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

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

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

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

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

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