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FIU Online is dedicated to remaining a leader in distance education by ensuring the highest quality experiences and services in online learning. Our Commitment to Quality includes world-class instructional design support, comprehensive curriculum consulting, state-of-the-art learning technology administration, and online education support for colleges and departments.

Background

The SUS 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education outlines goals and strategies that will result in improved instruction and increased educational opportunities for Florida residents. The SUS has implemented a process for adhering to quality standards for course design. The SUS 2025 Strategic Plan determines two course quality destinations: “High Quality” and “Quality Matters”. These designations are awarded to courses based on their successful alignment to the SUS Quality Rubric.

Panther Quality Course Design Initiative

In compliance with this state initiative and recognizing that course design is a critical component of teaching excellence, FIU Online is launching Achieving Panther Quality Course Design. This initiative is an institutional effort to satisfy the SUS online course quality mandate and advances our FIU vision of learning-centered, evidence-based, and culturally responsive teaching. The goal is that by 2025, online courses are designed to meet the Quality Matters course design framework.

Faculty Incentives

This initiative will be an ambitious undertaking for both faculty and FIU Online instructional designers and can only be accomplished through our shared commitment. As such, we are incentivizing faculty for the successful development and enhancement of courses in alignment with QM design standards.

Faculty incentives for existing courses developed in compliance with these quality standards will be awarded for each course as follows:

  • High-Quality (HQ) Course Design : Faculty whose course meets the quality standards requirements and who engage in an FIU-internal review of their course will be awarded a financial incentive of $500 .
  • Quality Matters (QM) Certified Course : Faculty whose course meets the quality standards requirements and who engage in an external review of their course through the formal Quality Matters process will be awarded a financial incentive of $1,500 . ( You can also choose to complete an HQ review first for $500 and subsequently complete the QM review for an additional $1,000, for a total of $1,500) .

Instructors selected to teach new online courses should be assigned with the explicit expectation that the course must meet the quality online course design standards as per this BOG mandate. New courses will not be eligible for the quality incentive available to faculty who enhance their existing courses to meet quality online course design standards.

For more information regarding monetary incentives, please contact your departmental liaisons.

Quality Matters

What is Quality Matters (QM)?

Quality Matters (QM) is a faculty-centered, peer review process that is designed to certify the quality of online courses. QM is a leader in quality assurance for online education and has received national recognition for its peer-based approach and continuous improvement in online education and student learning. The Quality Matters Rubric is research supported and promotes best practice-based quality standards and procedures. QM subscribers include community and technical colleges, colleges and universities, K-12 schools and systems, and textbook publishers.

FIU Online adopted Quality Matters (QM) as their quality assessment program in Fall 2011 by running a small pilot with only seven courses. Since then, upwards of 440 courses have been certified across all disciplines, recognizing Florida International University as the second highest institution with QM certifications nationwide.

What are the differences between a Quality Matters (QM) certification and a High Quality (HQ) certification?

QM

Quality Matters Certification (QM) results from a course being reviewed by three external QM reviewers, meeting all QM essential standards, receiving at least 85% of the available points on the QM Rubric, and providing alternative means of access to course materials in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners.

  • Reviewer #1: QM Master Reviewer
  • Reviewer #2: QM Reviewer
  • Reviewer #3: QM Reviewer (Subject Matter Expert)

To meet Quality Matters Review Expectations:

  1. The review confirmed “MET” for all 3-point essential Standards
  2. The Review resulted in a total overall score of 85 or higher out of the 100 points.
  3. Instructor must complete “Course Worksheet”
  4. Instructor must participate in an initial review conference call and be available for inquiries during the formal review process

HQ

State Definition: High Quality (HQ) designation results from a course being reviewed by three internal trained reviewers, meeting all QM essential standards, receiving at least 85% of the available points on the QM Rubric, and providing alternative means of access to course materials in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners.

  • Reviewer #1: Instructional Designer
  • Reviewer #2: Instructor (Subject Matter Expert)
  • Reviewer #3: Quality Assurance Team

To meet High Quality Review Expectations:

  1. The review confirmed “MET” for all 3-point essential Standards
  2. The Review resulted in a total overall score of 85 or higher out of the 100 points.

To start the review process please contact your instructional designer. Should you need additional assistance in evaluating content and offering recommendations for improvement please feel free to contact:

  • Mimi Lezcano | Quality Assurance Manager
  • Email: lezcanoh@fiu.edu
  • Ext: 305-348-8475
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