Do not touch this during review process. (xxxx).

Quality Evaluation of e-Learning in the cuban university: criteria from the

educational process of academic formation. Educational Technology & Society, xx (x), xx–xx.

Quality Evaluation of e-Learning in the cuban university: criteria from the

teaching-learning process of academic formation

Wilder González-Díaz
Departamento de Tecnología Educativa, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
wilder@[Link]

Frederik Questier
Despartment of Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
fquestie@[Link]

Teresita de Jesús Gallardo-López

Centro de Estudios de Educación, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
teresita@[Link]

ABSTRACT
The emergence of new scenarios in the academic formation as a result of the integration of information and
communication technologies in the educational process, demands the identification of new criteria for evaluating
the quality of the processes, services and products. The expectations that have been created around the e-
learning, together with the increasing interest in educational quality, have awoken the necessity to propose and
develop new models of evaluation that defy the conceptions, criteria and methods of quality evaluation
according to the old educative paradigm.
The Central University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas has been making efforts to improve the learning processes
in the search of academic excellence. To achieve this objective, a strategy, based on self & peer assessment, for
continuous improvement has been developed and, it has allowed to certify most of the careers in academic
formation and also to extend accreditation processes to postgraduate education.
At the same time, e-learning has been defined as one of the prioritized strategies for continuous improvement in
the search for higher quality, to extend educational programs and increase enrollments, to provide life-long
learning, among others. However, the evaluation of its effectiveness and quality, is facing limitations given by
the lack of theoretical and methodological foundations to guide it, criteria, instruments and tools that allows
different institutions to evaluate their quality from all scopes, perspectives and approaches taken.
This paper presents some criteria to evaluate the quality of e-learning in the teaching-learning process of
academic formation

Keywords:
Quality of e-learning , Evaluation, Quality Evaluation of e-learning,

Introduction
The present era, trace trends, challenges and missions of higher education. The contemporary university faces the
challenges of an era influenced by globalization as a form of internationalization of the capital, which is expressed in
all the social superstructure, representing a historical trend result of different social processes, or as (Guadarrama,
2006) refers, a new modality of internationalization of the contemporary life that gives continuity to the
uninterrupted process of universalization of human relationships, culture and education.

In this sense, according to (González Morales, 2006), its impact on higher education is derived from the
internationalization of culture, the exponential rise of knowledge and the revolution in information and
communications technologies. These realities have lead to transformations in higher education, grouped by different
authors in specific trends: massification, financing, diversification and internationalization. Trends that have
introduced new concerns: pertinence and quality of higher education.

Pertinence, as suggested by (González Morales, 2006), is related to the role that higher education plays in society,
interacting consistently and systematically with factors present in it, performing the functions of supervision and
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encouragement, and analyzing large societal issues. In this regard (UNESCO, 1998) has raised the need for higher
education to establish contact with the policies, workplaces, culture and cultures.

A second challenge faced by contemporary higher education is related to the quality assurance of its processes,
services and products. Quality of education is an emerging challenge, and specifically in higher education, as noted
by (González Morales, 2006), covers the whole formation process, including the extent to which it responds to the
social needs. In this direction (Santoveña Casal, 2005) and (Ehlers & Pawlowski, 2006), point out that the quality
should be seen as a strategy that involves all members and all stages of the formation process.

Quality of education

The term "quality of education", as (Harvey & Green; 1993 in Harvey & Knight, 1996: 1), rises from a movement to
promote a qualitative improvement in education and it is identified around five fundamental concepts: quality as
exceptional, quality as perfection or consistency, quality as fitness for purpose, quality as value for money and
quality as transformation. Perspectives covered in their evolution, considering the new challenges of society, from
two main approaches according to (Seibold, 2000): pedagogic reform and total quality.

The pedagogic reform approache is a traditional notion of educational quality. considers quality as the result of the
introduction of more comprehensive and updated content and improved teaching methods, through the modification
of teaching practices for best results, almost exclusively in the sphere of cognitive, which exposes its reductionist
approach to quality.

