Dfq Design For Quality

[Perpetuo Carlson]

TheFlorida Board of Governor's Online Education 2025 Strategic Plan identifies several strategic goals focused on quality practices. Starting in 2019, online courses within the State University System (SUS) that complete an online course design quality review will be tagged with a Florida Online Course Design Quality Designation. The system goal is to increase the number of online courses in the SUS with a Quality designation. To support this statewide effort, online courses at UNF follow the Quality Assurance measures outlined in UNF's DL policy. Specifically, within two years of initial delivery, online courses scheduled as distance learning must obtain the Florida High Quality (HQ) course design designation and renew that indicator every five years. Courses already tagged with Quality designation remain valid until expired.

To increase quality and accessibility and reduce barriers to student success, faculty are encouraged to submit their online course(s) for an internal QM review to receive the HQ designation. Any UNF faculty member who completed the TOL Foundation Course and developed their course as part of TOL-DCD or Program Transition can receive a stipend upon completing the online course design review process. View UNF's QM-Reviewed Courses

UNF implements the nationally recognized Quality Matters (QM) Higher Ed. Course Design Rubric Standards for the review of online course design and systematically builds and evaluates online courses based on QM's research-based standards. The QM Standards specifically focus on course design rather than course delivery or content and assure that the structure of online courses promotes learner engagement. A founding principle that drives QM is the need for standards to reflect current academic research on effective learning. The initial QM Standards and subsequent modifications are based on the insights of teams of experienced online instructors and instructional designers and the best practices and standards promulgated by accrediting bodies and national and international organizations. In addition, the QM Standards have been examined for consistency with the conclusions of the educational research literature regarding factors that increase learning and engagement and improve learner retention rates. Each specific QM Standard is centered on relevant research and supported by literature from the field. For more information, visit the FAQ section and QM Promotion Resources.

Once you've completed the training (listed above), you will be listed on UNF's QM-Certified Peer Reviewer, and whenever we have a course ready for review, we'll reach out to check your availability. You will receive a $500 stipend for every two internal reviews completed at UNF. As an internal peer reviewer, you must:

The following faculty members are certified to conduct internal QM Reviews at UNF, and some also participate in official QM-managed reviews (external). In addition, all instructional designers at UNF are certified to conduct QM reviews and actively participate in each internal QM review.

Online Course Design Quality reviews can result in a Quality (Q) or High-Quality (HQ) designation. Both quality designations rely on the QM Rubric and Standards, but the course review process is unique to Florida. The main differences between the two quality designations are in the number of course reviewers and the number of QM standards that must be met. Both are significant accomplishments that indicate a course has met rigorous, research-based course design standards. While instructors may opt to participate in either level of review, UNF encourages instructors to pursue the HQ designation.

Courses designated as Quality (Q) will have been reviewed by the faculty course developer and one certified peer reviewer, met all essential QM Standards, and provide alternative means of access to course materials in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners.

Courses designated as High Quality (HQ) will have been reviewed by the faculty course developer and two certified peer reviewers, met all essential QM standards, received at least 85% of the available points on the QM Rubric, and provide alternative means of access to course materials in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners.

Prior to initiating an internal QM review for your online course, it is essential to consult an Instructional Designer regarding the QM review criteria. Once your course is prepared for review, your designated instructional designer will initiate the internal QM review process.

After submitting your course for review, the QM coordinator will assign two reviewers: your instructional designer and a faculty QM-certified peer reviewer. The faculty reviewer will be enrolled in the Canvas Sandbox course and provided access to all course content, including external publisher materials if necessary. Reviewers have a 2-3 week timeframe to complete the review.

The reviewers assess the course, assigning a score based on QM standards and providing recommendations for measurable design revisions. If the course initially falls short of meeting the required QM standards, you will have multiple revision opportunities. Your instructional designer will share the review score and feedback with you, seeking your input on proceeding with the necessary revisions.

To complete the review process and obtain the HQ designation, your course must meet all 3-point essential QM standards, achieve a total score of 86 or higher out of 101 points, and provide alternative means of accessing course materials in formats that cater to diverse learners, aligning with accessibility guidelines throughout the course. After meeting these criteria, you will receive a $2000 stipend.

Online courses that complete an internal QM review are awarded the statewide High Quality (HQ) designation, valid for up to five years from the review completion date. During five years, most online courses typically undergo course design modifications to continuously improve subject matter content, technology integrations, and other aspects of online courses, which asserts that course design should and will change. To ensure online courses awarded the Florida Online Course Design Quality Designation continue to meet QM standards, course instructors are encouraged to consider the following guidelines as they modify their online courses.

When there is a concern that significant course design modifications will impact the course, an instructional designer can ensure all critical course elements are aligned and meet QM standards. The following considerable course modifications could necessitate the course instructor to resubmit their online course for another QM review:

Major modifications could negatively impact alignment between critical course elements and possibly invalidate the HQ designation of an online course. If more than 20% of ANY of the following QM alignment standards will be modified, these are considered major modifications, and you are encouraged to consult with an instructional designer:

Course development is an ongoing process that evolves over time. Over a span of five years, online courses are likely to undergo multiple revisions, leading to variations in course design quality and consistency. These variations can potentially impact the delivery of the course and the success of the students. UNF's DL policy emphasizes the need for courses delivered online to maintain high-quality designs. According to this policy, such courses are required to undergo a thorough course design quality review every five years. This policy is founded on the understanding that technological advancements, updated instructional materials, and changes in pedagogical approaches can lead to significant alterations in online courses within a five-year timeframe. To ensure a continuous enhancement of online courses, instructors are strongly encouraged to submit their courses for an internal QM review every five years.

Quality Matters is a not-for-profit subscription service that provides a rubric and a process that academic institutions use for quality assurance and continuous improvement of online courses. The QM review process is a collegial, faculty-driven, research-based peer review process based on a rubric consisting of 8 general standards and 44 specific standards nationally recognized as reflecting a shared understanding of quality in online and hybrid course design.

Higher education institutions throughout the United States and internationally have subscribed to the Quality Matters rubric and services to assure quality and continuous improvement in their online education offerings. There are over 30 institutions and over 400 subscribers participating in Florida.

An institution or a statewide consortium subscribes to QM for an annual fee depending on the institution's individual needs. This gives the subscribing institution's faculty and staff access to an automated, web-based QM rubric for reviewing online courses, the ability to conduct official course reviews and QM recognition (a seal) for those courses that meet standards, discounts on (or free seats in) QM training, and access to private web resources.

The Quality Matters approach to quality assurance in online courses is unique. It emphasizes a collegial, peer-based review process in which the faculty course designer is a part of the review team. A course is never described as having "failed" a review; it is always "in the process of meeting standards" and is described as such until it meets the QM rubric standards at a rate of 85% or better. The QM rubric and process is also unique in that it is diagnostic (not evaluative or judgmental) and focuses solely on online course design and not on course delivery. According to the most current research literature, the QM standards are centered on the best practices in instructional design and online learning.

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