Quality Matters Terminology

Authentic Assessment

Measuring the extent of learning by structuring opportunities for learners to demonstrate knowledge and skills acquired. Learners are asked to perform meaningful, real-world tasks, and their performance is evaluated using a rubric of criterion-referenced levels of attainment.

Media

One-way delivery modalities that enhance learning. Examples are video, audio, animations, and podcasts. In online learning, media are used to deliver much of the course content.

Feedback

Specific comments, guidance, and information provided by the course instructor or facilitator in response to a learner activity or assessment. Feedback is tied to the established evaluation criteria and includes reasons for the accompanying evaluation and the resulting grade.

Course-level Objectives

Statements of the specific and measurable knowledge, skills, attributes, and habits learners are expected to achieve and demonstrate as a result of their educational experiences in a course.

Module/Unit level Objectives

Statements of the specific and measurable knowledge, skills, attributes, and habits of learners are expected to achieve and demonstrate as a result of their educational experiences in a module or unit.

Accessibility

The extent to which a product, service, or facility is available to all people. In the context of the online learning environment, accessibility encompasses special measures that may be taken to ensure for learners with disabilities the accessibility of all course information, instructional materials, devices, and activities used for teaching and learning.

Instructor

The most commonly used word for the teacher of a course, delivering the content, managing discussion forum, communicating with learners, and evaluating their work.

Criteria

The qualitative or quantitative guidelines, rules, principles, or statements by which learner responses, work products, or mastery are evaluated.

Alignment

Critical course elements working together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Usability

Ease of use and learnability. In the QM context, usability refers to the ability of learners to easily navigate and interact with course components.

Assessments (strategies)

Instruments used to identify what students have learned; specifically, instruments used to measure the match between the learning objectives or competencies and learners' attainment of them. (This second definition of the word "assessment" should be considered when interpreting QM Standards 3.1 and 3.4)

Taxonomy

A classification schema, usually hierarchical, that allows identification of stages or phases of a phenomenon or relationship. For example, Bloom's taxonomy provides a system for identifying types of learning, moving from less to more complex, and is a useful framework for describing learning objectives or competencies.

Outcome (learning)

A demonstration of the actual level of attainment of the knowledge, skills, attributes, and habits expected as a result of the educational experiences in a program, course, or module. A learning objective states what learners should be able to do, while a learning outcome is a learner's demonstration of the actual ability to do so. (An example of a learning outcome is a learner's presentation of an accurate summary of the causes of religious conflict in modern-day Iraq.)

Evaluation

A judgment regarding the quality, value, or worth of a response, work product, or performance based on established criteria. The evaluation of a learner's work is typically reflected in the grade assigned or score earned.

Learner Engagement

A learner's active participation in the process of acquiring knowledge or developing a specific skill in an educational setting or pursuit. Learner engagement is usually promoted and enhanced by learner interaction with the course instructor, course content, and/or fellow learners.

Objective (learning)

A statement of the specific and measurable knowledge, skills, attributes, and habits learners are expected to achieve an demonstrate as a result of their educational experiences in a program, course, or module. (An example of a learning objective is "Upon the completion of this course, learners will be able to summarize the causes of religious conflict in modern-day Iraq.")

Alignment Map

A table used to organize the course and module level objectives or competencies so they correspond to the assessments, activities, materials, and technologies used in the course. Many course designers find mapping the objectives or competencies to the other alignments Standards useful in ensuring alignment. Similarly, course reviewers may use an alignment map to ensure alignment in a course that is under review.

Technologies

A wide array of different hardware, software, subscriptions, and plug-ins that include technology tools.

Active Learning

Active learning occurs when learners engage by "doing" something, such as discovering, processing, or applying concepts and information. Active learning implies guiding learners to increasing levels of responsibility for their own learning.

Assessment (the process of)

An ongoing, systematic process that (1) is based on clear expectations for learning in the form of learning objectives or competencies, (2) provides sufficient opportunities for learners to achieve the expectations, (3) gathers evidence that learning has occurred, and (4) applies the information to improve teaching and learning. (The QM concept of "alignment" refers to this overall process)

Activity

Any form of learner participation that serves to reinforce course content and provides an opportunity for learners to further their attainment of course or module/unit learning objectives, or competencies.

Domains of Learning

Areas of human functioning that differ in their contribution to or role in the learning process. Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains includes the cognitive domain (mental skills), affective domain (feelings, emotions), and psychomotor domain (manual or physical skills).

Point Values

In the context of Quality Matters Standards, point values are the numbers assigned to each Standard in the QM Rubric. The number 3,2, or 1 corresponds to the level of importance of the Standard. 3=Essential; 2=Very Important; 1=Important.

Tools

Types of functional software that enable learner interaction.