Quality Assurance in Distance Education achieved in the Philippines

Abstract

This paper analyzes and synthesizes the developments and challenges of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) which offers the Distance Education (DE) Program since 1995. Focusing on the core components of (1) quality of distance education, (2) administrative service, (3) faculty development, and (4) student feedback, this paper reviews and evaluates how the UPOU performs quality assurance and provides an effective mediated learning experience in the tertiary and graduate levels serving its local and overseas Filipino students in 33 different countries. The UPOU reports improvement and faces challenges on: (1) government, private sector, non-governmental organization, and academe support for policy and budget for technology and multimedia upgrade, (2) organizing and training DE scholars, specialists, personnel and practitioners, (3) relevance and competitiveness of programs and curriculum, (4) establishment of more digital learning centers and learning object repositories, (5) strengthening collaboration with other universities, including the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) and in the Southeast Asian Region, (6) student retention and technological support, (8) assessment methods , (9) research agenda, and (10) bridging the ‘pedagogical gap of acceptance’. The UPOU is determined to address these educational realities to prove that DE is beyond an alternative to conventional university, and is a viable academic institution based on a learner-centered paradigm for more Filipino students.