Performance indicators to assess distance education quality in Malta

Abstract

The use of performance indicators (PIs) as quality assurance (QA) instruments within traditional campus-based higher education institutions has been the centre of much debate and research as educators and administrators questioned the effectiveness of such tools. Additional issues, doubts and research possibilities materialized when the same PIs were applied to assure distance and eLearning courses quality offered by traditional universities and other commercial higher education institutions. This paper analyses the issue of PIs in eLearning policy as quality assessment tools by briefly tracing the development of PIs within QA schemes, as well as, investigate the way they have evolved to form part of eLearning policy.