Quality Matters (QM) is a non-profit organization that offers guidelines and a review process to ensure the quality of online courses. The design of courses is assessed according to the commonly used set of QM Standards. The eight elements covered by the QM Standards are: “course overview and introduction, learning objectives, assessment and measurement, instructional materials, course activities and learner engagement, course technology, learner support, and accessibility” (MarylandOnline, Inc., n.d., para. 2; Sadaf et al., 2019).

• The first standard, Course Overview and Introduction, ensures that the course design is clear to students and helps them understand how to start the course. Students value clear instructions on course components and how to get started as the most important feature of a course.
• The second standard, Learning Objectives, ensures that objectives are clear, measurable, and properly aligned. Make sure these are easy to understand to help students focus their efforts on the course. Learning objectives result in more efficient use of instructional time and improved learning outcomes.
• The third standard, Assessment and Measurement, ensures that assessments align with the learning objectives, are consistent with course activities and resources, and clearly explain grading expectations to students. This helps students tailor their efforts to individual assignments and produce higher-quality work.
• The fourth standard, Instructional Materials, ensures that materials are comprehensive and thoughtfully selected to support student learning outcomes.  Instructional materials need to be aligned with the learning objectives to better support student success.
• The fifth standard, Course Activities and Learner Interaction, ensures that the forms of interaction incorporated into the course motivate students to attain course objectives and promote learning. Intentionally designing courses for increasing students’ engagement can have a positive impact on academic performance (Sadaf et al., 2019).
• The sixth standard, Course Technology, ensures that the navigation and technology support student engagement and are used to achieve learning objectives.  This could be accomplished through providing a variety of technology , such as multimedia (videos, podcasts, etc.) sources for learning materials and activities.
• The seventh standard, Learner Support, ensures that the course provides links to resources for students to access institutional academic policies, technology support, and student support services essential to their success.  This allows students to easily locate and partake in the assistance for their needs while taking a course.
• Finally, the eighth standard, Accessibility, ensures that the course provides ease of use and accessible learning materials, tools, and learning activities for all students. Meeting this standard helps focus learners’ attention on relevant tasks and reduces time wasted in trying to determine what needs to be accomplished.

During an official QM course review process, a team of peer reviewers assess a course using the standards outlined in the QM Higher Education Rubric. Courses that meet the standards are awarded QM Certification, indicating that the course has met a rigorous set of guidelines for quality online course design. At SCSU, an unofficial, internal quality review can be conducted by the SCSU Online department. The review follows many of the same steps and rubric, with the added value of a personalized approach to the entire process.

Advantages of QM-Reviewed Courses

When students enroll in a QM-reviewed course, they can expect that the course has been developed with a strong emphasis on enhancing student learning and engagement. The QM-reviewed courses are more likely to provide clear learning objectives, engaging and interactive course activities, effective assessment and measurement, and support for learners. According to Academic Partnerships (2023), the following are a few benefits of taking QM-reviewed courses. 

• These courses have a greater likelihood of providing clear learning objectives due to what is outlined in the second standard. This standard necessitates that the course explicitly outlines what students are anticipated to learn and how they can demonstrate their knowledge or skills. This approach can assist students in comprehending what is expected of them, while assisting them to stay on the right track with their learning.
• QM-reviewed courses tend to incorporate engaging and interactive course activities as the fifth standard emphasizes course activities and learner interaction. This requires the course to have activities that encourage active learning and interaction between learners and the course content.
• These reviewed courses excel in effective assessment and measurement. The third standard mandates that the course employs assessments that correspond with the learning objectives and provide valuable feedback to students. This approach can help students evaluate their comprehension of the course content and identify areas that need improvement.
• Lastly, QM-reviewed courses are more likely to provide support for learners as identified in the seventh and eighth standards for learner support and accessibility. These standards require that the course delivers adequate support for learners, such as technical assistance and support for students with disabilities. This approach can ensure all students have equal access to the course content and can thrive in the course.

Overall, Quality Matters is a renowned organization that offers a set of standards and a review process to ensure the quality of online courses. Students taking online courses may benefit from the fact that QM-reviewed courses are more likely to have been created with an emphasis on student learning and engagement.  The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team has instructional designers that are knowledgeable about the Quality Matters standards and can guide you through them. Our department also has workbooks for faculty to use on their own. Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information on how useful an instructional designer can be to your course, check out this previous blog post.

References:

Academic Partnerships. (2023, February 21). The final checklist: Course quality review [Video]. Academic Partnerships Faculty eCommons. https://facultyecommons.com/webinars/the-final-checklist-course-quality-review/

MarylandOnline, Inc. (n.d.). Course design rubric standards. Quality Matters. https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/rubric-standards/higher-ed-rubric

Rimoldi, A. (2020). Classmates doing studies for exam together [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/classmates-doing-studies-for-exam-together-5553050/

Sadaf, A., Martin, F., & Ahlgrim-Delzell, L. (2019). Student perceptions of the impact of quality matters-certified online courses on their learning and engagement. Online Learning, 23(4), 214-233. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v23i4.2009

Shagufta Naeem is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. She is an ACCA’ Member with a bachelor’s degree in applied accounting, a CFA Charter-holder and is pursuing an MBA from SCSU. She has 8 years of work experience specific to Corporate Credit, Audit, Risk Assurance, Internal Controls, and Financial Management.