Developing quality in e‐learning: a framework in three parts
| Pages | 250-263 |
| Published date | 10 July 2009 |
| Date | 10 July 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880910970650 |
| Author | Jennifer Ireland,Helen Mary Correia,Tim Mark Griffin |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Developing quality in e-learning:
a framework in three parts
Jennifer Ireland
Teaching Development Unit, School of Law,
University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Helen Mary Correia
Teaching Development Unit, School of Psychology,
University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia, and
Tim Mark Griffin
School of Social Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce and describe the features of a new e-learning
quality framework developed for a large multi-campus university. The framework is explicitly
designed to improve the quality of e-learning sites and the quality of online student learning, by
developing the skills of the academics who design the sites.
Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual paper. It examines a range of existing
models and literature on evaluative frameworks in e-learning and positions the new framework within
that context. It describes the features that distinguish the new framework from existing models and
explains how these differences are tailored to develop the e-learning design skills of academic staff and
to encourage greater engagement with e-learning quality initiatives across the university.
Findings – The paper identifies several features of the new framework that differ from other models
and explains the inclusion of these features in terms of the support they provide for quality
improvement at a university where academics are the main designers of e-learning sites.
Originality/value – The paper makes a contribution to the literature on quality initiatives in
e-learning by introducing a new quality framework that differs in significant respects from other
models. The rationale underpinning the inherently developmental design of this framework, as set out
in this paper, may be useful to other universities where academics are the main designers of e-learning
sites.
Keywords E-learning, Qualityimprovement, Universities
Paper type Research paper
I. Introduction
The imperative for quality assurance initiatives for e-learning in tertiary education is
broadly acknowledged (McNaught, 2001; Oliver, 2005; Reid, 2005; Weaver et al., 2008).
Oliver (2005, p. 183) explains this “quality agenda” in the following terms:
As more and more universities seek to use e-learning as a mode of delivery for their units and
courses, and as more and more they are being held accountable for the quality of the services
they provide, the need grows for accepted standards and benchmarks against which
performance can be judged.
Recognising this need, many universities have already developed models and
frameworks for evaluating the quality of e-learning at their institutions (Inglis, 2008).
However, many are of the view that there is still a long way to go in building quality in
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
QAE
17,3
250
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 17 No. 3, 2009
pp. 250-263
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880910970650
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