New Directions:Online Learning & the University of California’s

A-G Subject Area Requirements

Monica H. Lin, Ph.D.

Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions

University of California | Office of the President

e-Learning Strategies SymposiumDecember 7, 2012

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Overview

Policy background

The “a-g” course lists & course update process

New “a-g” review process for online courses

Policy implementation: challenges & successes

Policy Background

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UC and Online Learning

University of California priority: accessibility of a broad range of high-quality, rigorous college-preparatory courses

UC keeping pace with the changing landscape of online learning

– Facilitate students’ access to “a-g” online courses– Encourage online educators to uphold promising practices of

online learning for student success

Revised policy to offer improved guidance and more efficient process of satisfying UC admission requirements

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Highlights of Policy Revisions

UC “program status” requirement for online entities has been eliminated

New policy focuses on quality assessment of online courses for “a-g” purposes

– Flexible to accommodate differing types of online courses– Addresses UC faculty online learning guidelines

Policy revisions incorporate national quality standards for online courses and programs

Partnership between UC and the California Learning Resource Network (CLRN)

A-G Course Lists &Course Update Process

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A-G Course Lists

UC and CSU admissions requirements include satisfying a 15-course pattern of college-preparatory “a-g” courses

– High school courses must undergo “a-g” review and approval to appear on the “a-g” course list

The “a-g” course list is an important component of the applicant review process

– All “a-g” course lists must be updated each year to maintain accuracy for applyUC and for UC’s comprehensive review

Updates to the “a-g” course list are submitted using the UC Online Update website:

– https://doorways.ucop.edu/update

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A-G Course List Update Timeline

New update cycle opens on

February 1

Submit new courses and

other course list updates

New courses submitted on or

before

June 1:

up to 2 resubmissions

allowed

New courses submitted on or

before

August 1:

only 1 resubmission

allowed

New courses submitted on or

before

September 15:

no resubmissions allowed

Update cycle closes on

September 15

New A-G Review Process for Online Courses

(effective 2013-14)

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Online Course Publisher vs. Online School

UC now differentiates between an online course publisher and an online school

– Online course publishers develop their own curriculum and sell or license their online courses for delivery by a teacher within a high school or district

– Online school is a credit- or diploma-granting institution that offers courses strictly through Internet-based methods, with time and/or distance separating the teacher and learner

Institutions that act as both an online course publisher and online school will follow the procedures for online schools

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Review of Online Courses(effective 2013-14)

Submit online course to CLRN for review*

Assess the online course against the iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Courses and CA content standards

CLRN-certified OR

Self-assessed

Submit online course to UC for “a-g” review

Conduct subject-specific review against UC faculty’s content criteria

Approve course for “a-g”?

Add course to online publisher’s or online school’s “a-g” course list; approval expires in 3 years

STEP 1

STEP 2

*If not eligible for CLRN review, the online course must be self-assessed by the online publisher or school.

YES

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Step #1A: CLRN Certification

Effective for:– Online course publishers serving public institutions– Public online schools

A CLRN-certified online course must:– Meet at least 80% of CA Content or Common Core Standards– Fulfill all 15 “power standards” from the iNACOL Standards for Quality Online

Courses– Satisfy at least 27 (or 80%) of the remaining iNACOL Standards

Courses not aligned with a set of standards must be self-assessed (Step #1B)

To submit a course to CLRN: – http://clrn.org/elr/index.cfm?event=publisher.login

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Step #1B: Self-Assessment

Effective for:– Online course publishers serving only private institutions– Private online schools– Any online courses not aligned with state standards– 2014-15 school year: Non-online high schools, districts, and

programs

Institution conducts self-assessment against iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Courses

Self-assessment will be incorporated into the course submission process for UC “a-g” review

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Step #2: UC A-G Course Review

Only CLRN-certified or self-assessed online courses can be submitted to UC during the course list update cycle

– Open annually, February 1 through September 15

Basis for “a-g” course review and approval:– “a-g” course evaluation guidelines– Subject area course requirements

All courses are reviewed by a subject area analyst– “Blind” reviews– Goal: new CLRN-certified online courses reviewed within 2-4 weeks

To submit a course to UC:– https://doorways.ucop.edu/update

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Adding A-G Online Courses

Access UC’s “a-g” Online Update website

Indicate intent to add previously approved online course(s)

Certify that program/school/district will satisfy UC’s online learning guidelines and policy for online courses to receive “a-g” approval (once per annual update cycle)

Add online course to “a-g” course list

Select online course to add to “a-g” course list

Policy Implementation:Challenges & Successes

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Challenges

Shifting the focus from UC “approving providers” to UC approving courses

Identifying expert reviewers of quality online delivery

Sheer volume of “homegrown” teacher-created online courses

Definitions of online entities are not always clear-cut

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Successes

The appropriate experts are reviewing online courses:– CLRN ensuring quality online delivery– UC ensuring quality “a-g” content

Improved efficiencies in seeking “a-g” approval for online courses

Anticipated increase in “a-g” online course offerings– Broader access to “a-g” courses– Greater preparation for UC admissions

Enhanced quality of online learning for students

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New Directions

Elimination of principal certification for non-UC-approved online courses

– Not acceptable for online courses completed in 2013-14 academic year and beyond

Re-evaluation of policy regarding online courses in laboratory science and in visual & performing arts

– Under current policy: Online science courses OK but require supervised, on-site wet lab Online VPA courses not allowable

UC encourages educators to incorporate promising practices for excellence in online teaching and learning

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http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/index.html

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Resources

Helpful links:– California Learning Resource Network (CLRN)

http://clrn.org

– International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) http://inacol.org

– UC Doorways websites: “a-g” Course List website – https://doorways.ucop.edu/list Online Update website – https://doorways.ucop.edu/update

Contact High School Articulation in UC systemwide Admissions:

– E-mail: hsupdate@ucop.edu – Phone: (510) 987-9570

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Thank You

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