TCU and CSU-MERLOT began a discussion about the importance of quality assurance for online courses and programs in January 2013.   There are a few resources we have in the CSU that might be useful for TCU's efforts.  These projects are conducted in CSU's Academic Technology Servcies  departments and could help support the use and adaptation of these resources for TCU.

1. QOLT- Quality Online Learning and Teaching project: http://ecatalst.org/our-services/qolt .   The current focus of the program is for campuses to apply the evaluation rubric as the process of recognizing exemplary practices.   You are welcome to use this framework for TCU. 
2. For quality assurance of online programs (vs. courses), the definition and relationship of program, course, and course-unit learning objects is key.   We are working with Lucknow University in India  http://iite.merlot.org/index.html , and there are examples.  (NOTE:  In India – what we call an academic program is called a course;  a course is call a paper in India; a course unit is called a lesson plan).   You can see an example for their Biology program http://iite.merlot.org/biology/index.html

I've attached a number of templates/document used in the Lucknow project that might be helpful tools for people designing their online courses.

MERLOT has partnered with Quality Matters (http://www.qmprogram.org/files/QM-MERLOT%20Connecting%20Design%20an... and we are planning more ways to work together.