Evaluation Process and Quality Management in a Blended-Learning Bachelor's Programme

In this contribution an evaluation process for a blended-learning Bachelor's programme in electrical engineering and information technology is reported. The rather diverse group of students with limited contact time, due to the fact that they work alongside studying, made us design a dedicated and effective quality circle for continuous improvement. Various layers are used to open channels for information exchange: Self assessment is element of a bridging course in mathematics. Biographical data are retrieved in the beginning of the course programme for a better understanding of the cohort. For each module, summative evaluation by means of an electronic questionnaire is used in addition to a quick feedback channel during the semester. In order to enable improvement, the loop is closed. Additionally, the whole study programme undergoes external evaluation by an accreditation agency on a regular basis. The described quality management process has been developed and tested over the last three years. We suggest that this process can be easily used as a versatile blueprint for blended and distance-learning programmes. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.