Quality Matters - Year in Review and Friday "Jam" Sessions

QM Year in Review 2013

Quality Matters recently shared their QM Year in Review and letter from Executive Director, Ron Legon. A few of the highlights from the letter:

• The number of courses officially reviewed using one of the QM rubrics is nearing 6,000, with many more courses informally reviewed or self-reviewed using the standards and tools.
• QM now has more than 800 institutional subscribers and nearly 150 individual members.
• About 4,500 faculty members, instructional designers, program administrators, and others have achieved and maintained their certifications as QM Peer Reviewers.
• The QM Higher Education Rubric is undergoing and update with the goal of producing a new version of the Rubric by summer 2014. Developments that will impact the new Rubric are:
• The recent surge of interest in competency-based education;
• Increased concern about student authentication; and,
• The challenge of designing for devices with different screen sizes and navigational methods.
• QM's first Rubric for K-12 elementary school courses will be developed in 2014.
• During the first quarter for 2014, QM will be launching their web-based eLearning Marketplace Directory which will be a free, searchable database with information on products from vendors who serve the online and blended learning community
• The 6th Annual QM Conference will be held in Baltimore September 29 - October 1, 2014.

Click here for the complete letter: A Message from QM Executive Director, Ron Legon, PhD

Get Into the Groove with QM LIVE!'s Friday "Jam" Sessions!

	Image courtesy Michael Crampton The term is in full swing. The usual questions have been answered and your students have settled into their class routines. During the first few weeks of a new term, faculty are often able to see ways they might further improve their courses for the next term, but finding time can be difficult. Now in just two hours each Friday during February and March, you can learn how to make your courses even better! QM LIVE!'s Friday "Jam" sessions are" jam-packed" with tools and strategies you can apply to your courses right away.  These are not traditional "sit back and listen" webinars! In each "Jam" session you will work collaboratively, often in breakout rooms, to create tools you can apply to your courses immediately.  Each session is individually beneficial, but packaged together they can have a more powerful impact for your students. Register for one session at $75 per person ($125 for non-subscribers) or all 8 sessions for $450 per person ($850 for non-subscribers), a savings of $150! To take advantage of the discounted rate for all 8, you must register by February 6. Register for all 8 sessions.    View descriptions and register for individual sessions at the following links:  Day 1, February 7  Introductions and Overviews: Helping Students Get Started Day 2, February 14 Setting Expectations & Learner Support: Helping Students Be Successful Day 3, February 21 Accessibility & Universal Design for Learning: Meeting Student Needs Day 4, February 28 Accessible Course Design & Assistive Technology: Design for All Students Day 5, March 7 Connecting Objectives and Assessments: Proper Alignment Day 6, March 14 Assessment Criteria: Clear Instructions Day 7, March 21 Consider Your Instructional Materials: Do I really have to buy the Textbook? Day 8, March 28 Engaging Learning Activities: Increasing Student Interactions   Sessions are held at the same time every week:   3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. AST 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. MST 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PST 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. AKST 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. HAST 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. Singapore Have a professional development party on Fridays in February and March with QM LIVE!'s Friday "Jam" sessions!