Roxanna Medeiros, MIU Vice President of Online & Continuing Education, spoke as part of a panel presentation at the recent Quality Matters (QM) Conference, held November 3–5 at Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona.

The annual event brings together educators and instructional designers to share best practices for improving the quality of online courses.

“The goal of our panel,” she said, “was to give institutions tools they can immediately adapt to improve academic integrity, course quality, and student support.”

Drawing on her work as a QM Research Colleague, Medeiros explored two timely topics in her presentation: artificial intelligence (AI) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).

AI, she explained, can be more than a tool for detecting plagiarism or enforcing rules. “AI should serve as a reflective design partner,” Medeiros said, “helping faculty create clear course navigation, provide scaffolding for learning, and offer constructive feedback — not functioning as a policing mechanism.” Scaffolding refers to structured support that guides students step by step toward mastering complex skills.

“The goal of our panel was to give institutions tools they can immediately adapt to improve academic integrity, course quality, and student support.”

— Roxanna Medeiros, Vice President of Online & Continuing Education

She also introduced SEL, which focuses on helping students develop self-awareness, manage emotions, and build interpersonal skills — abilities that research shows are essential for academic success and well-being.

“SEL isn’t just about emotional support,” Medeiros noted. “It’s about creating clarity, fostering reflection, and ensuring instructor presence. These practices directly impact student engagement and retention in online environments.”

Her session offered practical strategies for embedding SEL into course design, such as adding well-being check-ins, reflective activities, and clear communication from instructors. She also shared approaches for building faculty AI literacy — helping educators understand how to use AI responsibly and design assessments that emphasize authenticity and meaningful application rather than rote memorization.

Audience members responded enthusiastically, especially to the integration of AI literacy, authentic assessment, and SEL-informed design. Several attendees expressed interest in MIU’s holistic approach to quality and asked follow-up questions about its instructional design practices.

Medeiros emphasized that MIU’s involvement in Quality Matters benefits the university by keeping it aligned with national standards for online learning, strengthening faculty support, and increasing visibility in global conversations about quality and integrity in education.

* * *

Banner photo by JC Cervantes on Unsplash. Loews facility photo https://www.loewshotels.com.