The Diversity in Society course (SOSC201) has become the first online course at Davenport University to receive Quality Matters (QM) certification, the national standard of quality in online courses. The course was given a high score, and “Met Standards” on the first review as the Global Campus Instructional Design team worked in conjunction with Tammy Stachowicz, Assistant Professor/Associate Chair Humanities and Social Sciences.

QM is a nationally recognized process that undergoes a systematic and exhaustive peer-review process conducted by a team of three certified QM peer reviewers who evaluate the alignment of the course’s learning objectives to the module-level objectives, the course’s assessment process, and the quality and technological sophistication of the learning activities in the course. Factors such as how learners are introduced to the course, the articulation between learning objectives and the process of learner assessment, the quality of support provided for learners, the meaningfulness of learners’ interactions throughout the course, as well as the accessibility and usability of the course weigh heavily in the final review score. To pass the review, a course has to meet more than 85 percent of the standards, which SOSC201 received 97 out of 99.

Congratulations to both Tammy Stachowicz and Kevin Tabler for their exceptional contribution to the student experience for the Global Campus!