Quality Matters Spotlight: Lydia Hanks

The Office of Digital Learning congratulates Dr. Lydia Hanks for the high-quality certification of her online course, HFT 4253 – Lodging and Luxury Hotel Management. Hanks, a professor in the Dedman College of Hospitality, received her PhD in hospitality management from Pennsylvania State University and has been teaching at Dedman since 2021. 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, Hanks shares her insights about the certification process.

How do you think the Quality Matters (QM) review process has improved your course?
QM helped me look at my course from a student’s perspective, organize the material and course layout, and make the learning goals clearer for students. After the QM process, I think my course feels cleaner and easier to follow.

What did you value most about the instructional design support you received from your ODL faculty liaison?
I really appreciated how collaborative the process felt. My liaison didn’t come in trying to “fix” my course; they worked with me to make it better, offering great ideas and best practices but always respecting my teaching style and content.

What did you value most about the accessibility support you received from your ODL course design specialist?
The accessibility support was especially helpful. They helped with things like captions, formatting, and alternate text, which I was not familiar with previously.

If you were to encourage a peer to participate in the QM review process, how would you communicate its value?
I’d tell them it’s way more helpful than they probably expect. It’s not about changing your course, it’s about making it clearer and more organized. The feedback they gave me was very constructive, and I ended up with a course that works better for students and is easier for me to teach.

Would you be willing to share any positive feedback you received from your students about your certified course?
Yes. A lot of students mentioned in their course evaluation that they liked how organized the course layout and expectations were, especially compared to other online courses they’ve taken. Several said the rubrics and assignment instructions really helped reduce stress because they knew exactly what they had to do to get a good grade.

For information about online course design and the FSU Online Quality Initiative, visit odl.fsu.edu/quality.