Total quality approach outlines four conditions for quality management, customer satisfaction, continuous
improvement, the necessity of a participation gratified and gratifying of all the intervening agents and the level of
interaction with business companies. Its application in the educational field has implied the transformation of
technical nomenclature and concepts, where the student takes the place of the customer, being the education
management conceived in a continuous way through the educational project, the suggestions didactic and pedagogic,
institutional structures and management processes themselves, with the participation of the entire school community.
According to (Seibold, 2000), a total quality approach involves several dimensions that articulate a truly
comprehensive unit, focused on equity as equality of opportunity and respect for diversity.

The first dimension comprises the sociocultural context in which the school lives and develops, considering the
cultural-axiological and socio-economical contexts, where emerge aspirations, needs, demands of the family,
community and students, which is necessary to recognize and encourage in order to redefine them with a significant
new knowledge.

The didactic-pedagogical context is the second dimension and shows the didacticaland pedagogical approaches that
tend to present the new role of the teacher and the curriculum, made effective through the teaching-learning process.

Finally, the institutional-organizational context is the third dimension of total quality and the expression of process
articulated by the Institutional Educational Project. It places the guiding principles of the institution and its
axiological basis, which determine the "must be" of its educational quality, expressed in the management processes
carried out by the administration.

To (Alvarez & Santos, 2003), the concept of educational quality has been associated with: the construction of school
facilities in response to social expectations, personalization of education based on the numerical relation teacher vs
number of students, availability of resources to facilitate teaching and demand for results associated with teachers
and students satisfaction.

To these authors, research related to quality of education are focused on changing the prevailing culture in
educational institutions, with emphasis on collaborative work and the study of the influence of the socio-cultural
context in students performance.

2
“Education is a participative process. Students are not products, customers, consumers, service users or clients -
they are participants. Education is not a service for a customer (much less a product to be consumed) but an
ongoing process of transformation of the participant .”(Harvey & Knight, 1996: 7)

The e-learning in Higher Education

In the new context of information society, as pointed out by (Aguaded & López, 2009), higher education has to
surpass the conception of learning processes limited to transmission of concepts and merely repetition of content.
Authors consider that the learning processes should be aimed to “promote the capacity to transform knowledge and
apply it in order to solve problems, analyze and transform information, and to develop personal values to work in
collaboration. From this perspective, it is necessary to propose new teaching methods and search for educational
alternatives beyond the simple transmission of content.”(Cabero Almenara, 2006)

In this way, as marked by (Cabero Almenara, 2006), schools have embraced e-learning as an strategy that may solve
many of the educational problems, ranging from the geographical isolation of students from education centers, to the
need for continuous improvement that introduced by the knowledge society.

“E-learning has improved learning availability, efficacy and, in some cases, its efficiency. Also, it has provided a
unique opportunity, to transform learning styles, to extend our educational systems by dissolving the barriers in
order to guarantee a life long learning, to create links with the community and the industry, and, more important,
allow students to control their own learning process.”(Ehlers & Pawlowski, 2006)

Usually, the term e-learning refers to the use of internet in the teaching-learning process. In literature, authors like
(Ruipérez, 2003) , (Silvio, 2004), (Alvarez Gómez, González Romero, Mofin Otero, & Cabral Araiza, 2005),
(Cabero Almenara, 2006), have used similar terms: networked learning, online learning, b-learning, virtual learning,
web-based learning, web-based instruction, among others, to refer to an educational processes (either in person or at
distance) that use information and communication technologies as mediating in various learning activities.

The term, according to (Naidu, 2006), incorporates all sorts of educational activities carried out individually or in
groups, either synchronously or asynchronously, using networks or in isolated environments and, as considers,
encompasses the development of programs through internet and distribution of diverse content on CD-ROM,
according to the specific requirements of each individual and organization.

Though a unique agreed classification on the types of e-learning does not exis, (Sangrà Morer, 2005) considers that
there are some shared trends because the models of use of e-learning in the universities are directly related to
institutional strategies and motives.

