A recording of the webinar on the KIS is available to watch via this link

Thinking about the Key Information Set (KIS) and its impact on teaching quality and innovation?

The KIS will require teaching and learning methods to be categorised under three general headings: Scheduled learning and teaching activities, Guided Independent Study and Placement/Study Abroad.

Each is reported for each year of the course and the KIS has a headline figure (the percentage of the course spent overall in scheduled teaching and learning (i.e. the first category)).

Only the designated three categories can be used for the purpose of KIS reporting and each heading will present us with some challenges if we want to clearly articulate to students the richness of their learning experience.
With the encouraged, and increased, use of technology enhanced learning (TEL), will the KIS constrain innovation?
Institutions will want to ensure that they count all appropriate activities within the ‘scheduled learning’ heading and we shall need to consider how we interpret ‘guided independent study’. It is not clear how some activities are to be categorised and we will need to consider practice across the sector.

Join the online discussion with the QAQE SIG to consider these issues. Further information and a timetable is provided in this flyer.

The toolkit produced by the SIG has now been finalised and is now available from the JISC design studio and being developed as a JISC info kit.

We would like to thank colleagues both in the UK and overseas who have contributed to the development of the toolkit

2nd Annual Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in e-Learning Conference ‘Unsolved problems & Unknown issues’

14th June 2011 – Fielder Centre, University of Hertfordshire

This free one-day conference will explore challenges facing the sector in relation to assuring quality whilst also enabling quality enhancement and innovation through technology enhanced learning (TEL). We will be exploring the unsolved problems and trying to identify some of the unknown issues.

Technologies impact on all aspects of the learning process, including teaching, assessment and communication. In light of changes in technologies and the changing role of e-learning within higher education, guidance and policies associated with quality assurance and quality enhancement of technology enhanced learning (TEL) need to be considered and reviewed.

The day will include; a keynote address from Ingeborg Bø, a member of the Board of Directors of European Foundation for Quality in E-learning (EFQUEL); presentations from project teams who have been evaluating the QAQE toolkit (‘A Toolkit for Harnessing Quality Assurance Processes for Technology Enhanced Learning’), and a presentation from members of the University of Hertfordshire who will guide delegates through the development of their law course from face-to-face to distance learning. The day will conclude with a panel debate on future agendas.

Actively seeking your contributions to the QAQE debate, the day will include networking opportunities and participatory sessions and to explore practitioner needs.

[The conference is being held the day before, and at the same venue as, the International Blended Learning Conference (IBLC) so if delegates attending the IBLC would like to attend the QAQE conference, they would be most welcome.]

Booking details and programme can be found via the following link:

Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in e-Learning conference

Applications are invited for institutions to work with the QAQE E-learning Toolkit and produce a case study. Up to 4 awards of £1,000 will be made.

We are looking for a diverse set of case studies that explore how the use of the toolkit can support or enhance existing institutional processes, and identify ways in which the current toolkit draft can be developed. Read the rest of this entry »

3/12/10 Dave O’Hare hosted a lunch at Online Educa in Berlin, representatives from 5 countries and the following organizations/institutions were present; Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance and Career Development (Russia), University of Bologna, Vienna University, Bonn International University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands Schools group and also UNESCO.  The participants enjoyed a lively discussion on the operation of quality assurance for e-learning in their organisations and countries and explored the potential for future collaboration with the SIG.  The participants were also keen to inform the development of the QA for e-learning toolkit which they have all been sent a copy with a view to feedback their comments.

The toolkit was presented to the JISC EPED Experts Group on 20 Oct 2010 to approximately 45 e-Learning Experts from across the sector. Participants were asked to give feedback on the appropriateness of the key issues presented in the toolkit, relevance to their own institutions and to suggest additional resources to be included in the kit. It was received very positively, with FE colleagues suggesting that with some adaptation it would be useful for their sector as well as HE.
The SIG are progressing with the development work and continue to invite further contribution from interested parties

The SIG Steering Group have recently developed a draft toolkit entitled ‘Toolkit – Harnessing Quality Assurance Processes to Enhance Technology Enabled Learning’ Read the rest of this entry »

In the context of major changes in the use of the Internet, changing learners and technologies and an uncertain financial climate, HEIs are called on to provide increasing effectiveness and productivity whilst assuring and enhancing the quality of learning. However, what mechanisms do HEIs have in place to address, assure and enhance quality? What is the role of the QAA Code of Practice Section 2? Read the rest of this entry »

(originally posted on 8 July, 2010)

2 July, 2010 – Fielder Centre, University of Hertfordshire.
The QAQE in E-learning Special Interest Group held our first annual conference on Friday 2nd July at the University of Hertfordshire. On the day we welcomed delegates from across the sector including representatives from higher education institutions, academic, quality and support staff, the Higher Education Academy, the Quality Assurance Agency, JISC and Edexcel. Read the rest of this entry »