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Quality Matters at ULM

 

Quality Matters (QM) at ULM: Quality Matters is a nationally known evaluation process of the delivery of online courses. It has eight General Review Standards that are ideally addressed in every online course offered. Those eight standards cover these areas: 

  1. Course Overview & Intro – ensuring that students understand how to navigate the course, how to start the course, and that information is provided for Faculty contact and University services.
  2. Learning Objectives – both course and module/unit learning objectives are stated in a measurable way to aid students’ understanding of what they will learn in the course.
  3. Assessments & Measurements – the activities and graded assignments instructions are clear and that the grading of assessments and assignments are easily understood.
  4. Instructional Materials – the materials that the faculty member uses are relevant and align with the objectives that students are to complete.
  5. Learner Engagement & Interaction – the course encourages and fosters the principal of student engagement with the material, other students, and the faculty member.
  6. Course Technology – the technology that is used in the course is explained and clearly links to the success of the student in the course.
  7. Learner Support – the course clearly states outlets the University provides for student support and success.
  8. Accessibility – the course is readily accessible to anyone enrolled, including any student that needs an accommodation for a disability.

There are 41 Specific Review Standards within the eight General Review Standards. Review Standards carry a weight of 3, 2, or 1 points. Anything with a 3 point value is considered an essential standard to the successful delivery of an online course. Anything with a 2 point value is considered a very important standard, and the 1 point valued standards are important, but not essential to the success of the course. Quality Matters essentially tries to look at the bigger picture of online course design. The review process entails that the developed course be reviewed by 3 peers that have been certified in the Quality Matters Peer Reviewer course. Those reviewers are assigned anonymously (reviewers have a QM#) to the developed course and provide an evaluation based on the above criteria. As long as a course meets 85% or higher of the standards set forth the course is considered to pass Quality Matters. In the event that a course does not receive a review of 85% or higher feedback and request for revisions are given to the course developer.

 

For more information about Quality Matters please visit qualitymatters.org

 

 

 

 

 


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