Considering the level of presence in the web of the courses and programs offered by universities, it is possible,
according to (Sangrà Morer, 2005), to find among the mentioned models:
a) those that are complemented with some on-line support (lesson notes, electronic mail or external links);
b) those that require an active behavior through Internet to advance in the course (forums, collaborative
work,...);
c) those that can be considered mixed because the activities in the virtual environment replace, to a great
extent, the activities in physical presence; and
d) those that can be considered completely on-line or virtual.

E-learning, as (Duart & Lupiáñez, 2004) argue, is not limited to accessing the information and distributing
knowledge; it emerges from the interaction of several factors such as:
a) the education as a constructive process, personal or grouped, through life,
b) the technology as communicative and informational tool that creates new interaction spaces and;
c) the organization as a human concept that set the purpose and the context of education.

3
The evaluation of e-learning quality
The increasing interest on e-learning quality has lead to the adoption of quality assurance systems by a significant
number of countries. The quality improvement plans, proposed by these institutions, differ in many aspects but all of
them assume the evaluation as an appropriate instrument to diagnose and design institutional strategies.

The evaluation has a systemic nature. It is distinguished by the comparison of the actual levels, achieved during the
process, with predefined patterns (desired levels). As suggested by (González López, 2004) evaluation is an
informative and mediating process that provides constant feedback, allowing its own development and detecting
those needs that have to be modified. According to the author, the elements in a systematic evaluation process are:
 Systematic process: evaluation should not be focused on the application of some questionnaire or test, it is a
complex and planned process that leaves no room for improvisation.
 Description of the reality: evaluation has to be contextualized in order to describe the current status as a
basis for intervention.
 Construction of comparison criteria: regarding the evaluated objects and the desired values to achieve.
 Formulation of value judgments: during the evaluation process, critical judgments are formulated, based on
the collected data and comparing it with a predefined comparison pattern.
 Decision making: obtained results among the evaluation process will allow to propose improvements in
order to raise or assure the quality of the educational process.
 Integration of qualitative and quantitative methodologies: evaluation contains quantitative elements that
allows to describe some educational context, and qualitative elements that allows to formulate judgments
for decision making in order to improve the evaluated situation.

“Evaluation should be conceived as a non-improvised and systematic process that ensures the objectivity and
usefulness of the information collected through the emission of valuable judgments. It should be integrated into all
phases of the learning process, becoming a useful tool for understanding the formative processes.” (Cabrera, 2000)

considers that evaluation has a broader and a more comprehensive approach. It is not restricted to assessing whether
the objectives have been achieved or not. He points out that emphasis should be on the participation of all actors
involved in order to promote the quality of specific educational processes and the educational system in general.

Concerning educational quality, (Gobantes Ollero, 2001) considers that the basics of evaluation are:
 Evaluation as an instrument for critical reflection.
 May focuses its attention on critical construction of meanings rather than calculate the value and merit .
 Requires an analysis of the main problems .
 Is a successive contextualized process of decision-making .
 Flexible and emergent.
 Concern about the analysis and modification of the contextual factors that reduce their chances of
development and practical use.
 Involves all those responsible for the evaluated object.

From the pedagogical and psychological perspective, (Barberà et al., 2008), comment the need of instruments to
validate the processes that take place in the Higher Education and their significance in the search of quality. To
achieve that, the authors have established reasons that justify the evaluation of e-learning quality.

In the social context, it’s a necessity to have instruments in order to evaluate and to control the use of ICT in order to
value their rational use and its effectiveness in the teaching-learning process.

In the technological scope, due to the increasing technological development, the market offers countless proposals. It
is necessary to value to what extent they can be applied to the educational context and under which conditions.

New evaluation criteria together with evaluation instruments will help to define the educative proposals and the
teaching-learning processes that use ICT for their development.

4
Quality evaluation of e-learning in academic formation: perspectives, approaches and
models
Different approaches about how to evaluate institutions and programs from the perspective of quality have been
developed, predominantly process-based models of self-evaluation and external evaluation practiced by peers within
a framework of public regulation. However, in the field of e-learning, the definition of quality and the scope of the
evaluations carried out within the higher education system is widespread.

