Quality Matters Spotlight: Jamila Holcomb
The Office of Digital Learning congratulates Dr. Jamila Holcomb for the high-quality certification of her online course, CHD 4615 – Public Policy: Child and Family Issues. Holcomb, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in Anne’s College, received her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from FSU. She participated in the FSU Online Quality Initiative, where online courses undergo a rigorous peer-review process based on the nationally recognized Quality Matters rubric. In the following Q&A, Holcomb shares her insights about the certification process.
How do you think the Quality Matters (QM) review process has improved your course?
It has made me more intentional in ensuring that everything that I do in my course aligns. The process really requires you to go through your course with a fine-tooth comb and make connections between the lectures, course materials, assessments, etc., to the overall learning objectives of your course and create learning objectives for each module. This is a level of intentionality that I always strived for but sometimes cannot achieve due to time constraints, so I really appreciated the support throughout the review process in holding me accountable and successfully achieving my goals.
What did you value most about the instructional design support you received from your ODL faculty liaison?
There was so much that I valued but what I valued most was the introduction to innovative course design options. For example, the use of AI to help create my course quizzes was very useful to me as it not only saved me time, but it introduced me to yet another way to utilize AI for the betterment of my teaching.
What did you value most about the accessibility support you received from your ODL course design specialist?
I really didn't have any struggles with accessibility in my course, but I did appreciate the oversight and validation that my course was inclusive and accessible for all learners.
If you were to encourage a peer to participate in the QM review process, how would you communicate its value?
This process has been incredibly valuable in both getting feedback on my overall course design and suggested methods of improvement. I believe we all strive to be the best educators, yet sometimes we fall into the rut of doing what is most familiar. The QM process helped to reinvigorate my course, bring it up to current teaching standards, ensuring accessibility and alignment with the overall student learning objectives, and reignite my desire to self-audit my other courses to ensure that I am being consistent across the many courses I teach.
