Quality Matters
Quality Matters (QM) is a global organization dedicated to improving the quality of online education and providing professional development to support faculty in this goal. Key components of the QM program are the QM Rubric (course design standards) and a faculty peer review process for certifying online courses.
Review the CSU Quality Assurance ePortfolio Showcase to learn about CSULB and other CSU schools' commitments to quality assurance in online instruction.
Get Your Course QM-Certified
Courses that receive certification are nationally recognized as exemplifying the best practices for online instruction. Other benefits include:
Here are some of the benefits of pursuing QM certification for your course(s):
- Acknowledgment that your course has passed rigorous academic standards recognized nationally and internationally.
- Participation in a community of peers dedicated to best practices and an open, collegial review process.
- Recognition from the CSU/CSULB Quality Matters membership.
- Certification badges to display on your courses.
- Opportunities to further your participation as a Peer or Master Reviewer.
Instructors who have taught a course online for at least 2 semesters may submit it for QM certification by following the steps below:
- Complete the following ATS Faculty Professional Development programs:
- Instructional Technology Foundations
- Quality Essentials 1
- Quality Essentials 2
- Complete an ATS Internal Course Review:
- Complete the QM Internal Review Application. Then fill out the QM Internal Review Request form, where you will upload your application.
- Review the Internal Course Review Process [PDF]. During this process, two QM-certified peer reviewers will be assigned to you and a timeline of the next steps will be provided.
Upon successful completion of the ATS Internal Course Review, your course will be ready for submission to a formal CSU/QM course review process.
Join the CSULB-QM Community of Practice
| Faculty Name | Course Title | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Christine Scott-Hayward | Constitutional Criminal Procedure (CRJU 350) | 2023 |
| Banafshe Sharifian-Attar | Human Sexuality and Sex Education (HSC 425) | 2022 |
| Marvin Mayo | Digital Technology in Education (ETEC 444) | 2022 |
| Connie Ireland | Corrections: Theory, Policy, and Practice (CRJU 303) | 2022 |
| Ali Rezaei | Research Methods in Education (EDP 520) | 2021 |
| Brooke Dekofsky | Intro to Nutrition (NUTR 132) | 2020 |
| Lesley Farmer | Information and Digital Literacies (ETEC 523) | 2019 |
| Adam Kahn | Media Effects (COMM 422) | 2019 |
| Elena Ionescsu | Perspectives on Gerontology (GERN 400) | 2018 |
A Quality Matters (QM) Coordinator serves as a pivotal liaison between institutions, faculty, and the QM organization, facilitating the implementation of QM standards in online course development. They are responsible for guiding and supporting faculty members in integrating QM principles and rubrics into their course designs. They collaborate closely with faculty to provide resources and assistance to help navigate the QM review process successfully.
CSULB QM Campus Faculty Lead:
- Nancy Quam-Wickham, CLA, QM Master Reviewer
CSULB/ ATS QM Coordinators:
- Adam Mitchell, ATS Lead Instructional Designer, QM Master Review
- Mariza Hernandez, ATS Assistant Director Instructional Design and Accessibility
- Marvin Mayo, ATS Director of Instructional Technology Support Services
A Quality Matters (QM) Peer Reviewer is a qualified professional within the field of online education and instructional design who collaborates with fellow educators to assess the quality of online courses. They have undergone specialized training in QM's evaluation standards and rubric criteria, enabling them to provide insightful and constructive feedback on course designs. These individuals actively engage in peer reviews, evaluating courses against established benchmarks to ensure alignment with QM's standards.
