How to Achieve Quality Matters Certification- A Comprehensive Guide to Excellence in Online Education
How to become Quality Matters Certified: A Comprehensive Guide
In today’s fast-paced and competitive educational landscape, ensuring the quality of online courses is crucial for institutions and instructors alike. One of the most respected and recognized standards for online course quality is the Quality Matters (QM) certification. Obtaining QM certification not only validates the high standards of your course but also enhances your professional credentials. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to become Quality Matters certified, covering the essential steps and considerations.
Understanding Quality Matters
Before diving into the certification process, it’s important to understand what Quality Matters is all about. QM is a non-profit organization that provides a set of standards and guidelines for designing and developing high-quality online courses. These standards are based on research and best practices in online education and are designed to ensure that online courses are accessible, engaging, and effective.
Step 1: Familiarize Yourself with the QM Standards
The first step in becoming QM certified is to familiarize yourself with the QM standards. These standards are divided into eight general standards and 25 specific standards, which cover various aspects of online course design, such as course overview and introduction, instruction and learning activities, assessment and measurement, and technology. You can access the QM standards on their official website and review them thoroughly.
Step 2: Attend a QM Workshop
To gain a deeper understanding of the QM standards and how to apply them to your course, consider attending a QM workshop. These workshops are offered by QM and its partners and provide hands-on training and guidance on the QM standards. Attending a workshop can also help you network with other educators and share best practices.
Step 3: Develop a Course for Review
Once you have a solid understanding of the QM standards, the next step is to develop a course that you would like to have reviewed. The course should be in an online format and should cover all the necessary components as outlined in the QM standards. Ensure that your course is well-organized, engaging, and meets the high standards set by QM.
Step 4: Apply for a QM Peer Review
After developing your course, you can apply for a QM peer review. This process involves submitting your course to a team of QM-trained peer reviewers who will assess your course against the QM standards. The review process typically takes several weeks, and you will receive detailed feedback on your course’s strengths and areas for improvement.
Step 5: Implement Feedback and Re-apply
Based on the feedback received from the QM peer review, make the necessary improvements to your course. Once you have addressed all the issues raised in the feedback, you can re-apply for a QM peer review. It’s important to note that you may need to go through the review process multiple times before achieving QM certification.
Step 6: Maintain Your Certification
Congratulations! If your course successfully meets the QM standards, you will become QM certified. However, maintaining your certification is equally important. QM requires certified courses to undergo a re-certification process every three years to ensure that they continue to meet the high standards set by the organization.
Conclusion
Becoming Quality Matters certified is a valuable achievement that can significantly enhance the quality of your online courses and your professional reputation. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully navigate the QM certification process and contribute to the ongoing improvement of online education.
