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An Italian Proposal to Deal with Quality in E-learning Alfredo Squarzoni Università di Genova

CONFERENCE University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy Rome May 31st, 2006. An Italian Proposal to Deal with Quality in E-learning Alfredo Squarzoni Università di Genova CRUI Steering Commitee on Evaluation. Presentation.

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An Italian Proposal to Deal with Quality in E-learning Alfredo Squarzoni Università di Genova

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  1. CONFERENCE University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and ItalyRomeMay 31st, 2006 An Italian Proposal to Deal with Quality in E-learning Alfredo Squarzoni Università di Genova CRUI Steering Commitee on Evaluation University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  2. Presentation • Introduction on CRUI activity in the field of programme assessment and certification • CRUI Model for quality assessment of e-learning programmes • CRUI Requirements for certification • CRUI Procedure of assessment and certification University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  3. Introduction on CRUI Activity in the Field of Programme Assessment and Certification University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  4. Assessment Procedure finalised to first of all promote the quality improvement of a certain product, process or service University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  5. Programme Quality Level of achievement of objectives set out consistent with the needs of all interested parties in the programme University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  6. CAMPUS-CRUI Project • between 1995 and 2001 • 90 Diploma programmes involved, mainly in engineering University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  7. CAMPUS One Project • academic years 2001/02 to 2003/04 • over 500 programmes involved of all cultural areas University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  8. Certification Statement by an independent third party who declares, with reasonable reliability, that a certain product, process or service is in accordance with a specific rule or a specific model University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  9. Accreditation Statement by a recognised institution who declares, formally and publicly, the capability of an organism to carry out specific functions or, in other words, to satisfy pre-defined standards University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  10. CRUI “Certification of Quality“ Not only “conformity” to the CRUI Model, but also: • educational and learning objectives of value, • an educational process consistent with learning objectives, • resource availability adequate to the achievement of such objectives, • results consistent with educational and learning objectives, • a management system capable of promoting continual improvement of the programme University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  11. CRUI Model for quality assessment of e-learning programmes University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  12. CRUI Model(1) It is the result of the experiences of assessment made in our country so far and of the continual attention to the assessment models of the other European countries University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  13. CRUI Model(2) The Model has been defined for each of the following types of programmes: • “corsi di laurea” (bachelor level) and “corsi di laurea magistrale” (master level); • postgraduate programmes; delivered in presence, on-line or in blended form University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  14. Aim of the CRUI assessment of programmequality To promote the continual improvement of programme quality by pointing out strong and weak points University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  15. Because Quality regards • the “product” • the “system” the CRUI Model for the assessment of programmes sets out to assess both the • educational service (product assessment) and the • management system thereof (system assessment) University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  16. With reference to the • educational service, • assessment is concerned with the degree at which all the students are provided with adequate opportunities to achieve • a level of learning consistent • with the objectives set in the time set University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  17. With reference to the management system, assessment is concerned with the degree at which the system permits the constant achievement of the objectives set in the time set, i.e. the degree at which the system makes systematic the product quality University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  18. Fundamental Objectives of the assessment(1) The overall assessment of the programme quality has to check whether: • programme educational objectives are consistent with the mission of the university and the needs of all interested parties (such as students, teachers, businesses and so on) and programme learning outcomes are consistent with the programme educational objectives; University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  19. Fundamental Objectives of the assessment(2) • academic and support staff, facilities, financial resources and cooperation agreements with businesses, research institutions and other Higher Education Institutions are adequate to accomplish programme outcomes; • curriculum and related processes ensure achievement of programme outcomes; University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  20. Fundamental Objectives of the assessment(3) • appropriate forms of assessment attest the achievement of programme outcomes; • the management system is able to assure the systematic achievement of programme outcomes and the continual improvement of the programme. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  21. Dimensions of Assessment Consequently, the Model identifies five Dimensions of assessment: Management System and Organisational Structure; Needs and Objectives; Resources; Educational Process; Results, Analysis and Improvement.

