Internal Academic Component Review

Principles of Quality Assurance

Quality assurance includes two principles: 

• Fit for purpose - the service or solution should be suitable for the intended purpose; 

• Right first time - eliminate as many issues as possible in the first version. 

The task of quality assurance for Quality Matters is to make online and hybrid courses work all the time. 

Each TWU academic component is responsible for course quality and a consistent focus on effective online and hybrid courses designed to impact engagement and ensure students achieve the defined learning objectives. 

To assist academic component leadership in this effort, TLT offers a quality assurance service to guide continuous improvement of course quality. 

1. Academic Component leaders can request the review by submitting the Internal Academic Component Review Request (your TWU username and password are required to access and submit).

2. The TWU QM Coordinator will contact you to discuss:

• Determine the academic component’s online and hybrid course offerings that will be examined.

• Select a subset of 8 General Standards and 43 Specific Review Standards from the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric (6th edition) for the review. The review criteria may be customized to incorporate additional standards.

You can review a sample Internal Academic Component Review Summary.

The Internal Academic Component Review Summary Report includes:

1. Project Description - An overview of the academic component’s online and hybrid course offerings that were examined.

2. QM Quick Scans - A quick scan checks the defined QM Standards and other criteria outlined in the Internal Academic Component Review requirements. A quick scan will be a series of use cases that are designed to complete in less than 30 minutes for each course selected for review.

3. Current Internal Academic Component Review Snapshot - A graphical representation of the results of the QM Quick Scans.

4. Analysis Overview - A summary that outlines:

• The reviewed standards that have been addressed by most of the courses.

• The reviewed standards that have not been addressed by most of the courses.

• The most common issues that need to be addressed in the course redesign process.

TLT offers the following services as part of a course redesign process:

• Internal Quality Matters Reviews for specific Canvas courses.

• Customized instructor professional development programs designed, developed, and facilitated by your Instructional Design Partner.

• Contact your Instructional Design Partner to assist you with the continuous improvement of online learning and course design.

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