Quality Matters was originally developed as a peer-reviewed course quality assurance rubric for online instruction and student learning. With the growth of educational technology, the Quality Matters rubric standards have also been adapted to classroom instruction that have incorporated some form of educational technology.

Insofar as course design is concerned, the Quality Matters rubric can be applied to the development and redesign of courses. The rubric has become a guide and industry standard for the identification of key components of effective courses. Course designers and faculty members can use this rubric to help establish the salient components of courses and most importantly, activities and points of student-to-faculty and student-to-student engagement that make for the most effective learning possible.

The rubric features eight general standards (all based on past and continued research) that capture the overall essence of quality course design. These standards present the necessary components of what has been determined to be in place for any given course. The concept being that if these eight standards are addressed, the course will embody all of the necessary elements for effective student learning.

Each standard features several elements that are measured by point assignments based on importance. A “1” means good to have, “2” means relatively important, and “3” means very important. The point system came about as a standard of measurement for members of the Quality Matters peer review process. For the purposes of current use, faculty members are encouraged to use the rubric as a reference tool for course design.

View the rubric (PDF).