College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Distributed Learning Service has received certification from Quality Matters (QM) for a course offering in its Office Administration program. The certification is the first of its kind for a post-secondary institution in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Quality Matters is an international, non-profit organization widely recognized as a leader in quality assurance for online education. A QM designation signifies an institution’s commitment to quality and continuous improvement. The course, Office Management 1100, is offered in the first semester of the Office Administration certificate and of both Office Administration (Medical and Executive) online diploma programs.
“Office Management 1100 is the first QM certification awarded in Newfoundland and Labrador and one of the first in the country; it represents College of the North Atlantic’s commitment to continuous improvement, to openness, and to excellence,” said Dr. Deb Adair, Quality Matter’s Executive Director.
“The QM certification is the successful result of a quality peer review process based on rigorous quality standards reflecting the application of QM’s student-oriented and research-centred standards.”
The course was reviewed and revised by a team of CNA instructional designers and instructors to help ensure all course components met expectations before being submitted for formal review by QM.
Lisa Skinner, an instructor in the School of Business & Information Technology, who is also a Distributed Learning Faculty Trainer, says having the CNA team go through the certification process allowed them to see the course through a student’s perspective and make overall improvements.
“By applying the Quality Matters rubric we were able to design a course that focuses on the course objectives and their alignment to the activities and assessments in the course,” explained Skinner. “I am proud to offer a course that creates an effective learning opportunity for our learners and excited that we have received this certification.”
In order to meet Quality Matters review expectations using the QM rubric, a course must meet each of the 21 essential standards. In addition, the course must receive a minimum of 84 out of 99 points; Office Management 1100 scored 96 out of 99.
“This Quality Matters certification also aligns with the accreditation standards already in place for the School of Business through the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP),” said Sharon Collins, Interim Dean of the School of Business & Information Technology at CNA. “We are very proud of this accomplishment and the cooperative effort from so many people to ensure the quality of our programming.”
For more information about CNA’s Distributed Learning Service visit www.dls.cna.nl.ca or School of Business & Information and Technology visit www.cna.nl.ca.
-30-
Media Contact:
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca