A Framework for the Quality Assurance of Blended E-Learning Communities

E-learning enables learners to decide what to learn, when, how and how fast. In the blended e-learning paradigm, knowledge is delivered using a combination of online and traditional distant education practices. The purpose of this paper is to propose a set of criteria for the evaluation of the educational process in blended e-learning communities. The systematic surveying and evaluation of the various parameters that affect the educational outcome is the primary aim of the quality assurance process. Existing evaluation methods provide general guidelines, which fail to cover the traditional distant education procedures (e.g. educational material, sporadic face-to-face meetings) that accompany e-learning activities. The key reason for the success of a blended e-learning approach is the balance between computer based and face-to-face interactions and the harmonic merge of the two. First, we review the current quality evaluation models for education and focus on the criteria that apply to blended e-learning approaches. Then, we discuss the issues arising from the combination of the two alternatives and propose solutions for improving the quality of the whole process.