| |
 | News |
 |
|
Conference Success
(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.
The programme was designed to be varied and interactive. After a welcome and introduction from Eileen Webb, SIG Chair, Maria Papaefthimiou gave a brief overview of the SIG’s work to date and put the event into context before introducing our keynote speaker, Colin Raban from the University of Derby.
As always Colin’s presentation was interesting and thought provoking. In his talk he contrasted between the enquiring culture of the learning and teaching community and the compliance culture of the quality assurance community. He questioned our definition of enhancement and suggested if enhancement is to realise its full potential we must radically rethink our approach to assurance. The more rigorous the QA procedures, the more we fall into a process he refers to as ‘Unintelligent Accountability’ where frank reporting is inhibited, becoming less truthful and more akin to public relations documents. Changing the emphasis from assurance to enhancement will require us to change the culture, and not just the systems, of our institutions. However, our ability to do this will depend on the force and direction of the sector’s “prevailing winds”. He concluded with the prediction that it is unlikely we will ever return to the days of self regulation, but there is most likely going to be more emphasis on state regulation and certainly market demands. (A copy of Colins slides are available below).
In the following session Mark Gamble from the Sig Steering Group presented the main findings and recommendations coming out of the SIG’s recent publication: ‘QAA Code of Practice Section 2: Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning) - A Commentary & Critique'. This document developed in consultation with SIG members and the wider community has been presented to the QAA, where it was well received. However, it seems unlikely that the QAA will fully address the issues of technology supported learning in the very near future, and there is likely to be more work required in this area. After Mark’s presentation Eileen Webb briefly introduced the draft toolkit being developed by the SIG Steering Group. The toolkit entitled ‘Harnessing Quality Assurance Processes to Enhance Technology Enabled Learning’ is designed as an “at a glance” framework and tools for academics and support staff to use when considering employing technology to enhance course delivery. After a brief overview delegates were asked to discuss the toolkit and feedback comments and suggestions. This led to a lively and fruitful discussion eating into the scheduled lunch hour. There were many useful comments and contributions which will be incorporated into the development work. Delegates were asked to continue this discussion outside the conference and provide further comments if possible. A copy of the draft toolkit is below, please send any comments or suggestions you may have on it to e.r.webb@tees.ac.uk.
Immediately after lunch the session was designed to engage delegates in discussion and prevent the natural impulse to slumber engendered by a wonderful lunch. Led by Dave O’Hare of the SIG Steering Group he linked together the main themes emerging from the morning’s presentations and discussions and invited delegates to discuss and identify one aspect they would take away with them and act upon. This was followed by a short group discussion and identification of suitable questions to pose to the panel in the last session.
For the last hour Harvey Mellar from the Institute of Education and Ambassador of the SIG chaired a lively panel discussion. The panel consisting of Peter Findlay, Quality Assurance Agency; Derek Morrison, Higher Education Academy; Gill Ferrell, JISC and Colin Raban, University of Derby effectively summed up the issues of the day. In summary, a very lively, interactive, informative and thought provoking day.
The SIG Steering Group would like all participants for their contributions.
Click here to download Toolkit 010710 draft.doc
Click here to download QAQE conf. Colin Raban.pdf
Click here to download QAQE conf. Dave OHare.pdf
Click here to download QAQE conf. Eileen Webb and Maria-Christiana Papaefthimiou.pdf
Click here to download QAQE conf. Mark Gamble.pdf
Click here to download P1000705.JPG
Click here to download P1000681.JPG
Click here to download P1000684.JPG
Click here to download P1000687a.jpg
Click here to download P1000690.JPG
Click here to download P1000699.JPG
| |
|
Commentary and Critique of the QAA Code of Practice Section 2
(posted on 1 July, 2010)
The final version of the SIG's 'QAA Code of Practice Section 2: Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning) - A Commentary & Critique' has now been sent to the QAA. Download your copy here..
Click here to download QAQE_Report_final.pdf
| |
|
Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in e-Learning Conference
(posted on 24 June, 2010)
******REMINDER, BOOK NOW WHILE THERE ARE STILL PLACES******
July 2nd 2010
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). Actively seeking your contributions to the QAQE debate, the day will include networking opportunities and participatory sessions and to explore practitioner needs.
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 from Professor Colin Raban, Director of Quality Enhancement at the University of Derby, consultation on findings from the HE Academy funded QAQE project and panel debate on future agendas including panel members from QAA, HE Academy and JISC.
