6.3 Applying QM to Your Work

Whether you are an instructor, course designer, program manager, or administrator, you can apply QM principles immediately:

For Instructors:

  • Review your course learning outcomes. Are they clear, measurable, and student-centered?
  • Map your course activities and assessments to each learning outcome. Are they aligned?
  • Check your course materials for accessibility (alt text, captions, clear navigation)
  • Review how you support student learning (interaction opportunities, feedback mechanisms, learner support resources)
  • Use student feedback and assessment data to identify areas for improvement

For Instructional Designers:

  • Use the 8 QM standards as a checklist when designing new courses
  • Create alignment maps for courses showing how learning outcomes, activities, and assessments connect
  • Build accessibility into course design from the start
  • Develop course templates that incorporate QM best practices
  • Lead professional development on QM standards within your organization

For Program Managers and Administrators:

  • Adopt QM as your institution's quality assurance framework
  • Train instructional staff on QM standards and practices
  • Establish peer review processes using QM
  • Use QM feedback to guide course improvement priorities
  • Work toward QM certification for high-priority courses

6.4 Resources for Ongoing Learning

This course is just the beginning. Quality Matters has extensive resources for further learning and professional development:

  • Official QM Website: www.qualitymatters.org — The authoritative source for QM rubrics, standards, news, and research
  • The Quality Matters Rubric: Download the official rubric (available for free from the QM website) to use for course review and design
  • QM Certified Reviewer Program: If you want to become a trained peer reviewer, QM offers certification training for individuals and institutions
  • QM Professional Development: QM offers workshops, webinars, and certification programs for instructional designers, faculty, and administrators
  • Case Studies and Research: The QM website includes published research on the impact of QM on student success
  • Community Forums: Connect with other educators implementing QM through QM's online community
  • Discipline-Specific Rubrics: QM has developed specialized rubrics for specific disciplines (e.g., STEM, K–12, higher education) and formats (e.g., synchronous, highly interactive)
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