For Students

POCR-aligned courses:

• Improve clarity, structure, and navigation
• Increase meaningful interaction with instructors
• Support equitable access and inclusive design
• Promote stronger success and retention outcomes

For Faculty

POCR provides:

• Personalized feedback from trained peers
• A structured process to strengthen course design
• Long-term time savings through improved organization
• Eligibility for the CVC-OEI Quality Course Badge, increasing course visibility across California

📌 Important:

Maintaining status as a CVC teaching and home college requires ongoing participation in POCR. Faculty are expected to complete one POCR-reviewed course per year to support institutional alignment and visibility.

POCR at Cerritos College is a structured, supported process that typically unfolds over one academic year.

Step 1: Apply

Submit an application during the Fall semester.

Step 2: Prepare & Plan

Meet with Distance Education Coordinators to review expectations, timelines, and accessibility requirements. Take the @ONE POCR course.

Step 3: Collaborate with Reviewers

Work with a trained team that may include:

• Lead reviewers
• Secondary reviewers
• Accessibility reviewers
• Mentors

Step 4: Revise & Align

Update your course using feedback and the rubric as a guide.

Step 5: Final Review

Your course is reviewed for alignment with rubric standards.

Step 6: Completion & Recognition

Aligned courses may be submitted for the CVC-OEI Quality Course Badge, and faculty complete the POCR cycle.

POCR operates on a consistent annual cycle:

• August (Week 1 of Fall): Call for Applications
• September: Application Deadline
• September: Selection & Notification
• October: Contracts Issued & Work Begins
• April: Course Completion Deadline
• May: Final Verification & Compensation

📌 Faculty may request an extension in April if needed.

POCR uses the CVC-OEI Course Design Rubric, which focuses on four core areas:

📚 Content Presentation
Clear, consistent, and well-organized course materials

💬 Regular and Substantive Interaction
Regular and substantive interaction between the instructor and students

📝 Assessment
Aligned, transparent, and meaningful evaluation of student learning

♿ Accessibility
Inclusive design that meets Section 508 standards

Courses are fully evaluated using three levels:

• Incomplete → Key elements are missing or unclear
• Aligned → Meets quality standards for online course design
• Exemplary → Demonstrates advanced, high-impact practices

The goal of POCR is to support faculty in reaching Aligned in all areas, with opportunities to explore Exemplary practices over time.

POCR directly supports Cerritos College’s commitment to Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) and accreditation expectations.

Through POCR, faculty:

• Strengthen visible, consistent instructor feedback
• Build structured opportunities for meaningful engagement
• Ensure interaction is intentional, documented, and aligned

POCR helps make the strong work faculty are already doing visible and verifiable for students and accreditors.

Faculty Eligibility

To participate in POCR, faculty must:

• Be a full-time Cerritos College faculty member
• Hold a full Online Teaching Certification
• Have taught at least four semesters of asynchronous online courses
• Submit a complete POCR application
• Submit a complete POCR contract
• Meet with DE Coordinators to review expectations

📌 Faculty who have previously participated in POCR pilots may receive priority consideration.

POCR is supported by a trained team of faculty reviewers, including:

• POCR Lead (DE Coordinator)
• Lead Reviewers
• Secondary Reviewers
• Accessibility Reviewers
• Mentors

All reviewers:

• Are certified in online teaching
• Have recent online teaching experience
• Complete POCR training
• Participate in norming sessions to ensure consistency

Cerritos College provides structured support and compensation for POCR participation.

Roles & Workload

• Course Authors: ~50 hours (course development and alignment)
• Course Teachers: ~20 hours
• Reviewers: Varies by role

Support Includes:

• One-on-one mentorship
• Peer review feedback
• Accessibility guidance
• Distance Education support

📌 Faculty contracts are issued in October and include clear expectations and timelines.

To complete POCR, faculty must:

• Finish all development and review phases
• Align their course to the rubric
• Receive final approval from the review team

The POCR Lead verifies completion before submission for compensation and recognition.

✅ Completed POCR Courses

• Tor Lacy: GEOL 102; GEOL 101
• Nick Matthews: COMM 103; COMM 100
• Cynthia Alexander: EDT 110; EDT 116
• Janet Mitchell Lambert: ENGL 230A
• Joana Mootz Gonzales: ENGL C1000S; ENGL C10003

🚀 Upcoming POCR Courses

• Dan DeKraker: ESCI 110
• Edward Chi: ECON 101
• Jianli Hu: BA 100

✨ What POCR Alignment Looks Like in Practice
This spotlight highlights how Cerritos faculty are designing courses that are clear, engaging, and aligned with POCR standards.

🌎 Example: GEOL 101 / GEOL 102

Instructor: Tor Lacy

🧭 Clear, Structured Course Design

• Modules are organized around consistent weekly patterns
• Clear instructions and expectations are embedded within each activity
• Logical sequencing that helps students build understanding over time

💬 Visible & Meaningful Interaction (RSI)

• Regular instructor announcements that guide student progress
• Active instructor presence through feedback and instructional support
• Opportunities for students to engage with both content and each other

📝 Applied, Real-World Assessment

• Assignments that connect geological concepts to real-world phenomena
• Structured activities that help students practice and apply key skills
• Clear grading criteria and expectations

♿ Accessibility & Student Support

• Clean, easy-to-navigate layout
• Content designed for readability and usability across devices
• Clear instructions that reduce confusion and support all learners

📌 Why This Matters:

In aligned courses like these, students are better able to stay on track, understand expectations, and engage meaningfully with both the content and the instructor.

Professor Lacy compared a pre-POCR semester (Spring 23) to a post-POCR semester (Spring 26) in terms of course data and found a whole-class GPA increase of 1 point: 2.1 to 3.1. For his Geol 101 Physical Geology Lecture/Lab course, he compared the pre-POCR (Summer 23) course data to the post-POCR (Summer 25) course and found a whole-class GPA increase of 1.1 points: 2.1 to 3.2.