Sampson Community College has received the nationally recognized Quality Matters Certification Mark for meeting course design standards in an Official Quality Matters peer review.

Quality Matters (QM), a nationally recognized, faculty-centered, peer review process that certifies the quality of online courses, has recognized SCC’s Lew Gravis and Dr. Veronica Steven’s commitment to quality assurance for designing courses, SOC210-Introduction to Sociology and NUR221- LPN to ADN Concepts I that has met Quality Matters standards.

“Quality Matters is rigorous,” says Gravis, Sociology instructor and Coordinator for Quality Matters at SCC. “It’s a standardized credentialing process that ensures an online course satisfies a number of essential comprehensive standards to offer a student a high-quality online course. My introduction to sociology course is a better one now after going through the credentialing process, which facilitated in my making several necessary and important changes. I now feel completely confident that my students are getting a quality online course experience coupled with offering a quality certified class at SCC.”

Quality Matters has developed a widely respected set of standards for the design of effective online courses and a rigorous, faculty peer review process for applying these standards to existing courses. Through this process, reviewers provide instructors and instructional design teams with insight and recommendations that increase learner engagement, retention and satisfaction, and, ultimately, learner achievement.

Stevens, Division Chair of Health Programs at SCC, agrees that while rewarding, the process was not easy.

“It was a challenge, but it was definitely worth it,” she said. “The course reviewed in my area was an accelerated nine-hour course; one of a few of its kind offered across the state. Many recommendations were received from the review team. However, these recommendations were consistent with the College’s goals for continuous improvement of instruction and course delivery. I believe that learners will now be able to more easily understand the purpose of the course and how coursework aligns with learning outcomes. Course navigation and access to learning resources have been greatly enhanced.”

Marion Pope, director of Distance Learning and Coordinator of Quality Matters at SCC, was instrumental in the Quality Matters certification process for the college, providing research and technical expertise that were essential in deciphering recommendations and operationalizing intricate revisions to the course.

For more information about Quality Matters at SCC, contact Marion Pope at [email protected] or 910-900-4074.

Lew Gravis and Dr. Veronica Stevens making sure quality matters at Sampson Community College.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_SCCQuality-1.jpgLew Gravis and Dr. Veronica Stevens making sure quality matters at Sampson Community College.

By Dan Grubb

Sampson Community College