Guidance 3(xi)Good practice in designing and approving Distance Education programmes or modules
This guidance is provided in relation to Guidance 3xand the QAA Code of Practice
This good practice guide is written with DE programmes in mind, and parts of it may not be appropriate for developing DE short course provision. Suggestions for improvement are welcomed.
Stage
/ Tasks / CommentaryConcept / 1.1 / Conduct accurate market research to identify potential numbers; market size (short and long-term). / Take account of actual or potential competitors; anticipated shelf-life of course.
1.2 / Realistically assess resources / expertise needed, in order to prepare and deliver the course and its materials. / Which of these resources are already available? Is collaboration with an external body appropriate?
1.3 / Make a realistic business plan taking account of:
target income based on student numbers, and appropriate fee rates and student number growth ;
potential production costs including: any infrastructure requirements; materials production or acquisition; academic staff time; other staff time; other miscellaneous production costs;potential running costs including materials updating; academic and support staff time; costs due to collaborating agencies. / The business plan will need to cover several years. It should model the anticipated income from the course and show how initial start-up costs will be recouped over time. It will also need to take account of costs incurred from running the course and keeping it up-to-date.
1.4 / Provisionally identify / evaluate local student support centres or agencies (if applicable) for tutorial support or assessment. / Early negotiations will allow planning to take account of what is possible
1.5 / Put together the project team. / This might include co-ordinator, academic contributors, authors, student support adviser, member of CAPEand librarian (as appropriate).
1.6 / Plan for, and initiate, necessary staff development and training (academic and administrative). / The Centre for Academic Practice Enhancement (CAPE) provides training and development in all aspects of learning and DE. There are also many externally run workshops and events. Contactyour schools business partner link within CAPE, or visit:
1.7 / Arrange for the ‘release’ of key academic staff from other commitments in order to be able to concentrate on preparation of DE materials. / Experience suggests that preparation is very time-consuming, and key staff will not be able to progress at speed unless time is allocated.
1.8 / Plan and arrange pilot testing group. / Normally it will be necessary to pilot materials before implementing the course, so think ahead about a suitable group. If full-scale piloting is not possible then a group of appropriate students should be engaged to work through the materials in a systematic way and give responses. This task is helped if the students have a schedule on which they can record issues which arise in testing.
1.9 / Draw up outline project plan with milestones (consider School Committee and validation timetables). / It is useful to draw up a project plan early in the development of a programme, in order to fit in as well as possible with normal schedules of approval, validation and recruitment.
1.10 / InformCAPE of plans prior to submission of the proposal to APAC, / DE validation requirements ask that DE module materials are discussed with CAPE’s DE teamprior to submission for validation.
1.11 / Discuss learning resources with LSS. / Many books and most journals are available online, or can be digitised. Contact your liaison librarian for further details.
1.12 / If new programme, submit to School Committee.
1.13 / Check plans against University Guidelines and QAA Code of Practice. / There are University guidelines(see Guidance 3x)and a QAA Code of Practice
Prepare first draft / 2.1 / Decide on appropriate assessment activities for all the learning outcomes of the module(s) concerned. / Working out how best to assess the learning outcomes is a good starting point, particularly since assessment can be more problematic in DE programmes. Knowing what the assessment tasks are going to be will help to determine how the learning is best facilitated, and therefore what media will be most appropriate.
As in all curriculum design, it is important to start with clear learning outcomes and to ensure that assessment methods and learning methods are aligned well with them.
All learning materials should be designed in accordance with the Learning Framework and the Guidelines for Curriculum Design (Guidance 3viii)
2.2 / Decide on most appropriate media for the purpose of learning - text, video, audio, CD-ROM, online or mobile learning, or a combination. / The choice of media will be influenced by many factors, including: pedagogical effectiveness for particular purposes; cost; accessibility for the student. It is unlikely that a single medium will provide for all the learning needs of the students.
2.3 / Consider how best to meet the needs of students with special needs in light of SENDA (2001). / This will need to include assessment of C&IT use, and inclusive design of materials. Recent legislation requires HEIs to anticipate special needs in the design of the learning experience and assessment. If in doubt it will be helpful to discuss the implications with the Disability Support Services Manager and the DE team in CAPE.
2.4 / Work with designers to draft outlines for sample materials in each of the media to be used. / Good materials will be designed to help students achieve the explicit learning outcomes. They will feature the use of active learning where possible, and activities will be supported by access (or directions) to appropriate subject material. Opportunities for online discussion with peers and for formative peer or self-assessment should be provided.
For more information contact CAPE.
2.5 / Establish study hours per allocated credits. / The University normally expects a nominal 10 hours of study time for each credit point.
2.6 / Consider the particular needs of the student group (in terms of ethnic or cultural character and actual social or economic situation) - consider use of language, use of examples and case studies, availability of texts and technology. / Curricula and materials designed for students in one country may need to be adapted for students in other countries (while remaining strictly equivalent). When designing for diversity it is good practice to make sure that case study examples are similarly diverse, and not stereotyped. In line with the new legislation, learning materials and experiences should actively promote both equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups.
