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E-XCELLENCE Benchmarking quality in European HE e-learning

E-XCELLENCE Benchmarking quality in European HE e-learning. QA/QE in e-learning SIG Workshop Feb 27 th 2009. Project Origins. QA in HE is receiving much attention at institutional, national and European level. Still missing : QA specific to e-learning -criteria based on ease of access

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E-XCELLENCE Benchmarking quality in European HE e-learning

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  1. E-XCELLENCE Benchmarking quality in European HE e-learning QA/QE in e-learning SIG Workshop Feb 27th 2009

  2. Project Origins • QA in HE is receiving much attention at institutional, national and European level. • Still missing: QA specific to e-learning -criteria based on ease of access -new forms of interaction (students and staff) -flexibility, personalisation and other pedagogical aspects that are now deliverable by e-learning These express the added value of e-learning in HE. EADTU established a members task force and secured EU funding for 2 year project through 2005-2006

  3. E-xcellence: Benchmarking Quality in e-learning Main Contributors: EADTU OULU-University (Finland) OUNL (Netherlands) OUUK (United Kingdom) with support from: CNED (France) UNED (Spain) UOC (Spain) EITSA (Estonia) NETTUNO (Italy) APERTUS (Hungary) + NVAO (Netherlands/Belgium) European University Association (EUA)

  4. General objective QA in e-learning that: Optimises the learning process and offering assurance to stakeholders that e-learning provision is of high quality. Is complementary to existing national quality assurance systems related more to content, staff and infrastructure. Our main aim was to establish: • a framework of quality criteria for the development, operation and evaluation of e-learning programmes • an appropriate set of performanceindicators, parameters and guidelines by which the quality of e-learning programmes can be measured by assessment • a definition of excellence

  5. APPROACH • Analysis of existing quality processes of partners and/or requirements of national quality organisations • Development of a suite of criteria relevant to e-learning • (using EADTU members’ experience) • Stakeholder consultation procedure • Translation of these parametersinto a flexible quality assessment tool based on benchmarks • Testing in 3 pilots the benchmarks, guidance manual and approach: • Univ Oulu Finland • EITSA Estonia • UNINETTUNO Italy

  6. Options Explored • Structured CMM style models vs flexible informal systems • EADTU accreditation vs Integration with national systems Diversity of European systems favoured flexibility in design and implementation.

  7. Outputs Set of (33) European benchmarks These cover institutional, pedagogical, technical, ethical and management aspects of e-learning organised into the three main categories of : • Management (institutional and programme levels) • Products (curriculum, course design and delivery) • Services (student and staff support) An important aspect of E-xcellence is that it offers a European-wide set of benchmarks, independent of particular institutional or national systems, and with guidance for educational improvement

  8. Structure of Resources • Benchmark Statements • Define desired features • Indicators • Source of evidence • Indicators of excellence • Exemplars of evidence • Assessors Notes • Provide background guidance for assessors

  9. The E-xcellence manual • Mindmap QUALITY manual as backbone of web-tool

  10. Web: http://www.eadtu.nl/e-xcellenceQS/

  11. Modes of use • Informal Self Assessment via Quickscan • Identify hot spots (and cold spots) • Internal Quality Assurance/Improvement • embed selected benchmarks in internal process • adopt and formalise indicators • External Quality Assurance - informal • embed use of benchmarks in Self Assessment • Adapt to meet QA agency requirements • External Quality Assurance - formal • external QA agencies embed benchmarks within their processes

  12. Quickscan • Simplified version of the full e-xcellence assessment tool • Quick self-assessment of your institution’s e-learning performance • Identifies areas in your e-learning programme/course that need more attention • Score yourself on the most relevant aspects Results will show after completing quick-scan. These help you: • To identify elements to be improved • To guide the internal discussion • To learn if a full quality assessment procedure is useful http://www.eadtu.nl/e-xcellenceQS/

  13. Full e-learning assessment Evaluate the institution/program/course using the E-xcellence method and tool. Manual; Benchmark statements, in relation to criteria and indicators. Questionnaire: comments on the specific issue: in the box you can refer to documents or other references which can be used as evidence on that specific aspect of e-learning. The on-line questionnaire needs to be filled out by different disciplines in your organisation coming from management, course designers, tutors and students On-site visit of e-learning expert

  14. Full assessment SITE VISIT - SELF ASSESSMENT - ANALYSIS - INTERVIEWS - CONCLUSIONS PREPARE SELF ASSESSMENT USING THE TOOL ACTION PLANNING REVIEW TOOLAGAINST INSTITUTIONALSTRUCTURE+ PROCESS Support: manual, proposed agenda, assessors’ notes, glossary.

  15. Activity Breakout • Quickscan provides overview of benchmarks to consider: • Relevance • Confidence • Evidence

  16. Pilot Experience 3 Internal Quality Assurance reviews with E-xcellence team members participating Some difficulties with language and interpretation of benchmarks Suggestions for additional factors and regrouping More needed on the process of the exercise More on best practice

  17. Pilot Experience Conclusions • an intensive and productive exercise • relevant information for the project: materials, process, procedure • relevant for the institutions • relevant for the piloting teams • work in progress • base document/material for different products

  18. Review Extracts • The E-xcellence tool has the potential for becoming a useful instrument in supporting European universities towards developing the quality of e-learning applications (EUA) • E-xcellence has evolved into an attempt to work within existing QA frameworks rather than re-inventing them. In our view, rightly so. We are convinced that the approach and products of E-xcellence are useful for institutions that aspire to having the e-learning component of their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses assessed within the existing NVAO accreditation framework (NVAO)

  19. E-xcellence + • EU funding for dissemination and implementation • Strengthened links with ENQA • Additional project partners

  20. E-xcellence + Partners Core Contributors: EADTU OULU-University (Finland) OUNL (Netherlands) OUUK (United Kingdom) with support from: CADUV + Uni Hradec Kralove ( CZ Rep) UNED (Spain) EITSA (Estonia) NETTUNO (Italy) Kath Univ Leuven ( Belgium) APERTUS (Hungary) NVAO (Netherlands/Belgium) NHSU + Univ Lund ( Sweden) Slovak Univ Technology ( Slovakia) MESI ( Russia) IFEL ( Switzerland)

  21. E-xcellence + Activities • European Seminar May 2008 Madrid • Jointly organised with ENQA • ~ 50 participants • National Seminars • One in each partner country • Participation of institutions and Accreditation agencies/ministries • Trialling of Quickscan and Full Assessment

  22. E-xcellence + Activities • Quickscan trials • Use of Quickscan by each participating institution • Full Assessment trial • Two online PG programmes at Univ Lund in association with NHSU • OUNL in association with NVAO

  23. E-xcellence + Activities • Current outcomes: • Quickscan analysis at Univ Hradec Kralove • Internal staff training programme in use of Web CT • Identified discrepancies between departments in implementation of central policy • Interesting exemplars of learner support provision and staff reward structures

  24. E-xcellence + Sustainability • E-xcellence Associates label • Commitment to continuous improvement in e-learning activity • Use of E-xcellence tools to identify and review improvement • Virtual Benchmarking community • Peer review by community members • Input to update and revision of E-xcellence tools

  25. Web: http://www.eadtu.nl/e-xcellenceQS/ • Thank you for your attention

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