In the debate around quality, authors like Municio (1993), De Miguel (1999), Belanger & Jordan (2000), Apodaca
(2001), Rosenberg (2001), identify two main approaches: partial and global. The partial approach is based on
monitoring of the learning process, learning resources and materials, while the second is based on standard
evaluation systems, benchmark systems and quality management systems.

Standards, norms, specifications and recommendations have been developed to provide a common framework to
regulate different aspects of management and quality evaluation in the context of e-learning. Sangrà Morer (2002)
identifies two trends in global approaches: those focusing on models or quality standards and those based on
benchmarking.

A study conducted by Cho, Park, Jun Jo, Jeung, & Hun Lim (2009) shows an analysis of the existing quality
assessment models used in the field of e-learning. They can be classified into three groups:

1. Models that adopts the concept cost-effectiveness of the training program and focus on product evaluation:
a) Four levels of Kirkpatrick
b) Return of Investment Evaluation
c) Van Dam's systemic model
2. Models where the evaluation take into account the whole process and is not limited to contextual factors:
a) Stufflebeam's CIPP model (Context-Input-Process-Product)
b) Holton's Evaluation Research and Measurement Model
c) The Five Pillars of Quality Online Education
3. Models for assessing e-learning, as they reflect its unique nature:
a) Khan's evaluation model
b) Theoretical model for e-learning's evaluation
c) Integrated Model for evaluating e-learning
d) e-learning Systematic Evaluation (Else)

Despite the diversity of existing models and their contribution to quality evaluation, there are still issues that prevent
their application and adaptation to other contexts. Some of these models were created for one purpose and then
adapted to quality evaluation of e-learning. Specifically, the field of e-learning demands models that consider its
particularities and the several scenarios in which it develops. Also, new models should be adaptable to changes
taking place in a given context. In this sense, Sangrà Morer (2005) confirms the need of models for quality
evaluation of e-learning that fully incorporate various fields, perspectives and approaches.

Quality of the institution is a wide and multidimensional concept that covers not only the traditional functions of the
university: teaching, research and extension, it also includes the quality of the student, the academic environment,
infrastructure, management, the government and administration.

Quality evaluation of e-learning in the cuban university: references from the educational
process of academic formation
Training, as stated by (Horruitiner Silva, 2006), is the substantive process developed at universities in order to
integrally prepare the student in a particular university career and covers undergraduate , graduate and
postgraduate studies. This process entails not only to provide the necessary skills for professional performance, but
also to form values in the personality that characterize professional behavior.

5
In the formation process can be identified three key dimensions that express the perspective from which it is
analyzed. These dimensions are: instructive, educative and development. The instructive dimension "is related to the
idea that to prepare a professional it is necessary to instruct him" which involves "providing the essential
knowledge and skills of the profession, and prepare him to use them in a given job".(Horruitiner Silva, 2006).
Depelopment dimension is associated with the development of skills to ensure a successful work performance. Its
essence resides in the relationship between study and work. The educative dimension includes the development of
values in the personality, directed to achieving a fair, honest, ethical and moral behavior , to service, and for the
benefit of society.

These dimensions constitute a dialectical triad and it is not possible to establish a separation between them. The link
between them is expressed, according to (Horruitiner Silva, 2006), in two guiding principles that are a direct
consequence of how the cuban higher education assumes the academic formation:
 unity between education and instruction whose main goal is to graduate students capable of assuming the
challenges of the present time and actively participate in economic and social development.
 linking of study and work expressing the need for training the student in direct contact with his profession,
either through an stable labor relationship or from a teaching model developed from work.

“La formación del hombre, tanto de su pensamiento como de sus sentimientos, para que sea eficiente, no se debe
desarrollar espontáneamente, se hace necesario que sean ejecutados sobre bases científicas y con un carácter
sistémico.” (Alvarez De Zayas, n.d.).

