Applying quality management to courseware design and support
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684889910281593 |
| Published date | 01 September 1999 |
| Pages | 149-156 |
| Date | 01 September 1999 |
| Author | A.J. Walker |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Applying quality
management to
courseware design and
support
A.J. Walker
1. Introduction
The Software Engineering Applications La-
boratory (SEAL) initiated a programme
offering short, professional courses to local
industry on topics about software engineering
and software quality management in early
1992. Similar topicsare now offered within the
academic teaching curriculum to under- and
post-graduate students based on this material.
This article reviews the approach used to
structure an adhoc collection of technical
material into a large number of single-theme
topics (modules). The modular structure
relies entirely on an integrated application of
software technology for word processing,
typesetting and the creation of computer
presentations, and generation and mainte-
nance of Web pages to support a description
of the modules and marketing of the courses.
The major benefit of this framework for
course management is that it enables SEAL
staff to assemble new courses according to
specified requirements rapidly. Such courses
are then supported with fully integrated and
high quality course materials.
While the needs of the student are obviously
paramount, the primary focus is the process for
developing, delivering and maintaining cour-
seware. The students' needs are believed to be
catered for effectively by providing module
components which meet appropriate product
quality attributes (ISO, 1991).
The article also details some of the quality
management system activities applied to
managing the courseware and presupposes
some appreciation of the elements of ISO
9001(ISO, 1994).
1.1 The software engineering
applications laboratory
The SEAL was established in August 1988 as
a research facility to promote the develop-
ment of a culture of quality in software
product development in South Africa.
The SEAL is the smallest of the research
groups in the department of electrical en-
gineering within the faculty of engineering,
which includes:
.Communications engineering.
.Control engineering.
.Electromagnetic engineering.
.Power systems engineering.
.Software engineering.
The author
A.J. Walker is an Associate Professor in the Department
of Electrical Engineering, University of Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Keywords
Management techniques, Quality management, ISO 9001,
Learning styles
Abstract
This article reviews an approach used to structure
technical material into a large number of single theme
topics, or modules. A course is a collection of modules. A
key feature of a module is that it can be presented in 50
minutes, and is supported by a design specification,
typeset notes, a series of slides for presentation using
computer projection, a tutorial, assessment questions,
and a Web page. Templates support the creation of the
module specification, notes, presentation, tutorial and
assessment material, Web support page, and the
aggregation of module notes into a set of course notes.
The modular structure relies entirely on an integrated
application of software technology for word processing,
typesetting and the creation of computer presentations,
and generation and maintenance of Web pages to support
a description of the modules and marketing of industry-
oriented courses within an ISO 9001 certified quality
management system.
149
Quality Assurance in Education
Volume 7 .Number 3 .1999 .pp. 149±155
#MCB University Press .ISSN 0968-4883
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