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Quality Assurance

Quality Matters

Quality Matters logo

The Quality Matters (QM) program is dedicated to promoting and improve the quality of online education and student learning. It is part of a global organization that provides professional development and resources to support faculty in this goal.  A key component of the QM program is a faculty peer review process for certifying online courses based on shared standards. Courses that receive certification are nationally recognized as exemplifying the best practices for online instruction. 

CSULB is a QM-affiliated campus which is part of the CSU Quality Assurance (QA) program.

What is Quality Matters?

  • A set of standards (QM Rubric) for the design of online courses.
  • A peer review process for reviewing and improving online courses.
  • A support tool used by instructional design staff.
  • A professional development opportunity.

Get your course certified to:

  • demonstrate a commitment to quality online learning.
  • highlight courses that have passed rigorous academic standards recognized nationally and internationally.
  • join a community of peers dedicated to best practices and an open, collegial review process.
  • receive recognition by the CSU/CSULB Quality Matters membership.
  • obtain a certification badge to display on your courses.

Become a Peer / Master Reviewer to:

  • help enhance your colleagues’ success in online teaching by sharing your experience and best practices.
  • learn more about conducting course reviews; get training on critiquing and writing helpful recommendations.
  • get compensated for serving as a Reviewer in an official capacity.
     

Course Certification for Online Courses

To be eligible, you must have experience teaching an online courses for at least 2 semesters.

Steps Towards Course Certification:
(Timeline 4-6 weeks)

  1. ​Contact the QA Coordinator at ats-qa@csulb.edu to set-up a consultation to create a plan and timeline. The QA Coordinator will enroll you in the required courses.
  2. Obtain Department Chair or Program Coordinator (as appropriate) approval and send to ats-qa@csulb.edu. 
  3. Complete the course: Improving Your Online Course
    This course explores the QM Rubric and provides a framework to improve the quality of online and blended courses. Participants use the QM Rubric to review their own courses and develop a course improvement plan. The content is based on the 23 "essential" QM standards and participants need to have a pre-developed blended or online course to enroll.
  4. Perform QM self-review of online course and submit results to ats-qa@csulb.edu – which includes “location of evidence” 
  5. Submit of the following documents:
    • QM course worksheet
    • Syllabus
    • Submission of QM self-review including location of evidence
  6. Internal review begins by campus Master Reviewer and a qualified Peer Reviewer
  7. Upon successful completion of CSULB/QM internal review, course is submitted for formal CSU/QM course review.       

Peer / Master Reviewer Certification Process

CSULB is recruiting faculty who are currently teaching online to become certified Quality Matters Peer Reviewers and Master Reviewers. To be eligible, you must have experience teaching an online courses for at least 2 semesters.

Once you become a Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer, you'll be part of the QM database of Reviewers. Your discipline, areas of expertise, and other experience will help others recognize you as a possible candidate for serving on official QM-Managed course reviews for other organizations or our own campus online program - for which you'll be compensated. 

Peer / Master Reviewer Certification Process:

  1. Contact QA Coordinator at ats-qa@csulb.edu to set-up a consultation to create a plan and timeline. The QA Coordinator will enroll you in the required courses.
  2. Obtain Department  Chair approval or Program Coordinator (as appropriate) and send to ats-qa@csulb.edu 
  3. Complete the following QM courses