Quality Assurance in Open and Flexible Distance Learning: A Malaysian Perspective

Anuwar Ali, (2013) Quality Assurance in Open and Flexible Distance Learning: A Malaysian Perspective. In: India-Canada International Conference on Open and Flexible Distance Learning SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, India, 20-22 February 2013, Mumbai, India. (Submitted)

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Abstract

The urgent drive towards human capital development has often focused on the role of higher education institutions in providing the knowledge and skills necessary for economic progress. This growing spotlight on higher education has been accompanied by an equal concern for quality, especially in an environment where private higher education, such as through open and flexible distance learning (OFDL), is becoming increasingly prominent as the major access point of learning opportunities for the masses, in particular, working adults who have the greatest potential to contribute to economic progress. Quality assurance (QA) measures are essential as rapid advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have significantly transformed teaching and learning to create a sophisticated, borderless and global educational environment that has erased various traditional boundaries in higher education. While this has resulted in many benefits for today’s learners, it is important to look to QA as a means to maintain standards, ensure learner satisfaction, ensure accountability and even enhance institutional image and prestige. Although there are diverse QA approaches in higher education, a common thread exists where all countries and institutions aim to provide the best quality education possible. This is reflected in the gaining importance of benchmarking and best practices as well as adhering to national and international guidelines that take into account various aspects of education provision, from course objectives to curriculum design, monitoring, review, institutional leadership as well as continuous improvement. This paper will discuss the broad QA approach in Malaysian higher education, with specific focus to OFDL and open universities. This paper will also illustrate QA from the perspective of Open University Malaysia (OUM). As the country’s premier open university, OUM has employed its own unique approach to QA that will hopefully contribute to a more well-rounded QA system in Malaysian higher education, specifically in OFDL; and in general, to potentially create an impact on similar institutions in other countries in the Asian region

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