Conceptualising quality e-learning in higher education

Both academic and non-academic institutions, such as businesses, have increasingly been interested in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to support learning, otherwise termed e-learning. This interest has been fuelled by the new developments in ICT, such as multimedia and the Internet with its World Wide Web. Other incentives have been the associated (expected) reduction of the cost of education and the easier expansion of education to the increasing market that cannot be reached by traditional delivery. Especially with higher education, the issue of quality is raised, leading to both anecdotal and empirical evidence of ways to maintain quality while deriving the benefits of e-learning. This article discusses the issue of quality in higher education and examines how it can be maintained in online learning. Key current research is used to develop a conceptual framework of nine factors, which include content, delivery, technical provision (referred to as tangibles) and globalisation. Areas for further studies (including primary study to validate the framework) are highlighted.