This document discusses quality assurance systems for distance education. It begins by defining quality assurance and explaining why it is important in the context of growing globalization of distance education. It then describes different types of quality assurance models, including accreditation-based systems, norm-based systems, and maturity enhancement-based systems. The key characteristics of quality assurance systems for distance education are outlined, such as being multifaceted, dynamic, and representative. Different areas of focus for quality assurance in distance education are also identified. Finally, the use of performance indicators to evaluate programs and courses is discussed.

1. Module 7
Control Systems of
Distance Education
Stephen L. Esber/UPOU-MDE/EDDE 205/Management of D.E.

2. Objectives:
•Describe/Compare and contrast the different
QA systems in DE
•Discuss the issues to consider when
implementing the QA system in DE

3. PART 1
Globalization and Quality
Assurance in DE

4. What is Quality Assurance?
•Quality Assurance is a program for the
systematic monitoring and evaluation of
the various aspects of a project, service,
or facility to ensure that standards of
quality are being met (www.merriam-webster.com)

5. Globalization and QA in DE
In the context of growing globalization in distance
education, there has been an urgent need for international
initiatives to review quality assurance mechanisms of DE
for higher education at the national and institutional level,
discuss new challenges of a changing DE environment, and
build a capacity for QA to enhance the quality provision in a
globalized higher education market.

6. Quality Culture and QA System
A quality culture can be defined as an institutional
culture that promotes the introduction of an internal QA
system, values the capacity building for implementing QA
arrangements, stresses the link between the internal QA
system and accountability to the public at the national and
international levels, and focuses on learning rather than
teaching.

7. Why conduct QA activities in DE
Institutions?
• Accountability to
society and QA
authority
Heavy involvement of external
experts is often observed in
some cases where the primary
objective of QA is
accountability
•Self-improvement
Feedback from internal and
external reviewers and students
are used to improve the quality
of courses, programmes,
materials and services of most
of the distance teaching
universities surveyed

8. What are the different QA methods?
• Offering internal training and professional development opportunities
• Involvement in international training workshops and conferences
• Evaluating and monitoring staff performance
• Specifying steps in the course development process
• Reviewing learner assessment
• Inviting external reviewers and experts

9. PART 2
Quality Assurance
Systems
in Distance Education

10. QA Models According to Purpose
certification benchmarking
accreditation Advisory
framework

11. Samples of QA Models by Purpose

13. Other Systems of QA in DE
Accreditation-
based Systems
Norm-based
Systems
Quality Assurance-
based Systems
Mature Enhance-
based Systems

14. Accreditation-Based Systems
• Accreditation is interpreted as a
process conducted by a national
regulatory agency, or similar,
empowered with ensuring that
institutions comply with the set of
defined requirements to operate as
a Higher Education Institution and
offer defined qualifications and
awards.
• The terms of accreditation may
define both the physical and human
resources deemed necessary. In its
simplest terms, an accreditation
process might operate as a strictly
applied compliance test or as more
flexible review of an institution’s
capabilities of meeting national
standards.

15. Quality Assurance-Based Systems
• These systems generally depend
on the interrogation of some form
of institutional self-assessment
structured by nationally
determined activity areas.
Originating in practices in North
America, Europe and Australia,
these principles form the core of
most current quality assurance
systems.
• The operating agencies generally have
a degree of separation from direct
governmental involvement and may be
representative of or even “owned” by
the university sector. Peer participation
in review processes is generally
employed and engagement with both
staff and students is a routine
component of reviews.

16. Norm-Based Systems
• Norm-based
Accreditation
systems may be
perceived as
control
mechanisms that
restrict innovation
and change.
• Norms are often a blunt and inflexible
instruments. For distance/online
education, the challenge is to secure
adaptation of norms to address relevant
factors in such a way as to encompass
open and distance learning methodologies
without undue prescription of institution’s
operating model or inhibiting future
technological innovation.

17. Mature Enhancement-Based Systems
• In some instances, national Quality
Assurance Systems enable
institutions to operate their own
internal quality assurance processes
with light touch oversight by
national bodies. National standards
are adhered to across Higher
Education institutions; their
students and sponsors have broad
confidence in the Higher Education
system.
• Internal quality assurance systems
are mature and review processes
may be used to ensure that these
systems operate effectively.
Consistent with the principles of the
quality movement, the focus is on
improvement and the main function of
external review is to ensure
institutional focus is on enhancement
of teaching quality.

18. Characteristics of QA Systems in DE
• Multifaceted – e.g. systems use a
multiplicity of measures for quality, and will
often consider strategy, policy, infrastructure,
processes, outputs and more so as to come to a
well-rounded view of holistic quality.
• Dynamic – e.g. flexibility is built in to systems, to
accommodate for rapid-changes in technology, as well
as social norms. For this reason, they rarely refer to
specific technological measures, and rather concentrate
on the services provided to users through that
technology.
• Mainstreamed – e.g. while all the quality tools
surveyed aim at high-level quality improvement, this is
intended to trickle down throughout the institution and
be used as a tool for reflective practice by individual
members of staff in their daily work.
• Representative – e.g. quality systems seek to
balance the perspectives and demands of various
interested stakeholders, including students, staff,
enterprise, government and society at large.
• Multifunctional – e.g. most systems serve a triple function of instilling a quality culture within an
institution, providing a roadmap for future improvement, as well as serving as a label of quality for
outside perspectives.

19. Part 3
The Key Areas of Quality
Assurance in Distance Education

20. What are the key areas of QA in DE?

21. Part 4
The Role of Performance Indicators
(PI) in Quality Assurance

22. Performance Indicators for Quality Assurance
• The use of the PIs requires institutions to engage in
critical self-assessment that promotes the development
of a reflective culture of quality, which is particularly
important within new and emerging ODL systems.
Performance Indicators are tools to evaluate
performance trends in the institution/programme/course
and to initiate continuous improvement.

26. Sample Performance
Indicators

30. References
Moore, M., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Chapter 1 - Basic
Concepts, Distance Education: A Systems View of
Online Learning (3rd ed.) (pp. 1-22). California,
Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.