Post on 14-Dec-2015
Accreditation, Benchmarks, and Competition: The ‘ABC’s’ of
Quality Assurance in Open and Distance Learning
Nancy Parker
The Proposition
No matter what approach is taken to
demonstrate or certify quality in higher
education ODL until institutions are
willing to be as transparent as their
campus based counterparts doubts will
remain and blended institutions will hold
a competitive advantage.
Athabasca University Athabasca University Athabasca University
The Challenge
Fraud
Poor Practice
Lack of common standards
Reputation
Athabasca University Athabasca University
Responses
Lists
Required reporting
Accreditation
Licensing
Quality Markers/Frameworks
Rankings
Athabasca University Athabasca University
Characteristics Examined
• First impressions (front page load time; base information access)
• Expectations (entrance requirements, fees, orientation information, sample materials)
• Assessment (student success & satisfaction/engagement measures)
Athabasca University Athabasca University
The Test
Athabasca University Athabasca University
Institution Students Headcount
URL
Athabasca University (AU)
38,000 http://www.athabascau.ca/
Capella University (CPLA)
38,072 (June 2011)
http://www.capellaeducation.comhttp://www.capella.edu/ /
Deakin University (DU) 39,000 http://www.deakin.edu.au http://www.gooduniguide.com.au/
Open University (OUUK)
~250,000 http://www8.open.ac.uk/about/main/the-ou-explained/facts-and-figures
University of Maryland—University College (UMUC)
54,921 (Fall 2010)
http://www.umuc.edu/ http://www.umuc.edu/visitors/about/ipra/upload/UMUCFall10FactBook.pdf
University of South Africa (UNISA)
263,559 (2009 MoE)
http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.htmlhttp://www.unisa.ac.za/happening/docs/AnnualReport_2009.pdf
Transparency Examples
• College Navigator
• Common University Data Sets
Athabasca University Athabasca University