The HECA Academic Quality Enhancement Forum (HAQEF) has proudly launched the Quality Assurance in HECA Colleges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Analysis through the lens of QQI’s Core Criteria.
The Report, and its accompanying video resource, support the collective enhancement of higher education quality assurance practices in ongoing blended and online delivery.
Throughout the pandemic period, the nature of delivery of programmes within the Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA) Colleges was significantly disrupted as programmes were adapted for delivery in an online format. The disruption became the focal point of many discussions within HAQEF, where paramount importance was placed on having policies and procedures in place to ensure quality standards, opportunities for enhancement, and the maintenance of equality of opportunity for students across both face-to-face and online delivery. This project aimed to produce useful insights and resources for the ongoing application of quality assurance of blended and online learning, based on HECA members' experiences, and to recognise the challenges of the application of mitigations in respect of blended and online learning.
The resulting findings articulate specific experiences and insights from the adaptation of quality assurance policies and procedures. The report signposts relevant resources to support providers in their navigation of quality assurance in the blended and online world.
This project was funded under the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Network and Discipline Fund which supports networks and discipline groups to work together to respond proactively to identified challenges in teaching and learning in higher education, including those that have come to light through the sudden movement to online/remote teaching and learning.