The dimensions of the educational process

El proceso docente, según Alvarez De Zayas (1992), es el proceso dirigido, de un modo sistémico y eficiente, a la
formación de las nuevas generaciones, tanto en el plano educativo como desarrollador e instructivo; con vista a la
solución de un problema social (encargo social); mediante la apropiación de la cultura que ha acopiado la humanidad
en su desarrollo; y se desarrolla a través de la participación activa y consciente de estudiantes y profesores.

La dimensión administrativa (de gestión) del proceso docente, como plantea (Alvarez De Zayas, 1992b), cumple
cuatro funciones básicas presentes en cualquier etapa del proceso:

 planificación: relacionada con la determinación de los objetivos y los contenidos

 organización: relacionada con la precisión de las formas, medios y métodos a emplear

 regulación (o dirección): se corresponde con la adecuación operativa del proceso;

 control: orientada a la determinación del grado de cumplimiento de del objetivo y su rectificación.

La dimensión tecnológica, en correspondencia con la definición misma de tecnología, expresa el aspecto de

procedimiento, la manera de operar de los procesos en correspondencia con su naturaleza propia. Ello implica que a
cada uno le corresponde una (o varias) funciones específicas que lo distinguen de los restantes cuando se estudian
desde esta dimensión particular.

En particular la dimensión tecnológica jerarquiza, significa como aspecto esencial lo relativo a los procedimientos, al
modo en que actúa cada proceso; pero en ella están presentes elementos de gestión, administrativos. Lo tecnológico
no se realiza, no opera, si no lleva consigo elementos de dirección que posibiliten su conducción. En estos casos, es
decir cuando se aborda el análisis de un proceso desde su dimensión tecnológica, los elementos de carácter
administrativo que en él intervienen, los identificamos como trabajo metodológico.

The management of the educational process: the methodological work

6
El trabajo metodológico, como plantean Alvarez De Zayas (1992), Addine Fernández (2004) y Horruitiner Silva
(2006), es una labor colectiva que realizan profesores y directivos, cuyo objetivo radica en elevar el nivel político-
ideológico, científico teórico y pedagógico del personal docente para garantizar la ejecución eficiente del proceso
docente y asegurar el cumplimiento de los objetivos propuestos.

Desde la perspectiva del proceso docente, la actividad metodológica caracteriza el sistema de trabajo del claustro
dirigido a perfeccionarlo, optimizarlo, en correspondencia con las exigencias y necesidades de nuestra sociedad en la
formación de los profesionales de nivel superior y concretado en los objetivos que se establecen en los diferentes
planes de estudio.

La dirección, es decir, la planificaciòn: objetivo y contenido; organización: forma, método y evaluación; las que
constituyen el diseño; así como el control de ese proceso, sobre la base del trabajo metodológico del colectivo
profesoral, es lo que asegura el desarrollo de ese proceso de EXCELENCIA.

El proceso docente-educativo se gestiona: diseña, ejecuta y evalúa, en cada una de las instancias estructurales
organizativas, desde el tema hasta la carrera o proceso educativo, con el ánimo de que se manifiesten las
siguientes propiedades:

 Pertinente, es decir, que se corresponda con las exigencias sociales.

 Realista, por que parte de las condiciones específicas del contexto.

 Equilibrado, ya que la relación entre lo laboral, investigativo y lo académico; así como entre la teoría y
la práctica; y entre grupos de asignaturas, general, básica, básica específica y del ejercicio de la
profesión, es el necesario para corresponderse con los objetivos programados.

 Descentralizado, porque la planificación estratégica no impide la necesaria iniciativa y creatividad de

las instancias subordinadas.

 Flexible, por la presencia de asignaturas electivas en un orden adecuado y porque los objetivos son
sistémicos y los contenidos no son analíticos, ni profusos.

 Adaptable, porque sobre la base de la flexibilidad, los contenidos se actualizan en un alto grado sin
afectar el plan de estudio en su conjunto.

 Sistémico, porque constantemente está interrelacionando las asignaturas derivadoras y las integradoras.

 Holístico, porque cada una de las dimensiones sea portador del resto de ellas.

 Participativo, porque facilita que a todos los niveles y en el contexto del trabajo metodológico los
profesores y alumnos opinen, valoren, regulen y controlen el proceso docente-educativo.

