QA4ODFL1/About
This section provides information about the Pacific Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning, and the Quality Assurance for Open Distance and Flexible Learning 1 (QA4ODFL1) online course.
Contents
About the Pacific Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning
Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning (ODFL) in the Pacific is a 5-year project (2020 – 2025) funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade to support enhancing capacity and efficiency of education sectors in the Pacific through greater use of innovative delivery mechanisms and technology.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), together with the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD) are implementing the initiative.
About the QA4ODFL1 online course
Quality Assurance for Open Distance and Flexible Learning 1 (QA4ODFL1) was developed by Saide [1] for the Pacific Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning.
Summary
| Course code | QA4ODFL1 |
| Duration | 4 weeks |
| Workload | 5 - 6 hours per week |
| Badges | Participation Badge and Completion Badge |
| Certification | Certificate of Participation and Completion Certificate |
What will I learn?
In this short online course you will:
- Identify key aspects of ODFL that distinguish it from conventional face to face education;
- Appreciate the importance of creating an enabling policy environment for ODFL in your country;
- Explain why appropriate governance and management are important in order to realise good quality ODFL;
- Design an appropriate ODFL system in your country, which can meet the educational needs of different people in your context and is within government financial means;
- Advise on most appropriate technologies that can be harnessed to leverage the quality of ODFL in your context; and
- Evaluate ODFL provisioning in your country, if there is any, with a view to improving it.
What's involved
This is a hands-on, activity-based course consisting of 4 Units. It is anticipated that you need 30 hours (4 weeks) to go through the whole course. The 30 hours can be spread over a period of 1 to 3 months, depending on the commitments you have. The 4 units cover: Policy issues, Governance and management of ODFL, ODFL structure and funding issues, and Technology and logistics in ODFL.
Certification options
Participant badge
If you successfully complete the four QA4ODFL1 Knowledge tests, you will be awarded a QA4ODFL1 Participant badge.
QA4ODFL1 completion badge and QA4ODFL1 Certificate of completion
If you successfully complete the whole Quality Assurance for Open Distance and Flexible Learning 1 course, by earning the Participant badge and passing the scenario-based assessment, you will also automatically earn the QA4ODFL1 completion badge and the QA4ODFL1 Certificate of Completion.
Prerequisites
Any teacher is free and welcome to participate in this course. The course will be conducted in English. We recommend that you have:
- Access to a personal computer for 5 – 6 hours per week
- Basic computer skills (saving files in different formats, setting up and deleting folders, starting programs, etc.)
- Access to the internet for 3 – 5 hours per week while working online on the course.
- Basic skills in navigating websites using a browser
- Ability to install, or have access to a colleague or friend to help you install Free and Open Source Software programs (we will provide links to free downloads of the software).
