The Quality Group Selected by Governors State University to Power New Online Curriculum for Foster Parents

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Quality Group (TQG) was selected by the Division of Digital Learning and Media Design at Governors State University (GSU) in University Park, Illinois, to power the new online version of its foster parent training product—the PRIDE Digital Curriculum. PRIDE is an acronym for Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education. This curriculum is currently used by child welfare agencies in 30 states, 6 Canadian Provinces, and 17 European countries. GSU has offered the PRIDE Digital Curriculum (PDC) in an interactive CD-ROM format since 2006, and the online version launches this month.

“We’ve been told by child welfare agencies that we’re at a critical stage in foster care, where there just aren’t enough licensed foster parents to support all the kids who need homes”

GSU is moving the PDC product online to better help child service agencies train, certify, and support foster parents - with a relevant, high quality, interactive curriculum that can be delivered whenever and wherever needed. It tapped TQG for its expertise in e-Learning solutions.

“TQG has this great OpusWorks® product, which allowed us to complete our long-awaited transition from our CD-ROM product to a more powerful, highly integrated online learning system,” said Victoria Lloyd, GSU’s Marketing Administrator for Digital Learning and Media Design. “The Quality Group has fast-speed servers; and the database, tracking, testing, assessment, and reporting functions of OpusWorks are unmatched.”

According to Mrs. Lloyd, the foster care system has become backlogged. With PDC online, powered by TQG’s OpusWorks® platform, GSU has created a service that gives agencies the flexibility, deliverability, and administrative capabilities to keep moving forward with hopeful foster parents.

“We’ve been told by child welfare agencies that we’re at a critical stage in foster care, where there just aren’t enough licensed foster parents to support all the kids who need homes,” said Mrs. Lloyd. “And that’s because they don’t have the resources to get these parents trained fast enough.”

TQG’s OpusWorks® delivery platform allows case workers to track and review the training progress of potential foster parents. It also greatly improves the ease, speed, and cost of updating content. By supporting messaging and discussion forums, foster parents and potential foster parents can interact, ask questions, and provide support. These types of messaging features can also be used to gather feedback to provide continuous improvement to the program. Additionally, the platform’s flexibility allows case workers to customize online classes for foster parents based on specific needs.

“We are so proud to be partnering with GSU,” stated Rob Stewart, TQG’s President and CEO. “Our long history in blended and e-Learning for process improvement allowed us to develop OpusWorks®, a world-class learning delivery solution, which GSU is now putting to great use for such an important and worthy cause.”

The Quality Group has been producing innovative e-Learning solutions that improve lives, organizations, and communities since 1992. A leader in blended learning solutions for Fortune 500 companies, TQG enables elegant, technology-powered learning experiences on a global scale—with an ever-present focus on process improvement. Originally developed for its own Lean Six Sigma curriculum, TQG now licenses its powerful OpusWorks® e-Learning delivery platform, and assists with learning design for other curriculum. For more information on The Quality Group, please visit www.thequalitygroup.net.

The Division of Digital Learning and Media Design at Governors State University has been a pioneer in distance education for nearly 35 years. During that time, Emmy award winning producers and directors have expanded the frontiers of educational media. GSU was the first institution to develop and use the “Teleclass,” a unique method of instruction that weaves lecture, student interaction, discussion and location filming together in a media rich learning environment.

GSU’s production teams traveled the world to construct video documentaries of events and phenomena, interview experts renowned in their fields and edit features on important issues from beyond the classroom. Artists and educators in the Division have also created award-winning national teleconferences, public affairs shows, and multimedia courseware and GSU is the first upper Division University to produce its educational courseware in High Definition video. Partners include the American Psychological Association, The Child Welfare League of America, The Ringing Rocks Foundation, Allyn & Bacon Publishers, TQG and many others.

To learn more about GSU, Digital Learning & Media Design, or PRIDE Digital Curriculum please visit our websites at www.govst.edu or www.pridedigital.org.