2025 QM Connect

Join an innovation sprint to address a pressing challenge in online learning. This fast-paced, collaborative event will ideate, prototype, and present solutions to improve the online learning experience. Participants will begin by identifying a critical issue in online learning, such as student engagement, digital equity, or methods. Using design thinking principles, teams will generate creative ideas and potential solutions.

What’s next for online learning and quality assurance? This interactive session introduces futures thinking and key forecasting terms, explores signals and drivers—yes, beyond just AI—and invites participants to experiment with foresight tools to envision the future of online education. Leave with insights and strategies to anticipate what’s ahead for quality assurance of online learning.  

University online learning has steadily increased in the past twenty years. This poster presentation will highlight the process of a research project conducted in Western Australia investigating how lecturers can be further supported in  the online learning space. Bring along a device (phone, laptop) and get ready to share how you are making your online teaching engaging and learn more about effective online teaching tools and strategies. 

Students in online courses often struggle with isolation, motivation, and connection. Using the Community of Inquiry framework, we redesigned a three-course educational research sequence to improve retention and engagement. Key design elements included consistent base groups, critical friends, and reflective research journals. Students in the revised sequence reported significantly higher levels of Teaching, Cognitive, and Social Presence.

Explore how the flagship of the Maricopa Community College District transformed course design by integrating AI into a structured, step-by-step Quality Matters-aligned protocol. This conversation includes a practical walkthrough of the AI framework, insights into reshaping faculty-instructional designer relationships, and examples of how AI was layered into both new and existing courses to achieve QM certification. Leave with replicable ideas for human-guided AI innovation.

Explore a collaborative model for course design that brings together instructional designers, subject-matter experts, and GenAI tools.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of education—and educators must be ready. This interactive 4-hour workshop is designed for faculty, instructional designers, administrators, and leaders in higher education, K–12, and non-profit learning environments who are ready to explore how AI can enhance online learning. Participants will engage in a dynamic blend of brief presentations, live demonstrations, and hands-on activities showcasing practical AI tools and strategies.

Want to save time and enhance quality? Learn how the eight-step HIDOC model can elevate your course quality—then give it an AI-powered boost! This session shows how targeted AI prompts and practical strategies can make each design step faster and more effective. Participants will walk away with practical techniques to apply HIDOC and AI tools in their own course design.  

Do learners agree with the key elements of the QM Rubric, or do their priorities tell a different story? This national study shares student perceptions of QM Standards —and how their perceptions can be used to inform course design. Join us for an engaging discussion on the findings, surprises, and practical implications for improving online learning experiences.  

This poster explores how to embed digital accessibility into higher ed course design practices. Participants will review key ADA Title II provisions, outline accessible course development steps, and develop strategies for remediating content and collaborating with vendors to ensure compliance.