Toward An Effective Quality Assurance of Web-Based Learning: The perspective of Distance Learning Students

Abstract

Recent developments have seen quality assurance become more sophisticated in scope, covering more than course material and aiming to assure learner support and delivery. The effects of globalization in the educational market, and identifies how important quality assurance will be in an environment in which learner have choices, see themselves as customers as much as students, and will increasingly demand evidence of the quality procedures of the purchase they are making. Having said all of that, the perspective of students is very important because they are also key stakeholders within the framework of distance educational institutions. Recently, there is a significant growth in the number of distance learning students in Hong Kong. Thus, the objective of this research is to evaluate an effective model of quality assurance for Web-based learning in terms of the perspective of students. This research will contribute in identifying the critical success factors within the framework of quality assurance model for Web-based learning. By understanding the key factors from student perspective, management at distance education institutions can evaluate and enhance their quality assurance mechanism so that they can improve the quality of their services to the students.