2.7 / Consider how to address students’ expectations about support and teaching. / Students may not be clear what DE requires of them, or provides for them. It’s worth thinking about how to address these queries before they arise.
2.8 / Prepare a draft module/programme outline, structure and plan including timing of assessments. / This should follow the style of Programme Specifications if possible, but will probably need additional information for Validation purposes. A Validation Panel will need to be clear how the whole programme will work, taking account of all the issues covered by University guidelines (Guidance 3x) and the QAA Code of Practice
2.9 / Prepare (draft) learning materials for pilot module or modules. / For a DE Programme at least one module (or parts of all concurrent modules) will need to be completely prepared prior to Validation. It would make sense if this is the same module that is piloted with students before launch of the programme.
CAPEshould be consulted at this preparation stage. This is a requirement of the validation process.
CAPE can also offer workshops on authoring and reviewing DE materials as well as tutoring online.
2.10 / Along with the learning materials you should also prepare a set of Facilitator’s Notes / This guide for tutors facilitating the student learning is intended to support them in dealing with issues that may arise from the activities and online discussions. The Guide will also highlight the important concepts which should be covered in discussions and will assist the tutors in facilitating the discussions by suggesting the areas which might be covered and any additional topics which might be introduced. You might also wish to provide guidance on how to deal with any anticipated difficulties. The intention behind this guide is to support quality assurance through ensuring an equivalent educational experience for all groups and also by providing continuity when new tutors are recruited to the team.
2.11 / Prepare (draft) Programme Specification to be made available to students including details of assessment and study advice. / Information needs to be provided for the prospectus and catalogue well in advance. Potential students need to have access to detailed information before making applications.
First Draft / 3.1 / First scrutiny of the programme design together with draft learning materials and activities by experienced staff within the University. CAPE, who have assisted in the development ofexistingDE programmes and can provide guidance on authoring and reviewing materials. / If CAPE have been involved in earlier stages, this will be a relatively straightforward process which tries to ensure that the programme is pedagogically sound, and that there are no other issues which may cause difficulties at Validation.
3.2 / Check all course materials for appropriateness and legal compliance - international copyright, national laws, sensitivity to national / regional culture and customs, etc. / The University DE Guidelines (Guidance 3x) require that the Dean of School signs off the project when s/he is satisfied that IPR issues are sufficiently resolved.
Advice on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) may be sought from LR or Academic Registry.
Second Draft / 4.1 / Re-draft learning materials in the light of first scrutiny. / It may be useful to look at some alternative approaches in responding to issues arising from scrutiny of the first draft. There are many examples available in the literature or within existing programmes. The CAPE team can help point to good practices.
4.2 / Produce copies of pilot materials and an evaluation schedule or proforma. / Sufficient copies of the pilot module materials (or sufficient means of access to the materials) will need to be provided, together with an evaluation schedule for piloting students to use.
Pilot / 5.1 / Pilot testing of materials by students. / Materials should be evaluated by students before being implemented fully. The best quality feedback comes from a pilot implementation with a small group of students. However this is not always practicable and if this is the case then a group of students with similar characteristics to the target group should be asked to give a full evaluation of the complete materials. Time will need to be allocated for this.
Revision / 6.1 / Following student evaluation, it may be necessary to revise documentation or proposed procedures and activities
Appointment and training of staff / 6.2 / Recruit/appoint academic staff who will run the module(s) and provide them with a suitable induction. / Ensure that support systems are in place.
Students to know who to contact for academic, counselling and technological advice.
6.3 / Identify and address any staff development needs. / All staff supporting DE should be aware of the needs of distance learners, and be able to adapt their practices to meet them. CAPE provides workshops on supporting DE/e-learning.
6.4 / Set up procedures for monitoring tutors. / If remote tutors, or other staff, are supporting the students, a means will need to be established to assure the quality of their input.
6.5 / Establish evaluation feedback systems. / The standard means of gathering feedback from students on their course experience will need to be adapted to be relevant to distance learners.
Validation
See the LQE Handbook Section 5.1 and 5.5 / 7.1 / Provide the Validation Panel with one complete module, facilitator’s notes for the module, and a plan of the whole programme. This should indicate how materials and activities are designed to support students’ learning in relation to the outcomes and a production schedule for the remainder of the programme. / The materials for remaining modules will be signed off by Programme Teams (with the support of CAPE), using the form provided in Appendix 3v,verifying that the structure, processes and materials are of an equivalent standard to those presented to the validation panel, the programme team must fill this in and send the form to CAPEat the appropriate time. The CAPE team will monitor the completion schedules presented at validation and will advise both the programme team send the Academic Quality Service of any slippage in the schedule.
