Talk:CCNC/CCNC Module 6/Quality review/Archive

COMMONWEALTH COMPUTER NAVIAGATORS CERTIFICATE (CCNC) REVIEW REPORT 

Report by Juliet Stoltenkamp: E-Learning Manager

E-Learning Development & Support Unit (EDSU)

University of the Western Cape (UWC)

South Africa

Quality Assurance Process June 2007: Necessity to plan a strategy for identified improvements for Module 6

1. Executive Summary

The aim of this report is to reflect on a process for the implementation of a holistic Quality Assurance process. The Manager and the Instructional Design Team of the E-learning unit (EDSU) is the 'pedagogic arm' of the whole process for Module 6 of the CCNC project

The team focuses on matters concerning the relationship to and use of the wiki as an educational tool. The team's work is firstly related to the formal education processes of the project, and it continues to strive for collaboration and partnerships with the other institutions involved. Team members had to acquire educational expertise and functions to assist them to meet the strategic goals of the project.

The Quality Assurance Process implementation is premised on the integrated planning, support and development of the components of the entire CCNC project. It is envisaged that such an integrated implementation approach can encourage the cooperation of UWC and the other collaborative partners to review the current development of the project to ensure total alignment.

2. Purpose

The purpose of this report is to make explicit the institution's position within the CCNC project and to create awareness around the team's development activities. This report reflects on Quality Assurance process with special focus on its impact on the project.

3. Scope

The report briefly reflects on the Quality Assurance (QA) process prior to the face-to-face review meeting in Vancouver, Canada from 27-29 June 2007.

The different focus areas of the QA process are then presented. These can be categorised as the reviewing of:

In conclusion this report offers some recommendations for the way forward.
 * Main Headings
 * Pre-Knowledge Statements
 * Broad Outcomes
 * Sectional Overviews
 * Rationale
 * Specific Outcomes
 * Content Related Changes
 * Navigational Structure (menu bar and next buttons)
 * Teaching Tips/Extra Reading Material

4. Quality Assurance Process (June 2007): Module 6 

Pre-knowledge Statements

The learner should always know which content should be covered before the continuation of a particular learning area.

Main Headings

Sectional titles were reviewed to capture the content displayed. Example:

Broad Outcomes of the Module
 * Create & Apply Workspace Views
 * Formatting Text

The broad outcomes of the module were reviewed to encapsulate the purpose of the entire module.

By the end of this module you will be able to:

Sectional Overviews
 * Apply the basic impress applications
 * Create a presentation
 * Add effects to the presentation

The section overview should give the learner a clear picture of what can be expected. The following review of a section overview was applied to all the sections of the module. Example:

This section consists of six (6) tutorials. These tutorials are linked from the outcomes below…

Rationale

The rationale usually indicates the purpose of the content to be covered. A rationale for each section was completed.

Specific Outcomes

The specific outcomes were reviewed. It was not aesthetically pleasing to view seven (7) idevices (i.e. 7 boxes) displayed on one screen. The outcomes were placed into one box. The 'action words' were linked to the specific content pages. The action words were reviewed. Words such as learn & understand are not measurable. It was also important to remember not to reflect more than seven (7) outcomes per section.

Example: Section 1: Basic Understanding of Impress'''. '''By the end of this section you will be able to:

Content Related Changes
 * Apply design principles
 * Identify the impress window layout
 * Navigate through slides
 * Identify file menu terms
 * Open an existing presentation using the auto pilot or file menu
 * Save a presentation and exit impress

This standard, simple numbering system was applied throughout the module.
 * The Numbering System of each section was reviewed enabling a more user-friendly system. Example: Section 1: Tutorial 1, 2, 3, 4…

Navigational Structure 
 * More screenshots were inserted in particular areas enabling clearer explanations and steps

Teaching Tips/Extra Reading Material
 * Next buttons were inserted enabling easy navigation
 * Structured menus were developed for sub-sections allowing easy access and navigation (the user does not have to 'go back' to the main section to view the specific content)

Wherever extra reading material appeared, a teaching tip icon (giftbox) was inserted.

5. Recommendations for the Way Forward

The Quality Assurance Process requires up-to-date and improved approaches to the way in which the learning material is presented, institutions interact and learners are assessed. As we move into this next phase of the project, the vision is to develop a course that combines pedagogy with technology in order to enhance the delivery of the final product.

6. Conclusion
 * The process of designing relevant activities linked to outcomes has to be refined. Only one activity has been inserted to date (Section 5: Tutorial 3).
 * The automatic numbering system of the wiki is not aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly for the learner. There is nothing we can do about this default system.
 * The outcomes of sections are directly linked to the specific content. Sometimes more than one outcome is linked to a specific page. We attempted to link the 'action word' to the actual content on the page. The system did not allow us to achieve this.
 * We should discuss licensing issues (Copyright & Copyleft)
 * Assessments: We could have an online exam and it will be stored on a central drive or database.
 * Thematic Project: As participants start and progress through the modules they will have to add to the project. By the end of the module they will have a completed project or something like an E-Portfolio. It will be paced at their own time
 * Create a presentation using all the tools and functions they were taught during the course of the module
 * Multi-media tools such as Podcasts, Webcasting & Video snippets could be added

This Quality Assurance process approach has paved ideal opportunities to pilot and implement initiatives. This approach has many benefits for the team if well implemented and managed, it will:
Co-Authors: Carolynne Kies
 * provide a pedagogically sound basis to enhance teaching and learning using the wiki
 * increase collaboration and co-operation between stakeholders in the project
 * ensure that each institution remains accountable and informed about developments to enable them to make informed decisions
 * promote greater involvement and participation of the team in the development, revision and maintenance of the online module.

 Norina Finger

 Tasneem Taliep