Quality Matters Workshops

APPQMR is Quality Matter's flagship workshop on the QM Rubric and its use in reviewing the design of online and blended courses. In addition to learning about the QM Rubric and the course review process, participants will learn to apply the concept of alignment and draft helpful recommendations for course improvement.

The APPQMR is the pre-requisite for the Peer Reviewer course, which is the required course to become a Peer Reviewer.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the underlying principles of QM. (Recognize key QM underlying principles and concepts.)
• Identify the critical elements of the QM quality assurance program, including the QM Rubric, materials, processes, and administrative components.
• Apply the QM Rubric to review online courses.
• Analyze whether the sample course meets selected QM Rubric Standards.
• Apply the concept of alignment.
• Draft helpful recommendations for course improvement by citing annotations from the QM Rubric and evidence from the course.

This tutorial contains four different video walkthroughs and a curated selection of documents and resources. The emphasis in QM Course Design Essentials is placed on high-impact elements in QM General Standards 1, 2, and 5, which focus on research-based standards of best practice in developing a Course Introduction and Overview, Learning Objectives (Competencies), and Learner Activities/Learner Interaction.

This self-guided tutorial is designed for faculty members with a range of experience teaching online, including those new to developing and teaching online courses.

Learning Objectives

• Identify QM General Standards.
• Explain and implement key aspects of QM General Standard 1 - Course Overview and Introduction.
• Review a syllabus template designed to incorporate QM Standards, HLC requirements, Faculty Handbook updates, and accessibility guidelines, and apply to your course syllabus.
• Incorporate QM General Standard 2 - Learning Objectives (Competencies) into the design of your course.
• Incorporate elements of QM General Standard 5 - Learning Activities and Learner Interaction into your course design.

Time Commitment

Available as an ongoing, self-guided resource in Blackboard. Participants should plan for 1-2 hours to move through the material. 

Designed to prepare experienced online faculty to become QM-Certified Peer Reviewers. The Peer Reviewer Course includes a review of Quality Matters, practice in critiquing and writing helpful recommendations, and a Practice Review in which the participants are asked to review Specific Review Standards in an online course using the QM Course Review Management System (CRMS).

Learning Objectives

• Explain the underlying principles of QM and the critical elements of the QM Rubric, materials, processes, and roles and responsibilities
• Demonstrate the correct application of the QM Rubric Specific Review Standards during a practice review of an online course
• List the events that will transpire during the peer review process
• Write helpful recommendations for course improvement

This tutorial consists of five units related to the QM Rubric and alignment, essentials for online teaching and student engagement, transparency in assignment design, creating community in online courses, and strategies for engaging students in large-enrollment courses. This tutorial will benefit faculty teaching online or teaching a blended course with online interaction.

Learning Objectives

• Identify key standards in the QM Rubric related to learner engagement.
• Explore options for orienting online learners to your course.
• Apply strategies for transparency in online assignment design to help your students succeed.
• Reflect on community-building ideas that will fit will with your course design.
• Develop a plan to incorporate a time-saving strategy in your course design.
• List 2-3 ways you can incorporate ideas from this tutorial into a larger-enrollment online course.
• Apply concepts from readings on online instruction to your course design and delivery.

Time Commitment

This is an asynchronous, self-guided tutorial offered in Blackboard. Participants should expect to spend 2 hours to complete the tutorial.

Alignment relies not only upon the connection between learning objectives and assessments, but also upon connections with instructional materials, learning activities, and technology. In this workshop you will explore how to effectively integrate instructional materials, learning activities, and technology with each other to support learners towards success on assessments and in meeting course objectives.

Focus on QM Rubric Standards 4, 5, and 6 to both develop and review courses.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the foundational concepts of Quality Matters
• Apply the concept of alignment to your course
• Apply the Specific Review Standards in General Standard 4: Instructional Materials to your course
• Apply the Specific Review Standards in General Standard 5: Course Activities and Learner Interaction to your course
• Apply the Specific Review Standards in General Standard 6: Course Technology to your course
• Create a list of prioritized improvements to your course based on your review of the Specific Review Standards in General Standards 4, 5, and 6
• Assess the impact of your course improvement on student learning and engagement

Past UMTE Projects

• Embedding rubrics in Blackboard to help communicate grades more effectively and in more detail
• Incorporating anonymous formative assessment surveys at the beginning, middle, and end of the term for feedback and reflection
• Integrating free and open educational resources (OERs) and Rod Library resources, including partnering with research librarians
• Designing Blackboard blogs to incorporate embedded YouTube videos (for peer review, presentations, and book talks) 
• Using synchronous Zoom breakout rooms to enhance student and group engagement
• Creating dynamic instructor video tours of the course, major projects, and unit overviews

Time Commitment

This is an asynchronous workshop offered over two weeks. Participants should expect to spend 10-12 hours per week to complete the workshop.