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Quality Matters Essentials

QM Essentials: MCCCD Quality Matters Internal Review & Recognition Process

What is Quality Matters?

Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally recognized, research-based, faculty-centered, peer review process designed to acknowledge the quality of online and hybrid courses. The QM framework, implemented through a rubric and driven by professional development, is about course design and making your course navigation and structure intuitive so that students’ questions will be more focused on the content of your course. QM recognized courses help to improve student learning outcomes, student success, and retention.

Why Follow Quality Matters Standards?

Quality Matters standards are designed to deliver the promise of quality online instruction. The standards are research-based and reviewed regularly. For a more in-depth understanding, read more about “Why QM?” and the community behind the standards.

QM Membership

The Maricopa Community Colleges are Quality Matters subscribers. As subscribers, we can access and use the fully annotated QM Rubric to self-review courses, participate in professional development, as well as coordinate official QM reviews for our system.

The QM Rubric

A hardcopy of the QM Rubric can be obtained from your Center for Teaching and Learning by employees of the college. A digital copy can be obtained with a username and password on the MyQM website. You can create a QM account by following these steps, or you may request an account be created for you by contacting your college QM Coordinator

Conduct a Self-Review

As a member of a subscribing institution, you can use the QM rubric to complete an online self-review using the Course Review Management System (CRMS). This easy-to-use system allows you to write recommendations to yourself about any QM Standards you may want to improve upon and to share your review with colleagues and mentors. Access the CRMS through MyQM after your account is created or set up.

To learn more about the Quality Matters standards for an online course, visit the QM Rubric & Standards page or contact your QM Coordinator

Quality Achievement: QM Essentials Review

You can share your successes in meeting quality online and hybrid course design by meeting Internal Review Standards. This is an important part of the quality assurance process. It is also an excellent opportunity for reflective practice that will provide you with valuable feedback. A QM Essentials Review can also prepare you for an official QM review, should you choose to complete one.

QM Essentials Internal Review & Recognition Process

  1. A faculty member completes the QM Essentials Internal Review Request Form to begin the internal review process. The form is assigned to the QM contact at the faculty’s college.
  2. The faculty member receives confirmation from their college that the request has been accepted. (Note: If a QM account has not yet been established for the faculty member, it must be done so now before continuing this process.)
  3. The faculty member completes and submits a Course Review Application in CRMS. An automated message is sent to the faculty member after the application is submitted.
    1. Select your institution.
    2. Select the Internal Review option (this is important so the institution does not get charged for the review).
    3. Select your QM Coordinator.
    4. Select yourself as the Course Representative.
    5. Leave the optional “Institution Details PO” field blank.
    6. Enter the Course Number (e.g. ENG101), Name (English Composition), and a brief course description (use the official MCCCD description).
    7. Choose the appropriate LMS.
    8. Select the course subject from the given list of general disciplinary areas.
    9. Check the acknowledgment box and select Submit.
  4. The QM Coordinator processes the application. An automated message is sent to the faculty member indicating the Course Worksheet is available in the CRMS.
  5. The faculty member completes and submits the Course Worksheet in the QM CRMS.
  6. The QM Internal Review is then conducted by two faculty or staff reviewers at each college who have completed either the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) or the Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) workshop, at least one of whom is also a QM-Certified Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer.
  7. The course either meets all QM Essential (3-point) Standards or recommendations are given for revisions.
  8. If recommendations are given, course revisions and improvements are made based on the detailed feedback in the review.
  9. The QM-Certified Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer will review the course to confirm the recommendations have been implemented.
  10. The faculty member receives the QM Essentials Banner to proudly display in the course!
  11. OPTIONAL: The course is ready for faculty/department to fund an official QM review if desired (this step is up to the faculty and department - not the college CTL.)