ODL Honors QM-certified Instructors

In February, the Office of Digital Learning (ODL) hosted a luncheon recognizing the achievements of FSU faculty who have completed course certification through the FSU Online Quality Initiative. As part of the initiative, online courses undergo a rigorous peer-review process based on the nationally recognized Quality Matters (QM) rubric.

The event was held in the Grand Ballroom of the FSU Alumni Center. After a presentation on the impact of the initiative, followed by a catered lunch, four FSU faculty participated in a panel discussion:

• Dr. Mohd Yousuf Ali | Teaching faculty, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
• Dr. Azat Gundogan | Associate teaching professor, FSU Honors Program
• Dr. Katie Flanagan | Assistant instructor, Anne’s College
• Dr. Karen Works | Teaching professor, FSU Panama City – Computer Science

Pictured left to right: panelists Dr. Mohd Yousuf Ali, Dr. Azat Gundogan, Dr. Katie Flanagan, and Dr. Karen Works.

The panelists described the certification process as challenging but rewarding, with changes to online courses focused on aligning learning goals with module content and editing course navigation and directions for simplicity and clarity. Asked how their views on teaching changed after completing quality certification, the panelists discussed a new appreciation for course design and community-building tools.

Dr. Gundogan said the experience showed him the significance of “transparency and clarity” in course design for improving student outcomes. “In fact, the lessons I learned about principles of building online courses eventually looped back around to affect the way I conduct face-to-face teaching.”

Dr. Works described how she would rely on student reactions and body language in face-to-face courses as a guide for what content to review and clarify. She said teaching online taught her to look for and take advantage of opportunities to provide direct links back to textbook sections or video lectures wherever students may need them.

As of February 2026, 316 FSU faculty and staff have taken Quality Matters rubric training, and 138 total courses have been reviewed and certified.
More than 50,000 students have been impacted by the quality initiative.

Both Dr. Flanagan and Dr. Ali encouraged faculty to make the most of ODL as a resource when participating in the quality certification process.

“Take advantage of the support system we have at FSU. It’s great,” said Dr. Flanagan. “They hold your hand through the process and get you to the end. Working with [ODL] is easy, pleasant … and you come out the other side with a wonderful product.”

Dr. Ali shared an anecdote about struggling to improve the accessibility of huge tables of data in one of his courses. He reached out to the ODL course design specialists for assistance, and the problem was resolved in a few days. Like Dr. Ali, participants in the quality initiative receive help with addressing inaccessible content in their courses. After participating in the initiative, the average course accessibility ranking rose from 71.90% to 98.19%.

ODL Senior Director Robert Fuselier spoke about the various fields of study represented by the panelists and audience, reinforcing the importance of colleagues sharing their online teaching experiences.

“Quality courses are not confined to one discipline,” said Fuselier. “Today is a good reminder that one of the most powerful outcomes of online learning is the community it builds.”