Heartland course recognized for quality online instruction

A Heartland Community College professor has raised the bar for quality and rigor in developing an online course.

Distinguished Professor of English and Literature Stephanie Kratz developed ENG 101: Critical Reading and Writing, the eighth course to receive the Quality Matters (QM) Certification Mark at Heartland.

Quality Matters is a non-profit organization that has a team of trained experts who review online and hybrid courses on activities, learning objectives, opportunities for student collaboration, student engagement, and accessibility. The organization uses a rigorous research-based process that ensures the course aligns with essential rubric standards for the certification. The rubric is a self-review tool and allows for faculty to self-access the course through evaluations and peer reviews.

“The process was very specific with a lot of parts. There were forty-four different criteria for the course to meet. All of the criteria needed to work together. Some criteria were small, and some were bigger, but it helps in meeting the course learning outcomes. The process helps ensure quality online courses. Online courses can be isolating and challenging, so I want to make sure that students are more successful and efficient,” said Kratz.

The Quality Matters Certification Mark is a symbol that is recognized nationally and internationally and shows the continuous dedication of Heartland Community College’s efforts in creating a learning environment that will ensure a pathway of success for its students. Having a Quality Matters Mark illustrates to students, parents, and stakeholders the quality of a course and the commitment to maintaining an environment of excellence for online and hybrid courses.

Courses that receive this mark have met standards of 85% quality levels or higher in the review process. This symbol is recognized for three to five years and can be extended for an additional three years after recertification.

Kratz was eager to acknowledge the Quality Matters organization as well as her Heartland colleagues who helped her in formulating the course.

“I wanted to join the group of people working on Quality Matters and online teaching,” said Kratz. “I really want to help students excel in online courses. It also challenges me to be a better teacher and provide quality education.”