The Quality Matters Program

2011 ◽  
pp. 1723-1727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Legon
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
College Level ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Online Teachers ◽  
Blended Courses

The Quality Matters™ Program (www.qualitymatters. org) is a set of standards (or rubric) for the design of online college-level courses and the online components of hybrid/blended courses, and a peer review process for applying these standards. The Quality Matters Rubric is based on recognized best practices, built on the expertise of instructional designers and experienced online teachers, and supported by distance education literature and research. The goals of the program are to increase student retention, learning and satisfaction in online courses by implementing better course design.

Designing an E-Learning Health Promotion Course: Meeting the National Benchmarks

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amar Kanekar
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Health Program ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
E Learning

The purpose of this coaching article is to assist health education academicians and specialist practitioners to understand the design of a fully distance learning health program and planning course applying the Quality Matters and Blackboard Exemplary Course rubric frameworks. Quality Matters is a nationally recognized, faculty-centered, peer-review process designed to certify the quality of online and blended courses and online components. The Blackboard Exemplary course framework uses best practices in designing engaging online courses with detailed feedback and course improvement. This article is a peer to peer teaching effort of step by step application of various rubric features, used nationally, providing examples of its applications toward a distance learning course. Additionally, the course designer discusses literature related to the evidence base of Quality Matters and some of the limitations of using course design tools.

scholarly journals 9. Quality Matters: A Faculty-Centred Program to Assure Quality in Online Course Design

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Shattuck
Keyword(s):  
Review Process ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Quality Assurance Program ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Quality Matters

One of the dilemmas faced by today’s faculty is assuring quality in online courses. As one solution to that dilemma, Quality Matters (QM), a program of MarylandOnline, built a rubric of design standards informed by existing research literature and best practices. The rubric was implemented within a faculty-centred, peer review process in which colleagues share their expertise to facilitate course design improvements and to achieve an established level of quality in online course design. This article will describe the basic tenets and processes of QM as an inter-institutional quality assurance program for online learning.

Designing Online Courses to Promote Student Retention

2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Dietz-Uhler ◽  
Amy Fisher ◽  
Andrea Han
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Distance Learning ◽  
Online Distance

Although the issue of student retention is a campus-wide one, it is of special interest in online distance learning courses, where retention rates are reported to be lower than in face-to-face classes. Among the explanations and theories of retention rates in online courses, one that struck us as most useful is a structural one, namely, course design. The question we raise is, can online course designs promote student retention? In this article, we report on how we used Quality Matters to design and revise online courses in psychology and statistics. Quality Matters, a research-based initiative, advocates the use of eight general review standards to review online courses. In our psychology and statistics courses, our retention rate across multiple offerings of both courses is approximately 95%.

How Social Design Influences Student Retention and Self-Motivation in Online Learning Environments

2013 ◽  
pp. 26-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek E. Baird ◽  
Mercedes Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Social Design ◽  
Student Collaboration ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
The Social ◽  
Collaborative Activities

Investigating the social structure that works in online courses helps us design for and facilitate student collaboration. The integration of social technologies, and collaborative activities into the course design has a positive influence on student retention in online courses. In this chapter, the authors present an exploratory study of computer-mediated groups that utilized this collaborative-based model to participate in online and/or blended learning courses. Participants were put into groups and observed as they constructed new knowledge using both online dialogue (synchronous and asynchronous), and social media technologies (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, wiki) as tools to support and facilitate their learning in the program.

Past, Future and Presents

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Ruth Gannon Cook ◽  
Kathryn Ley
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Educational Marketing ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Instructor Interaction

This study approaches educational marketing from the perspective of the customers, the students. Instructors and instructional designers have designed online learning using a process that revolves around delivery. The process addresses meeting the needs of administrators and aligns well with the growing demands of the educational marketplace. But the growing failure of students to successfully complete online courses warrants further exploration than simply adding more interactivities or instructor interaction. The authors pose that advertising and marketing have addressed complex consumer relationships for almost a century and have created long term successful customer relationships which could provide insights to help with higher education student retention issues. A look at design development research and marketing semiotics could provide greater understanding and student involvement to help marketing semiotics provide a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusion of students' life experiences and cultural histories.

