Quality assurance for e-learning

1. Quality assurance for e-learning Dr Tim Brown (formerly) Deputy Director, Validation Services, Open University UK

2. The quality tripod • Curriculum and course design • Course delivery, learning and assessment • Includes student support, VLE and learning resources, staff resources and staff support, and student progress and achievement • Quality management, reporting and enhancement

3. Curriculum and course design • Conformity to qualification frameworks, subject benchmarks, codes of practice, etc. • Learning outcomes – need to be clear to all • Knowledge, understanding and skills – both subject specific and transferable • Be clear about the role of e-learning in a blended context • Be clear about general educational outcomes such as breadth of perception, critical reflection and independent judgement, team-working, etc. • Flexibility – time, place and pace. Needs sensitivity • Active learning, interactivity and feedback

4. Course delivery, learning, and assessment • Admission, induction and guidance • Learning resources • The VLE, libraries and resource centres • Tutor/mentor support, administrative and technical support, help-desk • Academic community, interaction • Student assignments, formative assessment and feedback • Summative assessment and examinations, security issues

5. Summative assessment • Procedures need to be: Explicit, Fair, Valid, Reliable, Plural • Judgements need to be exercised collectively, as far as possible • Effective procedures in place to avoid cheating – plagiarism and impersonation

6. Quality management and enhancement • Clear structures, processes and responsibilities • Statistics and performance indicators • Critical analysis • Feedback – from students, staff, examiners, employers, and other stakeholders. External review • Reflection, evaluation on a regular basis • Quality enhancement • Course/programme changes, design & delivery • Staff induction, training, appraisal • Staff development and research • Action plans and targets