OSCQR Awards

OSCQR Awards

SUNY Online OSCQR Awards Program

The SUNY Online Teaching OSCQR Awards recognize excellence in implementing the OSCQR online course quality rubric and process. These awards celebrate effective, creative and/or innovative practices that enhance online course design and continuous improvement. The OSCQR rubric, developed by SUNY Online, consists of 50 research-based standards aimed at ensuring learner-centered and well-designed online courses. The rubric, tools, materials, and process are openly licensed, freely available, and widely adopted both within and outside the SUNY system.

Eligibility:

  • Open to any SUNY or non-SUNY campus, institution, organization, program, department, unit, or individual.
  • Nomination and self-nomination are permitted.
  • Must have earned OSCQR Certifications in Self-assessment, Review, Implementation, and/or Training.

Process: Volunteer reviewers for the next round of OSCQR awards will be drawn from the new OSCQR user community. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oscqr 

Award Categories:

  1. Institutional Excellence Award
    • Intent: Recognizes institutions that have integrated the OSCQR rubric and process on a large scale, leading to significant improvements in online course design, faculty engagement, and learner outcomes.
    • Description: Recognizes institutions that have effectively targeted online quality initiatives and embedded the OSCQR rubric into their quality assurance practices, resulting in notable enhancements to online quality, online faculty development, and learner success.
  2. Program Innovation Award
    • Intent: Recognizes programs that have creatively and effectively implemented the OSCQR rubric to enhance the quality and delivery of their online courses.
    • Description: Recognizes programs that have demonstrated innovative applications of the OSCQR rubric, improving the quality and delivery of courses through creative approaches.
  3. Individual Achievement Award
    • Intent: Recognizes individuals who have achieved success in applying the OSCQR rubric to their own course design or as a reviewer, contributing to online quality and the adoption of OSCQR.
    • Description: Recognizes individuals who have applied OSCQR successfully and promoted its implementation, showcasing leadership and innovation in online course design.
  4. Research Excellence Award
    • Intent: Recognizes those who contribute to scholarship and research on the OSCQR process or standards, improving the tools and building evidence of its effectiveness.
    • Description: Recognizes researchers who have conducted significant studies on the OSCQR rubric, providing valuable insights into its impact on online education.

Award Criteria:

  • Innovation and Creativity: Demonstrates unique and creative approaches to applying the OSCQR rubric standards and process, introducing effective methods for continuous improvement.
  • Impact on Quality: Shows improvements in online course design, faculty and student engagement, with evidence of positive outcomes such as increased satisfaction and success rates.
  • Sustainability and Scalability: Implements practices that are sustainable over time and can be scaled to other courses or programs, sharing best practices with the broader community.
  • Collaboration and Community Building: Fosters collaboration among faculty, staff, and students, contributing to a community of practice around online course quality.
  • Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Builds a culture of continuous online improvements by engaging in ongoing efforts to refine and enhance online course design using the OSCQR rubric, tools, and materials, with regular review and feedback processes.
  • Research Excellence: Conducts rigorous research on the OSCQR rubric’s application and outcomes, publishing findings in scholarly venues to provide insights into its effectiveness.