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
- AI-Driven Discussions (January 5, 2026 - February 7, 2026)
This workshop helps educators use AI to make online discussions better. Learn to use AI tools to create interesting discussion topics that students care about. Discover how to personalize discussions for each student, and utilize AI-driven output to create and frame discussion and response activities. This workshop will help you create engaging and effective online discussions using the power of AI. - Designing AI Grading Rubrics (January 5, 2026 - February 7, 2026)
This workshop introduces educators to the use of AI in creating effective assessment tools. Participants will learn to harness AI technology to generate course design rubrics, critically assess and improve AI-produced rubrics for precision and efficacy, and seamlessly integrate these enhanced rubrics into their Learning Management System. This hands-on session aims to streamline the rubric creation process while ensuring high-quality, fair assessment standards. - Voice & Choice (January 5, 2026 - February 2, 2026)
In this workshop, participants will explore the concepts of learner agency, equitable grading practices, and voice and choice in assessments through a variety of resources and reflective activities. By the end of the workshop, participants will acquire actionable strategies for creating a more inclusive and engaging classroom environment. - 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
- Artificial Intelligence Demystified (January 5, 2026 - January 11, 2026)
This workshop is designed to help educators, instructional designers, and other information and education professionals understand how best to implement, integrate, and collaborate with generative AI tools of multiple output types. It focuses on free, open access, and low-cost generative AI tools and instructs how to use general tools for both general and specialized use cases. Hazards, dilemmas, and other ethical concerns will also be discussed so educators can prepare for these issues in their own work and those of their students. - Accessible Course Design Using WCAG (January 26, 2026 - February 1, 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. - 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. - Blended Learning: Creating Your Own Blend (Self-Paced)
This course focuses on examining various types of blended learning models and selecting one that allows you to meet your course goals and learning objectives. Promoting best practices in course design will assist teaching faculty members, instructional designers, and institutional executives develop a blended module design plan. The topics of the modules include a framework for blended learning, evidence-based best practices, and quality course design. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have completed a module design plan that can be further built out and implemented at their respective institutions.
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.