Eliciting and Actualizing Parameters of Quality Assurance for Graduate Online Programmes

This study is focused on defining quality notion in online mode of higher education, eliciting quality assurance parameters of university online-programmes and actualizing them for working with quality of graduate online-programmes. The results show that there are a lot of similarities between quality in offline and online modes. Nevertheless, these two modes are not the same. Elicited differences on the level of theory outline that in offline quality is defined more as “Accountability”, in online - as “Transformation”. On the level of practice two modes differ in terms of students and teachers support online, more focus on materials design and on digital technologies online. Further to this, it’s easier to expand online programmes than offline. Among elicited parameters of quality assurance there are those present in all analysed models - technologies, teaching online and student-centred design. They form a “core” of working with quality of online programmes. Parameters present only in some models are students’ support, teachers’ support and staff support, virtual environment development, resource reusability. They introduce elements of flexibility to working with quality online. For graduate online programme directors actual parameters are: technologies, students’ and teachers’ support and communication. Staff support is not their priority. Reusability of resources is not mentioned. Opinions on virtual environment development differ. Some directors say that it’s quite possible to implement it, some - that it’s practically impossible. This study may be of interest for researchers of higher education, university managers and professionals in the field of education policy.