Pikes Peak State College Healthy Course Checklist

Standards for quality course design expectations for online courses delivered through Colorado Online. The Healthy Course Checklist takes a high-level approach to identifying key criteria, as well as highlighting examples of strategies that address each criterion. The six criterion categories are : Learner Guidance, Measurable Outcomes, Alignment, Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Learner-Centered Design.

Criterion 1: Learner Guidance -

Design provides course overview, clear policies and expectations, success resources, communication pathways, and consistent structure for ease of navigation.

Criterion 2: Measurable Outcomes -

The course represents current CCNS course outcomes and is structured around measurable module-level objectives that are mapped back to CCNS outcomes.

Criterion 3: Alignment -

Materials, activities, and assessments are aligned with course outcomes, through the measurable module objectives, and are scaffolded to facilitate progressive attainment of content/skills.

Criterion 4: Accessibility -

All text, images, media, and activities meet web accessibility standards. Examples:

  • Images have alt text; complex images have long descriptions.
  • Videos are captioned.
  • Heading styles are in correct sequential order.
  • If there is content that is not accessible, a plan is in place to remediate or provide alternatives.

Criterion 5: Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity in Course Design -

  • Includes representation of diverse perspectives and cultures.
  • Invites learners to respectfully share diverse identities, applications and resources.
  • Offers multiple means of representation, action, and expression, and engagement per Universal Design for Learning.
  • Incorporates Open Educational Resources/Zero Textbook Cost where possible.

Criterion 6: Learner Centered Design -

  • Facilitates active learning and metacognition.
  • Makes connections between concepts to promote comprehension.
  • Invites learner voice.
  • Builds and leverages community and social presence.
  • Caters to mobile learners.
  • Exhibits flexibility.