Conference Report: Quality Assurance in Open and Distance Learning. European and International Perspectives, September 28‐30, 1993, Cambridge, U.K.

1994 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-50
Author(s):  
Jane Brindley
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Conference Report ◽  
International Perspectives ◽  
Report Quality ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Open and Distance Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 1079-1097
Author(s):  
Vimbi Petrus Mahlangu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
New Public ◽  
The World ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

The purpose of this chapter is to argue that all open and distance learning (ODL) institutions should carry out quality assurance and accreditation processes in order for students and funders to have confidence in them. It also explains in detail what quality assurance and accreditation entails in ODL. This chapter follows a qualitative approach in understanding quality assurance and accreditation in ODL. Data were collected via literature review. During recent decades, the discourse and practices of systematic quality assurance and quality control have spread around the world, resulting to a great extent in market-based models related to the ideology and policy of neo-liberalism and expressed in economic rationalities such as new public management, total quality management, public choice, and human capital. Quality assurance and accreditation in ODL aims to maintain and raise the quality of education and to guarantee the improvement of its standards.

Quality Assurance in Open and Distance Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 22-35
Author(s):  
Amir Manzoor
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Learning Institutions

Today, open and distance-learning universities are regarded as a groundbreaking option to expand access to higher education. Economies of scale supported by a large number of enrolments have fueled the growth of open and distance learning institutions (ODLIs) across the globe. At the same time, many have raised serious concerns about the quality of education provided by ODLIs. This chapter presents a comparative case analysis of quality assurance (QA) programs in distance education at two large open and distance learning universities in Pakistan. The study explored QA policies and their implementation in the context of management practices and structures and internal and external environmental factors.

scholarly journals Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Distance Education Programs in Vietnam: Rationale and Future Directions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Huu Cuong ◽  
Le My Phong
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The World ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

Distance and online education are popular training modes in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and open education. Accreditation is one of the approaches that many countries across the world have implemented to assure the quality of higher education, including distance learning programs. This study investigates the rationale and future directions for quality assurance and accreditation of distance education programs in Vietnam. First, the paper presents concepts of distance education, and quality assurance and accreditation of distance education. Second, the research reviews experiences of implementing quality assurance and accreditation for distance education from several countries in the world. Next, the paper analyses the rationale for conducting accreditation of distance education programs in our country. Finally, the study proposes three groups of recommendations for the national quality assurance organization, accreditation agencies and higher education institutions to be able to implement the quality assurance and accreditation of distance education in Vietnam successfully. Keywords Quality assurance; Accreditation; Distance education; Online learning; Higher education References [1] UNESCO, Distance education in Asia and the Pacific: country papers, Volume III (Singapore - Vietnam), 2009. www.unesco.org/education/pdf/53-23c.pdf.[2] UNESCO, Open and distance learning: trends, policy and strategy considerations, 2002. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001284/128463e.pdf.[3] Owusu-Boampong, A. & Holmberg, C., Distance education in European higher education – the potential, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, International Council for Open and Distance Education and Study Portals B.V, 2015.[4] Australian University, Distance learning Australia, 2018. http://www.australianuniversities.com.au/distance-learning/.[5] Darojat, O., Nilson, M. & Kaufman, D., Quality assurance in Asian open and distance learning: policies and implementation, Journal of Learning for Development, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2015) 1. [6] Jung, I. & Latchem, C., Quality assurance and accreditation in distance education and e-learning: models, policies and research, Routledge, London, 2012.[7] Wang, Qi., Quality assurance - best practices for assessing online programs, International Journal on Elearning, Vol. 5, No. 2 (2006) 265. [8] Friedman, J., 10 facts about accreditation in online degree programs, U.S.News & World Report, February 9, 2017. https://www.usnews.com.[9] U.S. Department of Education., Accrediting agencies recognized for distance education and correspondence education, 2018. https://www2.ed.gov. [10] The Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-learning (ACODE), Benchmarks for technology enhanced learning, ACODE, Canberra, 2014.[11] Bollaert, L., NVAO’s accreditation of online education in a nutshell, 2015. https://www.nvao.net.[12] Henderikx, P. & Ubachs, G., Quality assurance and accreditation of online and distance higher education, 2017. https://www.unic.ac.cy.[13] Stella A. & Gnanam, A., Quality assurance in distance education: The challenges to be addressed, Higher Education, Vol. 47, No. 2 (2004) 143.[14] Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), Code of practices for open and distance learning, MQA, Kuala Lumpur, 2013.[15] COL, DEMP & UNESCO, Quality assurance toolkit for distance higher education institutions and programmes, COL, Vancouver, 2009.[16] Vietnamnet, Mở đào tạo từ xa sẽ không cần cấp phép, 2017. http://vietnamnet.vn. [17] Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Quality assurance of online learning: discussion paper, TEQSA, Melbourne, 2017. [18] Nhân dân Điện tử, Phát triển đào tạo từ xa đúng hướng, 2017. http://www.nhandan.com.vn.[19] Nguyễn Hữu Cương, Một số kết quả đạt được của kiểm định chất lượng giáo dục đại học Việt Nam và hướng triển khai trong tương lai, Tạp chí Quản lý giáo dục, Tập 9 Số 8 (2017) 7.[20] Cục QLCL - Bộ GD-ĐT, Danh sách các CSGD đại học; các trường cao đẳng, trung cấp sư phạm, đã hoàn thành báo cáo tự đánh giá, được kiểm định, 2018 (dữ liệu cập nhật đến ngày 31/8/2018).[21] Cục QLCL - Bộ GD-ĐT, Danh sách các chương trình đào tạo được đánh giá/công nhận, 2018 (dữ liệu cập nhật đến ngày 31/8/2018).

scholarly journals The THE OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING AND ITS QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM IN UNIVERSITAS TERBUKA

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aminudin Zuhairi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Assurance System ◽  
Online Tutorials ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Iso 27001 ◽  
Operational Aspects

Universitas Terbuka (UT) telah befungsi sejak 1984 untuk memperluas kesempatan belajar bagi seluruh warga negara Indonesia dari berbagai lapisan guna menempuh pendidikan tinggi berkualitas. Makalah ini menyajikan aspek operasional pendidikan terbuka dan jarak jauh beserta sistem penjaminan kualitas UT. Deskripsi dan analisis tentang UT disampaikan dalam hal sistem pembelajaran, asesmen pembelajaran, dan sistem pendukung layanan operasional. Beragam layanan pendukung pembelajaran diberikan sesuai kebutuhan mahasiswa meliputi pembelajaran jarak jauh dengan tutorial online, pembelajaran jarak jauh blended dengan tutorial tatap muka dan online, pembelajaran jarak jauh dengan semua matakuliah didukung tutorial tatap muka, dan pembelajaran fully online. Sistem penjaminan kualitas UT meliputi pengembangan budaya kerja berkualitas sebagai tanggung jawab bersama, fokus pada pencegahan, dan pengembangan mekanisme asesmen kualitas secara internal dan eksternal. UT telah mengadopsi Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) Quality Assurance Framework sejak tahun 2001. Asesmen dan review kualitas secara eksternal telah dilakukan melalui sertifikasi ISO 9001 dan ISO 27001, akreditasi Program Studi dan Institusi oleh Badan Akreditasi Nasional Perguruan Tinggi (BAN-PT), dan review kualitas oleh International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). Arah ke depan UT sebagaimana dinyatakan oleh Menteri Riset, Teknologi, dan Pendidikan Tinggi 2014-2015 adalah tantangan UT sebagai pelopor cyber university di Indonesia serta menyediakan matakuliah online bagi mahasiswa dari perguruan tinggi di Indonesia lain agar memiliki pengalaman pembelajaran online. Universitas Terbuka (UT) has been functioning since 1984 to widen opportunities for the citizens of Indonesia from all geographical, social and economic backgrounds to have access to quality higher education. This paper presents the UT operational aspects of open and distance learning and its quality assurance system. The description and analysis of UT is presented in terms of teaching and learning system, assessment of student learning, and operational support system. The UT modes of learning support to students are provided based on the students’ needs to include distance learning with online tutorials, blended distance learning with face-to-face and online tutorials, distance learning with all courses supported by face-to-face tutorials, and fully online learning courses. Quality assurance is discussed in terms of the development of quality work culture as shared responsibility, focus on prevention, and the establishment of mechanism for internal and external assessment. UT has adopted the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) Quality Assurance Framework since 2001. External quality assessment includes certification for ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, Study Program and Institution accreditations by the National Board of Higher Education Accreditation (BAN-PT), and quality reviews by the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). Future directions of UT as stated by the former Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education was to be pioneer in cyber university and to provide online courses for students from other universities in Indonesia.

scholarly journals A Comparative Case Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Des Monk ◽  
Julie Hitchen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Institutional Practice ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Strategic Thought

This article is concerned with the provision of open and distance learning by the higher education sectors in two countries, the UK and Finland. The central contention is that more strategic thought must be given to this issue if the potential benefits of such learning are to be maximized. The article considers in detail institutional practice in one UK university and compares it to practice in a Finnish institution to ascertain whether procedures and practices adopted in Finland might inform policies in UK universities. By way of conclusion, it is suggested that higher education institutions in both countries need to explore the importance of improved networking, develop better quality-assurance procedures and introduce changes in pedagogic practice.

scholarly journals Quality Improvement, Quality Assurance, and Benchmarking: Comparing two frameworks for managing quality processes in open and distance learning

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Quality Framework ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Similarities And Differences

<P>Managing quality processes become critically important for higher education institutions generally, but especially for institutions involved in open and distance learning. In Australia, managers of centers responsible for open and distance learning have identified two frameworks that potentially offer ways of conceiving of the application of quality processes: the Quality Framework published in Inglis, Ling, and Joosten (1999); and the Benchmarking Framework published in McKinnon, Walker, and Davis (2000). However, managers who have been considering applying one or other framework within their institutional contexts have had to face the issue of how they should choose between, or combine the use, of these frameworks. Part of their dilemma lies in distinguishing among the related functions of quality improvement, quality assurance, and benchmarking. This article compares the frameworks in terms of their scope, institutional application, structures, and method of application, and then considers what implications the similarities and differences between the frameworks have for their use.</P>

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