Quality Assurance in Distance Education and E-Learning: Challenges and Solutions from Asia

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Insung Jung ◽  
Tat Wong ◽  
Tian Belawati
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Learning Challenges ◽  
E Learning

scholarly journals Quality Assurance of Online and Distance Learning Education for SAARC Region during Covid-19 Situation

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-519
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zia-ur- Rehman ◽  
Asif Mahmood ◽  
Maria Zia
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Survey Techniques ◽  
Learning Challenges ◽  
Quality Assurance Mechanism ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Ict Infrastructure ◽  
Second Wave

The outbreak of second wave of COVID-19 pandemic has again halted routine life of normal citizen across the globe. The nature always support the change for better future and covid-19 has provide chance to change challenges into opportunities. This study is sought to examine post Covid-19 effects on ICT infrastructure for e-learning education and its quality assurance mechanism in SAARC countries. This research is descriptive in nature and use comparative analysis of numerous challenges faced by SAARC member countries for implementation of E-learning. Challenges and limitation are also brush-up for further refinement in future in these areas. Future researchers may conduct survey techniques in explanatory research on implementation of ICT infrastructure of SAARC region countries. SAARC member countries may take lead from this study to address challenges and their solutions for development and implementation of E-learning.

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 Quality Assurance, Open and Distance Learning, and Australian Universities

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Education Quality Assurance ◽  
Australian Universities

<P>Open and distance education has integrated quality assurance processes since its inception. Recently, the increased use of distance teaching systems, technologies, and pedagogies by universities without a distance education heritage has enabled them to provide flexible learning opportunities. They have done this in addition to, or instead of, face-to-face instruction, yet the practice of quality assurance processes as a fundamental component of distance education provision has not necessarily followed these changes. </P> <P>This paper considers the relationship between notions of quality assurance and open and distance education, between quality assurance and higher education more broadly, and between quality assurance and the implementation of recent quality audits in Australian universities. The paper compares quality portfolios submitted to the Australian Universities Quality Agency by two universities, one involved in distance education, the other not involved. This comparison demonstrates that the relationship is variable, and suggests that reasons for this have more to do with business drivers than with educational rationales. </P> <P><STRONG>Keywords: </STRONG>distance education, quality assurance, online learning, e-learning, audit, higher education</P>

Enabling continuous improvement in online teaching and learning through e-learning capability and maturity assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1687-1707
Author(s):  
Mohammad Issack Santally ◽  
Yousra Banoor Rajabalee ◽  
Roopesh Kevin Sungkur ◽  
Mohammad Iqbal Maudarbocus ◽  
Wolfgang Greller
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Dual Mode ◽  
Learning Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Maturity Assessment ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

PurposeThe University of Mauritius (UoM) established as a traditional face-to-face university has been engaged in distance education since 1993 and in e-learning since 2001 to establish itself as a dual-mode institution. In a context where it has engaged itself to promote its internationalization of online courses and a digital learning transformation process, there is a need to assess and evaluate its current e-learning capability to identify areas of good practices and opportunities for improvement to ensure a high quality of e-learning provisions. The paper reports the results of an assessment of the e-learning capability and the related quality assurance processes of the University of the Mauritius using the e-learning Maturity Model (eMM). Quality assurance in higher education is still a key issue, especially with the ever-growing influence of technology and the disruption that the Internet has caused with respect to e-learning and distance education provisions. No university in Mauritius has ever engaged in such an assessment of their e-learning capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe EMM and the Open Learning Consortium Quality Scorecard Suite were found to be the most complete models in terms of available documentation and description of how to carry out the evaluation with respect to each process area as compared to the other models described in the literature review section. The EMM was, however, chosen as the model to be used for the UoM, given that there already exists a body of knowledge about its applications in different universities that operate in similar contexts. The researcher is at the heart of the process in the role of an ‘eLearning quality auditor’. Therefore, the research used mainly desk studies, and analysis of annual reports as well as a consultative approach with key stakeholders based on a consensus model to reach a rating for each element in the EMMv2.3 instrument. The rating is based on evidence that is available and verifiable through desk research and documentation.FindingsWe found out that the main strengths of the university were in the learning process areas mainly because of the need to follow existing quality assurance procedures in place at different phases of a course of life cycle, irrespective of the course modality. On the other hand, across all process areas, the university fared well in the delivery dimension, and this finding is consistent with other universities that were assessed using the EMM. However, it was found that the EMM in current form was more adapted for the assessment of universities operating fully as open or virtual universities rather than those operating as dual-mode institutions or as traditional universities promoting technology-enabled learning. The weakest link was the optimization dimension across all process areas, and the process area that needs more attention for improvement was the evaluation process area. Overall, the university can reasonably be pitched at level two (Repeatable) of the capability maturity model scale used for information systems maturity assessment, but operating towards level three (Defined).Originality/valueThe work presented here has never been carried out for any university in Mauritius, and there have been no reported evaluations or applications within the African region. It allows the university to benchmark and compare its standing with respect to other universities operating as dual-mode institutions and as a reference for other universities in Mauritius as well.

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