Overview
This document outlines the role and responsibilities of Course Coordinators in course-level delivery and development in the Academic programs at INTO OSU. The description of the Course Coordinator role provides a comprehensive and detailed guideline and definition of the role.
This document also outlines the role and responsibilities of Instructors, Associate Program Managers (APMs) and Program Managers (PMs) specifically in relation to the Course Coordinator role and course-level development and delivery. For these three roles, this document complements the position descriptions.
In the Pathway programs, the Associate Program Managers fulfil both the APM role and the Course Coordinator role in each of the ALS language courses. In the Academic English and General English programs, there are 10 Course Coordinator roles in the courses listed below. Other courses in the Academic English and General English programs that do not have Course Coordinators assigned to them will be coordinated by the program management team or instructors on a voluntary basis.
In the context of this document, course-level delivery is considered primary. There is no expectation for course materials and assessments to undergo full development and renewal on a termly basis.
Course Coordinators
Course Coordinator positions are assigned to selected courses in the AE and GE programs and are opportunities for INTO OSU instructors to take on additional responsibilities in the coordination, development and delivery of courses with the support and guidance of the respective program management teams. Each Course Coordinator position is equivalent to 0.17 FTE which equates to a minimum of 7 hours per week time commitment.
The following courses have Course Coordinators assigned to them:
- GE Level 2 Reading and Writing
- GE Level 2 Listening, Speaking and Vocabulary
- GE Levels 1 – 3 Practical Grammar
- AE Level 3 Reading, Writing and Grammar
- AE Level 3 Listening and Speaking
- AE Level 4 Reading, Writing and Grammar
- AE Level 4 Listening and Speaking
- AE Level 5 Reading and Writing
- AE Level 5 Listening and Speaking
- AE Level 6 Reading and Writing & Listening and Speaking
Overview of Aspirations for Course-level development
All course-level development aspires to:
- Be consistent with the overall vision and structure of the program.
- Be consistent within the program and across programs.
- Be sustainable and have a reasonable shelf-life.
- Be implemented the next time the course is taught (especially when changes are significant).
- Meet the needs of the students including being relevant to the typical study plans of INTO OSU students.
- Connect well vertically and horizontally with other courses.
- Have valid and reliable assessment tools and avoid over-assessment.
- Make productive use of available technologies.
- Meet CEA accreditation standards.
- Place responsibility for learning on the learner and provide opportunities for self-study.
- Maintain or raise standards while reducing teacher workload.
Roles and Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of Program Managers and Associate Program Managers may sometimes be interchangeable. It is the responsibility of the Program Management team to communicate this clearly to Course Coordinators and cohorts of Instructors wherever there is variation.
Program Manager, Associate Program Manager and Course Coordinator are leadership positions and as such, all members of the academic team in these positions are expected to be present at work from 8am to 5pm to be available for support and assistance.
The Program Manager
Delivery
- Is responsible for the curriculum guide and the course syllabus.
- Is responsible for establishing program level procedures to assist with sustainability by focusing on the shelf-life of materials and giving credit for development contributions.
Development
- Is responsible for maintaining consistency within the program and across programs.
- Is responsible for using data analysis to monitor vertical alignment in the program.
- Promotes usage of available technologies in course development and strategic goals.
Testing and Assessment
- Is responsible for establishing program level procedures to promote and ensure test security.
- Has overall responsibility for the validity and reliability of assessment tools.
Other
- Has overall responsibility for the course.
- Provides assistance if conflicts arise.
- Is responsible for communicating the overall vision and structure of the program.
- Is responsible for balancing consistency and standardization with empowerment, autonomy and creativity.
- Is responsible for communicating the needs of the students including those with typical study plans in the INTO OSU Center.
- Organizes program meetings that may involve feedback on courses.
- Is available for any feedback on course development.
- Keeps a finger on the pulse by seeking regular informal contact with APMs, Course Coordinators and Instructors in the program.
- Helps to create channels of communication between Course Coordinators and APMS.
- Promotes the INTO OSU core values.
- Cascades information that may affect the program and program development.
- Is responsible for communicating the Quality Assurance Procedures for the program to the APM.
- Is responsible for ensuring that the course meets CEA accreditation standards.
- May oversee Special Projects FTE.
The Associate Program Manager
Delivery
- Supports the Course Coordinator in ensuring that the cohort of Instructors is working towards the same learning outcomes, and using the same assessment tools.
- May at times upload materials to the Canvas Instructor Site or server folder associated with the course.
Development
- Provides support, advice and information relating to vertical and horizontal alignment.
- Promotes usage of available technologies in course development and strategic goals.
- May contribute to the course development along with the Course Coordinator and cohort of Instructors.
Testing and Assessment
- Assists with organizing assessment calibration.
