Paula Baumann, associate dean for Nursing Graduate Programs and associate professor of nursing, received her first Quality Matters certificate in November 2019. She received certification for her course, NURS-S 474: Applied Healthcare Ethics.

Paula Baumann

Quality Matters (QM) is a nonprofit organization that provides the gold standard for certifying the quality of online courses and programs. During the QM process, courses are reviewed by a team of three faculty members with current experience in teaching online. The review team uses the QM Rubric for Higher Education, which includes 42 specific review standards.

Baumann received her Ph.D. from the Indiana University School of Nursing, and her B.S.N. and A.S.N. from Miami University. Her research interests include nurse innovation, nurse leadership, and innovative teaching strategies.

“The process allowed me to grow in online course design, especially in making sure that what I use in a course is accessible for all students,” Baumann said. “By following quality matters I believe it will enhance the students’ experiences in the course and allow them to more easily navigate through the requirements and aid in deeper learning.”

Currently, Baumann is one of four IU East faculty members to earn the QM certification. Jamie Buffington-Adams, associate dean and associate professor of education; Chera LaForge, associate professor of political science and chair of Criminal Justice and Political Science; and Stephanie Whitehead, associate professor of criminal justice and director of the Center for Faculty Development, also have QM certifications.

IU East’s online degree programs offer an Indiana University degree to students throughout Indiana, nationally and internationally. IU East offers 11 options for students to complete their bachelor’s degree online in English with an emphasis in Technical and Professional Writing, Mathematics, Natural Science and Mathematics with a Mathematics Concentration, Communication Studies, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology, General Studies, and an RN to BSN Mobility Option. IU East also offers a Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics.