CLC News The news and events from Central Lakes College
Central Lakes College instructor Karen Pikula had a course recognized as QM certified by the Minnesota Online Quality Initiative.
The class, General Psychology, is the first of Pikula’s current three courses to be certified. It’s the 11th course for the college as a whole since 2013.
The recognition is an honor handed out nationwide by the Minnesota Online Quality Initiative, an organization that uses peer review of online or blended courses for Quality Matters (QM) recognition.
Each of the recognized courses has been formally reviewed in a rigorous peer review process and meets Quality Matters standards. Each faculty member receives a certificate and a QM seal to display on their course materials.
“The reason that QM is so important is because quality online courses need to meet strong pedagogical criteria as well as be grounded in educational and learning theory,” Pikula said. “QM standards are based on sound research based standards and ensure that learning objectives are clear and directly linked to assessment, as well as provide for learner accessibility and course rooms that easy for learners to navigate. Accessibility in this case also means that the course is designed with an awareness of learner’s diverse learning styles, needs, and cultural diversities.”