Academic Technology Services
| Name | Title | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Afifa Alawi | Instructional Designer | 2016 |
| Yovanna Cifuentes-Goodbody | Instructional Designer | 2023 |
| Sabrina Dean | Instructional Designer | 2020 |
| Chad Harris | Instructional Designer | 2021 |
| Mariza Hernandez | Assistant Director, Instructional Design & Accessibility | 2016 |
| Adam Khan | Professor | 2023 |
| Diana Librandi | Lecturer | 2023 |
| Marvin Mayo | Director, Instructional Technology Support Services | 2016 |
| Adam Mitchell | Lead Instructional Designer | 2018 |
| Joel Miskiel | Instructional Designer | 2023 |
| Angel Pablico-Kobayashi | Instructional Designer | 2023 |
| Nancy Quam-Wickam | Professor | 2023 |
| Paul Quezada | Instructional Designer | 2021 |
| Roger Strang | Instructional Designer | 2021 |
| Duc Tran | Lecturer | 2023 |
| Joanna Zendejas | Instructional Designer | 2023 |
College of Health & Human Services (CHHS)
| Name | Department | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Claire Garrido-Ortega | Health Sciences | 2020 |
| Youngok Jung | Family & Consumer Sciences | 2021 |
| Portia Resnick | Kinesiology | 2021 |
| Natalie Wong | Kinesiology | 2021 |
College of Liberal Arts (CLA)
| Name | Department | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Richard Chang | Journalism | 2021 |
| Cem Demir | Linguistics | 2021 |
| Violet Gregory | English | 2021 |
| Angela Hawk | History | 2021 |
| Adam Kahn | Communication Studies | 2020 |
| Loretta Ramirez | Chicano/Latino Studies | 2021 |
| Clariza Ruiz De Castilla | Communication Studies | 2021 |
| Kelly Sharron | Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies | 2021 |
| Shraddha Swaroop | Journalism & Public Relations | 2021 |
| Kim Vu | Psychology | 2021 |
| Teresa Zimmerman-Liu | Asian/Asian American Studies | 2021 |
College of Engineering
| Name | Department | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Saleh Al Jufout | Electrical Engineering | 2021 |
| Shamim Mirza | Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering | 2021 |
| Shabnam Sodagari | Computer Engineering & Computer Science | 2021 |
| Duc Tran | Electrical Engineering | 2021 |
College of The Arts (COTA)
| Name | Department | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Debra Satterfield | Design | 2021 |
A Quality Matters (QM) Master Reviewer possesses comprehensive expertise in QM's rigorous standards, methodologies, and best practices for evaluating online courses through the QM rubric. These individuals have undergone specialized training and are certified to serve as the Chair of a formal Quality Matters online course review. As seasoned evaluators, they play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and effectiveness of online learning experiences by leading formal course reviews and providing constructive feedback to enhance online course design.
| Name | College/Department | Year Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Kahn | CLA/Communication Studies | 2021 |
| Adam Mitchell | Academic Technology Services | 2019 |
| Jeff Helton | CHHS/Health Care Administration | 2018 |
| Nancy Quam-Wickham | CLA/History | 2018 |
| Casey Goeller | CHHS/Family & Consumer Sciences | 2015 |
| Francine Vasilomanolakis | CED | 2015 |
A Quality Matters (QM) Facilitator is an experienced professional who guides participants of any given QM course through the process of implementing QM standards in online course development. They possess in-depth knowledge of QM rubrics and best practices to effectively facilitate workshops, training sessions, and discussions on quality assurance in online education. These facilitators mentor and support faculty members, assisting them in understanding and applying QM principles to enhance their course designs. QM Facilitators are instrumental in empowering educators to create high-quality online learning experiences through their expertise, guidance, and support.
| Name | College/Department | QM Course | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabrina Dean | ATS | Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) | Face-to-Face |
| Sabrina Dean | ATS | Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) | Online |
| Afifa Alawi | ATS | Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) | Face-to-Face |
| Afifa Alawi | ATS | Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) | Online |
| Chad Harris | ATS | Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) | Face-to-Face |
| Angel Angel Pablico-Kobayashi | ATS | Applying the Quality Matters Rubrics (APPQMR) | Face-to-Face |
| Joel Miskiel | ATS | pplying the Quality Matters Rubrics (APPQMR) | Face-to-Face |
Become a QM-Certified Peer or Master Reviewer
You may want to further your professional development and become a certified QM Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer. As part of this special cadre of experts, you'll be added to the QM database of Reviewers to help others succeed in online teaching.
Consider the benefits of becoming a certified reviewer:
- help enhance your colleagues’ success in course design by serving on official QM course reviews for CSULB or other organizations.
- expand your network of faculty committed to delivering quality online courses.
- learn more about conducting course reviews; get training on critiquing and writing helpful recommendations.
- get compensated for conducting reviews at CSULB and in other official QM and capacities.
Please review the Peer Reviewer Responsibilities and Expectations Agreement. This will be uploaded to the QM Peer Reviewer Course Registration form.
Follow the steps below to become a QM-Certified Peer Reviewer:
- Complete the following QM courses offered (free) through the CSU Chancellor’s Office Online Course Services:
- Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) or Designing Your Online Course (DYOC)
- Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR)
- Complete the Quality Essentials 1 program as part of the ATS Faculty Professional Development series.
- Complete the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) course offered for free through the CSU Chancellor’s Office of Online Course Services.
- After completing the APPQMR course, complete the QM Higher-Ed Peer Reviewer Course. Submit your request to register for this course through ATS: QM Peer Reviewer Course Registration Form.
After completing the QM Higher-Ed Peer Reviewer Course, you will be eligible to serve as a Peer Reviewer for ATS faculty programs. To become an official QM Peer Reviewer, you must submit the application and MOU upon completing your Peer Reviewer Course.
Upon completion of the steps above for the Peer Reviewer certification, follow the steps below to become a QM-Certified Master Reviewer:
- Serve on two official Higher Education QM-Managed or Subscriber-Managed course reviews (not internal course reviews). Email ats-instructionaldesign@csulb.edu when you are ready for this step and we will work with you to set it up.
- Complete the Master Reviewer Certification (MRC) course offered by Quality Matters. Submit your request to enroll in this course through ATS: QM Master Reviewer Course Registration Form
