This document discusses quality assurance for information and communication technology (ICT) in institutions of higher learning. It outlines basic quality assurance principles such as ensuring products, policies and processes are suitable for their intended purpose. It also presents the Plan-Do-Check-Act quality assurance framework and provides examples of job scopes in ICT quality assurance. Three case studies of different institutions are presented and tasks are provided to evaluate each case study's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and suggest solutions.

1. quality assurance
for ict in an institute of higher learning
by dr ashley tan (ashley.tan@nie.edu.sg) head/centre for e-learning for hanoi university of science and technology (31 mar 2011)

2. Xin chào
Hello!
getting to know you

3. basic qa principles
brainstorming
platforms & processes
job scopes
case studies
q&a on qa
rising above
time on task

4. 1. the products, policies
and processes are
suitable for the intended
purposes
2. avoiding mistakes or
removing inefficiencies
3. stakeholders determine
quality; price does not
4. best vs good practices
basic principles of quality assurance

5. online sticky notes at linoit
(http://bit.ly/qa-ict)
what you want/need to know

6. Shewhart Cycle (Dr. W.
Edwards Deming)
plan: establish objectives and
processes required to deliver the
desired results
do: implement the process
developed
check: monitor and evaluate the
implemented process by testing the
results against the predetermined
objectives
act: apply actions necessary for
improvement if the results require
changes
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDCA
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-
quality-assurance.htm
one basic qa framework

7. processes for review of
existing structures and
development
development of framework for
ICT infrastructure setup,
maintenance and ICT needs
review
platforms, policies and processes

8. processes for review of
existing structures and
development
development of framework for
ICT infrastructure setup,
maintenance and ICT needs
review
platforms, policies and processes

9. Eric Bonneau
Application Development and Support Manager
Job scope
Students and Staff Portal
eLearning GeNIEus
(Blackboard)
Library Management System
Content Management
Survey system
Event Registration
Online Payment
eDatabase Proxy
Staff Publication Database

10. Ronald Chung
Senior ICT Security Consultant
Job scope
Manage and Drive ICT
Security Framework
Policy
Best Practices
Risk Management
Certification
Incident Management
Awareness
Advice, guide, mentor,
support ICT Security
Business Continuity
Disaster Recovery
Corporate Governance

11. Quek Kia Yong
Service Desk, ICT Specialist
Job scope
First point of contact for
students and staff for any
ICT enquiries
Handle queries about
student academic matters,
staff ICT issues and general
information about NIE
Work together with other NIE
staff to give the best user
experience of ICT in NIE
Track incidents from call
receipt to call closure

12. Institute A is a large, well-funded university with
30,000 students. It has invested in a commercial LMS
(Blackboard.com) as its main blended and e-learning
system.
Its ICT system is managed by a single but large team
that oversees planning, purchasing, maintaining,
training and professional development, customer
support, etc.
case study 1

13. Institute B is a small satellite and moderately-funded
university with 6,000 staff and students. It has a
commercial LMS to support its blended and e-
learning efforts. It has also adopted other free or open
source Web 2.0 platforms, e.g., Google Sites,
EduBlogs, Edmodo, etc.
Its ICT system is managed by several teams, each of
which specializes in planning, purchasing,
maintaining, training and professional development,
customer support, etc.
case study 2

14. Institute C is a moderately-funded university with 20,000
students. It is part of a larger university system but is in the
process of reinventing itself by breaking away from its
parent university.
It is wondering whether to invest in the existing ICT
infrastructure and has to decide betweeb commercial LMS,
free alternatives, or a combination its blended and e-
learning system.
Its ICT support structure is still emerging and it needs to
form one or more teams that oversee planning, purchasing,
maintaining, training and professional development,
customer support, etc.
case study 3

15. 1
evaluate each case study for its
strengths, weaknessness,
opportunities and threats (swot)
2
suggest possible solutions to
address the weaknesses and
threats
case study tasks

16. what are your takeaways?
what are your doubts?
rise above

17. Prepared by Dr Ashley Tan (ashley.tan@nie.edu.sg), Head/Centre for e-Learning, NIE, Singapore
for a presentation to representatives from Hanoi University of Science and Technology on 31 March 2011
This presentation may be accessed online at http://bit.ly/qa-ict-presentation
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