Our in-depth look at academic rigor continues in this second white paper from author Andria F. Schwegler. After establishing a comprehensive definition for academic rigor in her first paper, Andria advances the conversation in this second piece by examining the contexts needed to operationalize it — to put academic rigor into practice. Explore how elements such as course design, course delivery and the real world affect academic rigor, including how those elements support academic rigor and higher-level learning.

In light of today’s higher education environment — an environment where the value of higher education is being questioned and a focus on degree completion is paramount — it is imperative to improve the quality of the courses and programs being offered. Academic rigor is often a signal for the kind of education that is desirable, but the lack of a clear definition of it can actually erode academic expectations and impede student learning. To begin to address these issues, a comprehensive definition of academic rigor is needed.

Many factors contribute to a student’s online learning experience, including class size. That begs the question — what is the ideal number of students for an online class? As research shows, there is no easy, cookie-cutter answer, but there are some guidelines based on factors such as course design and pedagogy.

See the results from the third survey conducted by QM and Eduventures as part of The Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE) project. The results provide relevant and actionable information on a wide range of topics, including enrollment trends, the structure of online courses, institutional governance practices, and online quality assurance.

In a research study, what can come between the independent variable and the dependent variable? The confounding variable, a variable that is not being investigated but is present, nonetheless. Find out why you need to minimize confounding variables in your research and what can happen when you don’t.

After completing a widespread implementation of Quality Matters, Southeast Missouri State University took a step back to examine the impact of its efforts. Find out what the data revealed about its endeavor and the conclusion that it’s “worth every cent of investment”.

What do online learners say they expect from online programs? Read this summary based on the study, "What Makes a Quality Online Course: The Student Perspective” by Penny Raltson-Berg.

A summary of the proceedings from the 2010 Interaction Summit hosted by QM to discuss the different aspects of interaction in relation to two QM Specific Review Standards from an early version of the Higher Education Rubric.

Can checklists help you with the important work you are doing to deliver on your online promise? In this article, QM Research Colleague Dr. Ericka T. Hollis discusses how to supplement your existing knowledge and support quality course design with a checklists.

2018 Research Colleague Stella Porto and her Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) colleagues Carolina Suarez and Miriam Campos share the challenges they faced and the solutions they found to make their courses culturally inclusive for all. The co-authored paper provides a discussion of specific examples of cultural differences in the courses offered by IDB and how the authors addressed them in course design.