TOWARDS QUALITY IN E-LEARNING QUALITY ASSURANCE - EPPROBATE INTERNATIONAL COURSEWARE LABEL

1. TOWARDS QUALITY IN E-LEARNING QUALITY ASSURANCE - EPPROBATE INTERNATIONAL COURSEWARE LABEL Marjan Miloshevic Danijela MiloshevicTechnical Faculty Čačak - University of Kragujevac, Čačak, Serbia {marjan, danijela}@tfc.kg.ac.rs Suzana Loshkovska Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering Skopje, Macedonia suzana.loshkovska@finki.ukim.mk

2. Content • Quality of E-learning • Certification approaches and quality schemes • DL@WEB – BADEN • Epprobate • Aim, objectives • Procedure • Self-assessment document • Evaluation • Conclusion http://www.badennet.org

3. E-Learning – omnipresent paradigm http://www.badennet.org

4. The issue of quality Thestandard quality assurance (QA) proceduresarenot sufficient QAin e-learning is generally not a priority issue, even for QA agencies Numerous international projects were conducted to form a comprehensive, yet usable framework for quality assurance of learning. Specialized organizations have developed their own benchmarking procedures and tools and established labels as brands http://www.badennet.org

5. Quality of E-Learning – The Terms • There are several definitions of quality of e-learning, and each depends on its scope, objectives, focus and the methodology of the quality approach. • In this context, quality of e-learning is related to all: processes, products and services for learning, education and training supported by the use of information and communication technologies http://www.badennet.org

6. Issues of internationality • We need • an unified label • We have... • Language issues • Cultural differences • Law issues http://www.badennet.org

7. International Quality Labels http://www.badennet.org

8. BADEN – Gathering Western Balkan for Improved Education • BAlkanDistanceEducationNetwork • Formed as result of DL@Web Tempus Project • BASIC GOALS: • Affirmation and use of professional knowledge via e-learning and distance education • Tuning into The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) • Development of informatics society in the region http://www.badennet.org

9. A few words about DL@WEB... FULL TITLE: ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF DISTANCE LEARNING AT WESTERN BALKAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS http://www.dlweb.kg.ac.rs http://www.badennet.org

10. BADEN’s goals • Modernization of education by promoting regional and international cooperation • Raising the level of pedagogical and technical knowledge • Raising social awareness about the significance of e-learning and distance learning • Fostering and cherishing research spirit in the field… http://www.badennet.org

11. Activities • Education through professional and research seminars and summer schools • Organization of professional lectures, trainings, symposiums and conferences with topics about e-learning and distance education • Promotion of distance learning through cooperation and participation on manifestations of domestic, regional and international importance • Participation in realization of projects at national, regional and international level • Promoting and placing of innovative and creative professional and research solutions http://www.badennet.org

12. Activities (2) • Carrying out commercially readymade solutions, individual courses or moderation services • Publishing activity from the primary and related fields • Creating and continual improvement of electronic knowledge basis from the fields of e-learning and distance education • Promotion of the lifelong learning concept • Creating and realizing accredited programs for professional training of the employed in education http://www.badennet.org

13. pprobate • epprobate (from the Latin 'approbare', to approve) is the first international quality label for eLearning courseware • The quality label is an initiative of three organisations: • Learning Agency Network (LANETO) • AgenceWallonne des Télécommunication (AWT)  • e-Learning Quality Service Center (eLQSC) http://www.badennet.org

14. Coverage http://www.badennet.org

15. The target • All kinds od courseware: • Web based • Mobile • Blended • Game based • OER... • Educational institutions • Universities, High Schools • Non-formal education facilities • Individual courseware producers • Companies… http://www.badennet.org

16. What do you get? Receive feedback and consultation Ensure compliance with state of the art quality measures Increase the trust in your courseware Get international recognition for your courseware http://www.badennet.org

17. BADEN and epprobate • Since July 2012. BADEN is authorized to certify courseware at behalf of epprobate for Serbia, FYR Macedonia and Montenegro • BADEN has two certified head reviewers... http://www.badennet.org

19. epprobatecertification process – key points • Producers contact national partner (BADEN for Serbia, FYRM, Montenegro) • First step is self-assessment http://review.epprobate.com • Review is conducted by a 4 member TEAM, coordinated by head reviewer • Target group is represented by one team member • The review process is done using the epprobate quality grid http://www.badennet.org

20. epprobatecertification process – key points • The team decision is built on a concensus • There is intensive communication between producer and the team • International awarding committee is responsible for the final decision about the awarding of the epprobate label http://www.badennet.org

21. Review is not just a “tick list”! • The feedback to the courseware provider is more important than simply a decision about the label http://www.badennet.org

22. Epprobate quality grid • Criteria are organized into four main sections of the quality grid: • Course design (Provision of course information, learning objectives; Constructive alignment) • Learning design (Learner Needs; Personalisation; Instructional strategies) • Media design (Media Integration; Interface; Interoperability and technological standards) • Content (Accuracy and values of content; Intellectual property rights; Legal compliance) http://www.badennet.org

23. Self-evaluation – Course Design For each topic the producer fills information in the following table Example http://www.badennet.org

24. Review For each topic, each reviewer fills information in the following table • There is no intention for any single criterion to be essential, but a courseware supplier in their self assessment document indicates to what extent they meet a specific criteria. • To every characteristic is assigned a mark: • A - Exceeds the requirements of the criterion • B - Meets the requirements of the criterion • C - Meets some but not all of the requirements of the criterion • D - Fails to meet the requirements of the criterion http://www.badennet.org

25. Review – example(criteria: constructive alignment) http://www.badennet.org

26. Conclusion • There is a certain progress made in quality assurance in e-learning. • The challenges remains to be faced with, such as internationalization and usage of objective and comprehensive – yet not too complex – methodology. http://www.badennet.org

27. Conclusion • Epprobate is an initiative that tries to handle mentioned challenges • It is an international label, which engages numerous national partners, • it treats e-learning at the courseware level, making the QA available to different types of producers (universities, education agencies, companies) and • it uses a methodology that compounds all vital criteria through a well defined procedure http://www.badennet.org

28. Useful links • http://epprobate.com • http://www.badennet.org • http://www.dlweb.kg.ac.rs http://www.badennet.org

29. Questions http://www.badennet.org