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Quality Matters Standard 3

Assessment & Measurement

Assessments are integral to the learning process and are designed to evaluate learner progress in achieving the stated learning objectives.

The Anatomy of a Quality Course
Quality Review Resources

Select an image or video below to see examples and gather ideas about how to meet specific review standards.

Specific Review Standard 3.1 | Specific Review Standard 3.2 | Specific Review Standard 3.3 | Specific Review Standard 3.4 | Specific Review Standard 3.5 | Specific Review Standard 3.6

QM Specific Review Standard 3.1

The assessments measure the achievement of the stated learning objectives.

Your course assessments should align with your course and module learning objectives to ensure that all learning objectives are appropriately measured throughout your course.
Based on the types of assessments youhave included in your course, it is clear that students are able to meet their required course and module objectives. The type of assessment should bealigned with your stated objectives and that alignment should be indicated clearly in the course.

QM Specific Review Standard 3.2

The course grading policy is stated clearly, available at the beginning of the course, and consistent throughout the course site.

Your course grading policy should be made clear to your students. To communicate your course requirements, include information stating all deliverables and their associated points/percentages. Additionally, communicate how grades (final and individual assessments) are calculated. Don’t forget to include any special considerations regarding grading like extra credit or how late work will or will not be assessed. To best meet this standard, all your grading information should be available to students in close proximity to the assessment.
Grading information is most commonly provided in your course syllabus. Provide grading information on how final grades are calculated and how individual assignments impact total points, percentages, or letter grades in your course.

QM Specific Review Standard 3.3

Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of learners’ work, and their connection to the course grading policy is clearly explained.

Provide specific and descriptive criteria for your students explaining how they will be graded on all graded assessments. Rubrics are the clearest and most concise way to provide this information, or you can consider including very detailed grading descriptions. Students should have access to grading criteria at the beginning of the assessment in order to set expectations.
All graded items in your course (learning activities,formative assessments, summative assessments, etc.) should be accompaniedby clear grading requirementslike a rubric. These shouldprovide clear, measurablecriteria for students to review. Always indicatewhere students can findgrading expectations.

QM Specific Review Standard 3.4

The course includes multiple types of assessments that are sequenced and suited to the level of the course.

The assessments in your course should reflect varying levels of cognitive engagement and various types of engagement. Consider your aligned course and module objectives to help inspire this variety. For example, a course may require multiple-choice knowledge-check quizzes, small group presentations, a written midterm exam, a final paper, and a cumulative exam. Each assessment type is suited to the level of the course but is varied in format.
Provide variety in assessment type but keep all assessments challenging and suited to the course level.

QM Specific Review Standard 3.5

The types and timing of assessments provide learners with multiple opportunities to track their learning progress with timely feedback.

There should be opportunities for your students to reflect upon what they are learning and incrementally track their learning progress throughout your course. Consider low-stakes knowledge check opportunities and formative assessments like discussions, paper and project drafts, peer review, and practice exams.
Provide low-stakes learning activities or assessments for students where they can check their knowledge and progress towards their objectivities. For larger assessments, provide opportunities for drafting, peer review, and initial feedback.

QM Specific Review
Standard 3.6

The assessments provide guidance to the learner about how to uphold academic integrity.

The promotion of academic integrity is a key feature of a quality online course. Provide your students with an academic integrity policy alongside other course or institution policies. In addition to the policy, each assessment in your course should reflect on how this policy is relevant to the assessment.

Provide students with the academic integrity, plagiarism, and/or artificial intelligence policies from your institution. Refer back to these policies and the impacts of academic dishonesty within your assessment descriptions to foster a culture of honesty in your online classroom.

© 2023 MarylandOnline, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not be copied or duplicated without written permission from Quality Matters. For more information or access to the fully annotated QM Rubric, visit www.qualitymatters.org.

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