7.2 / In addition the Validation Panel will want to know that all the necessary support and administration systems are in place to effectively deal with students at a distance. / A document which summarises these aspects will be helpful for validation.
7.3 / Following Validation appoint an External Examiner. / An examiner with DE experience may be difficult to find. It would be a good idea to make sure that s/he is well briefed about the programme well in advance.
Implementation / 8.1 / Launch the course
Review
See the LQEHandbook Section 9 / 9.1 / Undertake an early review/fine-tuning of arrangements, based on obtaining student and other feedback. / It is a good idea to prepare students and let them know that their views will be sought early in the implementation, in order to refine the programme. It should be clear to students what has been done with the feedback they provide.
See the LQEHandbook Section 8 / 9.2 / Undertake quality/annual monitoring. / The quality/annual monitoring process will provide an opportunity for in-depth evaluation.
Resources for further advice and information
There are further resources available in relation to many of the stages and tasks identified in the Good Practice Guide.
Stage
/ Tasks / advice and information:Concept / Conduct accurate market research to identify potential numbers; market size (short and long-term). / Lockwood 1998 pp52-67
Rowntree 1994 pp41-48
Woodley and Ashby 1994
Realistically assess resources / expertise needed, in order to prepare and deliver the course and its materials. / Hulsmann 1999; Rowntree 1992 Ch 6;
Make a realistic business plan taking account of:
- target income based on student numbers, and appropriate fee rates and student number growth; potential production costs including: any infrastructure requirements; materials production or acquisition; academic staff time; other staff time; other miscellaneous production costs;
- potential running costs including materials updating; academic and support staff time; costs due to collaborating agencies.
Put together the project team. / Rowntree 1981 pp13-17
Hawkridge 1994
Rowntree 1986 pp19-26
Plan for, and initiate, necessary staff development and training (academic staff and administrative support). / Contact CAPE
Draw up outline project plan with milestones (consider School Committee and Validation timetables). / See Learning and Quality Enhancement Handbook –Guidance 3x.
If new programme, submit to School Committee. / See Learning and Quality Enhancement Handbook Section 4
Check plans against University Guidelines and the QAA Code of Practice. / QAA Code of Practice
University Guidelines on DE - Learning and Quality Enhancement Handbook Guidance3x
Prepare first draft / Decide on appropriate assessment activities for all the learning outcomes of the module(s) concerned / Brown and Knight 1994;Morgan and O’Reilly 1999; Race 1998; Rowntree 1979; Schwartz and Webb 2002
Decide on most appropriate media for the purpose of learning - text, video, audio, CD-ROM, online and mobile learning, or a combination. / Laurillard 1993; Rowntree 1992, 1986
Consider how best to meet the needs of students with special needs / Simpson 2000; Lockwood 1998 Part vi; Shaw 2001; Race 1998 Ch 5; Rowntree 1992; Rowntree 1994 Stage 3
Work with designers to draft outlines for sample materials in each of the media to be used / Templates and accompanying guidance available from CAPE:
Consider the particular needs of the student group (in terms of ethnic or cultural character and actual social or economic situation) - consider use of language, use of examples and case studies, availability of texts and technology / Laurillard 1993; Rowntree 1986; Simpson 2000
Consider how to address students’ expectations about support and teaching / Simpson 2000; Salmon 2000; Talbot 2003
Prepare a draft course outline, structure and plan including timing of assessments.
Prepare (draft) learning materials for pilot module or modules / University templates and guidance on use. Contact CAPE.
Prepare (draft) course information (text) to be made available to students including details of assessment and study advice.
First Draft / Check all course materials for appropriateness and legal compliance - international copyright, national laws, sensitivity to national / regional culture and customs, etc. / Mdx University Copyright Guidelines the University’s copyright officer
McCracken and Gilbart 1995
Second Draft / Produce copies of pilot materials and an evaluation schedule or proforma. / Rowntree 1994 157-162
Pilot / Pilot testing of materials by students. / Zand 1998
Appointment and training of staff / Identify and address any staff development needs. / Contact CAPE
Establish evaluation feedback systems.
Validation / Provide the Validation Panel with one complete module and a plan of the whole programme. This should indicate how materials and activities are designed to support students’ learning in relation to the outcomes. / See Learning and Quality Enhancement HandbookGuidance 3x
Review / Undertake an early review/fine-tuning of arrangements, based on obtaining student and other feedback. / Lockwood 1995 Part viii ; Thorpe 1993; Rowntree 1981 Ch 6.
Learning and Quality Enhancement Handbook
Brown, S. and Knight, P. (1994) Assessing Learners in Higher Education London, Kogan Page.
Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham, SRHE and Open University Press
Hawkridge, D. 1994 Which team for open and distance learning materials production? Materials Production in Open and Distance Learning F.Lockwood London, Paul Chapman pp96-102
Hulsmann, T. (1999). The costs of distance education. Higher Education Through Open and Distance Learning: World review of distance education and open learning. K. Harry. London, Routledge: 72-84.