1. Assurance in Open and Distance eLearning
Seminar on
Quality Assurance in ODL Shanghai Open University, PR China
8 November 2016
Assurance in Open and Distance eLearning
Rebat Kumar Dhakal
School of Education, Kathmandu University
Hattiban, Lalitpur
Nepal

2. Why Quality Matters?
The promises that get students “in the door” won’t keep them there if their expectations are not met.
(Farrell, 2012, p. 10)
We should offer all students well-designed courses that help them achieve their learning goals.

3. Quality Assurance: Criteria?
Excellence
Exceptional or distinctiveness
Assured through external examiners
Fitness for purpose
Effectiveness
Does product or service fit the stated purpose?
Consistency
Quality as perfection
Examined through administrative processes audit
Value for money
Cost effectiveness
Judged against monetary cost / return on investment
Transformation
Value added element
Individual or institutional changes enabling better learning
Quality Assurance is a systematic evaluation of the various aspects of programs to maximize the probability of standards being achieved for specified performance indicators.
6/26/2018
(Adapted from Harvey & Green, 1993, as cited in Latchem, 2012, p. 15)

4. Institutional Commitment
• Learning outcomes
set at the appropriate level
clearly communicated to students
• Curriculum/Content and teaching methodologies
effective in enabling the student to achieve the outcomes
• Assessment
appropriately designed
rigorously administered
(Hope, 2001, p. 127)

5. Our Realities Barriers Resistance to Change Digital Divide
Central Challenges
Access (wider): web-based study is still not possible for most
Quality (higher)
Relevance (demand-driven)
Cost (lower)
Need
Education of higher quality at lower cost
Resistance to Change: Viewed with suspicion by conventional institutions and the public
Digital Divide: Inequality of access to the technology itself

6. Our Realities Attitudes towards distance learning
Copyright issues of e-contents  
Instructor and student concerns
Infrastructure problem, including technology
Online centers are not yet efficiently managed
Harnessing open education resources
(Valentine, 2002)
Integrating non-cognitive skills into the curriculum (Kunwar, 2012)
Harnessing open education resources
Instructors must be trained “not only to use technology, but also to shift the way in which they organize and deliver material” (Palloff & Pratt, 2000, p. 3, in Valentine, 2002).
Non-cognitive skills are those attitudes, behaviours, and strategies which facilitate success in school and workplace, such as motivation, perseverance, and self-control.

7. What kind of quality assurance mechanisms are to be adopted by DE providers?

8. Indicators of Quality Quality of registration
Quality of learning material distribution
Quality of learning support
Quality of examination and certification
(Suratinah & Antoro, 2009)

9. Effectiveness of DE Courses
Determined by:
student numbers
course length
learner’s educational backgrounds
instructional strategies and methods
type of learning activities
type of interaction
involvement level of tutors
level of instructor and administrator preparation
level of learning support

10. Checklist for DE Providers
Clearly defined learning objectives
Relevant and up-to date-curriculum
Well-designed teaching learning materials
Well-supported total learning package
Equitable access to and use of learning technology
Sustained staff development and training
Access to additional learning resources
(Hope, 2001, pp. 130, 138)

11. Reflections
A DE orientation program, or primer, can give prospective students an idea of how they will fare in a DE program.
Easy access to resources and timely feedback by tutors.
Staff development is fundamental
Providing faculty access to specialized resources and technical support for course development and delivery is also a sign of a quality DE initiative. (U.S. Department of Education, 2006)
Program review and evaluation cycle
Time to have a Open Education quality assurance agency (Zf}lIfs u'0f:t/ k/LIf0f s]Gb) at the national level.
Staff development is fundamental to quality service provision since most faculty come to DE with F2F classroom experience.

12. References
Farrell, G. M. (2012). Marketing and branding of open and distance learning: A topical, start-up guide to distance education practice and delivery. Vancouver, BC : Commonwealth of Learning. Hope, A. (2001). Quality assurance. In G.M. Farrel (Ed.), The changing faces of virtual education (pp ). Vancouver, BC : Commonwealth of Learning. Kunwar, A. (September 27, 2012). Four decades of ODL: Future directions. Commonwealth of Learning. Latchem, C. (2012). Quality assurance toolkit for open and distance non-formal education. Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning. Suratinah, & Antoro, S. D. (2009). Managing perfect distance services to meet the distance students complaints. AAOU Journal, 4(2), U. S. Department of Education. (March,2006). Evidence of quality in distance education programs drawn from interviews with the accreditation community. Author. Valentine, D. (Fall, 2002). Distance learning: Promises, problems, and possibilities .Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 5(3).

13. धन्यवाद
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