Northeastern State University Sees the Results of its Deepening Investment in QA

QM member Northeastern State University (NSU) is making big strides in online quality. A year ago, the institution declared that all new online courses must undergo a design and development process before they are published online — and the results are noteworthy. Here’s a look into how their process works.

The instructional designers in the NSU Online department work with faculty to design online courses that meet the institution’s internal standards. These standards are heavily informed by the QM Higher Education Rubric, and the entire process is supported by the institution’s QM membership. “The partnership with QM affords us the use of the QM tools for course reviews and access to workshops as well as training,“ says Jerol Skinner, Executive Director for NSU Online.

NSU Online creates a collaborative, judgment-free environment to keep faculty invested in the QA process. “Faculty are always apprehensive before starting the process, but once they are immersed, they respond with appreciation for and comfort with the process,” says Jerol. The institution has further incentivized faculty participation by offering stipends to educators who get their courses QM-Certified. Faculty response has been positive, with many requesting to have all their courses reviewed.

The results of deepening NSU’s quality efforts have already borne fruit, says Jerol. “Uniformity in courses in programs has been established. Standardized syllabi, course and lesson objectives, accessibility, copyright, course communications, and reexamining course assessment processes have been positively impacted.”