1.
23.09.2011
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A Quality Dialogue-
From Inspection to
Inspiration
Ingeborg Bø,
Norway
European Foundation for Quality in E-learning
1
A Quality Dialogue
Inspiration From
Inspection
To
Ingeborg Bø
EDEN Senior Fellow, Norway
2
I shall speak about:
Quality through dialogue
The context within which we are operating
Models for quality assurance
A case study from Norway
Thoughts at the end
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http://www.youtube.com/visitnorway#p/u/38/Jz_fo5-wfUk
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Scotland
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2.
23.09.2011
2
7
My golden learning perspectives
- after 40 years
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My golden learning
perspectives after 40
years in
distance education:
always keep the student´s needs in mind
use technology to the benefit of learning
and make it accessible
ensure high quality through a quality
culture
9
My reference points
y NADE - Norwegian Association for Distance and
Flexible Education www.nade-nff.no
y EDEN – European Distance and E-learning Network
http://www.eden-online.org
y ICDE – International Council for Open and Distance
Education www.icde.org
y EFQUEL – European Foundation for Quality in
E-learning http://www.qualityfoundation.org
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Euroean Foundation for
Quality in E-Learning EFQUEL
http://www.qualityfoundation.org/
™A membership organisation, 100 members
™EFQUEL enhances
the quality of eLearning in Europe by
providing services for members
and support for all stakeholders
™Networking: Innovation Forum 14 -16 Sept.2011, Oeiras,
Portugal
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Theme for this seminar:
Higher Education
Rankings
and e-learning
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3.
23.09.2011
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Have fun
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Tony Bates and Albert Sangrà, 2011
http://batesandsangra.ca
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Quality assurance and evaluation (Chapter 6)Bates and Sangrà
(2011)
Quality assurance methods are valuable for accreditation agencies
concerned about institutions using e-learning to cut corners or
reduce costs without maintaining standards.
They can be useful for providing instructors new to teaching with
technology, or struggling with its use, with models of best
practice to follow.
However, the best guarantees of quality in e-learning are a
commitment by the leadership to supporting innovation in
teaching, instructors well trained in both pedagogy and the use
of technology for teaching, highly qualified and professional
learning technology support staff, adequate resources
(especially regarding instructor:student ratios), appropriate
methods of working (teamwork, project management), and
systematic evaluation.
Generally, the same standards that apply to online learning should
also apply to face-to-face teaching.
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Recommendation 9
(Bates and Sangrà)
Use standard methods of program approval, review and
evaluation, slightly adapted for the special
circumstances of online learning.
Ensure that learner support is provided in suitable ways
for off-campus students.
Use a team approach, with instructional designers and
web support staff, and best practice in online course
design, for hybrid and distance courses.
Ensure that the course design is adapted to meet the
needs of off-campus learners.
Begin applying some of these techniques to the re-design
of large face-to-face classes.
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” I could never have accomplished my Master’s
degree without the possiblity to study via e-learning,”
says Mona Berg Jenssen, mother of three children,
rector of a high school. 17
Congratulations to Marte
Baade
Netstudent of the year 2010
Norway!!
She is an active student at NKI, has
completed
three courses in child care, passed
exams and now doing her fourth course.
She is almost blind.
”She is an excellent student, ambitious,
structured in her studies and very active
in the Forum supporting and encouraging
her fellow students.”
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4.
23.09.2011
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y http://gfx.nrk.no/vewStzq0
dLU3qr-
PsB61HQ4kKgZbPvcLU
SAUW9o5pssw.jpg
y The netteacher of the year 2010 Norway: Mathis Persen Bongo
y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5RgrxxQSoc
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The Social web
Facebook, twitter, linkdin, slideshare, open educational resources, open educational
practises, user generated content etc. etc.
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OECD-CERI
Quality assurance in Tertiary Education:
Current Practises in OECD Countries.
Viktoria Kis, August 2005
www.oecd.org/edu/tertiary/review
Quality assurance procedures can serve two
major purposes:
improvement and accountability.
