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Software Engineering Blog

Quality Matters to the WVU Online Software Engineering Program

The following blog has been provided by Yasser Alshehri, a WVU CS PhD Candidate providing graduate quality support for the online program.

The online software engineering program at West Virginia University has become one of the best programs at the national level, ranked 10th in 2017 by the US News and World Report for Best Online Computer Information Technology Graduate Program. Following a national standard is one of the key elements that help this program in this ranking. We follow the Quality Matters® QM standards (https://www.qualitymatters.org/).

When we talk about the quality of a course or a program, we need to think about steps of learning such as enrolling, attending courses, assessment, grading and being engaged. Without standards, learning may not be delivered well.  This will make a clear distinction between graduates from a program applying quality standards and others that do not.  QM helps us to deliver well-conceived, well-designed, and well-presented courses.

There are eight general standards of the QM rubric: course overview and introduction, learning objectives, assessment, instructional materials, course activities and learner interaction, course technology, learner support and accessibility and usability.  These criteria help reviewers ensure that the courses are well presented and very clear. It also ensures that objectives are aligned with assessments and learners know what goals to be achieved. It guides instructors to provide a good level of interactions to learners within activities given to them. Finally, the course should provide support needed by any student including accessibility to make sure to accommodate their unique needs.

Dale

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