Deb Adair, Chief Executive Officer, Quality Matters
“If tried-and-true-provides the guardrails and necessity births the invention, then care provides the human-centered solution.”
As we look ahead to 2026, it's useful to reflect on the earlier days of online learning. What mattered then and how is that different from what matters now? Back in 2013, we surveyed QM member institutions to understand their reasons for joining QM. Of the options we provided, the number one reason was to be part of a quality movement in online and blended learning. It's evident — and motivating to me — how deeply our community of practice still cares about quality in online education and student learning. That has not changed. But so much else has.
QM's Expanded Role in Quality Assurance
QM has changed. We're not just the QM Rubric people anymore — we are the online quality experts. Institutions can benefit from our robust consulting services offering capacity-building support through customized audits: online learning readiness, online learning optimization, and focused micro-audits on quality components. Online leaders can efficiently plan and implement goal-centered professional development pathways that build quality assurance and continuous improvement into their processes. Organizations can differentiate their courses, programs, and online units with QM recognition through our research-supported suite of credentials that recognize quality in credible and reliable ways. QM membership is still about working together to improve the quality of digital education, but the ways we need to work together have changed and will continue to evolve.
The ways learning is packaged are changing — no longer limited to courses, programs, and degrees. Micro-learning opportunities abound. Degrees are now just one type of credential learners can earn. According to the recent Credential Engine Report, there are 1,850,034 unique credentials provided as degrees, certificates, certifications, micro-credentials, licenses, secondary school diplomas, and badges. With the expected implementation of Workforce Pell, the micro-credential marketplace is poised to expand even further as learners seek faster, more affordable pathways to employment and advancement. Quality, not quantity, will define the next big movement in micro-credentials.
In such a crowded ecosystem, institutions and providers will face increasing pressure to signal the quality of their offerings. Learners, employers, and policymakers will demand ways to distinguish credible, well-designed micro-credentials from those that offer little measurable value. Micro-credential design is central, with emphasis on clear learning outcomes, meaningful assessment, and transparent evidence of learner achievement. In 2026, look for QM to provide recognized standards and third-party review processes that demonstrate credibility and help institutions stand out in a competitive marketplace.
Navigating AI's Promise and Challenges
We cannot ignore the challenges AI introduces for teaching and learning. We are compelled by the opportunities AI presents to advance learning even as we fear it may undermine our credibility and the authenticity of our work. Our goal should be to harness AI to achieve what we could not hope to do without it — in credible, authentic ways. Human-centered design is a core principle driving QM's AI policies and the ways we intend to work with our community to improve quality. Our field is rapidly moving to use AI to perform manual, repetitive, and basic administrative tasks, recovering time for people to engage in higher-value human work. Using AI to assist human expertise is where it gets tricky.
QM has been engaging in research projects and collaborating with institutions and ed tech companies to examine and implement responsible, effective ways AI can assist course developers in meeting quality standards — in designing, developing, and reviewing for quality. In 2026, we will introduce AI guidance into the QM Rubrics and provide opportunities for our community to iteratively improve these resources and their use in QM professional development and course reviews.
Moving Forward Together
A final thought: this work is a journey, and it is more important than ever that we do this work together with our community. QM has always focused on evidence from research and integrated it directly, in practical and applied ways, into the tools and resources we provide. We have periodically updated and released new guidance reflecting current realities and capabilities. Today, the speed at which this work needs to be done means we must work iteratively, hand-in-hand with our community of practice, to meet needs as they evolve rather than on a periodic basis. The QM framework provides a handy scaffolding for this work — it is well-known and widely used. It gives us a stepping-off place, but it isn’t enough. If tried-and-true provides the guardrails and necessity births the invention, then care provides the human-centered solution.
Happily, we belong to a fellowship; a community of care as well as a community of practice. As we take this next step, I look forward to what we can achieve together in 2026 and beyond.
