Measurement and QualityHigher Education Ethics in Action 23 – 25 June 2016, Geneva, Switzerland

Gard Titlestad, Secretary GeneralInternational Council for Open and Distance Education

What is ethics in action when measuring quality

higher education?Invitation for this conference to

deliver on Higher Education

ONLINE, OPEN, FLEXIBLE AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED HIGHER AND ADULT EDUCATION

ICDE Focus

Quality DE• Distance Education – Quality? – 3 meta-studies (North)

• https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/29/online•

http://www.tonybates.ca/2013/08/20/a-review-of-the-heqco-report-on-productivity-and-quality-in-online-learning-in-higher-education/

• http://linkresearchlab.org/PreparingDigitalUniversity.pdf

• Meta-study US Department of Education (2009/2010):– “students who took all or part of their instruction online

performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through face-to-face instruction. Further, those who took "blended" courses -- those that combine elements of online learning and face-to-face instruction -- appeared to do best of all” (InsideHigherEd).

Example

• “There is sadly and shamefully a history in ODEL of commercial motives conflicting with that sense of responsibility, and too many recent instances of institutions, in particular private for-profit colleges, where admissions practice has not been ethically and transparently managed, to the severe detriment of the students who pay high fees, and accumulate debt without the benefit of qualification.”

• quality is defined: – ...as methods that successfully help learners develop the

knowledge and skills they will require in a digital age. • The concept of a “quality e-learning system” refers to – “one in which the learner has a reasonable opportunity

for success in reaching their learning goals”.

Outcome

• Retention• Completion• Learning outcome• Degree• Jobs......• Salaries............

Ethics in action?

• Are students involved in quality?• How?

Example:Learning Analytics

• “Learning Analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimising learning and the environments in which it occurs”

• Wikipedia, March 2016.

Mitt FitBit

Learning analyticsTechnical infrastructure

https://www.surf.nl/en/knowledge-base/2016/whitepaper-how-data-can-improve-the-quality-of-higher-education.html

Mars 2016

Learning AnalyticsArchitecture: JISC

https://www.jisc.ac.uk/reports/learning-analytics-in-higher-education

Example: Civita Degree map

https://www.civitaslearning.com/

Example: Civita Illume

https://www.civitaslearning.com/

http://www.policyconnect.org.uk/hec/research/report-bricks-clicks-potential-data-and-analytics-higher-education

The Open University, UK, policy

The UK Higher Education Commission 2016

Do we need a global code of

practice for learning

analytics?

”TOWARDS INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE QUALITY EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING FOR ALL”

Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education 2030

THANK YOUtitlestad@icde.org

www.icde.org

Seize digital opportunities, lead education transformation