty by breaking the toolkit into separate documents. Next the third version of the toolkit was reviewed by the Provost and the Provost Advisory Council (PAC).
The PAC review resulted in this web-based version of the toolkit with the following changes:
An introductory page that explains the “why” behind the toolkit, including more information about regulatory requirements.
How the template aligns to Butler’s Course Design Rubric.
More detail about the phases of this initiative.
A feedback survey to collect suggested improvements.
The Academic Partnerships team is worked with a second group of faculty to gather feedback on the third version of the toolkit during the week of March 22.
In September 2024, after the Provost announced the Quality Matters adoption at Faculty Sentate, the Academic Partnerships team began revisions to the toolkit to align resources to the QM Essential Standards. Once revisions are complete, the AP team will convene faculty for further feedback and refinement. Faculty who are using the current version of this toolkit can submit feedback using the form linked below.
Thank you to the faculty who helped develop this toolkit:
Assistant Professor College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Dr. Seth Carey is originally from Nashville, Tennessee. In 2015 he completed his Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) with a minor in psychology from Lipscomb University. In 2018. Dr. Carey completed his Masters of Science in Nursing Education (MSN Ed.)… View more about Seth Carey
Associate Professor of Accounting Lacy School of Business
Mauricio has a Ph.D. in management with a specialization in accounting from Purdue University and an MBA from INCAE Business School. He worked as an assistant professor at INCAE Business School in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. At Butler, he teaches… View more about Mauricio Melgarejo Duran
Professor – Computer Science Computer Science and Software Engineering – LAS
Panos Linos is a professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Butler University since 2000. He served as the interim department chairperson during the fall 2019 semester. Following that, he has accepted the challenge to serve another 3-year… View more about Panos Linos
Dr. Mark Rademacher is a Professor of Strategic Communication in the College of Communication at Butler University. His teaching responsibilities include undergraduate and graduate courses, including foundations of strategic communication, research… View more about Mark Rademacher
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