Engineering Quality Criteria

Quality Criteria Extraordinary increase in the number of distance education programs mediated by new technologies has led some U.S. educational organizations to develop principles and standards of quality in distance education programs (The Institute for Higher Education Policy. Quality on the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education. 2000. http://www.ihep.com). They are designed to be applied in various institutional contexts. Institutional support: A technology plan that includes operational security measures is to ensure both quality standards, as well as the integrity and validity of information. It provided a high level of confidence in information sharing system. Infrastructure distance education program is built and maintained through a centralized system. Developing courses Guidelines on minimum standards are used to develop, design and distribution rates, while the desired results (and not the availability of a particular method) determine the technology used to distribute content. Training materials are reviewed periodically. The courses are designed to engage students in analysis, synthesis and evaluation of content, as part of the educational program requests. Teaching / learning Student interaction with faculty and other students is an essential feature, facilitated by a variety of ways. Feedback from homework done by students and their questions is constructive and timely. Students are familiar with effective methods of research. Course Structure Before starting a distance learning program, determine if students (1) are sufficiently motivated to learn at a distance and (2) have access to more technology provided as needed for interaction. Students are to provide additional information on the objectives, concepts and main ideas, and the results expected at the end of each module are clearly expressed in writing. Students have access to sufficient resources (which may include a virtual library, accessible through the internet). Faculty and students agreed on the expectations of work deadlines and faculty response.