There is an uneasy balance between both
purposes, which frequently raises the
question of incompatibility (Vroeijenstijn,
1995a).
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A different approach to quality
Maria Jose Lemaitre. President in RIACES, Iberoamerican Network for Quality Assessment and
Assurance in Higher Education,
Doing the same but better Innovate and improve
Improvement 22
Innovation
Current situation
Change: new issues, new
approaches
The Quality Dilemma
y Lack of recognition of e‐learning in many countries=
absence of standards
y Lack of differentiation between quality standards in e‐learning
and conventional education
y Global versus contextualized standards
y Difficulties in selecting appropriate quality approaches
y Lack of research and exchange of practices in some regions
of the world
Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou
Assistant Chancellor for Academic Development. HBMEU, Dubai
President of the Middle East e-Learning Association
The context
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5.
23.09.2011
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European University Association (EUA)
Recommendations on
Quality - 2009
1. Context sensitive
2. Developmental
approach
3. Inclusive
4. Engaging all key actors
1. Partnership HEI
– Agencies
2. Allow risk taking and
failure
3. Sharing experiences in
QA
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”Examining Quality Culture: Part 1 – Quality Assurance Processes
in Higher Education Institutions”
European University Association (EUA) PUBLICATIONS 2010
Quality assurance as a component of quality culture
“There needs to be a perceived value of quality assurance. Quality
culture and quality assurance are not the same thing. You can have
good QA in place but not necessarily a quality culture. The challenge
is linking the outcomes of QA to the development of a quality culture
that enhances the student experience.”
- Respondent to the survey
“Much of the quality is dependent on the informal nature of staff/student
relationships. The increasing calibration of quality indicators has led to
a concern that this relationship will become formalised and thus less
productive.” -
Respondent to the survey
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Quality assurance as a component of
quality culture (EUA)
“…quality culture refers to an organisational culture that
intends to enhance quality permanently and is
characterised by two distinct elements:
on the one hand, a cultural/psychological element of
shared values, beliefs, expectations and commitment
towards quality and,
on the other hand, a structural/ managerial element with
defined processes that enhance quality and aim at
coordinating individual efforts. “
(EUA 2006: 10)
European Federation for Quality in E-learning
http://www.qualityfoundation.org
The Foundation (2005) undertakes activities to:
y contribute to the quality of e-learning in Europe
and provides leadership in this field
y promote the European diversity of quality
approaches and services in the field of learning,
education and training
y broaden the discussion and discourse on
eLearning quality
y provide a single entry point for eLearning
quality.
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The OPAL Vision
Unesco, ICDE, EFQUEL, Open Univeristy UK, Aalto Univeristy, Universidade Católica
Portugese, University Duisburg-Essen
Focus on the practises of OER rather than the
resources. Better understanding will lead to
improvements in the quality of OER and more
innovation.
Open Educational Resource Practise (OEP)
constitute the range of practises around the
creation, use and management of OER with the
intent to improve quality and innovative education.
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EFQUEL Innovation Forum
2010
Innovation Forum 2010
”What are the
quality
implications in
an increasingly
open context?”
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6.
23.09.2011
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EFQUEL Innovation Forum 2010
Recommendations
”HOW CAN QUALITY APPROACHES EVOLVE AND ENHANCE
INCLUSION, INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE"
Leadership
Confidence
culture
Policy support
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EFQUEL Innovation Forum 2011
CERTIFY THE FUTURE...?!
