Quality Assurance in Open Learning and Distance Learning

Abstract

It is generally believed that good quality in open and distance learning

lies chiefly in designing and producing good quality academic programs

and good quality teaching materials whether printed of audio-visual. But is

is argued in this study that these basic products are not enough to make

open and distance learning of good quality. Such a level of learning is also

dependant upon other very important aspects which have to be planned and

executed at a high level of quality. These aspects include:

(a) Provision of effective support for students learning.

(b) Application of an afficient delivery system, and

(c) Continuous evaluation of students performance.

All of these aspects are essentially educational services fooered to the

students by the educational institution’s academic, technical and

administrative teams. Additionally, the important aspects include the

integrated and harmoneous application of the aforementioned three aspects.

This study also stresses the fact that assuring good quality learning

requires setting high standards and criteria for the products and services to

be offered by the open and distance learning institution and making sure

that these standards and criteria are regularly met. Specific recommendtions

are made for this purpose. Moreover, a number of examples on good

standards and criteria in selected educational services are discussed in the

study.

Finally, the study stresses that good quality learning in open and distance

learning requires the integration of good quality services and products

through an efficient, comprehensive, and continuous administrative

operation which reaches every site in the open and distance learning instition.