Online Course Design and Development
Whether you are looking to design a new online course or redesign an existing in-person course for an online environment, our instructional designers are here to help.
Develop your course with Instructional Design & Distance Learning
Buffalo State's online course design and development process is a collaborative effort between faculty and Instructional Design and Distance Learning to deliver high-quality online courses to our learners. Faculty work one-on-one with an instructional designer to plan, design, and build their online course from the ground up. Throughout the process, course design decisions are guided by OSCQR principles, ensuring quality, alignment, accessibility, and a strong student experience from the start.
Because OSCQR standards are integrated into the course design and development process, courses developed through this service do not require a separate Course Design Review (OSCQR) at the end. This approach streamlines the process and supports faculty in creating well-designed, ready-to-teach courses. Faculty should first have approval of their intent to teach the new online course (as referenced in the Online and Hybrid Course Offering DOPS policy).
To ensure completion of the course design and development process, requests should be completed according to the following schedule. This schedule was developed using dates from the Administrative Calendar. Throughout the entire process and timeline, faculty will be developing their course with guided resources provided by Instructional Design and Distance Learning.
Timeline
| Step | J-Term/Spring 2027 Deadlines | Summer 2027 Deadlines | Fall 2027 Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent to offer new online course is approved prior to the department input window for master schedule prep | June 22, 2026 | September 28, 2026 | November 23, 2026 |
| Submit Online Course Design and Development ticket | June 25, 2026 | October 1, 2026 | November 24, 2026 |
| Development shell created for instructor | June 26, 2026 | October 2, 2026 | November 25, 2026 |
| Instructor completes Learner Analysis | July 6, 2026 | October 16, 2026 | December 4, 2026 |
| Checkpoint 1: Initial meeting with ID and instructor | July 10, 2026 | October 23, 2026 | December 11, 2026 |
| Instructor completes Course Alignment Map | July 24, 2026 | November 13, 2026 | January 1, 2027 |
| Checkpoint 2: Second meeting with ID and instructor | July 31, 2026 | November 20, 2026 | January 8, 2027 |
| Instructor completes plans for RSI, Technology & Tools, and Online Learner Support | August 31, 2026 | February 1, 2027 | February 1, 2027 |
| Checkpoint 3: Final meeting with ID and instructor | September 24, 2026 | February 19, 2027 | February 19, 2027 |
| Course is fully developed in Brightspace with OSCQR standards incorporated | October 7, 2026 | March 1, 2027 | March 1, 2027 |
Course Design and Development Process
Intent is Approved
Complete intent form and gain approval from school/department to ensure that this course can be offered online or hybrid.
Before continuing with the course design and development process, faculty should have online teaching credentials (e.g., completion of online course development series, credentials from an outside institution or reputable organization in online teaching and learning).
Submit Online Course Design and Development Ticket
Once the intent is approved, faculty should submit the Online Course Design and Development ticket. This will initiate this process with Instructional Design and Distance Learning.
Complete Learner Analysis
After the ticket is submitted, an instructional designer will contact the faculty member with more information, a Learn Analysis, and the Brightspace development shell that will be used throughout this process. Faculty should complete the Learner Analysis before their first meeting with an instructional designer.
Course Design and Development
The faculty and instructional designer will work together to design and develop the course in Brightspace. The following required checkpoints help ensure steady progress:
Checkpoint 1: Initial Meeting
By this date, faculty should have completed their Learner Analysis. This meeting will be used to discuss goals for the course design and development process and outline the plan to develop the course.
Checkpoint 2: Second Meeting
By this date, faculty should have completed their Course Alignment Map and should have started working on course development. This map will be used to guide conversations during this meeting as well as guide the course development process.
Checkpoint 3: Final Meeting
By this date, faculty should have completed their plans for RSI, Technology & Tools, and Online Learner Support. The course development in Brightspace should be nearly complete.
Course is Developed in Brightspace
The course is fully developed in Brightspace using all OSCQR standards.