Towards a model for structuring diversity: Classifying & finding quality approaches with the EQO model

12.4 Conclusion

The ongoing discussion about quality management in general and about quality in education specifically shows that there are numerous different dimensions, criteria, perspectives and corresponding vocabularies that have to be taken into account when applying a quality strategy. There has been developed a variety of quality approaches in the past to enhance the quality of the different educational scenarios.

As there is existing a great variety of quality approaches in the field of elearning a support system is needed to support the user systematically to make the right decision in choosing an approach that fits to the special needs in each situation. Generally, the process of decision-making can be characterised using a four-step model. The European Quality Observatory has developed the EQO the right quality approach and in making decisions. Focus of the metadata scheme is to give criteria and elements to describe, compare and handle different approaches — even to give structured information and thus to provide decision support. With the Decision Cycle there has been developed a process model to support any actors involved in quality in e-learning in finding the appropriate quality strategy for any e-learning scenario.

With the results of the EQO project first important steps have been made to provide the urgently needed support for dealing with the complex field of quality approaches in e-learning. However, it is obvious that this was only a starting point and that there is great demand for further research in this field to provide better support for the process of implementing quality approaches.