ENPC, Altran SDB 1 1st December 2004 The DLAE Project: Aims, Methods and First Results Distance Learning Accreditation in Europe Amaury Legait – ENPC ( ) Mar González – Altran SDB ( )

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB2 The DLAE Project: Accreditation [What is accreditation in higher education? [Accreditation in distance learning [Our proposal, the SIG-DLAE approach

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB3 [What is accreditation in higher education? [Objectives : To improve the quality of higher education To give confidence to families and potential employers To foster academic improvement [When applicable: Ease transfer of credits (e.g. ECTS label) Support international marketing The DLAE Project: Accreditation in Higher Education

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB4 The DLAE Project: Accreditation in Higher Education [What is accreditation in higher education? [ Methods: Guided peer review Assessment of students achievement with respect to objectives of programme and institution Evaluation of staff, faculty, premises When applicable, evaluation of programmes, policies

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB5 The DLAE Project: Accreditation in Distance Learning [Accreditation in distance learning Accreditation processes in distance learning are comparable to accreditation processes in face to face teaching. Specific criteria (technology, pedagogy) are used. For some people, the issue of exams is critical. Professional success of former students remains the reference; in this respect face to face curriculum is some time a reference; the goal should be no difference between distance/face to face.

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB6 The DLAE Project: Acceptability of Accreditation [ Acceptability of accreditation in higher education [ Pros Accreditation is a guarantee for students Accreditation bodies are accountable on behalf of students, of government or on behalf of the European Union. Accreditation is fair, independent and based on public criteria. Required by mobility of students and professionals. [ Contras Expensive and time consuming. Quality in higher education is implicit in the course. It is based on research evaluated by peer review. No legal requirement (yet). [ A survey made by SIG-DLAE presented later on

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB7 [ENPC - Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées Paris - France - Project Coordinator [MMB - Institute for Media and Competence Research Essen - Germany [KTH - Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm - Sweden [Altran SDB – Consultancy in High Tech Madrid - Spain [Politecnico di Milano Milan - Italy DLAE Project : Partners

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB8 DLAE Project: Aims [Mission Statement To review the national accreditation systems, compile the best practices and adapt these for a European accreditation process. The main output from the project is a proposal for a European accreditation system in e-learning and covering, where applicable, blended learning or learning making a limited use of e-learning. [Main Objectives To compare the European experiences on distance learning with an existing accreditation referential (criteria, methodology, policy, etc.). To improve and enlarge these criteria from the exchange of information on the practical experiences done by partners of our project and more generally in higher educational institutions in Europe. To adapt these criteria for the definition of an emerging European accreditation process in e-learning.

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB9 [ Review Accreditation bodies (examples) EU: France (CTI), Germany (Akkreditierungsrat), Italy (ASFOR), Spain (ANECA), UK (ODLQC), Austria (FHC), The Netherlands (NVAO), etc. USA: CHEA, DETC [ Identify best practices (focusing on pedagogical issues) Eligibility Pedagogy Management [ Accreditation System: Processes and criteria Policies (quality, management), teaching methods, institution support to students Staff and faculty CVs, resources, programme history, student results [ Experimentation (presented later on) At selected courses from KTH and Politecnico di Milano Improve the accreditation system [ European Proposal DLAE Project: Methodology

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB10 DLAE Project: First Results - General Accreditation Process

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB11 DLAE Project: First Results - Eligibility Criteria Eligibility criteria: [ Your degree is at the master level (actual interest of SIG- DLAE partners). [ Your programme is distance e-learning supported. [ Your institution has an explicit quality policy. [ Your programme has, at least, been running during the past two years.

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB12 DLAE Project: First Results - Pedagogical Evaluation Requirements (professional profile) Objectives Contents Tools Realization Long term evaluation Middle term assessment Pedagogical evaluation Pedagogical & technological evaluation Student’s satisfaction

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB13 DLAE Project: First Results - Management Evaluation Human Resources Management Faculty Training of staff Administration Physical Resources Hardware and software Security Institution Mission statement Communication Admission Legal issues Relation with enterprises Quality plan Resources

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB14 [ First version of Accreditation System, to be experimented [ Survey (presented later on) [ Publications (articles) [ Links (EQO, next meeting in Essen, CHEA, DETC, next meeting in Washington) [ Questions under review Eligibility Criteria Pedagogical Criteria Management Criteria DLAE Project: First Results - Current status and next steps

1st December 2004 Authors: ENPC, ALTRAN SDB15 Thank you very much for your attention! For more information: Questions?