ENQA workshop on QA and e-learning seminar

In cooperation with AQU Catalunya, hosted by the Open University of Catalunya

Context:

The implementation of new technologies in the sector of higher education is a growing phenomenon in Europe. More and more programmes are delivered entirely, or in part, through e-learning. The use of modern technologies in teaching and learning creates new opportunities, opens up new challenges, and may pose new kinds of risks – some of these yet unknown or under-explored.

The impacts and benefits of the use of IT in teaching and learning and the consequences for the quality of the student experience are not simple to determine and measure, and the adaptability of the current quality assurance measures and criteria of programmes delivered entirely or in part via online methods, for example, are questions that QA agencies need to think about and find innovative solutions to.

Thus, the growth of e-learning in higher education opens new debates, which are of great relevance to QA agencies: management of diversity, competition and internationalisation, the concepts of quality, and even the sustainability of the existing structures in higher education. The ENQA workshop aimed to stimulate an observation to this new environment with cooperation from the stakeholders.

Concept:

The aim of this seminar was:

1. To start a discussion on QA of e-learning in the ENQA community
2. To present good practice
3. To encourage QA agencies to reflect on their future plans for QA on e-learning
4. To reflect on the challenges of an open education that is provided beyond national borders and how national QA agencies should deal with the quality of this provision

The event was composed of plenary sessions and working groups, to ensure a high degree of interactivity. The event was targeted mainly to European QA agencies, although institutional representatives, e-learning experts, and students were also welcome to participate and were invited to contribute to the event.

Fee: € 220

The final programme is available here.

Practical information is available here.

The list of participants is available here.

The following presentations are available:

Modernisation challenges for universities by Agneta Bladh

E-learning in the European Higher Education Area by Michael Gaebel

How to address e-learning in the work of the QA agencies? by Jon Lanestedt

Quality assurance MOOCs by Marinke Sussenbach

Materials presented during Marinke’s presentation are available here, and the results of the group survey are here.

Quality in OOF by George Ubachs

Programmes delivered online: the responsibility of the providers in QA (the case of UOC) by Christine Appel

QA of online HE: NVAO by Fred Mulder

The Impact of e-Learning on External Quality Assurance and the Higher Education “Market“ by Josef Leidenfrost

Photos from the event are available here.

In order to secure the preferred rate, participants are urged to book their accommodation before the 30 October deadline.