My PhD Dissertation on quality e-learning

Ossiannilsson, Ebba, Benchmarking e-learning in higher education: lessons
learned from international projects
University of Oulu Graduate School; University of Oulu, Faculty of Technology, Department of
Industrial Engineering and Management, P.O. Box 4610, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Finland
Acta Univ. Oul. C 436, 2012
Oulu, Finland

Public defence 14 dec 2012 Oulu University Finland

My dissertation was placed on the repository (virtual) wall today. Exciting, unbelievable and a fantastic feeling. My dissertation is about benchmarking and quality in e-learning/open learning. I have been working on international benchmarking projects on e-elarning and open learning. The abstract is availble in English, Finnish and Swedish and the diiseration and further information is to be find here http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/isbn978-952-62-0041-5

Abstract

Higher education is facing a range of major  challenges during the twenty-first century. Personalised, flexible and open learning are considered among the driving forces, thus, issues of quality must be urgently addressed. This qualitative, multiple-case-study research with single and cross-case analysis focuses on

benchmarking e-learning in higher education. The results of this study include providing conceptual lenses with which to see, discuss and perceive the complexity of benchmarking elearning in higher education in extended, stretched and boundless learning environments. It has become obvious through the research that there is a need for new frames of reference for quality in e-learning. The choice of theoretical foundations for benchmarking e-learning will impact the consequences of accomplishing and selecting benchmarks. 

This research provides directions and recommendations for  the future regarding how to accomplish benchmarking e-learning in extended learning environments in which students can study, work and live independently of time and space with global resources at their disposal in lifelong learning environments. The greatest challenge identified in this study for integrating benchmarking e-learning into general quality assurance is the fact that the required changes related to and demanded for e-learning are not fully understood. The research shows that benchmarking as a method will have a significant impact on ordinary quality assurance in higher education. 

This doctoral dissertation revealed challenges to integrate external quality audits and internally driven benchmarking. The studies have likewise revealed the need for methodological changes by quality assurance bodies and authorities carrying out audit and accreditation for integrating elearning into quality assurance, as well as the need to fully understand the complexity and the special characteristics of e-learning. Probably, the challenge lies not with the system, success factors or benchmarks but in the lack of knowledge and experience of e-learning systems amongst those charged with implementation. The concept  benchlearning was introduced as part ofbenchmarking exercises.