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Quality Assurance Program at Sac State

In response to the rapid growth of online and hybrid learning in the CSU and the need to support the development of high quality courses, the Chancellor’s Office established a Quality Assurance (QA) program. The QA program responds to the unique needs of CSU campuses and is available to all faculty at no cost. The system-wide CSU Quality Assurance website provides more information about the program.

As part of its mission to support the development of high quality online courses, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and Academic Technology Services (ATS) contribute to and coordinate the QA efforts at Sacramento State, particularly through the Quality Matters (QM) organization and the CSU’s own Quality Learning & Teaching (QLT) initiative.

Quality Matters (QM) is an international pioneer in the review and recognition of high quality online courses and an independent organization that supplies review materials, workshops, and review teams for member schools.

faculty support and funding for QM course reviews

QM Rubric Checklist for Your Course

Support for Online or Hybrid Courses

The Quality Assurance (QA) program at Sacramento State provides support to faculty in the development and/or improvement of their hybrid and online courses. The opportunies for support include:

  • Faculty learning communities and workshops focused on online and hybrid teaching and learning
  • Peer mentoring and consultation
  • Expert peer reviews of online and hybrid courses
  • Professional development through QM and QLT online courses.

Sacramento State is a member of QM, a nationally recognized organization for its peer-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement. This membership provides Sacramento State faculty and staff opportunities for QM peer reviews using the QM rubric.

Two peer review options are available to Sacramento State faculty to improve their online and hybrid courses: Internal Peer Reviews and Formal QM Reviews.

Internal Peer Reviews

internal review icon Faculty will receive $250 in professional development funding upon successful completion of an internal review of an online or hybrid course. Requirements and steps to apply for an internal peer review of an online or hybrid course are outlined below.

Requirements

  1. The course has been taught within the past year (fall, spring, or summer).
  2. The course will be offered in the next year (fall, spring, or summer).
  3. The instructor has completed a QM self-review for the course. Video: Conduct a QM Self-Review
  4. The instructor must complete the internal peer review process within the academic year of the application for internal review.
  5. The instructor has completed at least one QA course (QM or QLT) - preferred but not required.

Internal Review Process

  1. Meet course review requirements, see above.
  2. Instructor submits an informal peer review application.
  3. QM Coordinator notifies the instructor if the course is approved for review.
  4. A qualified internal review team is identified for the course review. The review team consists of at least 2 reviewers with one member serving as chair.
  5. Chair schedules a pre-review conference with the instructor and the review team.
  6. After the pre-review conference, the review team begins review of the course. The review period is over 4 weeks.
  7. Upon completion of review by the team, the chair contacts the instructor for a post-review conference with the team and discusses review results.
  8. If the course does not meet QM standards:
    • The instructor has the option of making revisions to the course in order to meet QM standards within 6 weeks.
    • Upon completion of revisions, the instructor works with the team chair to review the revisions in order to meet QM standards.
  9. When the course meets QM standards, the course is qualified to proceed to a formal QM review process.

For further information about the internal review process, please contact Michelle Dang or Mark Rodriguez.

QM Logo

Formal QM Reviews

Faculty will receive $250 in professional development funding upon successful completion of a formal QM review of an online or hybrid course. Requirements and steps to apply for a formal QM review of an online or hybrid course are outlined below.

Requirements

  1. The course has passed the internal peer review process.
  2. The course has been taught in an online or hybrid format at least twice.

Formal Review Process

  1. Instructor submits an application for a formal QM review.
  2. The QM Coordinator approves and initiates the Course Review process.
  3. Instructor completes the Quality Matters “Instructor Course Worksheet (QM)” (provides background information about the course).
  4. A team of 3 reviewers is selected from the CSU and/or QM Peer Reviewers Database.
  5. The chair of review team contacts the instructor for a pre-view conference.
  6. The course review team conducts the formal course review (across 4-6 weeks).
  7. The course review team chair submits the final report which is shared with the QA Coordinator and instructor.
  8. If the course reviewed does not meet QM criteria for recognition, revisions are made to the course within 14 weeks.
  9. The course review team chair reviews the changes and communicates with the QM Coordinator and instructor.

