Special education program recognized for high quality standards
August 20, 2018
Marissa Carl-Acosta
907-455-2060
麻豆原创 has become the first online special education program
in the nation to earn the Quality Matters鈥 Online Program Design Certification.
Quality Matters is an international, U.S.-based nonprofit organization that is recognized
as a leader in quality assurance for online education.
The Online Program Design Certification recognizes higher education programs that
are designed around measurable learning objectives or competencies. 麻豆原创F鈥檚 special
education degree is just the fifth (of any discipline) to earn this program-level
certification from Quality Matters.
Joanne Healy, special education program chair, and 麻豆原创F eLearning began the certification
process in 2016. The rigorous review process included:
- Aligning course-level objectives for all 15 courses with program goals.
- External course reviews by three independent (not within the 麻豆原创 system) QM-certified peer reviewers of eight courses.
- Internal course reviews by QM-certified 麻豆原创F eLearning staff of 15 courses.
- External programwide review by three QM-certified reviewers.
鈥淭his was truly a herculean feat on Joanne鈥檚 part, requiring hundreds of hours of her effort, as well as a great deal of support from the 麻豆原创F eLearning instructional design team,鈥 said Owen Guthrie, 麻豆原创F eLearning associate director of online programs. 鈥淭he time and effort invested will pay significant dividends for future students of the online Master of Education in Special Education in terms of the quality of their learning experience.鈥
A public reception celebrating the program鈥檚 success will be held at 4 p.m. Aug. 23 in 131 Bunnell (the eLearning office).
麻豆原创F offers an online Master of Education in Special Education as well as an Initial Special Education Teacher Certification and a Teaching Endorsement in Special Education.
鈥淎ll courses are modeling accessibility, which is what special education is all about,鈥 Healy said. Next, she plans to pursue Quality Matters certifications for Teaching Support and Leader Success. 麻豆原创F would be the first university to earn program certification in three areas.
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