 Problémico, porque los problemas son el punto de partida para el diseño del plan de estudio, y los
programas de las disciplinas y asignaturas, así como en la ejecución del proceso docente.

 Productivo y creativo, porque el nivel de asimilación que se declara en los objetivos se corresponde con
esos niveles de asimilación y en consecuencia así se prevén el desarrollo de los métodos de
aprendizaje y enseñanza.

 Científico, porque la lógica que se sigue en el diseño del proceso educativo es el inherente a la
ciencia y su metodología.

 Educativo, porque el proceso se concibe de modo tal que la instrucción facilite optimizar el proceso de
formación de las características más esenciales y estables de la personalidad de los educandos.

7
Criteria for evaluating the quality of e-learning in the educational process of academic formation

Producto del acelerado desarrollo del e-learning en los últimos años, diferentes organizaciones se han visto obligadas
a crear criterios, normas, guías o examinar buenas prácticas en el campo, para asegurar la calidad de los programas
que ofrecen.

The Institute for Higher Education Policy (2000), ha propuesto los siguientes elementos sobre los cuales debería
enfocarse el estudio de la calidad de los programas que hacen uso del e-learning: el soporte institucional, el
desarrollo de los cursos, el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, la estructura de los cursos, el soporte a los estudiantes,
el soporte a los profesores y la evaluación.

Sin embargo, McNaught (2002) los considera muy enfocados hacia aspectos referidos a sistemas y procesos y no
tienen en cuenta aspectos como: la atención a los estilos de aprendizaje, la fortaleza de los equipos de trabajo
centrados en el diseño del curso, la planificación de actividades colaborativas, de solución de problemas y la
adopción de un enfoque modular de la instrucción, entre otros.

En este sentido, Barberà, Badía, & Mominó (2001) señalan algunos errores que se han cometido y es necesario
subsanar:

a) copiar los modelos de calidad de empresa, basados más en la gestión que en los procesos de enseñanza y
aprendizaje, para aplicarlos al campo educativo

b) utilizar el criterio subjetivo de satisfacción de los usuarios (estudiantes) como núcleo central de muchas
evaluaciones sobre calidad educativa

c) alimentar la falsa creencia acerca de los bajos costos de la educación a distancia

d) descuidar factores importantes como la adecuación del diseño y el verdadero aporte de los materiales
formativos para los estudiantes.

En la discusión en torno a la calidad del e-learning en el proceso docente de la formación profesional, autores como
Alvarez & Santos (2003), Marquès Graells (2005), Santoveña Casal (2005), Ehlers & Pawlowski (2008), Barberà
Gregori et al. (2008), Aguaded & López (2009), Gértrudix Barrio & Sarmiento Cano (2010), consideran que la
evaluación debe considerar aspectos tecnológicos, socio-económicos, pedagógicos y psicológicos. Por su parte
Ramussen & Davidson (1996), Oliver (1998) y Richardson (2001), Anderson & McCormick (2008) destacan las
diferencias individuales de los usuarios, infraestructura, estándares tecnológicos, desarrollo del contenido, soporte y
prácticas pedagógicas, y el desarrollo institucional como una dimensión a tener en cuenta en la evaluación.

Para Kóhler (2003), es importante aplicar criterios que abarquen las áreas de funcionamiento de los entornos
virtuales de aprendizaje y propone evaluar: el impacto tecnológico, aspectos psicológicos y sociales en torno a los
medios, aspectos educativos relacionados con los nuevos roles que asumen profesores y alumnos, y aspectos
interculturales referidos a la la eliminación de prejuicios y estereotipos.

Santoveña Casal (2005), propone un conjunto de criterios, agrupados en tres dimensiones como marco de referencia
para la valoración de la calidad de un curso virtual de forma exhaustiva y sistemática, con el objetivo de medir su
capacidad como herramienta de apoyo en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje: calidad general del entorno, calidad
didáctica-metodológica y calidad tecnológica.

