Research Impact – Sally Baldwin

Research Impact Award, Dr. Sally Baldwin, Foothill College

The OSCQR Research Impact Award, offered for the first time this year, recognizes researchers whose work builds the evidence base for OSCQR, contributes to the study of online course quality, and provides meaningful insight into its impact on teaching and learning.

Dr. Baldwin’s scholarship represents some of the earliest systematic research to include OSCQR within national and statewide analyses of online course evaluation instruments. Across five peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including TechTrends, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, and Online Learning Journal, her work has brought national and international visibility to OSCQR by situating it alongside other widely adopted quality frameworks.

• Baldwin, S. J. & Trespalacios, J. (2017). Evaluation instruments and good practices in online education. Online Learning, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i2.913
• Baldwin, S., Ching, Y.-H., & Hsu, Y.-C. (2018). Online course design in higher education: A review of national and statewide evaluation instruments. TechTrends, 62(3), 46-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0215-z
• Baldwin, S. J. & Ching, Y.-H. (2019). Online course design: A review of the Canvas course evaluation checklist. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL), 29(3), 268-282.http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/4283
• Baldwin, S. J. & Ching, Y.-H. (2020). Guidelines for designing online courses for mobile devices. TechTrends, 64(3), 413-422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00463-6
• Baldwin, S. J., & Ching, Y.-H. (2021). Accessibility in online courses: A review of national and statewide evaluation instruments. TechTrends, 65(5), 731-742. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-021-00624-6

Her research examines accessibility, mobile learning design, rubric structure, standards alignment, and the role of evaluation instruments in supporting continuous improvement. Using systematic review and qualitative content analysis methodologies, she identifies shared standards across frameworks while highlighting opportunities for refinement and alignment that inform the ongoing development of online course quality practices.

Importantly, her work positions OSCQR not as a compliance-based scorecard, but as a formative, improvement-oriented framework that supports reflective design, accessibility, and learner-centered online environments. Her scholarship translates research findings into actionable guidance that informs instructional design practice, faculty development, and institutional decision-making.

Of her work, Dr. Baldwin reflects:

I examine OSCQR’s application as a formative, improvement-oriented quality assurance tool in online education, focusing on how evaluation instruments support continuous course improvement, accessibility, and alignment with shared standards across frameworks.

Through this work, Dr. Baldwin has demonstrated how research can inform practice while strengthening the evidence base for online course quality. By framing evaluation instruments as mechanisms for continuous improvement, her scholarship contributes to a broader culture of reflection, iteration, and evidence-informed design in online education.

As one of the first researchers to study OSCQR within national and international comparative contexts, Dr. Baldwin has played a foundational role in advancing understanding of its structure, application, and impact. Her work continues to shape how research-informed rubrics are used to support inclusive, effective, and high-quality online learning.

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We are proud to present the inaugural 2026 OSCQR Research Impact Award to Dr. Sally Baldwin for her significant scholarly contributions and lasting impact on the field.
February 26, 2026

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