Booking details and programme can be found via the following link:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2010/jointevents/QAQESIG6July1 | |
|
Final draft for consultation of the QAQE SIG Report on the QAA Code of Practice Section 2
(posted on 6 May, 2010)
Please find attached the final draft for consultation of the QAQE SIG Report on the QAA Code of Practice Section 2: Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning). Many of you will have contributed to this, either online via discussion on Elluminate or by survey, or directly in the two workshops we ran, and we would like to thank those who did for their contributions. The Report attached will be sent to the QAA as representative of the QAQE SIG as a whole, and the Steering Group would like to give you the opportunity to review this final draft and let us have any feedback you might wish by Monday May 17th.
Please regard the document as an internal draft for comment and send any
comments you have back to myself e.r.webb@tees.ac.uk by Monday May 17th.
Click here to download QAQE_Report_v4-3.doc
| |
|
Transforming Higher Education Through Technology Enhanced Learning
(posted on 19 January, 2010)
The HEA has just published "Transforming Higher Education Through Technology Enhanced Learning" edited by Terry Mayes, Derek Morrison, Harvey Mellar, Peter Bullen and Martin Oliver. It includes a chapter by Harvey Mellar and Magdalena Jara on quality assurance. Further details of how to download a free copy plus some clever chapter visualisations in the Academy's Enhancement Academy blog http://elearning.heacademy.ac.uk/weblogs/ea/
| |
|
SIG Newsletter - January 2010
(posted on 12 January, 2010)
Attached is the January 2010 newsletter.
Click here to download QA-QE SIG Newsletter Jan 2010.pdf
| |
|
Survey on QAA Code of practice
(posted on 11 January, 2010)
A short survey designed by the SIG is available at:
http://tinyurl.com/yexa58w
This short survey is designed to support the activities of the QA-QE Special Interest Group (SIG) for e-learning focusing on developing a commentary and critique on the QAA Code of Practice and developing a Quality Enhancement toolkit for e-learning to support practitioners.
We invite your input to help us collect valuable data in this area | |
|
SIG ALT-C presentation
(posted on 7 October, 2009)
SIG members presented at ALT-C in Manchester, Maria, Eileen and Dave gave a short paper entitled "Quality assurance and quality enhancement – the issues for the e-learning community". Much useful discussion followed and in particular around activities in Sweden in this area by the subsequent speaker.
Details of the SIG were provided and the audience were invited to participate in the activities of the SIG | |
|
SIG receives HEA Grant
(posted on 1 September, 2009)
The HEA has made a £10,000 grant for 2009-2010 in order to support the work of the QA-QE in e-learning SIG. In agreement with the HEA this will be used to support three activities:
o Develop a commentary and critique of the QAA Code of Practice Section 2
o Develop a trainer’s on-line toolkit for quality enhancement of e-learning
o Hold the first of its annual conference.
We will be commencing this work with a series of on-line consultations and face to face meetings in September.
Below is a more detailed account of these three activities:
1. Develop a commentary and critique of the QAA Code of Practice Section 2 (QAA
2004) through two one-day workshops drawing on the expertise and experience of
the SIG membership and with a view to further engaging with the QAA to build on
and develop the Code of Practice.
2. Develop a trainer’s on-line toolkit for ‘Quality enhancement of
collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning including
eLearning’ based on the face-to-face workshops run by SIG members within the
Pathfinder Network project 'QA-QE in e-learning' and that aims to support the
embedding of quality enhancement and learning in academic practice in these
areas. The toolkit would address issues of needs analysis; business case;
course design and validation, and could also provide a template for similar
toolkits addressing other sections of the code more thoroughly from the same
perspective that we would hope to developed in the future (outside the present
sought funding).
Particular consideration will be given to addressing problems associated with
disaggregation of processes, distributed teams, distant location of students,
openness to review of materials and the issues of access and equity associated
with large scale delivery of courses and the appropriate use of technologies
for a distributed and diverse student group.
3. Hold the first of its annual conferences in conjunction with the HEA and
QAA to share the findings from activity (1) and disseminate the outputs of
activity 2 (which we will do within the funding requested here, and will not be
asking HEA/QAA for additional funds for this). | |
|
Special Issue of 'Quality Assurance in Education'
(posted on 15 August, 2009)
The journal 'Quality Assurance in Education' has just published a special issue on 'Assuring quality in e-learning'.
It contains a paper by QA-QE SIG members Magdalena Jara and Harvey Mellar entitled 'Factors affecting quality enhancement procedures for e-learning courses'.
