If a provider submits multiple courses that use the same “engine” or “shell”, why does each individual course have to be certified?
The Standards are very comprehensive and encompass more than course design. There are eight major divisions in the standards with each division containing from two to nine standards. Course design is only one division. The review process examines much more than the engine or shell on which the course runs. Some examples are: • technology support · amount required and credentials of those who provide it; • student support · numbers and credentials of instructors; • how student progress is monitored and evaluated; • what kind and how interaction is achieved; • who is accountable for learning outcomes, administering final exams and reporting scores to the appropriate regulatory agency This is by no means an all-inclusive list. Beyond that, we find that the “platform” tends to change depending on the kind and length of course offered because behavioral objectives and learning outcomes differ. An online prelicense course would most likely include chat rooms, threaded discussions, discussion
