The Quality Matters™ K-12 Program Overview

The Quality Matters Program Quality Assurance through Faculty Development and Course Design © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Academic & Non-Profit Quality Matters is a not-for-profit subscription service providing tools and training for quality assurance of online courses Developed by MarylandOnline with funding from FIPSE, it was designed by faculty for faculty and focused on improving student learning Adopted by a large and broad user base, QM represents a shared understanding of quality in online course design © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Quality Matters is… A set of standards (Rubric) for the design of online and blended courses A peer review process for reviewing and improving online and blended courses A faculty support tool used by instructional development staff A professional development opportunity © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The QM Approach QM is a faculty-driven, peer review process that is… Collaborative Collegial Continuous Centered in academic foundation around student learning © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Factors Affecting Course Quality QM Only reviews Course Design © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM’s Role in Quality Assurance QM looks at course design – The harnessing of technology to deliver instruction and promote student learning QM provides a process for peer-to-peer feedback for faculty in the continuous improvement of their course and certifies courses as meeting shared standards of best practice Quality Matters is not the complete answer to quality assurance for online education, but it can be a critical component © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

What QM is NOT About… Not about an individual instructor (it’s about the course) Not about instructor evaluation (it’s about course quality) Not about judgment (it’s about diagnosis and improvement) Not about “win/lose” or “pass/fail” (it’s about continuous improvement in a supportive environment) © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM as a National Standard 800+ current subscribers 46 states represented QM has trained over 22,000+ Higher Ed and K-12 instructors and instructional design staff Community Collaboration – Largest community collaboration in quality online education Award Winning – Sloan-C, USDLA, WCET © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

MONTANA WYOMING IDAHO WASHINGTON OREGON NEVADA UTAH CALIFORNIA ARIZONA NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA COLORADO NEW MEXICO TEXAS OKLAHOMA KANSAS ARKANSAS LOUISIANA MISSOURI IOWA MINNESOTA WISCONSIN ILLINOIS INDIANA KENTUCKY TENNESSEE MISS ALABAMA GEORGIA FLORIDA SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH CAROLINA VIRGINIA WV OHIO MICHIGAN NEW YORK PENN MARYLAND DELAWARE NEW JERSEY CONN RI MASS MAINE VT NH ALASKA HAWAII PUERTO RICO VIRGIN ISLANDS Current Subscribers Consortium Subscribers QM as a National Standard Statewide Subscribers © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Basics More than a sum of its three parts 123 © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM collaborated with The Florida Virtual School (FLVS) to create the Grades 6-12 Rubric. The Grades 6-12 Rubric integrates existing national standards for K-12 online education promulgated by the following organizations: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) The International Council for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) The Partnership for 21 st Century Skills The Grades 6-12 Rubric was revised in 2013 and renamed “The K-12 Secondary Rubric Second Edition.” QM K-12 © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The QM K-12 Secondary Rubric © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Audiences for K-12 Secondary Rubric UsersApplications Teachers, Instructional Designers and Design Teams Improve existing courses and design more effective courses Public and Private Virtual Schools and Publishers Demonstrate commitment to quality to school systems and other stakeholders Schools AdministratorsStandards to screen and select courses Students, Parents and CounselorsAssurance of quality courses for students School Systems, Local and State BoardsComponent of quality assurance mission Teachers of Dual Enrollment Courses Meeting both higher education and Grades 6-12 standards Teacher Education FacultyPreparing their students to teach online © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The Rubric is the Core of QM 8 key areas (general standards) of course quality and an additional general standard to customize for local course mandates 42 specific review standards Including 27 essential (3 point) standards Detailed annotation and examples of good practice for all 42 standards Plus a customizable Standard point scoring system 88 points needed to meet standards © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Elements of the Rubric Eight General Standards: 1. Course Overview and Introduction 2. Learning Objectives (Competencies) 3. Assessment and Measurement 4. Instructional Materials 5. Learner Interaction and Engagement 6. Course Technology 7. Learner Support 8. Accessibility 9. Compliance Standards Key components must align. Alignment: Critical course elements work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

