Course Review Process

Before submitting your course for a formal Quality Matters review, please keep in mind that courses should either be developed to meet the Quality Matters rubric standards, or be revised to specifically meet the requirements of the Quality Matters rubric if the course is already developed. We complete one formal QM review per course (multiple sections of a course are not reviewed).

The following questions can help ensure that your course is ready for a formal internal Quality Matters review. All of these items must be met before you request a formal review:

• Have you taken the (APPQMR) course? Make sure that you save your certificate of completion.
• Have you reviewed the Quality Matters rubric and made modifications to your course to address the standards?
• Have you completed a formal self-review in the Quality Matters Course Review Management System and submitted the report to the Walker Center? Contact the Walker Center for Teaching and Learning for instructions on how to complete a self- review, or watch this video.
• Are the course student learning outcomes measurable? Are they prominently listed in the course?
• Are the module/unit/weekly student learning outcomes measurable? Are they prominently listed in the course?
• Is the course alignment relationship annotated or otherwise explained? Course outcomes are aligned to module outcomes; activities and assessments are aligned with outcomes?
• Is there an instructor introduction and an opportunity for students to introduce themselves to one another?
• Is there a “Start Here” or “Getting Started” button so that students know where to go to get started with the course?
• Is there a course overview video or document that describes how the course is structured and organized?
• Are there ongoing opportunities for student-to-student interaction such as discussion boards or group projects?
• Are all course documents, materials, activities, and assessments available in the course? Textbooks (electronic version preferable) must be available to reviewers.
• Are the course materials in an accessible format? Are videos close-captioned? Are MS Word documents saved as .doc, are the PDFs tagged?
• Will your course be the course template (standard) by which other online or hybrid sections of the course will be taught? We complete one formal internal QM review per course; multiple sections of the same course will not be reviewed.

What kind of course access does the review team need?

Because the review team will be reviewing the course from the student perspective, team members will view the course using student-level access in a course sandbox. To request a UTC Learn sandbox, email your request to [email protected]. The most recent copy of the course should be copied into a sandbox before the review takes place. All content, activities, and assessments (tests, quizzes, etc) must be open and available to view.

How do I submit a course for review?

After ensuring the course is ready, submit a Course Review Application to apply for your course to be reviewed. Check with WCTL before you submit the application to identify a QM Coordinator for your review. Once the application is accepted, the process includes a pre-review, review period, and post review.

Pre-Review

• Once the Course Review application is submitted in the QM Course Review Management System (CRMS), you will receive a Course Review Worksheet to complete. The course worksheet contains a list of questions about how the course is designed.
• The QM Coordinator will review the worksheet. If all questions are adequately answered, the worksheet will be approved. If not, you will be asked to revise the worksheet.
• After the Course Worksheet is approved, the review team will be selected.
• A Pre-Review conference call will be held and the review period begins.

Review Period

• The review is scheduled for a 3 week period. The review is done by a team of certified Quality Matters reviewers. The reviewers evaluate the course on each of the QM standards and determine if the standard was “met” or “not met” based on evidence in the course. Reviewers make recommendations on standards so that you can make changes to improve the course. Ratings and recommendations are compiled in a final report.
• You will be notified when the final report is available in the QM CRMS. The final report may include required changes and recommended changes. All required standards for QM (21 standards) must be met and a score of at least 85% is required for the course to meet expectations.

Post-Review

• You will submit the Review Response Form. If no changes are required, the course is QM certified at that point. If changes are required, these must be completed within 20 weeks. Once the changes are made, an Amendment Form is submitted.
• Once an Amendment Form is submitted, the Review Team Chair reviews the changes and either approves or does not approve the course.
• Once standards are met and the course is approved, Quality Matters recognition is provided and the course is listed on the UTC Quality Matters course list.