The Office of the Provost instituted a Distributed Learning Quality Review process (DLQR) in 2013 as part of its commitment to ensuring high-quality distributed learning courses at the university. Each year a portion of USC’s online courses are selected to be reviewed.  Course reviews are approved by the Provost’s Distributed Learning Committee.

To successfully pass the review, each course must meet 26 essential standards and 80% of the overall standards, which are spelled out in a checklist approved by the Provost's Committee on Distributed Learning. The checklist is based on Quality Matters™ rubric, a nationally recognized quality benchmark.

The checklist consist of 49 specific standards based on the following topics:

• Course Overview and Introduction
• Learning Outcomes/Objectives
• Assessment and Measurement
• Instructional Materials
• Learning Activities and Student Interaction
• Course Technology
• Student Support
• Usability
• Accessibility

Faculty preparing courses for review have access to assistance from instructional designers and are eligible to receive a small course revision grant.  Since 2013, 133 courses have passed the DLQR. Twenty-four courses passed DLQR this fall. 

If you are interested in consulting with an instructional designer, obtaining a copy of the quality review checklist or having your course reviewed, contact the Center for Teaching Excellence at cte@sc.edu or 803-777-8322  

Faculty Approved DLQR Courses

John Abdalla Palmetto College, Extended University HIST 111: United States History to 1865 HIST 112: United States History since 1865 Lara Lomicka Anderson USC Connect UNIV 401: Graduation with Leadership Distinction Sandy Avinger Instruction and Teacher Education EDEL 305: Nature and Management of Elementary Classrooms Yaroslaw Bazaliy Physics and Astronomy PHYS 291: Einstein’s Relativity: Understanding by Example Catherine Castner Languages, Literatures and Cultures LATN 109: Beginning Latin I LATN 110: Beginning Latin II David Dangerfield USC-Salkehatchie HIST 409: South Carolina History to 1865 Kay Edwards History HIST 101: European Civilization from Ancient Times to the Mid-17th Century Daniela Friedman Health Promotion, Education & Behavior HPEB 711: Applied Health Communication Deborah Hazzard Business, Management MGMT 371: Principles of Management Tom Hughes Business, Accounting ACCT 324: Commercial Law

Jin Liu Educational Studies EDRM 801: Principles and Applications of Educational Research EDRM 700: Introduction to Research in Education Helene Maire-Afeli USC-Union CHEM 105: Chemistry and Modern Society I CHEM 107: Forensic Chemistry Patti Marinelli Languages, Literatures and Cultures SPAN 109: Beginning Spanish I SPAN 110: Beginning Spanish II Robert Ogilvie Biological Sciences BIOL 530: Histology Carla Pfeffer Sociology SOCY 301/WGST 300: Sociology of Sex Roles (Sex and Gender) Chris Rinehart USC-Union POLI 463: American Chief Yvette Sands Sport and Entertainment Management SPTE 274: Computer Applications in Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management Greg Springer Music MUSC 210: Understanding the Psychology of Music Diane McGhee Valle Theatre and Dance DANC 101: Dance Appreciation