flexible higher education- quality assurance perspective session/day 1... · 2016. 10. 31. · why...

Flexible Higher Education- Quality

Assurance Perspective

Wafa Al Mansoori Directorate of Higher Education Reviews

Flexible Higher Education Quality Assurance Perspective

Introduction

Change in education and the need for flexibility

Why Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance in Bahrain – main principles

Quality Assurance for flexible learning

Quality assuring flexible learning: issues to consider

Outcome-based Learning and Assessment

Technological advances

Student Engagement and Student support

Challenges and Way Forward

17/02/2016 Wafa Al Mansoori: Flexible Higher

Education- Quality Assurance Perspective 2

Content

Introduction



Bahrain Vision 2030

Shifting Knowledge-Based Economy

EDUCATION & TRAINING




• National Economy • Labour Market • Technology

SKILLS

STUDENT Profile

% of mature individuals

Demand for a flexible, adaptable and fast changing higher education which will enable learners to combine work, study and social commitments

Mismatch between graduate attributes and skills needed

QQA Review Reports

Skills Gap Analysis




FLEXIBLE LEARNING ‘providing and accessing education in a responsive way ‘in terms of pace, place and mode of delivery, often with an emphasis of these allowing students choices and a degree of control over when, where, how and sometimes what they learn’ (HEA 2013)

Change in Mode Of Delivery

TECHNOLOGY

FLEXIBLE LEARNING




FLEXIBLE LEARNING ‘providing and accessing education in a responsive way ‘in terms of pace, place and mode of delivery, often with an emphasis of these allowing students choices and a degree of control over when, where, how and sometimes what they learn’ (HEA 2013)

Change in Mode Of Delivery

RECOGNISING INFORMAL & NON-FORMAL LEARNING

NQFs LEGISLATIONS

Why quality assurance



Globalisation of Higher

Education,

Student Mobility

Academics Mobility

Changing Mode of Design & Delivery

Challenges that both institutions and external quality assurance agencies need to face.

This in turn is causing governments and legislation makers to the fitness of the programmes on offer and standards of the graduates.

Quality Assurance in Bahrain – Main Principles



QQA

Established in 2008 and mandated to ensure that the quality of education and training in the Kingdom of Bahrain meets international standards and best practice in accordance with the vision set by the National Education Reform Initiatives in addition to developing and managing the NQF.

Accountability Enhancement

Principles Drawn From International Good Practices

Quality assurance for flexible learning



There is an increased interest in quality assuring systems, both internal and external, to ensure flexible education

FLEXIBLE EDUCATION

Existing quality assurance frameworks are by large sufficient to quality assure flexible education. However, adaptations and further guidance are needed (ENQA 2011).

Quality Assuring Flexible Learning Issues to Consider



Trust in the face-to-face traditional comprehensive academic programmes that lead to a traditional degree such as Bachelor or Masters degrees.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were established only recently, distance, open and other non–conventional modes of learning are looked at sceptically

Kingdom of Bahrain

Transparent, rigor and reliable quality assurance system will build mutual trust amongst different stakeholders (ESG 2015)

1. Outcome-based Learning & Assessment



FLEXIBLE EDUCATION

• Part-time • Online learning • On Job learning

Most importantly:

• Accumulation & transfer of credits within and across different intuitions & borders • Recognition of non-formal & informal learning

A Single Language LO

NQF

Transparency Credit Accumulation

Mobility




QAA Reviews

Usage of ILOs in response to the requirements of QQA review criteria.

Paradigm shift in adopting an outcome-based approach by HEIs

QA Indicator

There is clearly stated programme/module/course learning outcomes.




Assuring the integrity of the assessment, in cases, remains to be a challenge

QA Indicator

Graduate attributes and academic standards Should be ensured through the use of valid and reliable assessment.

2. Use of Technology



Major Facilitator of Flexible Learning

Recent studies show that students prefer some type of blended learning to traditional face-to-face learning only (Horizon report 2016)

Oliver, R. argues that ‘establishing practices which can enable online learning to be sustained and to grow as a mainstream activity in university teaching and learning’ is one of the main issues that HEIs need to address to effectively utilise online learning technologies’ (Oliver, R. 2001)

Teaching staff have the ability to design, develop and deliver online courses.

2. Use of Technology



QA Indicator

Teaching staff have the ability to design, develop and deliver online courses.

Online education platforms has increased rapidly

QAA Reviews

limited to depositing course materials, using email facilities, and uploading assignment and students’ work with a few cases of engaging in educational debates

More attention is needed when developing capacity-building programmes of faculty members to be able to effectively utilise available technological resources in their teaching pedagogies.

3. Student Engagement & Student support



students assume an active and responsible role in their learning process and enable students to develop independent learning skills.

QA Indicator

Appropriate Support HEIs Flexible Learning

Learners

External QA frameworks should be able to assess this.




Assessing and quality assuring non-traditional ways of learning

Ensuring that the QA & accreditation frameworks are suitable for ensuring that the existing provision for flexible learning fulfils its aims

Enhancing the faculty members’ abilities to effectively utilise available technology in designating and delivering educational materials

Embedding further independent learning skills in students and strengthen their responsibility towards their learning

Developing assessment centres for non-formal and informal learning




Building a registry of external reviewers who are experts in designing, delivering and quality assuring flexible learning

evaluating a module or a group of modules that do not lead to a qualification but can be accumulated

academic standards and programme performance are evaluated through assessing retention, progression and length of study, which are hard to measure for some flexible learning

a need to revise legislation to enable the recognition of all forms of learning, formal, informal and non-formal



Thank you! شكًرا

Wafa Al Mansoori Directorate of Higher Education Reviews Contact:

flexible higher education- quality assurance perspective session/day 1... · 2016. 10. 31. · why...

Documents