General Standard 9: Compliance This section of the Rubric is optional and may be tailored to particular requirements or mandates at the state or local level. These requirements may deal with subject matter standards, inclusion of specific information in the course outline or syllabus, mandated communications, etc. Up to 10 standards may be added in this section. No point value is associated with these standards, but the review summary will identify any that were not considered as met by the review team. © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Rubrics: K-12 and K-12 Publisher K-12 SecondaryK-12 Publisher Local teachers Course developers Review courses Develop courses Vendor Courses Locally developed courses for use in other districts Vetted courses © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Standards Supported by Research © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Course Review Process 123 © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The QM Course Review Process Course Continues to be Offered © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Types of Course Reviews Unofficial Team Reviews Self Review Using QM Tools Official QM Managed Review © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Types of Course Reviews Unofficial Team Reviews* Self Review Using QM Tools Unofficial reviews are not required to follow the formal QM process or use the entire rubric © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Types of Course Reviews Official QM-Managed Review Follows QM policies/protocols Fee-based QM manages and pays review team It is recommended that staff go through appropriate QM training prior to starting a QM review. © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM = Process and Rubric ProcessRubric OFFICIAL Outcome: Earn QM recognition Must follow official QM guidelines and procedures Outcome: Improve courses, meet institutional goals, demonstrate commitment to quality Outcome: Earn QM recognition Tool to assess online courses during formal QM review Outcome: Improve courses, meet institutional goals Guide to develop new online courses AND review and update online courses UNOFFICIAL Outcome: Improve courses, meet institutional goals, demonstrate commitment to quality Organizations determine use and procedures Outcome: Improve courses, meet institutional goals, demonstrate commitment to quality Guide to develop new online courses AND review and update online courses © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The Course Review Team On an official K-12 review, Review Teams consist of: Three QM-Certified K-12 Course Reviewers Pre-requisite: Current online teaching or development experience & training Team Chair Course Reviewer with additional experience Two reviewers must be a subject matter experts At least one reviewer must be external to the organization sponsoring the course AND Course Developer or Representative: access to rubric prior to review involved in pre-review discussions consulted during review © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The Course Review Team On an official K-12 PUBLISHER review, Review Teams consist of: Three QM-Certified K-12 Course Reviewers Pre-requisite: Current online teaching or development experience & training Master Reviewer as Team Chair Course Reviewer with additional experience and training Two reviewers must be a subject matter expert AND Course Developer or Representative: access to rubric prior to review involved in pre-review discussions consulted during review © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Peer Feedback The peer feedback provided in a course review is collegial in tone and language; however, the reviews are rigorous and even courses that meet standards will benefit from the detailed, specific, and relevant feedback provided. © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Certification of Courses Course reviews take 4-6 weeks; 20 -week window for reviews, including any amendments, to be completed QM recognition is provided by year recognized QM logo on course and catalog; registry on QM Web site © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Professional Development and Certification QM Workshops & Certifications © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Workshops & Certifications Delivery Options: Online – virtual, asynchronous Onsite – face-to-face, synchronous Collaborate – virtual, synchronous Focus: QM Implementation Prepare staff to hold QM roles Professional Development Workshops Prepare staff to design and improve courses © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Professional Development Workshops Course-focused Workshops K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric* K-12 Online Course Design Flipping Your Class and More: Exploring Blended Learning K-12 Introduction to Teaching Online *Note: Flagship training is also required for QM Implementation © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Implementation: Certifications K-12 Reviewer Course (K-12 RC)* K-12 Publisher Reviewer Course (K-12 PubRC)* K-12 Master Reviewer Certification (K-12 MRC)* K-12 Online Facilitator Certification (K-12 OFC)* For online delivery of K-12 APP K-12 QM Coordinator Training* *Offered online only © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM Coordinator K-12 QM Coordinator Training K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric Workshop (online or F2F) Organization may designate additional QMCs K-12 Course Reviewer Taught or developed an online course within the last 18 mo. K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric Workshop (online or F2F) K-12 Reviewer Course (online) Submission of application & MOU (for certification) K-12 Publisher Reviewer Taught or developed an online course within the last 18 mo. K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric Workshop (online or F2F) K-12 Reviewer Course (online) K-12 Publisher Reviewer Course (online) Submission of application & MOU (for certification) K-12 Certified Facilitator K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric Workshop K-12 Reviewer Course (certification not required) K-12 Online Facilitator Certification Course Only available with purchase of a K-12 Training License K-12 Master Reviewer Certified K-12 Course Reviewer Experience on 2+ course reviews K-12 Master Reviewer Certification Course Annual Recertification Capacity Building: QM Roles & Criteria © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The Quality Matters Subscription What can you gain? © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

