OLC/QM Online Workshops
QM/OLC Workshops Program
The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) supports all UHD faculty in advancing their professional development through the QM/OLC workshop program. This initiative provides faculty with opportunities and stipends for online teaching workshops offered by Quality Matters (QM) and the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), leading organizations in online education. Faculty (tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure track, and adjunct) can receive approval to register for up to two workshops per year, as budget allows, each with a $150 stipend. Select your workshop and submit the application below to apply!
About QM & OLC
Quality Matters (QM) is a globally recognized leader in ensuring excellence in online and hybrid courses. With a research-backed framework and rigorous peer-review process, QM provides standards and feedback for online courses that enhance student engagement and success. Its workshops provide faculty with practical strategies to improve course quality, enhance engagement, and elevate the overall learning experience.
The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a leading organization dedicated to advancing the quality and accessibility of
online education. Through innovative research and professional development, OLC empowers
educators to create engaging, student-centered learning experiences. Its workshops
provide faculty with practical strategies to enhance course design, integrate emerging
technologies, and foster meaningful online interactions.
Available Workshops
Choose available workshops through the QM and OLC. For QM, select from “HE TOC Workshops” and “Higher Ed Tabs.” For OLC, choose any except Mastery Series and Certificate programs. Workshop dates are limited to only those beginning on or after September 1 and ending before June 30 of the current academic year. Once you've chosen a workshop, fill out the details in the application below - do not register yourself.
Recommended Workshops
Quality Matters
- Creating Course Alignment Maps (March 26th - April 9th, 2026)
Participants in this workshop explore the concept of alignment, where key course components work together to help learners achieve desired outcomes. In this workshop, you’ll create and share an alignment map for one module, identify gaps, and strengthen alignment using the QM Higher Education Rubric.
Leveraging Generative AI for Course Design (March 26th - March 27th, 2026)
Discover how to leverage ChatGPT and many other generative AI tools to automate tasks, personalize learning experiences, and rapidly produce exceptional training materials. Gain efficiency, reclaim creative time, and elevate your course development.
- Addressing Accessibility & Usability (April 9th - April 23rd, 2026)
The Addressing Accessibility and Usability workshop provides detailed information about accessibility, usability, readability and how to design courses with all these topics in mind. View courses from the perspective of improving accessibility and usability for learners. Get insight on Universal Design for Learning and techniques for creating accessible content.
Online Learning Consortium
- AI & Assessment: Designing For Integrity & Learning (March 23 - March 29, 2026)
Artificial intelligence is transforming the educational landscape, raising new challenges—and opportunities—for how we assess student learning. This workshop will guide educators in rethinking assessment with integrity and authenticity at the center. Participants will explore practical strategies for designing AI-resilient assessments that promote trust, foster ethical student use of AI, and highlight genuine student thinking and creativity. - Retention Strategies For Student Success (March 23 - March 29, 2026)
Today, one of the biggest challenges in online and hybrid education is the high rate of students who do not complete their programs. In this one-week asynchronous workshop, join an expert facilitator from the OLC’s Center for Professional Learning as you identify the most significant retention challenges for learners today, as well as learn how research-based strategies should be employed to improve student retention, satisfaction, and success. Through collaborations with colleagues from the field, you will evaluate and create your own institution-specific retention plan that will improve student retention within your own institutional setting. - Accessible Course Design Using WCAG (March 30 - April 5, 2026)
How accessible is your online course? What steps can you take to make it more accessible? As the amount of offerings moving online continues to grow and various accessibility initiatives become more stringent, it is crucial that accessibility for all students be a focal point of the course design process. Most of the accessibility components are simple to understand and implement once the designer is aware of the tools and techniques available to them. - Giving Effective Feedback (Self-Paced)
Effective feedback is more than a grading tool—it's a catalyst for learning, motivation, and student success. Grounded in evidence-based strategies, this self-paced workshop explores how feedback can foster connection and continuous improvement in your teaching. Through practical strategies and flexible tools, you’ll learn to give feedback that is timely, specific, and actionable without overburdening your schedule. Whether you're new to teaching or a seasoned instructor looking to refine your approach, this course will guide you in streamlining your feedback process while enhancing student engagement.
QM Teaching Online Certificate (TOC)
Interested in earning your QM Teaching Online Certification? Faculty may work toward their TOC by completing any two of these workshops in an academic year through the CTLE QM/TOC Workshops Program.
Quality Matters will issue the Teaching Online Certificate after completion of all seven workshops.
- Gauging Your Technology Skills
- Evaluating Your Course Design
- Exploring Your Institution's Policies
- Orienting Your Online Learners
- Connecting Learning Theories to Your Teaching Strategies
- Creating Presence in Your Online Course
- Assessing Your Learners
Though professional development grants for online education, workshops, training sessions, and consultations, the CTLE supports faculty in their efforts to improve online instruction at UHD by promoting best practices as delineated by the various sections of the UHD Rubric for Online Instruction.
Suggested Workshops Based on the UHD Rubric
Unsure of which workshop to take? We are happy to consult with you in advance of your application. Likewise, we encourage UHD faculty to consider the UHD Rubric for Online Instruction. By running a current course through the rubric in a self-assessment, faculty can then make more informed choices about workshop options to address particular instructional needs. By examining your course through the lens of our Online Instruction Rubric, you will inevitably find areas that have room for improvement. Please consult the Rubric walk-through page, as it connects faculty to potential learning opportunities offered through Quality Matters and the Online Learning Consortium. Contact the CTLE (ctle@uhd.edu) for more information on assistance with enrolling.
Before You Apply
Before you apply, create an account at OLC and/or QM using your @uhd.edu email. Workshop registration will not be processed without an account.
How To Apply
Submit the application form below to gain approval and funding for your workshop of choice.
Once your application is approved, we will send you further instructions to complete
the registration process. Do not register yourself until your application is approved.
Policies & Deadlines
- UHD faculty may receive funding and stipends for up to two workshops per academic year (September 1 – June 30).
- Apply at least one week before the workshop start date.
- Allow one week for application approval through the CTLE.
- You must complete one workshop before applying for a second.
- Please confirm your time commitment; registration is nonrefundable.
- Non-completion of two workshops results in ineligibility to apply for the remainder
of the academic year.
Receiving Your Stipend
You must submit your UHD employee ID number and certificate of completion using this form to receive a stipend: Submit Certificate Of Completion
Sending your completion certificate to another email address and/or not including your employee number will delay your stipend.
Stipend pay dates depend on your certificate submission. Please submit by these dates to receive your stipend by the next applicable pay date. Please see below:
|
Certificate Submission |
Estimated Pay Date |
|
Sept 1 – Dec 1 |
Jan 1 |
|
Dec 31 – May 1 |
June 1 |
|
May 31 – Aug 31 |
October 1 |
Questions
If any questions about these Professional Development Grants or the application process should be directed to the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, ctle@uhd.edu or x2724.