Quality assurance and qualifications frameworks: achieving learning

outcomes

Bryan MaguireQuality and Qualifications Ireland

Conference on National Qualifications Framework

Astana, June 8-9, 2015

Quality assurance • European standards and guidelines• Quality assurance agencies• Qualifications frameworks• Irish experience

We cannot wander at pleasure among the educational systems of the world, like a child strolling through a garden, and pick off a flower from one bush and some leaves from another, and then expect if we stick what we have gathered into the soil at home, we shall get a living plant. A national system of education is a living thing, the outcome of forgotten struggles and difficulties, and “battles of long ago”. It has in it some of the secret workings of national life.

– Michael Sadler

Bologna Ministerial Statements

• “To consolidate the EHEA, meaningful implementation of learning outcomes is needed. The development, understanding and practical use of learning outcomes is crucial to the success of ECTS, the Diploma Supplement, recognition, qualifications frameworks and quality assurance – all of which are interdependent.” Bucharest Communiqué, April 2012

• “Enhancing the quality and relevance of learning and teaching is the main mission of the EHEA.” Yerevan Communiqué, May 2015

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Стандарты и рекомендации для гарантии качества вЕвропейском пространстве высшего образования (ESG)

Переработанное издание

• Европейская ассоциация гарантии качества высшего образования

• Европейский союз студентов• Европейская ассоциация университетов• Европейская ассоциация учреждений высшего образования• Международное образование• BUSINESSEUROPE• Европейский реестр агентств гарантии качества в высшем

образовании

• http://www.enqa.eu/index.php/home/esg/

Three layers of ESG• Internal quality assurance• External quality assurance• External quality assurance agencies

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Internal quality assurance• Policy for institutional quality assurance• Design and approval of programmes

(NFQ)• Student-centred learning, teaching and

assessment• Student admission, progression,

recognition and certification• Teaching staff• Learning resources and student support• Information management• Public information• On-going monitoring and periodic

review of programmes

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External quality assurance• Use of internal quality

assurance procedures• Designing methodologies

fit for purpose• Implementing processes• Peer review experts• Reporting• Criteria for outcomes• Complaints and appeals

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Quality assurance agencies• Activities policy and

processes for QA• Official status• Independence• Thematic analysis• Resources• Internal QA and professional

conduct• Cyclical external review of

agencies9

External QA• Accreditation of programmes or• Accreditation/audit of institutions

or• Combination of both

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Qualifications Frameworks• Based on learning outcomes• National qualifications frameworks

are being developed in all countries• Tuning project has worked on

learning outcomes for disciplines within QF-EHEA

• Integrating QA and QFs is increasingly important agenda

Quality and Qualifications Ireland• “an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in

Ireland”• Established November 2012• Amalgamation of

– National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (est. 2001)– Further Education and Training Awards Council (2001

from National Council for Vocational Awards - 1991)– Higher Education and Training Awards Council (2001

from National Council for Education Awards – 1972)– Irish Universities Quality Board (2003)

QQI roles• Custodian of National Framework of

Qualifications• Qualifications Recognition (NARIC)• Quality assurance guidelines for all

education and training outside schools• Quality assurance of all HEIs at

institutional level• Quality assurance of private HE at

programme level

Irish agency guidelines• Programme design• Learner assessment strategies

Programme design - Universities• College/faculty and university procedures

ensure that the design of new programmes is of a high standard, support alignment to the intended NFQ level and compliance with national and international standards for professional and legal recognition of graduates, and incorporate all relevant elements and provisions, and, as appropriate, allows for multiple options – IUQB 2012

Programme Design – Professional Higher Education

• Programme learning outcomes articulated and mapped to appropriate award-type descriptor

• Module learning outcomes designed to collectively deliver the programme learning outcomes

• Credit allocated to award (and modules) within range agreed for award-type

• Appropriate teaching, learning and assessment methodology designed

• Name of award reflects appropriate award-type– HETAC 2010

Assessment strategies• “Programme assessment strategies should be produced for

each programme and module assessment strategies for each of its constituent modules

– Link a programme’s assessment instruments (summative and formative, including continuous assessment and repeat assessment) to the minimum intended programme learning outcomes as well as any intended module and stage learning outcomes

– Describe and provide a rationale for the choice of assessment tasks, criteria and procedures. It should also address their fairness and consistency, specifically their validity, reliability and authenticity

– Describe any special regulations– Regulate, build upon and integrate the module assessment

strategies and (where used) stage assessment strategies)”

• HETAC 2008

Assessment strategies– Provide contingent strategy for cases where learners claim

exemption from modules, including for the recognition of prior learning

– Match the programme’s assessment instruments to the requirement of the instituional grading system

– Ensure that the programme’s continuous assessment workload is appropriately balanced

– Relate to the programme’s teaching and learning strategy– Should be plainly written and communicated at the start of a

programme to learners and all those involved with teaching and assessment

– A clear assessment strategy can complement a statement of intended learning outcomes and aid its interpretation

• HETAC 2008

External QA - institution• Institutional review

– Holistic assessment#– Externality required– Relies on (and checks) institutional

capacity for programme level QA– Greater autonomy, closer to learners,

may be more cost effective– In some instance authority to valiadate

may be revoked or conditioned

External QA - programme• Programme validation/accreditation

– Independent– More consistent across HEIs?– More developmental?– More trusted, especially for less

established institutions– Demanding on the agency

QQI’s work in hand on QA• New QA guidelines for diverse providers• “Review of reviews” published 2013• Draft policy for new cycle of institutional

review to be published June 2015• National database of programmes and

awards in development• New policies on transition and

permeability between VET and HE

• www.qqi.ie• bmaguire@qqi.ie

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