“The Seventh Edition is a lot more clear in response to different Standards, when it comes to technology, information literacy, alignment pieces, what’s to be expected when you’re doing alignment, and what that looks like within your course.”Julian King, Instructional Designer for the University of the District of Columbia
The QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition launched in July. Several institutions have already hit the ground running by submitting reviews under the new edition. We sat down with a few of these early adopters to find out about the courses they’ve submitted and hear their first impressions of the Seventh Edition.
One such institution is the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), an HBCU who has submitted four courses for Official Review since July. The university has set the ambitious goal of achieving QM certification for over 100 courses within the next 18 months. Julian King, Instructional Designer and QMC for UDC, expressed appreciation for the Seventh Edition’s increased focus on ensuring that courses serve all learners equitably. “The emphasis on accessibility within the Seventh Edition has sparked a renewed effort at our university in making sure that our documents and our content are accessible for our diverse learners. These simple accessibility things need to be done, because there’s a purpose behind them and they help us serve a larger body of students.”
King also noted the ways in which the Seventh Edition makes QM Standards easier for faculty to understand and adapt to. “I think the Seventh Edition is a lot more clear in response to different Standards, when it comes to technology, information literacy, alignment pieces, what’s to be expected when you’re doing alignment, and what that looks like within your course…it’s created a clear pathway for our faculty and eliminated a lot of guessing.”
Larissa Cremeens and JD Weagley are instructional designers for the University of Southern Indiana (USI). So far, the university has submitted 12 courses under the Seventh Edition — of which four have already successfully met Standards — and plans to have 15 submitted by the end of November. The instructional designers say their long-term plan is to begin submitting for program reviews once the majority of a program’s courses have been certified.
Larissa shared her enthusiasm about the way the Seventh Edition prioritizes learner inclusion and belonging. “I appreciate the [focus on including] various voices most of all. It’s always been a conversation I’ve wanted to have with faculty, but now that it’s in the QM Rubric, it’s an easier conversation to have when looking at developing instructional materials — the inclusion of different viewpoints. It’s incredibly important that students feel seen and heard and that it’s not just one perspective giving the content.”
Are you or your staff interested in engaging with the improvements in the Seventh Edition like the educators at UDC and USI? First, make sure you’ve taken the Rubric Update session and understand what’s new. Then, log in to MyQM and use the course review tools to gauge your readiness and make sure your courses are aligned with QM Standards. When you’re ready, submit for an Official Review under the Seventh Edition and show the world that you’re committed to creating better environments and experiences for your online learners!
