A MATTER OF QUALITY: TEACHER EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS AS QUALITY MATTERS™ COURSE REPRESENTATIVES

Teachers at K-12 supplemental virtual programs may support Quality Matters™ peer reviews for organization-managed master courses. Although there are time, focus, and capacity concerns with this practice as teachers in supplemental programs may not have expertise designing courses or writing online content, the experience of serving as a Course Representative and applying the QM rubric throughout the process provides the potential for an enduring professional development opportunity for teachers that may enrich their commitment to virtual instruction and their understanding of the comprehensive virtual learning environment. This qualitative case study explored the experiences and perspectives of K-12 online teachers at a state-led supplemental school who teach online and have served as Course Representatives for organization-managed master course QM peer reviews. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews served as sources of data, and data was coded using deductive codes from Ali and Wright’s (2017) Online Faculty Professional Development model and inductive codes focused on participants’ experiences and perspectives. The study guides K-12 educators on the potential professional impact of serving as Course Representatives for organizational course reviews. It also provides recommendations for K-12 virtual programs considering quality assurance implementation at their organization. Further research, including cross-site studies, quantitative research, or mixed methods inquiry that explore virtual educators supporting a culture of quality at their respective institutions, may extend the study’s findings. Additionally, studies focused on K-12 teacher's perceptions of priorities in course design, online instructional practice, and virtual teacher leadership, could build upon themes and findings.