Getting Started
Anyone at MSU can create an account through the Quality Matters website by using their msu.edu email address.
Quality Matters provides a fully annotated course standards rubric, different types of course reviews including a self-review, and discounted QM professional development through its website and MSU’s subscription.
Some of the Quality Matters resources involve added costs and official course reviews require MSU consultation first.
Internal Consultation
For help getting started, instructional designers through MSU IT can consult with faculty and instructors on:
- Applying the QM course rubric
- Coordinating QM Self Reviews
- Developing new online or blended courses
- Improving current online or blended courses
Request an MSU Internal Consultation by contacting MSU IT Services at (517) 432-6200 or visiting ithelp.msu.edu.
The consulting component through MSU instructional designers helps faculty and instructors implement QM best practices and develop courses in line with MSU’s commitment to excellence in teaching.
These support resources lay the groundwork for improving student learning outcomes and retention in online and blended courses.
Community for Quality Matters
Faculty and staff at MSU can join the “QM at MSU Community” D2L site to learn more about Quality Matters, discounted professional development, types of course reviews, and examples for meeting standards.
QM Rubric & Reviews
A Quality Matters (QM) account provides MSU faculty and instructors access to the fully annotated course rubric, review processes, and other QM professional development opportunities. The QM resources enable MSU to engage in bench marking activities through a nationally recognized program used by peer institutions.
Along with the related Internal Consultation services through MSU, these tools can assist in the design, development and continual improvement of online and blended courses.
Faculty and instructors may want to include information about their QM participation in reports, teaching evaluations, and portfolios. Course certification through QM offers opportunities for national recognition.
Course Rubric
The QM Rubric is a research-based peer review process that is widely adopted in higher education as a measure of online course quality. It offers weighted best practices in online instruction to improve course quality.
Visit the QM Higher Education Rubric, Sixth Edition to download the rubric.
The rubric is helpful as a tool to consider what elements may be missing from an online or blended course or to generate suggestions for new features.
Self Review
Faculty and staff can use the fully annotated, self review materials, within the MyQM CRMS (Course Review Management System). Annotations explaining each standard in greater detail can be accessed within the Self Review tool after logging in to the QM site.
This unofficial self review is a way to become more familiar with QM standards or assess a course prior to an internal or official review. You can also do pre- and post- assessments of your courses to keep a record of improvements, and a private report can be emailed once completed.
QM-Managed Review
QM-Managed Reviews require MSU consultation and a self review first. These external reviews are handled by QM staff or designees in compliance with QM Course Review Standards, take two to four months, and cost approximately $1,000 when managed externally by Quality Matters.
As part of external reviews, MSU faculty and staff can earn Quality Matters Standards Certification for their online or blended courses.
To enquire about a consultation, internal review, or QM official course review, contact MSU IT Services at (517) 432-6200 or visiting ithelp.msu.edu.
