Russian Experts have found a “Recipe” for Quality in Online Education

Online learning has rapidly burst into our lives and forced universities to look for new answers to what quality is. Experts from Inobra analyzed the existing scientific literature on this topic and discovered that methods suitable for offline learning in a digital environment have their own specifics. “Quality in online learning, like good coffee, requires a special recipe,” says one of the authors of the study, Anna Korczak. “You can’t just transfer offline practices to online and expect the same taste.” The researchers identify specific features of the online format: a more thorough study of educational materials, enhanced psychological and information support for students.

If offline, the key factor is  the “exclusivity” of the university and its superiority over competitors. However, online, “transformation” becomes more prominent – the significant changes that studying brings about in students. “Students’ educational experience becomes the focus in online programs,” explains Tatiana Havenson, a co-author of the study, “and this becomes the primary concern regarding their quality.”

However, the basic parameters of quality education are the same for both formats: a clear vision and strategy, effective resource management, and the competence of teachers. In practice, experts suggest building work with the quality of online programs, focusing on the needs of students and combining proven approaches with innovations of the digital age.

Link to the article: publications.hse.ru