ELQ

ELQ (in full, E-Learning Quality) is a system devised in Sweden for assessing the quality of e-learning in higher education.

It was developed by HSV, the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education. However, due to a change of government it was never used in an operational way, despite being a well-researched system.

For more details see the HSV report at http://www.hsv.se/download/18.8f0e4c9119e2b4a60c800028057/0811R.pdf

Preface to the Report

The Swedish National Agency of Higher Education (HSV) has initiated a project to define quality in distance learning/e-learning. Work on the project began in 2006, with an evaluation of distance-based teacher training programmes. In the same year an analysis of the current methods of evaluation used by the Swedish National Agency and the Danish Evaluation Institute was presented at the ICDE world conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The analysis aimed to identify the important variables for good quality in technology-based flexible education.

In 2007, work began on an international knowledge survey, the results of which are included here. The report analyses how quality in e-learning is perceived within the EU, in a number of individual European countries, in the US and Australia, and in international research. Based on this analysis, a model for e-learning quality – ELQ – has been developed.

The knowledge survey is intended to serve as a basis for the further development of the National Agency’s evaluations of the quality of higher education, so that they may better capture the quality of distance learning programmes and other education programmes that are carried out using modern information and communication technology. Another aim of the survey is to contribute to international development efforts within the e-learning sector.

The knowledge survey was compiled by National Agency's Department of Evaluation. Eva Åström, project manager at the National Agency, managed the project. For data collection and analysis, two external experts were engaged: Henrik Hansson, PhD, Stockholm University, and Per Westman, PhD, NSHU. Magnus Johansson, project manager at the National Agency, also participated.

The work of the National Agency on quality in e-learning will continue in 2008. There are plans for a project aimed at developing methods for evaluating higher education based on information and communication technology.

This never happened due to a change of government.

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