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Learning Strategies

There’s Quality in These Standards: A Student’s Perspective on Quality Matters Reviewed Courses

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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.

Learning Technology Integrations

Using Social Media in College Courses 

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Social media sites can be used to not only teach students who are already proficient with the tools but also, to advance a teacher’s professional development. When faculty require students to utilize social media, it can encourage them to express or discuss their thoughts. There are many different accessible platforms, for faculty to use in a number of exciting ways. 

It comes as no surprise that today’s college students are surrounded by and engrossed in social media. Faculties can make use of social media platforms in their courses for many different purposes. These purposes can include raising student interest in learning, improving teacher-student interactions, and extending learning communities outside of the classroom. 

Social Media Platforms and Ways to Use Them Within a Course 
  • The use of a Facebook page to broadcast updates and alerts: Encourage students to like the class’s Facebook page so that the teacher may use it to post class updates, distribute homework, and promote conversation. 
  • The use of Twitter as a class message board: Teachers can publish words of encouragement, provide links to pertinent resources and materials, and post alerts for assignment and assessment deadlines (West, 2021). Additionally, teachers can start Twitter chats and discussions centered on a chosen hashtag.   
  • The use of blog posts as essays: Another method for integrating social media and learning is to have students write essays or other short forms of writing on their personal blogs. 
  • Faculty can use social media to create virtual communities for practice and to have students engage with each other, with the subject, and with their teacher in a digital setting. These communities are most conducive for online and hybrid courses where face-to-face interaction is constrained or absent. 
  • The use of YouTube to provide students with an opportunity to create their own media and personal advertisement.  

Student in library looking at a smart phone.Moran, Seaman, and Tinti-Kane (2011) conducted a survey on the adoption of social media within the college classroom and found that: 

……20% of professors have given students the task of posting or commenting on social media sites (p. 3), while more than 40% of instructors have mandated that students read or view social media as part of a course assignment (p. 3). With 80% of staff members reporting some use of online video in the classroom, since it is by far the most popular social media platform shared in class, posted outside of class, or given to students to view (p. 3). 

Faculty Considerations When Using Social Media in a Course 
  • Becoming proficient in the use of social media and new computer programs before incorporating them into their classrooms. 
  • Considering how social media will promote participation and improve learning outcomes when determining whether to use it for a class assignment. 
  • Being cautious of the effects of letting students publish content on outside websites (those not provided or hosted by your institution). Keep this checklist close as you when you plan your class activity because FERPA and Copyright Compliance overlap with social media usage within the classroom. 
  • Preparing your response in advance if a student expresses discomfort sharing their information with third-party services or other social media users.  
  • Making social media optional and providing a substitute for students who are hesitant to use it (Chen & Bryer, 2012). Social media is a supplemental tool, but it shouldn’t get in the way of teaching.

Reaching a larger audience, inspiring students, and enhancing openness in communication (both internal and external), assessment, and evaluation can all be considered while using social media. 

 References:  

Chen, B. & Bryer, T. (2012). Investigating instructional strategies for using social media in formal and informal learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1):87-104. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i1.1027

Focus Faculty. (2020, December 7). Using social media to retain and connect with students in the shift to online education.  Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-student-engagement/using-social-media-to-retain-and-connect-with-students-in-the-shift-to-online-education/   

Hall, A. A., Delello, J. A., & McWhorter, R. R. (2017). Using Facebook to supplement instruction in online and hybrid courses. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 22(1), 87-104. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijil.2017.085250 

Kampus Production. (2020). Black couple doing presentation for studies in classroom [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-couple-doing-presentation-for-studies-in-classroom-5940845/ 

Moran, M., Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2011). Teaching, learning, and sharing: How today’s higher education faculty use social media. Babson Survey Research Group. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED535130 

Piacquadio, A. (2020). Student browsing smartphone at table with books [Photograph]. Pexels.  https://www.pexels.com/photo/student-browsing-smartphone-at-table-with-books-3769982/ 

Richardson, M. E. (2020). Social Media in the classroom. The new normal for university education after COVID. International Dialogues on Education Journal, 7(1/2), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.53308/ide.v7i1/2.19 

Samuels-Peretz, D., Dvorkin Camiel, L., Teeley, K., & Banerjee, G. (2016). Digitally inspired thinking: Can social media lead to deep learning in higher education? College Teaching, 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1225663 

West, C. (2021, November 11). 12 ways to use social media for education. Sprout Social.  https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-for-education/  

 

Suvekshya Adhikari is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. She is a Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) student at SCSU. Suvekshya spends her leisure time painting and cooking for her friends.