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 Presence In Your Online Course (November 26 - December 10, 2025)
Participants in this workshop will learn how to create three types of presence in online courses: instructor, social, and cognitive. Describe how to create instructor, social, and cognitive presence in online courses. - Designing Your Online Course (December 4 - December 5, 2025)
This workshop includes an overview of the QM Rubric and provides a framework for participants to design an online course plan. An integral element of the workshop is an exploration of the eight General Standards of the QM Rubric, focusing on learning objectives and overall course alignment. Participants will complete a Course Development Plan.
- Leveraging Generative AI for Course Design (December 11 - December 12, 2025)
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. - Design That Welcomes Your Learners (January 8 - January 22, 2026)
Explore course design features that help students succeed from the outset and access the institutional support they need in the Design that Welcomes Your Learners workshop. Topics include getting learners started, establishing expectations and policies, communicating prerequisites, connecting with learners, and facilitating access to support services. You will review your online course and complete an Improvement Plan for each of these areas.
Online Learning Consortium
- Assessment Strategies that Engage Students (December 08 - December 14, 2025)
An important component of successful online teaching is developing effective assessment strategies and integrating multiple forms of assessment in order to provide students with diverse opportunities to evaluate their performance. In this workshop, you will discover a multitude of formative and summative assessment techniques used in online education, including both traditional and alternative assessments, and how to find an appropriate balance between the two. - Essentials for Online Faculty (December 08 - December 14, 2025)
An essential component of successful online teaching is experiencing online learning for yourself. This workshop will provide you with an important online learning experience as you explore the basics of online teaching and learning. You will learn the critical differences between online and face-to-face courses, including faculty and student expectations, role adjustments, and course design and evaluation. Your explorations will include research-based readings, presentations, and discussions with other new online teachers. There will also be an hour-long optional (recorded) live session where you will get a chance to meet your facilitator to discuss important topics related to online teaching and ask your questions. - Game-Based Learning (December 01 - December 07, 2025)
Game-based learning and gamification are two very different–if very effective– instructional phenomena. In this workshop, the companion to the (Level 1) Gamification Principles and Strategies workshop, you will implement the theories, principles, and specifically the mechanics of gamification to create your own games on a topic of your choice. By building an educational or serious game, you can leverage the power behind our innate desire to play. - AI & Assessment: Designing for Integrity and Learning (January 26 - February 1, 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.
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.