- Assists in assessing and developing the validity and reliability of assessment tools.
- Assists with consistency in testing and assessment horizontally and vertically.
Other
- Assists the Program Manager in the responsibilities outlined above.
- Communicates frequently with the Course Coordinator and PM that she/he is working with.
- Supports, guides and works with the Course Coordinator.
- Provides training for the Course Coordinators in all program-related aspects of the position.
- Is available to the Course Coordinator.
- Communicates with cohorts of instructors and course coordinators to monitor and assist with the efficiency and effectiveness of course delivery and development and the role played by the Course Coordinator.
- Helps to create channels of communication between Course Coordinators.
- Promotes the INTO OSU core values.
- Provides assistance if conflicts arise.
- Cascades information that may affect the program and program development.
- Works to program Quality Assurance procedures and communicates these to Course Coordinators.
- Carries out Instructor role and responsibilities if working as an instructor on the course.
- Oversees Special Projects FTE.
The Course Coordinator
Delivery
- Is assigned to teach the course (for the normal course FTE) or courses that align vertically or horizontally with it.
- Provides proactive support for cohort Instructors once staffing is announced.
- Provides special attention and support for less experienced Instructors and first-time Instructors in the cohort.
- Provides the cohort with a course calendar, list of SLOs, syllabus, overview of course and other courses in the same level.
- Leads and creates a cohesive team within a course cohort, fosters collaboration and makes personal contributions.
- Ensures that the cohort of instructors is working towards the same learning outcomes, and using the same assessment tools.
- Ensures that the cohort of instructors is providing consistency in the delivery of learning materials and using the same materials where necessary.
- Maintains the centralized resources for the course.
Development
- Facilitates, leads and guides the course development within the framework provided by the PM and APM.
- Provides opportunities for creative contributions to course development from Instructors.
- Promotes usage of available technologies in course development and strategic goals.
- Communicates proposals for major changes to the APM and/or PM.
- Makes curriculum and assessment suggestions to the PM and/or APM.
- Consults with PM and/or APM and other Course Coordinators with regard to horizontal and vertical alignment.
- Collaborates with Special Projects FTE where it is assigned to the course.
Testing and Assessment
- Ensures that all instructors are on the same assessment schedule.
- Leads the development of tests and assessments in collaboration with the PM, APM and the cohort of instructors.
- Schedules calibration meetings and works with the APM and PM to ensure reliability.
- Provides opportunities for feedback from instructors on assessments in a timely way.
- Has responsibility for processing feedback and making final decisions on the editing of assessments. Major structural and content changes in assessments are made in consultation with APM and/or PM.
Other
- Schedules meetings with the cohort of Instructors at specific times in the term and when necessary.
- Sets relevant and achievable deadlines for the cohort of Instructors.
- Gathers feedback formally and informally from instructors and students on course content; leads course debrief at the end of term and closes the feedback loop for the cohort of Instructors once the course has finished.
- Communicates regularly with the relevant PM or APM regarding any issues or feedback related to the course.
- Cascades information that may affect the program and program development.
- Promotes and instils the INTO OSU core values in the course cohort.
- Works to existing program Quality Assurance procedures and CEA accreditation standards.
- May identify and propose Special Projects to PMs and APMs
An Instructor in the Course Cohort
Delivery
- Delivers the course according to the curriculum guide and course syllabus and as guided by the Course Coordinator.
- Ensures the delivery of sufficient consistency across sections while also seeking opportunities for creativity and personalization.
- Participates in cohort meetings and collaborates with the cohort of Instructors and the Course Coordinator in sharing responsibility for development of course materials.
- Does administrative tasks for the class such as copying lesson materials and test papers for the class as requested by the Course Coordinator.
Development
- Works as part of the cohort to share materials and resources and store these in such a way that encourages sustainability, teamwork and a shelf-life that will benefit everyone.
Testing and Assessment
- Participates in cohort meetings regarding assessment and collaborates when requested with the cohort of Instructors and the Course Coordinator in sharing responsibility for development of tests.
- Provides timely feedback to the Course Coordinator on materials and assessments and contributes to course debrief.
Other
- Plays a positive role in the creation of a cohesive cohort team as led by the Course Coordinator.
- Promotes the INTO OSU core values.
- Adheres to deadlines set by the Course Coordinator, APM and PM.
- Follows standards set by the program for standardized technology usage such as Canvas.
- Gathers feedback from students where necessary as requested by the Course Coordinator.
- Identifies and proposes Special Projects to Course Coordinators, PMs and APMs.
How is the success of course-level delivery and development measured?
- Student success.
- Student satisfaction.
- Faculty satisfaction.
- Efficiency of time.
- Cost of delivery.
- Validity, reliability and security of assessment.
- Sustainability of development.
- Shelf-life of development.
Updated October 2015
