Accreditation, Benchmarks, and Competition: The

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Accreditation, Benchmarks, and Competition The
ABCs of Quality Assurance in Open and Distance
Learning 

• Nancy Parker

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The Proposition

• No matter what approach is taken to demonstrate
  or certify quality in higher education ODL until
  institutions are willing to be as transparent as
  their campus based counterparts doubts will
  remain and blended institutions will hold a
  competitive advantage.

Athabasca University
Athabasca University
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The Challenge

• Fraud
• Poor Practice
• Lack of common standards
• Reputation

Athabasca University
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Some Numbers
Athabasca University
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Responses

• Lists
• Required reporting
• Accreditation
• Licensing
• Quality Markers/Frameworks
• Rankings

Athabasca University
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Characteristics Examined

• First impressions (front page load time base
  information access)
• Expectations (entrance requirements, fees,
  orientation information, sample materials)
• Assessment (student success satisfaction/engagem
  ent measures)

Athabasca University
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The Test
Institution Students Headcount URL
Athabasca University (AU) 38,000 http//www.athabascau.ca/
Capella University (CPLA) 38,072 (June 2011) http//www.capellaeducation.com http//www.capella.edu/ /
Deakin University (DU) 39,000 http//www.deakin.edu.au http//www.gooduniguide.com.au/
Open University (OUUK) 250,000 http//www8.open.ac.uk/about/main/the-ou-explained/facts-and-figures
University of MarylandUniversity College (UMUC) 54,921 (Fall 2010) http//www.umuc.edu/ http//www.umuc.edu/visitors/about/ipra/upload/UMUCFall10FactBook.pdf
University of South Africa (UNISA) 263,559 (2009 MoE) http//www.unisa.ac.za/default.html http//www.unisa.ac.za/happening/docs/AnnualReport_2009.pdf
Athabasca University
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Transparency Examples

• College Navigator
• Common University Data Sets

Athabasca University
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Success
Athabasca University