What makes a good course?

The ODL QC standards state that a good course should:

• clearly state what outcomes the learner can hope to have achieved on completion;
• provide the materials and other resources , and the support, needed to enable the learner to achieve those outcomes.

The aim of assessment is to ask:

• are the statements of outcome clear, realistic and realisable?
• are the course components sufficient to deliver those outcomes in principle?
• in practice do learners achieve those outcomes?

Assessment compares each component of the course against the standards to ensure that they are met.

(For more background on outcomes, and their relationships to aims and objectives, see the lexicon entry on outcome.)

What makes a good provider?

The assessment of a provider asks whether its courses are good.    But it also asks whether the provider is fair and ethical in his other dealings with learners.

Particular standards are set out for:

• support, both in a particular course and more generally;
• selling, from advertising to enrolment;
• for general administration and business matters at the provider;
• partnerships between providers and other areas of collaborative provision.

For more details go to the pages which set out the standards in detail.