What can you gain? Improvement of online courses External quality assurance Participation useful for professional development plan and portfolio Professional development trainings Review other courses and gain new ideas for own course; expand professional community © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Tools in the Spirit of the Academy Standards grounded in the research literature and best practices Tools and process developed by faculty and instructional design experts for faculty support Peer review and other opportunities to collaborate and mentor around quality in online learning © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

What to Expect from Course Reviews Consistency and Rigor Professionalism and Commitment Useful and Constructive Feedback Positive Outcomes Less than 50% of courses in QM-managed reviews meet standards upon initial review (but all can meet after amendment) © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Review Exit Survey Comments Sample Comments from Course Developers “I was too close to see what could be improved.” “Provides a great way to get an objective view of your course.” “It made all of my online courses better.” “It provides a view from a more student oriented perspective.” “Many elements that might contribute to a student withdrawing can be eliminated.” © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Review Exit Survey Comments Sample Comments from Course Reviewers “I always learn new wonderful approaches from viewing other courses and working with expert peer reviewers.” “Whenever I read the annotations, I make changes to my courses.” “I always find reviews to be a learning experience.” “This experience was very rewarding for me as both an educator and course developer.” “It’s a great tool for honing your own course.” © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Research Opportunities and Support QM encourages research through – Consultation with QM Director of Research – Collaboration on research and data resources – Participation in faculty surveys of all QM subscribers – Sponsorship of research - see RFP at © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Quality Matters: A Multi-faceted Resource What’s In It for your organization? © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Multiple Uses of QM Reported Uses of QM Tools: Guidelines for initial online course development Quality assurance of existing courses Ongoing professional development Institutional re-accreditation packages Focus attention on distance learning policies & steering committees Create a climate and structure that promotes teaching and learning © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Reported uses: Educate faculty about quality in online courses Reduce time and labor in designing courses. Provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff Inform teaching practices related to design and structure for BOTH online and F2F courses Quality process indicators for accreditation self- studies QM Professional Development © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Subscription Benefits Current QM Rubric and related rubrics Fully automated QM Rubric Tool(s) Subscriber Discounts QM Coordinator Training MyQM & User’s Group Unofficial Course Reviews Training License © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Quality Matters: A Collaboration on Quality The QM Community © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

The QM Community Online Learning Students QM Institutions: HE, K-12, Publishers, Partners, Sponsors Committees: Academic Advisory, Rubric, Training, Reviews QMCs, Facilitators, Peer/Course Reviewers QM Staff & Consultants © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

QM is Continuous Improvement Improved courses Engaged faculty Reduced course development time Ongoing professional development Quality benchmarking Awareness & support for online learning Institutional improvement © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

Your Questions? Please contact the appropriate QM representative – available to you via , Skype or phone. © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved

We are here for you! QM Contacts: Christine Voelker, K-12 Program Director Maggie Bacon, K-12 Program Coordinator © 2014 MarylandOnline, Inc.. All rights reserved