Quality Matters

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Quality Matters (QM)™ is a faculty-centered, peer review process that is designed to certify the quality of online and hybrid/blended courses. QM is a leader in quality assurance for online education and has received international recognition for its peer-based approach and continuous improvement in online education and student learning.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is committed to implement the Quality Matters standards for the design of online and/or hybrid courses. We are systematically building and evaluating our courses based on these rigorous, research-based standards. The Quality Matters standards assure that the online components of these courses promote learner engagement and provide students with all the tools and information they need to be successful learners.

QM Rubric

Based on research and best practices, the QM Rubric is a set of standards used to evaluate the design of online and/or hybrid courses. The Rubric explains the application of the standards and the relationship among them. A scoring system and set of online tools facilitate the evaluation by a team of reviewers.

Learn about QM Rubric

Peer Review Process

Quality Matters promotes peer review process and provides a database of Certified QM Peer Reviewers eligible for assignment to a peer review team. Any subscribing institution may conduct internal or informal peer reviews.

Learn about the Peer Review Process

QM Certified Courses and Reviewers

UAB has several QM certified courses and QM certified course reviewers. See a list of certified courses or reviewers by school/college below.

See Certified Courses and Reviewers at UAB

QM Professional Development

QM provides on-site, online, and web conferencing opportunities to a broad audience that includes, but is not limited to, instructional designers, faculty, instructors, teachers, and administrators.

Learn more about QM Professional Development

UAB QM Utilization Implementation Plan

The UAB Quality Matters (QM) Utilization Implementation Plan (QmUIP) task force members have developed the UAB QM Utilization Implementation Plan for 2018-2021. The overall objective for the plan is to improve the quality of online and blended/hybrid education, in support of the Education pillar of the UAB Strategic Plan.

Benefits for QM Subscribers

As a subscriber, UAB offers faculty and staff the following benefits:

  • A fully annotated, web-based HE QM Rubric for evaluating course design.
  • On campus and online Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) workshops.
  • Informal/internal and formal/official QM course reviews.
  • Discounts on Official QM-managed course reviews, conferences, and professional development.
  • Custom reports accessible by the instruction’s QM coordinators.
  • QM IDA Membership, which connects instructional designers to resources that support their QM efforts.
  • The QM Research Library helps you create a culture of quality assurance within your organization.
  • Exclusive QM Success Stories webinars from other members.

Create a QM Account

To start taking advantage of these benefits, please create an account.

  • The QM review process helped me focus on the course objectives and the pedagogy I use to reach the objectives. The instructional designer and media support provided the technical know-how to develop my course around measurable outcomes without awkward technological errors. My overall experience with the QM process was positive and produced a course with which I am very pleased.

    Martha Earwood, MSCJ

    Teaching Assistant Professor Department of Criminal Justice
  • I would suggest that the faculty should remember that this is a process. The QM rubric provides a framework to enhance online courses. The review process is positive. Reviewers are dedicated to your course and providing you with feedback to meet the QM standards.

    Beth Barstow, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor School of Health Professions
  • Before the QM review process, I thought it was just a window dressing process to meet their standard requirements. However, I found that their staff actually provided a lot of constructive and concrete suggestions to improve the course content. These suggestions largely helped improve the design, structure, and content of the course. For example, there are a lot of subjective assignments in my course, the feedback from QM staff helped me develop more objective and workable rubrics to grade these assignments. It is worth the time and effort to go through the QM recognition process.

    Simon Sheng, Ph.D.

    Marketing Professor Collat School of Business

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