Other papers include:
* Professional development: assuring quality in e-learning policy and practice
* Developing quality in e-learning: a framework in three parts
* Quality management in course development and delivery at the University of the West Indies Distance Education Centre
* E-learning quality assurance: a process-oriented lifecycle model
* Web 2.0 – e-learning 2.0 – quality 2.0? Quality for new learning cultures
See:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do;jsessionid=E1A35190FF99C34718FE5CADB2688E70?containerType=Issue&containerId=15001348 | |
|
Feedback on resources on the QA-QE SIG web-site
(posted on 5 June, 2009)
You might be interested to hear feedback from Cheri Logan (University of Cumbria) on some of the resources available on the QA-QE web-site.
Pedagogic templates for e-learning (Institute of Education)
“This is a great resource, and I particularly like the ability to personalize/customize it against a series of questions that you can respond to. It really does its job and I am circulating it to my colleagues. Thanks to IoE colleagues for all this good work” – Cheri Logan (University of Cumbria)
E-learning Validation Criteria (Institute of Education)
“Very useful guide to key issues, and helpful in that I am trying to begin negotiations with our academic office on profiling elearning issues for validation.” – Cheri Logan (University of Cumbria)
An E-learning Model (University of Teesside)
“I liked the pedagogical underpinning to the conclusions drawn here, and will use this document to inform our own thinking at Univ of Cumbria. We are currently embarked on a big change programme and we are a distributed university, so this is very relevant. Thank you.” – Cheri Logan (University of Cumbria)
Minimum Standard: Use of the Virtual Learning Environment (University of Teesside)
“I'm really grateful to colleagues in the SIG for undertaking such developments and then sharing them with others. This takes aspects I had already encountered in Teesside's more extensive document and puts them into a practical context. They provide very good guidelines for the standards we should be looking to achieve. Thank you” – Cheri Logan (University of Cumbria)
We would like to thank Cheri for taking the time to provide this feedback - we hope that you all will act similarly if you download and use any of the resources. In this way, the sector can build a picture of what the really useful and quality resources are. As well as providing feedback, you can also "rate" the resources available on a scale of 1 to 5. | |
|
QA-QE SIG deliver Workshop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
(posted on 18 May, 2009)
March 15th – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Maria Papaefthimiou, Magdalena Jara, Brian Sayer and Harvey Mellar led two workshops (one workshop for men and one for women) entitled “Effective application of quality assurance and enhancement procedures to e learning and blended learning courses” preceding the First International Conference of e-Learning and Distance Learning http://tinyurl.com/oswkhf
Click here to download DSCN1103.JPG
| |
|
Prominence of SIG in HEA benchmarking/pathfinder publication
(posted on 1 April, 2009)
The QA-QE SIG gets a special mention in the HEA e-learning benchmarking and pathfinder programme.
This sector wide publication concentrating on the impacts of these programmes draws particular attention to the SIG and its aims and activities.
Click here to download bandpglossyfinal_update19mar09.pdf
| |
|
QE workshop at the IoE (with EADTU e-xcellence project)
(posted on 4 March, 2009)
The SIG held a successful workshop at the IoE knowledge lab on 27th February. Following a stimulating presentation from Colin Raban (University of Derby) on the tensions between Quality assurance and Quality enhancement, the EADTU team demonstrated their quickscan tool. The presentations were recorded and are available via this link:
http://tinyurl.com/qe-sig-workshop
| |
|
Derek Morrison highlights the value of SIGs
(posted on 27 February, 2009)
In a recent post on the HEA blog, Derek supports the SIGs as "potentially important resources for the UK HE sector"
The link to the blog can be found here:
http://elearning.heacademy.ac.uk/weblogs/ea/?p=55#more-55 | |
|
Online Educa workshop - Berlin Dec 2008
(posted on 6 February, 2009)
Members of the SIG Steering Group (Maria, Dave, plus Brian Sayer from University of London) delivered a very successful workshop at Educa. 25 participants from 16 different countries discussed the challenges around quality enhancement for courses using online learning. There was a very useful exchange of experiences and ideas across national boundaries and contexts.
We aim to build on the success of this workshop and run future events both in the UK and abroad, which will further publicise the work of the SIG.
Following on from this workshop a paper has been submitted by the team to Edmedia 2009. | |
|
Launch of the QA-QE Special Interest Group at ALT-C 2008
(posted on 4 February, 2009)
The Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement Special Interest Group will be launched during ALT-C on Wednesday 10 September - University of Leeds, Sports Hall 2, 1-2pm.
Come along and hear more about the SIG and talk to those who have helped to start it up.
Click here to download flyerv3.2.pdf
| |
|
|