  22. Structure of the CRUI Model F A C T O R S QUESTIONS E L E M E N T S (18) F A C T O R S QUESTIONS Dimension (5) F A C T O R S QUESTIONS F A C T O R S QUESTIONS University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  23. Dimension 2: Needs and ObjectivesElement 1: Needs of Interested Parties University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  24. Needs and Objectives Needs Results, Analysis and Improvement Management System and Organisational Structure Resources Stakeholders Stakeholders Satisfaction GRADUATE EducationalProcess STUDENT University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  25. Process Approach CRUI Model adopts the process approach promoted by ISO 9001: 2000 Norm Management Systems for Quality. Requirements University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  26. PDCA Method To manage a specific process, the CRUI Model suggests the PDCA method : • Plan: to establish the objectives and the processes necessary to obtain results in accord with the objectives; • Do: to implement the processes; • Check: to monitor and measure the processes and the results in comparison with the objectives; • Act: to adopt actions for the continual improvement of the process performance. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  27. Dimension “Management System and Organisational Structure” Elements • Management System • Organisational Structure • Re-examination University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  28. Dimension “Needs and Objectives” Elements • Needs of Interested Parties • Educational Objectives • Programme Outcomes • Policies University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  29. Dimension “Resources” Elements • Academic and Support Staff • Facilities • Financial Resources • External Relationships University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  30. “Objects” to be assessed specific for on-line programmes • Teaching Staff • Adequacy of teaching staff to the needs of on-line teaching • Ability to promote on-line learning and communication with and among students • Presence of educational initiatives to favour development of on-line teaching and learning competencies University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  31. Teaching Support Staff and Technical Staff • Availabily of “content tutors”, i.e. personnel dedicated to on-line didactics,expert in programme content and in the management of on-line communication and of virtual groups, to follow students in their study activity and able to promote learning • Availability of “instructional designers”, i.e. designers for the e-learning environment, able to co-operate with and guide teachers in the definition of educational patterns to be delivered on-line University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  32. -Availability of “web editors”, i.e. experts in the production of didactic material for the digital environment; • Availabilty of “web managers”, i.e. technicians able to assure an adequate technical assistance to teachers and students • Availability of personnel for the “technical help”, i.e. technicians able to garantee the operation of the technological platform • Presence of educational initiatives to favour development of skills and competencies of teaching support staff and of technical staff University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  33. Facilities • Availability of a technological platform easily accessible, easy to use, reliable, flexible and so on, integrated in the technological infrastructures of the Atheneum • Availability of virtual rooms and virtual technological resources (laboratories, libraries and so on) adequate to the development of teachers’ teaching activity and students’ learning activity • Capacity of the virtual facilities to adapt themself, in quality and quantity, to the number of users and to the different activities developed by the programme University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  34. Dimension “Educational Process” Elements • Planning • Student Access • Delivery • Support Services University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  35. Factors of particular importance for on-line programmes • Didactic coordination among teachers and teachers and teaching support staff • Adequacy of the delivery planning to favour students’ learning • Adequacy of the methodologies of delivering and assessment of students’ learning • Presence of adequate orienteering and tutoring University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  36. Dimension “Results, Analysis and Improvement” Elements • Results • Analysis • Improvement University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  37. Factors of particular importance for on-line programmes • Presence of adequate criteria for the assessment of the programme results (which must take in proper account the tipology of students enrolled) University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  38. Requirements for certification University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  39. CRUI certification has the main aim to attest, formally and publicly, the adoption by a programme of the CRUI Model as model for the management of the programme itself and that the programme: • has educational and learning objectives of value, i.e. coherent among them, with possible requirements and with the needs of the interested parties; • has at disposal resources adequate to the achievement of the educational and learning objectives; University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  40. has an educational process and support services which effectively allow the achievement of the educational and learning objectives; • its results attest the achievement of the educational and learning objectives set; • has a management system and an organisational structure which favourthe achievement of the programme objectives and promote the continual improvement of the effectiveness of the processes for the management of the programme itself. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  41. Dimension Management System and Organisational Structure Engagement in favour of a management for quality of the programme Identification of the processes for the programme management and of their interactions Management of programme documentation Management of communication with the interested parties Identification of responsibilities for the management of the programme Re-examination of the management system and of the organisational structure University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  42. Dimension “Needs and Objectives” Identification of the needs of interested parties Coherence of the programme educational objectives with the needs of interested parties Coherence of the programme learning outcomes with the programme educational objectives Policies for students University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  43. Dimension “Resources” Adequacy of teaching staff Adequacy of teaching support staff and technical and administrative staff Adequacy of facilities Adequacy of relationships with outside organisations (only for programme with vocational objectives) Adequacy of partnerships with Athenaeums of other countries (only for programmes with specific internationalisation policies) University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  44. Dimension “Educational Process” Coherence of curriculum with programme learning outcomes Adequacy of delivery planning Adequacy of prerequisites required for access to the programme Adequacy of criteria used to manage students’ careers Control of the delivery process Organisation and management of support services University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  45. Dimension “Results, Analysis and Improvement” Results relative to entrance students Results of the educational process Results relative to insertion into the job market of those students who have obtained an academic qualification (only for programmes with vocational objectives) Analysis of programme results Continual improvement of the effectiveness of the processes for the programme management University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  46. CRUI Procedure of Assessment and Certification University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  47. Assessment Methodology Self-Assessment followed by External Assessment University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  48. The procedure of assessment and certification is articulated in the following main phases: • self-assessment, which involves the compilation of a self-assessment report by the programme; • external assessment, run by an assessment team composed of two people at least, one academic at least and one representative from non-academic world at least, which winds up with the compilation of an assessment and certification report; • decision of certification, proposed by a Steering Committee of experts and assumed by a joint Board of people from academic world and people from non academic world. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  49. To record judgement of the achievement of individual requirements, a scale with the following four grades is used: • 4, in case of requirement fully fulfilled; • 3, in case of requirement fulfilled “more yes than no”; • 2, in case of requirement fulfillled “more no than yes”; • 1, in case of requirement not fulfilled. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

  50. Certification of conformity to the CRUI Model is awarded only if all the requirements are fully or “more yes than no” fulfilled. Where requirements are not fully met, certification is subordinated to the engagement on the part of the programme to satisfy all the remarks evidenced in the certification report by the assessment team, with the indication of the ways and of the time (no longer than 24 months) taken for their solution. The certification of conformity is valid for six years. After three years the certified programmes are subjected to a surveillance visit. University towards E-learning: a Focus on Finland, France and Italy

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