I shall speak about: Quality through dialogue

Transcription

1 A Quality Dialogue A Quality Dialogue- From Inspection to Inspiration From Inspection To Inspiration Ingeborg Bø, Norway European Foundation for Quality in E-learning Ingeborg Bø EDEN Senior Fellow, Norway 1 2 I shall speak about: Quality through dialogue Iceland The context within which we are operating Models for quality assurance A case study from Norway Norway Finland Thoughts at the end Sweden Scotland 3 Denmark 4 6 1

2 My golden learning perspectives - after 40 years 7 8 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 My reference points NADE - Norwegian Association for Distance and Flexible Education EDEN European Distance and E-learning Network ICDE International Council for Open and Distance Education EFQUEL European Foundation for Quality in 9 E-learning 10 Euroean Foundation for Quality in E-Learning EFQUEL 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 Sept.2011, Oeiras, Portugal Theme for this seminar: Higher Education Rankings and e-learning

3 Have fun Tony Bates and Albert Sangrà, 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. 15 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. 16 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. 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 She is an excellent student, ambitious, structured in her studies and very active in the Forum supporting and encouraging her fellow students. 18 3

4 The Social web Facebook, twitter, linkdin, slideshare, open educational resources, open educational practises, user generated content etc. etc. dlu3qr- PsB61HQ4kKgZbPvcLU SAUW9o5pssw.jpg The netteacher of the year 2010 Norway: Mathis Persen Bongo OECD-CERI Quality assurance in Tertiary Education: Current Practises in OECD Countries. Viktoria Kis, August 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). 21 A different approach to quality Maria Jose Lemaitre. President in RIACES, Iberoamerican Network for Quality Assessment and Assurance in Higher Education, Improvement Doing the same but better Current situation Innovation Innovate and improve Change: new issues, new approaches 22 The Quality Dilemma Lack of recognition of e learning in many countries= absence of standards Lack of differentiation between quality standards in e learning and conventional education Global versus contextualized standards Difficulties in selecting appropriate quality approaches 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 24 4

5 European University Association (EUA) Recommendations on Quality 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 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 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 The Foundation (2005) undertakes activities to: contribute to the quality of e-learning in Europe and provides leadership in this field promote the European diversity of quality approaches and services in the field of learning, education and training broaden the discussion and discourse on elearning quality provide a single entry point for elearning quality The OPAL Vision Unesco, ICDE, EFQUEL, Open Univeristy UK, Aalto Univeristy, Universidade Católica Portugese, University Duisburg-Essen EFQUEL Innovation Forum 2010 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. Innovation Forum 2010 What are the quality implications in an increasingly open context?

6 EFQUEL Innovation Forum 2010 Recommendations HOW CAN QUALITY APPROACHES EVOLVE AND ENHANCE INCLUSION, INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE" EFQUEL Innovation Forum 2011 CERTIFY THE FUTURE...?! Accreditation, Certification and Internationalisation Confidence culture Leadership Policy support 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 33 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 History The UNIQUe Certification 6

7 A methodology for implementing quality Technology Enhanced Learning(TEL) system-wide throughout an institution Access to world class expertise in the field of TEL quality management and implementation Sustained support and continuous engagement with quality improvement processes Approach enhances entire institutional innovation policy Continually evolving criteria and standards A clear, standardised and transparent system for recognition and certification 7

8 A Methodology for System-Wide TEL The UNIQUe Criteria 1. Application Formal process 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, ) Each criterion looks at how ICT is embedded into these processes 2. Eligibility Formal acceptance of application Start of process for quality improvement & accreditation 3. Self-Assessment Higher Management in dialogue with stakeholders Self-critical not promotional; strenghts-weaknesses, UNIQUe supervising body No guarantee Introductory briefing session f2f/by phone 8

9 4. Peer-Review Pool of independent peer-reviewers: experts in HE, elearning, Quality, University Management Teams of 3 experts / trained reviewers Guidebook & tools (open questionnaires,...) Review of SAR and questionnaire results from staff and students & background info Communicate list of persons they wish to interview & schedule Preparatory meeting reviewers Peer review visit (2-3 days): interviews with higher management & other stakeholders (students, tutors,...) Preliminary conclusions & feedback establish agreed upon developments REPORT Peer-review report incl. Steps for future development Agreed upon developments check after 1.5 years Ratings 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 EUROPEAN DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING NETWORK A case study from Norway A NETWORK AND MEETING PLACE FOR THE OPEN, DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING COMMUNITY IN EUROPE Development RoR = Report on Results after 18 months Based on the steps for improvement the Peer Review Team had recommended 52 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) Norwegian Association for Distance and Flexible Education Quality guidelines Regulated by law Institutions accredited by the Ministry of Education Requires that the institutions have a system for quality assurance The responsibility for quality guidelines lies with NADE

10 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) Thoughts at the end Let us move from inspection to inspiration and stimulate the development of a quality culture Encourage dialogue between accreditation bodies and distance education practitioners Distance education must be accepted as an integral part of the ordinary educational system 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