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On September 12, 2007, the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) endorsed the National Standards of Quality for Online Courses. The standards selected are based on the results of a research review and survey of online course quality criteria. These quality standards were evaluated and assembled into an easy to use document for evaluating online courses with common benchmarks. “Standards help ensure the quality and consistency of online learning in K-12,” said Susan Patrick, President and CEO of NACOL. “The National Standards of Quality for Online Courses offers an important measuring tool to help policy leaders, schools, and parents across the nation evaluate course quality and implement best practices.” NACOL conducted a comprehensive review of course standards available. Based on this review, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Standards for Quality Online Courses, used by the 16 states in the southern United States is adopted as the source for the NACOL National Standards for Quality for Online Courses. NACOL added a standard to include 21st Century Skills. “The use of the Web (online learning) to provide academic courses is extremely important to students everywhere. For online learning to expand and grow, students, parents and policy- and decision-makers need assurance that the online courses are of quality. If providers of online courses meet these standards, there is little doubt that online learning will grow rapidly,” said Bill Thomas, Director of Educational Technology, SREB. NACOL is building upon and validating the quality online learning/virtual school work of SREB to help programs nationally. As a proven, practical method to enhance the critical learning experience, K-12 online learning is growing rapidly, 30% annually. Online learning levels the playing field for all students to access high quality courses and teachers.
NACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) released National Standards for Quality Online Teaching, a publication designed to provide states, districts, online programs, and other organizations with a set of quality guidelines for online teaching in February 2008. As a result of the research review, NACOL fully endorses the work of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Online Teaching Evaluation for State Virtual Schools as a comprehensive set of criteria. The standards as identified by SREB, already in use by sixteen SREB states, proved to be the most comprehensive and included guidelines set forth in the other criteria from the literature review. A full cross-reference of standards was conducted. “Our overall goal is to ensure that every student has access to the highest quality education available today. Online teaching standards help ensure the quality and consistency of instruction in K-12 online education,” says Susan Patrick, President and CEO of NACOL. “The National Standards for Quality Online Teaching offers an important tool to help teachers, schools, and parents across the nation evaluate quality and implement best practices.” |
