Quality Assurance

The Introduction to Quality Matters (INTRO2QM) workshop introduces participants to the QM Quality Assurance System, demonstrating why QM is widely considered the gold standard in online quality assurance and how its implementation can support a culture of quality. The workshop presents the QM Rubrics, explains the course review process, and culminates in the development of a personal plan for continued engagement with Quality Matters.

• This workshop is recommended for faculty and administrators new to QM. 
• Participants will need 3+ hours per week to achieve the learning objectives.
• This workshop is facilitated, fully online, and asynchronous. It lasts for two weeks and has firm deadlines. This is not a self-paced course.

The “Improving Your Online Course” workshop explores the QM Rubric and provides a framework to improve the quality of online courses. Participants use the Essentials Standards from the QM Rubric to review their own online courses and develop a course improvement plan. A previously developed online course is necessary to participate.

• Participants will need 10+ hours per week to achieve the learning objectives.
• Participants will also need an existing online course they are seeking to improve.
• This workshop is facilitated, fully online, and asynchronous. It lasts for two weeks and has firm deadlines. This is not a self-paced course.

The Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) Workshop introduces participants to the Quality Matters (QM) process and rubric. The workshop facilitator will present information about the rubric and peer review process and guide participants through a series of activities designed to promote understanding of the quality standards and to give hands-on experience in applying these standards to the review of an online or hybrid course.

This workshop is recommended for those who wish to understand the QM Rubric in depth and experience the course review process as reviewers. Upon successful completion of the workshop, instructors are eligible to participate in Higher Ed Peer Reviewer Course and Certification training, online from Quality Matters.

• Participants will need 14+ hours per week to achieve the learning objectives. 
• This workshop is facilitated, fully online, and asynchronous. It lasts for two weeks and has firm deadlines. This is not a self-paced course.

Internal Quality Matters Review

The first step of the Quality Matters review process at TWU is a detailed and comprehensive Internal Quality Matters review. In the Internal QM Review, we examine courses using the full Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric. These reviews are conducted at TWU using two QM Certified Peer Reviewers or Master Reviewers who are also Instructional Designers for Faculty Success. Reviews follow the same guidelines as a Quality Matters Official Collaborative Peer Review, however the Internal QM Review is designed to prepare a course to easily pass a formal review. With this goal in mind, the review delves deep and provides considerable feedback and suggestions to cover all bases. As with the Formal QM Review, suggestions are not prescriptive. The Internal QM Review is intended to provide a positive experience and one-on-one interactions that give you new insight into your course.

The Internal Quality Matters Review will take 8 to 9 weeks and successful completion will achieve the TWU-Quality Matters Mark in your course and prepare your course for the Formal Quality Matters Review.

Learn more and start your Internal Quality Matters Review.

Formal Quality Matters Review

After successful completion of the Internal QM Review, the next step is a Formal Quality Matters Review. The Formal QM Review is a QM Official Collaborative Peer Review. As the instructor and course designer, you will get specific and constructive feedback throughout the Formal Quality Matters Review process to meet QM Standards and achieve QM Certification.

Completing the Formal Quality Matters Review process shows your commitment to create a culture that is focused on quality assurance and continuous improvement at TWU of online and hybrid courses. Contact CD3 to work with the TWU Quality Matters Coordinator (QMC) and submit a QM Course Review Application. Once your application is approved, the QMC will compile a team of three QM Certified Peer Reviewers, including a Master Reviewer, a Peer Reviewer, and a Subject Matter Expert (SME). In most cases, all three members of your review team will be experienced and current online instructors working at other universities.

The Formal Quality Matters Review will take 4 to 6 weeks and successful completion will achieve the QM Certification Mark in your course. Your course will also be recognized on the QM website.

Learn more and start your Formal Quality Matters Review.

Course quality is the responsibility of each TWU academic component focusing on effective online and hybrid courses designed to impact engagement and ensure students achieve the defined learning objectives. To assist academic component leadership in this effort, a quality assurance service is offered by Faculty Success to guide continuous improvement of course quality:

• Internal Academic Component Review - provides data and information using the QM Higher Education Rubric to inform evidence-based decision making to improve course quality of online and hybrid courses. An Internal Academic Component Review examines some or all of an academic component’s online and hybrid course offerings. This review selects a subset of 8 General Standards and 43 Specific Review Standards from the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric, and may be customized to incorporate additional standards at the request of the academic component.
• Formal Report - documents the results of targeted standards that were identified to improve the course quality of online and hybrid courses. Individual courses are reviewed by a TWU QM Certified Peer Reviewer using the abridged and/or customized rubric. After all identified courses have been reviewed, a formal report is provided to academic component leadership.
• Continuous Improvement Plan - the results of an Internal Academic Component Review will highlight strengths and pinpoint opportunities to establish a continuous improvement plan that includes Internal Quality Matters Reviews and customized instructor professional development, designed, developed and facilitated by an instructional designer.

Learn more and start your Internal Academic Component Review.