The document outlines the University of California's new policies regarding online courses and their alignment with the 'a-g' subject area requirements for admissions. Key changes include the elimination of the 'program status' requirement for online entities, a focus on quality assessment of online courses, and a new review process that adheres to national standards. Challenges and successes in implementing these policies are discussed, including improved efficiencies and increased access to quality 'a-g' online courses.

1. New Directions:
Online Learning & the University of California’s
A-G Subject Area Requirements
Monica H. Lin, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions
University of California | Office of the President
e-Learning Strategies Symposium
December 7, 2012

2. Overview
 Policy background
 The “a-g” course lists & course update process
 New “a-g” review process for online courses
 Policy implementation: challenges & successes
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3. Policy Background

4. UC and Online Learning
 University of California priority: accessibility of a broad
range of high-quality, rigorous college-preparatory courses
 UC keeping pace with the changing landscape of online
learning
– Facilitate students’ access to “a-g” online courses
– Encourage online educators to uphold promising practices of
online learning for student success
 Revised policy to offer improved guidance and more
efficient process of satisfying UC admission requirements
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5. Highlights of Policy Revisions
 UC “program status” requirement for online entities has been
eliminated
 New policy focuses on quality assessment of online courses
for “a-g” purposes
– Flexible to accommodate differing types of online courses
– Addresses UC faculty online learning guidelines
 Policy revisions incorporate national quality standards for
online courses and programs
 Partnership between UC and the California Learning
Resource Network (CLRN)
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6. A-G Course Lists &
Course Update Process

7. A-G Course Lists
 UC and CSU admissions requirements include satisfying a
15-course pattern of college-preparatory “a-g” courses
– High school courses must undergo “a-g” review and approval to
appear on the “a-g” course list
 The “a-g” course list is an important component of the
applicant review process
– All “a-g” course lists must be updated each year to maintain
accuracy for applyUC and for UC’s comprehensive review
 Updates to the “a-g” course list are submitted using the UC
Online Update website:
– https://doorways.ucop.edu/update
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8. A-G Course List Update Timeline
New courses New courses
New courses
submitted on submitted on
submitted on or
New update Submit new or before or before
before Update cycle
courses and
cycle opens on other course
June 1: August 1:
September 15:
closes on
February 1 September 15
list updates up to 2 only 1
no resubmissions
resubmissions resubmission
allowed
allowed allowed
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9. New A-G Review Process for
Online Courses
(effective 2013-14)

10. Online Course Publisher vs. Online School
 UC now differentiates between an online course publisher
and an online school
– Online course publishers develop their own curriculum and sell
or license their online courses for delivery by a teacher within a
high school or district
– Online school is a credit- or diploma-granting institution that
offers courses strictly through Internet-based methods, with time
and/or distance separating the teacher and learner
 Institutions that act as both an online course publisher and
online school will follow the procedures for online schools
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11. Review of Online Courses
(effective 2013-14)
Assess the online course
Submit online
against the iNACOL Standards
STEP 1 course to
for Quality Online Courses and
CLRN for
CA content standards
review*
CLRN-certified
OR
Self-assessed
Conduct subject-
Submit online
specific review
STEP 2 course to UC Approve course for “a-g”?
against UC
for “a-g” review
faculty’s content YES
criteria
Add course to
online publisher’s or
*If not eligible for CLRN review, the online course must be
online school’s “a-g”
self-assessed by the online publisher or school.
course list; approval
expires in 3 years
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12. Step #1A: CLRN Certification
 Effective for:
– Online course publishers serving public institutions
– Public online schools
 A CLRN-certified online course must:
– Meet at least 80% of CA Content or Common Core Standards
– Fulfill all 15 “power standards” from the iNACOL Standards for Quality Online
Courses
– Satisfy at least 27 (or 80%) of the remaining iNACOL Standards
 Courses not aligned with a set of standards must be self-assessed
(Step #1B)
 To submit a course to CLRN:
– http://clrn.org/elr/index.cfm?event=publisher.login
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13. Step #1B: Self-Assessment
 Effective for:
– Online course publishers serving only private institutions
– Private online schools
– Any online courses not aligned with state standards
– 2014-15 school year: Non-online high schools, districts, and
programs
 Institution conducts self-assessment against iNACOL
Standards for Quality Online Courses
 Self-assessment will be incorporated into the course
submission process for UC “a-g” review
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14. Step #2: UC A-G Course Review
 Only CLRN-certified or self-assessed online courses can be
submitted to UC during the course list update cycle
– Open annually, February 1 through September 15
 Basis for “a-g” course review and approval:
– “a-g” course evaluation guidelines
– Subject area course requirements
 All courses are reviewed by a subject area analyst
– “Blind” reviews
– Goal: new CLRN-certified online courses reviewed within 2-4 weeks
 To submit a course to UC:
– https://doorways.ucop.edu/update
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15. Adding A-G Online Courses
Access UC’s “a-g” Indicate intent to
Online Update add previously
website approved online
course(s)
Certify that program/school/district
will satisfy UC’s online learning
guidelines and policy for online
courses to receive “a-g” approval
(once per annual update cycle)
Select online
Add online course
course to add to
to “a-g” course list
“a-g” course list
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16. Policy Implementation:
Challenges & Successes
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17. Challenges
 Shifting the focus from UC “approving providers” to UC
approving courses
 Identifying expert reviewers of quality online delivery
 Sheer volume of “homegrown” teacher-created online
courses
 Definitions of online entities are not always clear-cut
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18. Successes
 The appropriate experts are reviewing online courses:
– CLRN ensuring quality online delivery
– UC ensuring quality “a-g” content
 Improved efficiencies in seeking “a-g” approval for online
courses
 Anticipated increase in “a-g” online course offerings
– Broader access to “a-g” courses
– Greater preparation for UC admissions
 Enhanced quality of online learning for students
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19. New Directions
 Elimination of principal certification for non-UC-approved
online courses
– Not acceptable for online courses completed in 2013-14 academic
year and beyond
 Re-evaluation of policy regarding online courses in laboratory
science and in visual & performing arts
– Under current policy:
– Online science courses OK but require supervised, on-site wet lab
– Online VPA courses not allowable
 UC encourages educators to incorporate promising practices
for excellence in online teaching and learning
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20. http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/index.html
 Click to edit Master text styles
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21. Resources
 Helpful links:
– California Learning Resource Network (CLRN)
– http://clrn.org
– International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL)
– http://inacol.org
– UC Doorways websites:
– “a-g” Course List website – https://doorways.ucop.edu/list
– Online Update website – https://doorways.ucop.edu/update
 Contact High School Articulation in UC systemwide Admissions:
– E-mail: hsupdate@ucop.edu
– Phone: (510) 987-9570
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22. Thank You
To provide feedback on this session, please go to:
http://bit.ly/SV7xcf
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