Quality Qssurance Guidelines for Blended and Online Learning

Description

QQI intends to publish enhanced quality assurance guidelines for Blended and Online Learning. Currently it publishes guidelines for blended learning i.e. for programmes where there is at least an element of in person/on site delivery and/or assessment. Providers of programmes leading to QQI awards cannot currently seek validation of programmes where the entirety of the learner experience would be online with a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous learning. There is demand for fully online programmes from both providers and from learners. There is, however, an awareness that not every provider has the resources, governance and quality assurance capacity to operate in this manner. There are vulnerabilities inherent in the model which require quality assurance by the provider. The majority of these areas are already identified in the current QA Guidelines for blended learning but those associated with fully online programmes need to be identified also and appropriate guidance provided.The objective of this RFT is to contract out to a suitable experienced and resourced person / agency the tasks of: 1.Conducting and documenting the findings of research and consultation on a.current national and international best practice in fully online delivery and assessment of programmes leading to recognised awards b.aspects of such programmes which require quality assurance not required on blended programmes. These would include, but not be confined to, issues such as learner identity, academic integrity, transnational access, learner numbers etc. 2.Drafting revisions to the current QQI Quality Assurance Guidelines for Blending Learning to incorporate the findings of the research already conducted 3.Consulting widely with stakeholders on the draft guidelines. Stakeholders would include designated awarding bodies, providers (FET and HET), learners, national and international agencies e.g. HEA, Solas, ENQA, OECD etc 4. Finalising draft guidelines in preparation for QQI