Quality Matters at UMMC

Quality Matters (QM) is a faculty-centered non-profit organization nationally recognized as a leader in online education. QM focuses solely on the quality of course design in online and blended courses rather than the quality of the online instructor. Through tools, resources, support, and training, QM empowers faculty to continuously improve their online and blended courses, thereby fostering student-centered learning.

QM's Mission

The mission of QM is to promote and improve the quality of online education and student learning nationally and internationally through:

• development of current, research-supported, and practice-based quality standards and appropriate evaluation tools and procedures;
• recognition of expertise in online education quality assurance and evaluation;
• fostering a culture of continuous improvement by integrating QM Standards and processes into organizational plans to improve the quality of online education;
• providing professional development in the use of rubrics, tools, and practices to improve the quality of online education; and
• peer review and certification of quality in online education.

Benefits

Courses designed to meet QM Standards benefit UMMC, instructors, and students through:

• improving student engagement amongst peers;
• improving active engagement between instructors and students;
• improving student performance in meeting learning outcomes;
• efficient course development and continuous course improvement;
• alignment with regional and programmatic accreditation standards;
• ongoing faculty professional development;
• peer-to-peer collaboration with instructors at institutions across the United States; and
• national recognition in course design.

Professional Development Opportunities

QM professional development opportunities are offered regularly. Offerings with registration fees require preauthorization from UMMC's QM Coordinators:

Robin Benson Thompson, DHA, MSN, RN
Phone: (601) 815-8308

Anitra Blake, MS
Phone: (601) 984-6203