The higher education focused newsletter from the folks at QM.  I haven’t received the K-12 version for a while, but last time I bothered to check I was still subscribed.

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Higher Education News May 2022

A Billion Reasons Why Accessibility Matters Tomorrow, May 19, marks Global Accessibility Awareness Day — a day focused on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people with disabilities and impairments. But what exactly is accessibility? Hint: It’s much more than providing accommodations when needed. Watch as QM member Dr. Chris Smith defines accessibility. Then take a deeper dive with Chris’s additional videos where he discusses his own personal journey as well as design considerations and resources. To access PDF versions of the transcripts from inside the video player: Navigate to the far bottom-right corner of the video player and locate the button that looks like a two-column box. Hoover over the icon until the “Show Sidebar” tooltip appears. Select “Show Sidebar.” Select the page icon to access the transcript. You can also select the CC icon to view a searchable version of the captions. Other Resources: Accessibility and Usability Resource Site Addressing Accessibility and Usability workshop — Next session begins July 7 Digital Accessibility White Paper series Accessibility Policy Creation Guidelines Maximize Your Summer PD Plans! Summer is a great time for professional development. But don’t take our word for it. Instead, listen in as Professor Pamela Williams from Miami Dade College shares her experience! Here are some options to consider: Teaching Online Certificate — experience online learning from the student perspective and add to your online teaching toolbox. QM Live! Public Workshops — hone specific skills with these two-hour, interactive workshops. Select the “QM Live!” tab on the schedule page to view all available workshops and register! Applying the Quality Matters Rubric — dive into the QM Rubric and its use in reviewing the design of online and blended courses. Improving Your Online Course — use the QM Rubric to review an existing online course and develop a course improvement plan. Your Favorite Conference is Back In Person!  It’s time to #QMConnect again! November 6 – 9, 2022 Loews Ventana Canyon Resort — Tucson, Arizona Register Now Registration for the 2022 QM Connect Conference in Tucson, Arizona, is now open…and we are so excited to be in person again! QM Connect provides an exceptional opportunity to interact with other online professionals who are Expanding Possibilities and sharing valuable takeaways on topics such as equity, learning design and engagement. And the networking is incredible! “I have learned SO many cool things at QM Connect and made a few new friends in the process. I love this QM community! It’s inspiring to be around so many people who care about online education!” — Melissa Walter, University of South Alabama Get your QM Connect spot — and get the best rate — by registering today. Member pricing starts at $695 for full conference registration. Single-day and group pricing is also available. You can also add pre-conference workshops when you register. Can’t make it to Tucson? That’s okay! Register for the virtual option instead.  You’ll have access to the keynote, awards ceremony, and 10 other pre-selected sessions. Cost: $100 Designing Inclusive Learning Experiences Dr. Racheal Brooks and Dr. Siobhan Day Grady’s white paper — Course Design Considerations for Inclusion and Representation — is a must-read for online educators today. The implementation of diverse, inclusive, and equitable online course design best practices can transform the learning experience for all members of an online learning community. So what are those best practices? One recommended by Drs. Brooks and Grady is to intentionally align course content and engagement strategies with learners’ lived experiences. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Dive into their white paper to get the strategies you need to create inclusive digital experiences for all learners. And the Committee Members Are… Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric Committee. Your commitment to continuous improvement in online education is greatly appreciated. Nominations have been reviewed and the following individuals have been selected to serve on the Committee: The Committee will collaborate throughout the review process and work to ensure that the QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition, reflects the gold standard in online course design and the QM community’s experience with best practices. The Committee’s first meeting will take place this month. Celebration Time! The Center for Distance Education at the University of Texas Arlington took time last month to recognize and celebrate the university’s QM accomplishments. Faculty were feted. Highlights were shared. And specific programs were honored. QM’s Executive Director Dr. Deb Adair also made a virtual appearance to congratulate all involved on everything they have done — including having 16 courses QM Certified. QM-Certified Peer Reviewers and Master Reviewers as well as Teaching Online Certificate completers were also recognized. Congratulations! Please join us in congratulating the following Higher Education, Publisher and Continuing & Professional Education members for having one or more courses recently QM-Certified: ACTRGV A T Still University of Health Sciences Appalachian State University Athens State University Austin Community College District California State University-East Bay California State University-Fullerton Cameron University Carroll Community College Central New Mexico Community College Chamberlain University Clark College Clarkson University Clayton State University Cleveland Community College Delaware County Community College East Carolina University Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Gaston College Germanna Community College Heartland Community College Hinds Community College Idaho State University Indiana University Indiana University-Southeast Instituto Profesional IACC Kent State University System Kettering College Laredo College New Mexico State University-Alamogordo New Mexico State University-Dona Ana North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Park University Northeastern Illinois University Polk State College Research College of Nursing Reynolds Community College Southeastern Community College (NC) Southern Arkansas University Tech Starkweather Association Services St. Louis Community College St. Luke’s College Texas A & M International University Treasure Valley Community College University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Florida University of North Texas Health Science Center University of Southern Indiana West Chester University of Pennsylvania View More QM-Certified Courses >> Welcome New Members Augusta Technical College Berklee College of Music Catawba College Counterpoise Escals Educational Services Felician University Gettysburg College Morton College Oglethorpe University Pasco-Hernando State College Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Southern Crescent Technical College Stockton University Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences Williamsburg Technical College Learn More About QM Membership >>

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