Accreditation, Certification and Internationalisation
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Models for
Quality
Assurance
EUROPEAN DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING NETWORK
A NETWORK AND MEETING PLACE FOR
THE OPEN, DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING COMMUNITY IN EUROPE
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Different kinds of certification and
accreditation of e-learning
•Public accreditation. Regulatory
framework (European Network for Quality
Assurance, ENQUA)
•Certification of e-learning as part of
a broader system
(UNIQUE, EFMD-CEL)
•Certification within a system of
agreed association standards
(Commonwealth of Learning, EADTU
E-xcellence, NADE) 34
The UNIQUe Certification
History

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23.09.2011
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UNIQUe Value Proposition
A methodology for implementing
quality Technology Enhanced Learning(TEL)
system-wide throughout an institution
UNIQUe Value Proposition
Access to world class expertise in the
field of TEL quality management and
implementation
UNIQUe Value Proposition
Sustained support and continuous
engagement with
quality improvement processes
UNIQUe Value Proposition
Approach enhances
entire institutional innovation policy
UNIQUe Value Proposition
Continually evolving criteria and
standards
UNIQUe Value Proposition
A clear, standardised and transparent
system for
recognition and certification

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23.09.2011
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A Methodology for
System-Wide TEL
The UNIQUe Criteria
Each criterion looks at how
ICT is embedded into these processes
1. Application
y Formal process
y Submission of Application Data Form:
Short questionnaire
Factual information
English
Allows preliminary formal assessment of the university’s quality in
comparison with the UNIQUE quality criteria
Two types of institutions: universities or independent institutions
within university (schools, faculties,…)
2. Eligibility
y Formal acceptance of application
Start of process for quality improvement & accreditation
y UNIQUe supervising body
y No guarantee
y Introductory briefing session f2f/by phone
3. Self-Assessment
Higher Management in dialogue with stakeholders
Self-critical not promotional; strenghts-weaknesses,

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23.09.2011
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4. Peer-Review
y Pool of independent peer-reviewers: experts in HE, eLearning,
Quality, University Management
y Teams of 3 experts / trained reviewers
y Guidebook & tools (open questionnaires,...)
y Review of SAR and questionnaire results from staff and
students & background info
y Communicate list of persons they wish to interview & schedule
y Preparatory meeting reviewers
y Peer review visit (2-3 days): interviews with higher
management & other stakeholders (students, tutors,...)
y Preliminary conclusions & feedback establish agreed upon
developments
REPORT Peer-review report incl. Steps for future development
y Agreed upon developments – check after 1.5 years
y Ratings
y Recommendations
5. Awarding Body Decision
Chair + 4 expert members
Final decision
Recommendations from the reviewers
Certification 3 years
(with reporting of progress at 1.5 years)
Candidate certification: 1 year improvement
Non certification: -> 3 years
6. Continuous Improvement
Development RoR = Report on Results after 18 months
Based on the steps for improvement the Peer Review
Team had recommended
EUROPEAN DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING NETWORK
A NETWORK AND MEETING PLACE FOR
THE OPEN, DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING COMMUNITY IN EUROPE
A case study from Norway
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Norwegian Association for Distance and Flexible Education
NADE, a member organisation, founded in 1968
Formulated “Code of good practice for distance education”
Law regulating the activities from 1948 with an external
agency for quality control
New law 1993 introducing internal quality assurance
Quality guidelines developed in 1993 (Ljoså, Rekkedal
et.al), revised several times, latest 2010
NADE´s standing committee on quality since 1993
NOKUT: National agency for quality assurance regulates
tertiary education according to ENQUA´s Guidelines
(ESG)
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Norwegian Association for Distance and Flexible Education
Quality guidelines
y Regulated by law
y Institutions accredited by the Ministry of
Education
y Requires that the institutions have a system
for quality assurance
y The responsibility for quality guidelines lies
with NADE
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10.
23.09.2011
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NADE´s Quality guidelines 2011
A new structure with more focus on quality culture:
1. Quality management and quality work
2. Organisational issues
3. Course development
4. Information and counselling
5. Study-process (enrolment, administration and
information, tutors´ contract, tutoring, evaluation and
documentation)
55 56
Thoughts at the end
y Let us move from inspection to inspiration
and stimulate the development of a quality
culture
y Encourage dialogue between accreditation
bodies and distance education
practitioners
y Distance education must be accepted as
an integral part of the ordinary educational
system
y Put more focus on quality in the social web
57
My golden learning
perspectives after 40
years in
distance education:
always keep the student´s needs in mind
use technology to the benefit of learning
and make it accessible
ensure high quality through a quality
culture
58
Thank you!
ingebob@online.no
Slides at
http://www.slideshare.net/IngeborgBoe/
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