Welcome to the Teaching & Learning Guide on Quality Assurance! 

This guide includes information and resources about the types of Quality Assurance reviews offered at Texas Woman's University: 

• Online Course Design Best Practices Checklist

• Quality Matters Reviews

• Internal Academic Component Review

If you are interested in taking a Quality Matters training course, you can find the schedule, including dates and course descriptions on our events page. These courses are available to all TWU instructors, on all three campuses.

TWU’s Distance Education Advisory Committee has created an TWU Online Course Design Checklist [PDF], which includes seventeen categories and is divided into Foundational and Advanced best practices. It is designed to provide instructors with specific course quality guidelines to design, evaluate, and/or revise their courses. We suggest you first review your course using the TWU Online Course Design Checklist before beginning the Quality Matters Review Process.

You may request that your Instructional Designer do a mini-review of your course using the same TWU Online Course Design Checklist. We will evaluate your course using the checklist and provide additional feedback and suggestions.

The TWU Online Course Design Checklist closely corresponds to the Quality Matters Rubric (see the Quality Matters section below), and both rely on research in online course design. After your course meets the guidelines in the checklist, you might consider presenting your course for the first step towards Quality Matters certification: an Internal QM Review.

Begin this process by completing the TWU Online Course Design Checklist form and contacting your Instructional Designer to schedule a mini-review of your course. 

Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally recognized, faculty-driven peer-review process used to ensure the quality of online and blended course design. 

The Quality Matter Rubric, a set of standards dedicated to the continuous improvement of online learning and course design, can be used in a variety of ways to help instructors develop, redesign, and assess their online and hybrid courses. 

There are three different types of Quality Matters reviews available at Texas Woman's University. You can read more details and apply at the links below.

Internal Quality Matters Review

The internal review is the first step for instructors who want to pursue the Quality Matters Certification Mark on a course. The Internal Quality Matters Review will take 8 to 9 weeks, and successful completion will achieve the TWU-Quality Matters Mark in your course and prepare your course for the Formal Quality Matters Review. 

Formal Quality Matters Review

Instructors who have successfully completed an Internal Quality Matters Review can apply to complete a Formal Quality Matters Review.

As the instructor and course designer you will get specific and constructive feedback throughout the formal review process to meet QM Standards and achieve QM Certification. The Formal Quality Matters Review will take 4 to 6 weeks, and after successful completion, you will achieve the QM Certification Mark in your course and be recognized on the QM website. 

Internal Academic Component Review

Academic Component leaders can submit a request for a quality assurance review in order to guide continuous improvement of course quality.

Instructional Designers

Instructional Designers in Faculty Success design and present learning solutions to continually enhance institutional and instructor performance. We collaborate closely with instructors to translate course objectives into meaningful, customized courses tailored to each instructor’s specific needs, leveraging an aptitude for design and development, along with excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. 

Our technical expertise encompasses a range of programs and best practices, including Canvas, Quality Assurance, Universal Design, and more. Instructional Designers meet with academic components to answer questions about teaching and learning in one-on-one consultations, small group work, symposia, and workshops.

Technical Support

To request technical support, submit a Technology Service Desk email to start a ticket.