Quality Matters

Quality Matters (QM) is a nonprofit, nationally and internationally recognized, faculty-driven course quality assurance organization. It provides instructors with tools and processes to continuously improve their online and blended courses through a rigorous review process organized around a research-based rubric of QM course design standards. It's grounded in research, driven by best practices, and it's a community that puts learners first.

Why do we use QM at Loyola?

1. Course review results in better course design, which makes navigation easier for students, reduces barriers to student achievement, and results in better outcomes. The researched-supported rubrics and standards in the QM quality assurance provide objective, evidence-based ways to evaluate the components of an online learning system. Our syllabus and course templates are designed to meet QM standards.

2. The self-review process enables instructors to conduct a self-review of their course and refine their course design before they apply for internal review and then QM official review in the future.

3. Quality Matters member community is comprised of over 1500 organizations in over 30 countries across 6 continents from the higher education, K-12 secondary, educational publishing, and continuing education and professional development arenas. This community serves as another support system besides the QM organization by sharing their QM stories.

4. QM offers opportunities for nationally and internationally recognized QM certification for online and blended courses as well as many professional development activities. We are working on funds to support our faculty on this.