La calidad general del entorno es definida por: la significación, importancia, eficacia eficiencia, versatilidad,
interactividad, atractivo, manejabilidad, independencia y autonomía del medio didáctico

La calidad didáctica-metodológica está relacionada con la disponibilidad y calidad de los materiales didácticos, la
calidad en utilización de las herramientas de gestion y comunicación, y la calidad del proceso de evaluación.

8
Con relación a los materiales didácticos, Anderson & McCormick (2008) considera que el diseño o la selección de
producto contribuye a la realización de práctica creativas, innovadoras al proveer contenidos accesibles, auténticos y
apropiados para el aprendizaje y la importancia de evaluar su funcionalidad como medio facilitador de aprendizajes
es expresada por Marquès Graells (2005) quien considera dos tipos de evaluación: una evaluación objetiva centrada
en valorar su calidad a partir de las carácterísticas de un medio didáctico y una evaluación contextual que permite
valorar su utilización en un contexto educativo determinado.

Barberà Gregori et al. (2008), valoran la calidad didáctica como la interactividad pedagógica potencial considerando
las formas de organización de las actividades conjuntas entre los participantes, que el diseño instruccional previsto
para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en el contexto permiten promueven, restringen o impiden desarrollar. Los
autores consideran que esta dimensión debe abarcar: el modelo psicoeducativo y psicopedagógico asumido, los
objetivos del programa, las características de los contenidos (tipología, organización, secuenciación y la forma de
presentación), las actividades de aprendizaje (tipología, secuencia e interrelación, organización social, tipos de tarea,
papel del profesor y los alumnos), las funciones de las actividades de evaluación previstas, los recursos didácticos de
apoyo previstos en el programa.

Anderson & McCormick (2008) consideran que la calidad didáctica debe considerar elementos del diseño curricular,
la disposición de los estudiantes (actitudes, habilidades, relaciones, compromiso y motivación por aprender), la
disposición de los profesores (conocimientos y habilidades en el uso de recursos tecnológicos, habilidades para
reflexionar y evaluar la efectividad de los mismos).

La calidad tecnológica se define por elementos relacionados con la calidad del software: estabilidad, diversidad,
utilidad, funcionalidad, requerimientos técnicos, accesibilidad, navegabilidad, presencia de elementos multimedia.
Por su parte, Barberà Gregori et al. (2008) consideran la calidad tecnológica desde dos planos: interactividad
tecnológica potencial e interactividad tecnológica real.

La interactividad tecnológica potencial considera las formas de organización de las actividades conjuntas entre los
participantes, que las características y herramientas tecnológicas presentes en el contexto permiten promueven,
restringen o impiden desarrollar. Este plano abarca: la accesibilidad, fiabilidad, herramientas para la búsqueda y
acceso a la información, para el diseño de actividades de aprendizaje y/o evaluación, para la comunicación, para el
trabajo colaborativo y para el seguimiento.

La interactividad tecnológica real se refiere al uso efectivo de las tecnologías disponibles, la estructura de la
interactividad desarrollada a lo largo del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje considerando el contexto en que este
tiene lugar.

García-Aretio (2003) advierte sobre la tendencia a considerar de calidad a una institución, programa o curso porque
utiliza en sus procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje una sofisticada tecnología y resalta la responsabilidad que tienen
las instituciones educativas de optar por una búsqueda y control constantes de la calidad, con el fin de ofrecer un
servicio que satisfaga plenamente a quienes lo reciban.

Para Silvio (2004), se trata no sólo de satisfacer las necesidades, expectativas y aspiraciones del estudiante como
usuario final de la educación, sino las de todos los actores y organizaciones que intervienen en el proceso, que
pueden resultar favorecidas o perjudicadas según reciban o no una educación de calidad.

En los últimos años, según Area (2004), se ha estado imponiendo un modelo de educación superior «mercantilista»,
basado en criterios empresariales más que profesionales o pedagógicos, en el que importa más reducir costos para
incrementar la rentabilidad que ofrecer una formación de calidad, lo cual, según este autor, es una tendencia que debe
ser combatida desde todos los frentes.

Conclusions
here

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