Hilda Benton, instructor of Spanish, received the Quality Matters (QM) certification for her Introduction to Literature (SPAN 3113) course.

Benton said the certification means that she can offer her students a better opportunity to succeed in an online environment.

"By integrating Quality Matters standards we provide the students with different tools to help them perform better and succeed in the class," she added. "When I make changes in the courses I always look at the course from the student's perspective."

In order to meet QM review expectations using the Fifth Edition, 2014 QM Rubric, a course must meet each of the 21 essential standards. In addition, the course must receive a minimum of 84 (out of 99) points. 

Benton's course received 97/99 points. This is the fifth course in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences that Benton has developed to meet Quality Matters standards. The course was reviewed by a trained Quality Matters Peer Review Team.

"We measure academic progress with specific assessments, but Quality Matters helps us by incorporating specific tools and changes in the course that help the students perform better," Benton said.