8 Impact on quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation

This section reports on the findings relating to the impact of networked learning on quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation.

8.1 Overall changes to quality procedures

The interviews did not include specific questions in relation to quality assurance; however, the questionnaires did address quality issues. Questions in the questionnaire asked the respondents to comment on the extent to which certain procedures had changed as a result of networked learning. The responses are shown in Figure 8-1. In relation to quality assurance procedures FE colleges reported somewhat more change than HE institutions. Quality assurance of networked learning materials were seen to have caused considerable change with 75% of those responding from FE colleges suggesting that there had been major changes; in HE this figure was 43%. However, examining major and minor changes together suggests slightly greater changes overall in HE. The majority in both types of institutions felt that there had been minor changes in relation to assessment procedures – the figure here was slightly higher for HE institutions. Around a quarter of respondents in FE indicated that there had been major changes in this area; the corresponding figure for HE is lower, with only 14% stating that there had been major changes. Monitoring of the staff/student experience was also seen as having undergone change. Again, the pattern is similar for the two types of institutions but with FE suggesting a higher level of major changes. Finally, quality procedures in relation to supporting learners were perceived as having changed with nearly 50% in FE stating this had occurred and over 50% in HE suggesting that this was the case.

In interview, the majority of statements that emerged in relation to quality came from those in the role of quality assurance or technical support.

Figure 8-1: Impact of networked learning on quality (questionnaire data)