scholarly journals STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVE OF PRACTICAL WORK IN LEARNING SCIENCES VIA DISTANCE EDUCATION

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason K.Y. Chan ◽  
Namin Shin
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Practical Work ◽  
Learning Science ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Attendance Rate ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys

This article focuses on students' perspectives on various aspects of learning science at a distance, such as ‘expectations,’ ‘learning outcomes,’ and ‘satisfaction’. Two foundation science courses offered by the School of Science and Technology at the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) were selected for the study. A series of indepth interviews was carried out with students enrolled in these courses, followed by questionnaire surveys and field observations in order to validate and triangulate the interview data. The findings revealed that students placed a high value on practical work in science courses. Moreover, the more familiar with the course subject, the less difficulty they anticipate in learning science via distance education. Two significant correlations were also found, between the perception of practical work and satisfaction, and between the attendance rate and the perception of practical work with distance learning at OUHK. This research adds to knowledge of disciplinebased distance education research in terms of empirical data in both qualitative and quantitative forms. Further investigation on this issue may help instructional designers and developed of science courses in the decision on various aspects of course design and development.

Most courses are not born digital

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangeline Marlos Varonis
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Shared Services ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design and certification, reports on the development of a statewide consortium in Ohio, and explores future directions in online courses. Design/methodology/approach – This paper offers a brief historical review of the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning. It describes attitudes toward online learning and the creation of the non-profit QM program as a vehicle for improving online course design. It summarizes the eight standards of the QM rubric, describes the QM peer review process, and discusses the implementation of the Ohio QM Consortium (OQMC) as a shared services model. Findings – Given existing barriers to online learning, the QM program can improve learning outcomes by offering best practices in online course design, validating the quality of online courses, encouraging faculty buy-in through a focus on design rather than content, and facilitating degree completion through recognition of quality courses. Practical implications – Institutions that seek to validate online course quality in a cost-effective manner can explore a shared services model such as that developed by the OQMC. Originality/value – This paper introduces to an international audience a program and process, widely implemented in the USA, which encourages inter-institutional cooperation and promotes a supportive culture among online educators.

scholarly journals A Look At An Implementation Of The Quality Matters Program In A Collegiate Environment: Benefits And Challenges

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connie B. Budden ◽  
Michael C. Budden
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Certification Process ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
Collegiate Environment

As traditional universities grapple with an onslaught of demand for distance education a recurring call to ensure quality in such offerings arises. The Quality Matters Program intends to guarantee such quality through a peer-centered process and offers a certification process to help assure quality in online and blended courses. This report is a preliminary look at perceived benefits and challenges that implementing the process entails.

Past, Future and Presents

2016 ◽  
pp. 2010-2024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Gannon Cook ◽  
Kathryn Ley
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Educational Marketing ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Instructor Interaction

This study approaches educational marketing from the perspective of the customers, the students. Instructors and instructional designers have designed online learning using a process that revolves around delivery. The process addresses meeting the needs of administrators and aligns well with the growing demands of the educational marketplace. But the growing failure of students to successfully complete online courses warrants further exploration than simply adding more interactivities or instructor interaction. The authors pose that advertising and marketing have addressed complex consumer relationships for almost a century and have created long term successful customer relationships which could provide insights to help with higher education student retention issues. A look at design development research and marketing semiotics could provide greater understanding and student involvement to help marketing semiotics provide a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusion of students' life experiences and cultural histories.

scholarly journals Distance Education in Graduate Training Programs: Lessons Learned from School Psychology Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Viola ◽  
Elina Saeki ◽  
Elise Hendricker
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
School Psychology ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Graduate Training ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychology Programs ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
School Psychology Students

Although online course offerings continue to expand in postsecondary institutions, little research regarding distance education in applied graduate psychology programs is available. This exploratory study evaluated school psychology graduate students’ perceptions, interests, and experience with distance education. Results indicated students view hybrid/blended courses more favorably than fully online courses. While students reported challenges and disadvantages with distance education, they also expressed a desire to have more online and hybrid/blended courses for theoretical and foundational courses. Those who have taken distance education courses reported positively on its impact towards their academic progress. Implications for training programs and future research are discussed.

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