For further information about the QM review process, please contact Michelle Dang or Tara Sharpp

QM Certified Courses

A QM certification signifies that a course has met a respected set of standards for high quality through a rigorous, faculty peer review process.

Course Title Instructor
ENGR 124: Thermodynamics Farshid Zabihian
FASH 30: Fashion and Human Environment Dong Shen
NURS 160: Human Sexuality Michelle Dang
NURS 165: Hospice and Palliative Nursing Care (6-week version) Tara Sharpp
NURS 165: Hospice and Palliative Nursing Care (16 week version) Tara Sharpp
NURS 170: Foundations in Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Michelle Dang
NURS 171: Transitional Concepts: The Baccalaureate Nurse Bronwyn Fields
NURS 173: Theoretical Foundations for Leadership and Management Tara Sharpp
NURS 178: Culminating Project Christie Smart
PSYC 4: Navigating Psychology: The majors and Careers Sharon Furtak
SWRK 102 Crosscultural Theory and Practice: Issues of Race, Gender and Class (16-week version) Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 102: Crosscultural Theory and Practice: Issues of Race, Gender and Class (6-week version Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 150: Welfare In America Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 126: Theories of Criminal Behavior (6-week version) Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 126: Theories of Criminal Behavior (16-week version) Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 202: Social Work and Diverse Populations Santos Torres, Jr.
SWRK 250: Social Welfare Policy and Services Santos Torres, Jr.

QM/QLT Course Offerings

Sign up for a QM/QLT Course Now!

Course Title Estimate Length
Introduction to Teaching Online Using QLT Online, 15-20 hours, asynchronous
Designing Your Online Course QM Online, 15-20 hours, asynchronous
Advanced Course in Teaching Online QLT Online, 15-20 hours, asynchronous
Improving your Online Course QM Online, 10-15 hours, asynchronous
Reviewing Courses Using the QLT Instrument (Q2) Online, 10-15 hours, asynchronous
Applying the Quality Matters Rubric Online, 10-15 hours, asynchronous
Students working in Tech Center in AIRC building
QA Team for 2019-20

Quality Assurance Team 

QA Faculty Co-Leads

QA Mentors

Faculty / Staff with QM Certifications

  • Lyndsay Anderson (Nursing): QM Teaching Online Certificate, Higher Ed (HE) Peer Reviewer
  • Chia-Jung Chung (COE): HE Peer Reviewer
  • Michelle Dang (Nursing): HE Peer Reviewer, HE Master Reviewer, HE QM Coordinator, HE Course Review Manager, QM Teaching Online Certificate, IYOC Facilitator
  • Bronwyn Fields (Nursing): HE Peer Reviewer
  • Deborah George (CCE): HE Peer Reviewer, HE Master Reviewer, CPE Peer Reviewer
  • Milica Markovic (Electrical & Electronic Engineering): HE Certified F2F Facilitator, HE Course Review Manager, HE Master Reviewer, HE Peer Reviewer
  • Mark Rodriguez (COE/Graduate and Professional Studies): HE Certified F2F Facilitator, HE Course Review Manager, HE Master Reviewer, HE Peer Reviewer, HE Program Certification Reviewer, HE QM Coordinator
  • Corinne Rowland (IRT): HE Peer Reviewer
  • Kara Shiner (Nursing): HE Peer Reviewer
  • Christie Smart (Nursing): QM Teaching Online Certificate, HE Peer Reviewer
  • Santos Torres (Social Work): HE Certified Online Facilitator, HE Certified Online IYOC Facilitator, HE Master Reviewer, PUB Master Reviewer, HE Peer Reviewer, PUB Peer Reviewer, HE Program Certification Reviewer
  • Tara Sharpp (Nursing): HE Peer Reviewer, HE Master Reviewer, QM Teaching Online Certificate
  • Debra Welkley (Sociology): HE Peer Reviewer, HE Master Reviewer, IYOC Facilitator