A QM-Certified Course is a Course With High-Quality Instructional Material

If your course is QM-certified, then it means that it has high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) for a digital-first, online or blended course. QM Certification can be considered an indicator of HQIM because the certification process uses research-based QM Standards that focus on online course design quality. These include alignment to content standards, teacher support and inclusive practices for diverse learners.

Alignment to state content standards — an essential element of HQIM — is at the heart of QM course reviews. The QM K-12 Rubric considers content standards to be the foundation of alignment in a course, and content standards must be identified and accurately represented in the course's content and objectives in order to meet QM Standards. A QM review can address any set of content standards.

The QM K-12 Rubric also includes standards for student-centered, evidence-based instructional design to support the attainment of grade-level material. Among these, QM Standards emphasize accessibility, usability, active learning, inclusive practices, and a variety of aligned assessment strategies.

A QM course review is a process to determine if a digital-first, online or blended course has high-quality instructional materials. Schools and districts looking to adopt curriculum resources can rely on QM course certification as an indicator of HQIM.

QM Standards Support Research-Based Best Practices — Including Those for HQIM

QM is an International Benchmark for Quality in Digital Learning. It has a strong reputation built over 20 years of experience in the field. QM utilizes research-supported Standards and best practices to ensure quality in digital learning environments. These Standards are regularly updated to reflect the latest research and technological advancements.

Quality Matters employs a rigorous peer review process conducted by certified reviewers who are experts in online learning, including design and/or teaching. This process ensures that courses meet high-quality standards and provides valuable feedback for improvement.

Quality Matters prioritizes student success by emphasizing factors such as learner engagement, accessibility and alignment of learning objectives with assessment and activities. This focus ultimately contributes to improved learning outcomes for students.

Learn More About HQIM

The Unrealized Promise of High-Quality Instructional Materials
- The January, 2024 issue of the State Education Standard featured an article on research that supports the prioritization for change that leads to adopting high-quality instructional materials.
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How States Are Creating Conditions for Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials in K–12 Classrooms
- Findings from the 2021 American Instructional Resources Survey were published in the Policy Currents newsletter. The article contains both the full Research Report and a short overview of the findings. The findings suggest that implementation of district requirements or recommendations for standards-aligned materials is an important first step toward increased usage and supports for HQIM materials at scale.
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Learn More About QM Quality Assurance

About QM
- Quality Matters began with a small group of colleagues in the MarylandOnline, Inc. (MOL) consortium who were trying to solve a common problem among institutions: how do we measure and guarantee the quality of a course?
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Course Reviews
- A well-designed course is more likely to engage learners and positively affect their performance. QM has a variety of course review options available to QM members including Self Review, Internal Review and Custom Review. QM Certification for Course Design Quality is earned by meeting QM Standards in a Review for Certification.
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