OpenupEd aims to be a distinct quality brand embracing a wide diversity of (institutional) approaches to open up education via the use of MOOCs. As a consequence, the OpenupEd community developed a quality label for MOOCs tailored to both e-learning and open education.
The label was developed and refined through a series of projects involving some 35 European HEIs since 2005, and has been updated in 2021. The associated institutional benchmarking with this label is primarily meant to be applied as an improvement tool, comparing institutional performances with current best practices and leading to measures to raise the quality of its MOOCs and their operation. This process is designed to complement both an institutional course approval process, and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of courses in presentation.
There is considerable diversity in institutional approaches in opening up education through the use of MOOCs which the OpenupEd label fully embraces. As part of this process, institutes part of OpenupEd integrate the label into their own quality processes (see example of UNED under further reading). New members of the OpenupEd community are required to obtain the OpenupEd label within three years after entry.
The OpenupEd quality label stresses the importance of research on how MOOCs in different institutional and cultural settings can help with the opening up of education. To this end, OpenupEd partners are collaborating on research and evaluation as well. In terms of quality assurance, the partners felt an urgent need to focus research on the learner perspective.
Obtaining the Label
Guidance for quality MOOCs
OpenupEd provides guidance to enhance the quality of MOOCs tailored to the best practices in e-learning and open education. To this end, OpenupEd offers various MOOC checklists and support materials open to anyone. In addition, new members of the OpenupEd community are guided in their quality enhancement processes by the OpenupEd Quality Label.
Institutes that would like to apply for the OpenupEd label are stimulated to first use the OpenupEd Quick Scan to get an overview of all the benchmarks and features and whether your institution can meet this broadly.
Thereafter, the following procedure for obtaining the OpenupEd label applies:
- Contact OpenupEd secretariat () indicating that you are applying for the OpenupEd label.
- Proceed with a self-evaluation on the level of achievement, supported by providing brief evidence for each benchmark.
- Based on the evaluation, a roadmap must be prepared indicating fields of improvement and list of priorities for the coming years.
- The self-evaluation and improvement roadmap will then form the basis for a review and discussion with (two) external experts.
The OpenupEd label will be awarded on the outcome of this final review. Note that institutes joining OpenupEd must obtain the OpenupEd label within three years after entry.
General
Community
