Recap
Scaling Course Quality: A Faculty-led, Affordable & Compliant Approach
As institutions continue expanding online and hybrid learning, many are facing a familiar challenge: how do you scale high-quality, compliant learning experiences without overwhelming faculty and staff?
In our recent webinar, Alchemy’s Carrie O’Donnell was joined by KC Coburn, Assistant Director of Online Program Development at MSU Denver, for a practical conversation on balancing scale, quality, and faculty engagement in course design.
During the session, KC shared the challenges MSU Denver was facing as demand for online learning continued to grow. Historically, the institution had been able to complete approximately 40 intensive course redesigns per year, but sustaining and scaling that level of work across a much larger course inventory required a new approach. KC discussed how her team began using Curie to move beyond a limited redesign model and toward a more scalable process for course quality, compliance, and continuous improvement.
Key Takeaways from the Session
Online Learning Demand Continues to Grow
The session highlighted increasing student demand for flexible online learning experiences and the growing pressure institutions face to expand offerings while maintaining quality standards.
Faculty Support Must Remain Central
KC Coburn emphasized the importance of creating systems and processes that work with faculty, not around them. Scalable course quality efforts are most successful when faculty voice, agency, and expertise are part of the process.
AI Can Help Institutions Scale Intentionally
The conversation explored how AI-supported tools and workflows can accelerate course review and improvement processes, helping institutions manage large course inventories more efficiently while maintaining alignment to institutional and compliance standards.
Consistency & Flexibility Can Coexist
One major theme throughout the webinar was the need for flexible frameworks that support institutional goals while still allowing instructors to personalize and shape the student learning experience.
Course Quality Is Ultimately About the Student Experience
From accessibility and engagement to clear course structure and meaningful interaction, the discussion reinforced that scalable quality initiatives should always connect back to improving outcomes for students.
Keep Exploring
This webinar offered a strong example of how institutions like MSU Denver are approaching course quality at scale with a people-centered mindset. The session also demonstrated how Curie can help institutions move beyond time-intensive redesign cycles by supporting more flexible, scalable workflows for course review, quality improvement, standards alignment, and faculty collaboration.
Watch the full recording on our YouTube channel to explore the full conversation and see the strategies discussed in action.
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