Provision of quality assured CAA systems: a co‐operative approach
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880010312668 |
| Date | 01 March 2000 |
| Published date | 01 March 2000 |
| Pages | 16-23 |
| Author | John M. Phelps,Myles Danson |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Provision of quality
assured CAA systems:
a co-operative
approach
John M. Phelps and
Myles Danson
Introduction
Over the past decade many changes have
occurred in the nature of higher education. In
particular there have been many initiatives to
encourage increased uptake of
Communication and IT (C&IT) into the
higher education curriculum. However, the
climate in higher education is such that mere
use and implementation is not adequate, it is
rightly seen as essential that quality of
education is maintained and enhanced.
This paper discusses the merits of the
approach taken to implement computer
assisted assessment (CAA) into the curricula
at Loughborough, considering the quality
control and improvements we have achieved,
while providing mechanisms to allow
academic staff to use this innovation in their
learning and teaching. We focus on the
service provision of the central CAA unit
(serving the whole University) and the
Faculty of Engineering Teaching and
Learning Support Centre (Eng. TLSC); and
how these complementary services interact
and enhance the quality of learning and
teaching in the engineering faculty at
Loughborough.
The university is organised on a faculty
structure consisting of the faculties of
Engineering, Science and Social Science and
Humanities; each faculty is home to
individual academic departments with its own
learning technology support. The learning
technology support is managed within the
faculty to ensure that support is provided
where it is needed close to the point of
delivery. The engineering faculty consists of
six departments, has approximately 2,500
undergraduates and 380 FTE staff involved in
teaching and research.
Historically, Loughborough University has
had an interest in learning technologies for
some time. Initially through funding the
Flexible Learning Initiative: a central teaching
and learning support service. Flexible
Learning were strongly involved with the
successful initiation and implementation of
innovative learning and teaching projects with
departments. One of these projects was the
CAA project, which began in 1995, with part-
time project funding. In December 1997, the
university, recognising the need to provide
more support in the area of the application of
C&IT to learning and teaching, provided
funding to expand its provision of support in
The authors
John M. Phelps is the Engineering Faculty CAL Officer
based in the Faculty of Engineering Teaching and Learning
Support Centre at Loughborough University, UK.
E-mail: J.M.Phelps@boro.ac.uk
Myles Danson is the University CAA Officer and is based
in the CAA Unit, Flexible Learning at Loughborough
University, UK. E-mail: M.Danson@boro.ac.uk
Keywords
IT, Learning, Technology, Engineering, Education
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the recent approaches taken by
Loughborough University to provide a quality-based
system for the effective deployment of computer-assisted
assessment (CAA). Specific attention is given to the
development of the interdependent roles of two support
services. The central CAA unit focuses mainly on
providing and improving a quality delivery system,
ensuring that the quality threshold is exceeded, and
monitors future directions in the field of CAA. The
Engineering Teaching and Learning Support Centre (Eng.
TLSC) was set up to provide learning and teaching
support for engineering academic staff, which includes
the development of software and learning technology
through provision of free time for the implementation of
small projects. We examine the interaction and the
synergy of these two services in achieving quality
implementation into the curriculum.
Electronic access
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16
Quality Assurance in Education
Volume 8 .Number 1 .2000 .pp. 16±23
#MCB University Press .ISSN 0968-4883
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