The five research foci constitute the five work packages (WP1-5). WP6 is responsible for valorisation and project coordination.
WP1 – Institutional quality assurance
A Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework is constructed, tested and validated to improve the quality of online and blended learning in adult education. WP2 – Learning design at course level
Theoretically sound and empirically valid guidelines and instruments are developed, tested, and implemented to support the (re)design of online and blended learning environments at the course level for adult learners. WP3 – Learning design at program level
Theoretically sound and empirically valid guidelines are developed, tested, and implemented to support the online and blended learning program arrangements. WP4 – Monitoring learner characteristics & outcomes
Monitoring instruments and tools are developed, validated and applied to assess learner characteristics, other relevant input and process variables, and learning and social outcomes. WP5 – Teacher professional development
Teacher competences related to integration of online and blended learning are monitored and assessed; teacher professional development models for implementing online and blended learning are developed and validated. WP6 – Valorisation and Coordination
WP1 – Institutional quality assurance
A Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework is constructed, tested and validated to improve the quality of online and blended learning in adult education. WP2 – Learning design at course level
Theoretically sound and empirically valid guidelines and instruments are developed, tested, and implemented to support the (re)design of online and blended learning environments at the course level for adult learners. WP3 – Learning design at program level
Theoretically sound and empirically valid guidelines are developed, tested, and implemented to support the online and blended learning program arrangements. WP4 – Monitoring learner characteristics & outcomes
Monitoring instruments and tools are developed, validated and applied to assess learner characteristics, other relevant input and process variables, and learning and social outcomes. WP5 – Teacher professional development
Teacher competences related to integration of online and blended learning are monitored and assessed; teacher professional development models for implementing online and blended learning are developed and validated. WP6 – Valorisation and Coordination
The research of this project will result in four main types of output:
Quality assurance framework and instruments for institutions and supervision bodies, and self- assessment instruments for learners and teachers as quality monitoring tools;
Guidelines and manuals for (re)designing blended learning environments at both course level and programme level;
Models for professional development of teachers for integrating online and blended learning;
Scientific and professional publications and policy recommendation papers. OBL quality assurance framework and instruments
A framework for quality assurance and a series of instruments will be developed and validated. More specifically, this will include:
quality assurance framework for online and blended education in AE and CVET,
instruments for institutions to monitor and assess the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for inspection bodies to monitor the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for learners to measure learner characteristics, outcomes and report on the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for teachers to measure their competences and report on the quality aspects/indicators of OBL. Guidelines for (re)designing blended learning environments
Guidelines and manuals for the (re)design of blended learning environments at both course and programme level will be provided. This includes both general guidelines, as well as specific contextual variables for the users to customize the design in accordance with the specific educational context. The guidelines can be used for teachers, course designers, programme designers, programme managers, etc.
As part of the design-based research and intervention, online learning content/material and learning environment designs as examples will be developed for specific courses in second chance education and SLO teacher training programmes. The developed learning material and learning environment designs will be available for (re-)use during and after the project life cycle. The learning material can also be used as a model for other instructional designers and educators aiming to develop their own learning material and learning environment based on the principles they can learn from these examples. Training models for teacher professional development
Validated teacher training models will serve as basis for teacher training programmes to enhance teacher competences for integrating online and blended learning. Regular teacher training programmes will be organized and implemented by Toll-net and Vocvo, as part of the activities of the OBL Competence Center. Publications & policy recommendation reports
The scientific outcomes of the ALO! project will be available for knowledge transfer through scientific and professional publications. As output, each WP will produce at least 2 high quality research articles in international high impact journals and present at least 3 high quality research papers at international leading academic conferences; at least 6 papers will be published for professional journal and professional conferences respectively. Three handbooks will be compiled based on the research results of this project:
the use of quality assurance framework for online and blended learning in adult education,
the guidelines for blended learning environment design for specific adult learner groups, and
teacher professional development for implementing online and blended learning.
The research findings and results will provide empirical evidence and insights for policy making. Three policy recommendation papers will be produced as outcomes of the project:
Quality assurance of online and blended learning in adult education: recommendations for the policy makers and inspectorate;
Monitoring and facilitating learner success in online and blended learning in adult education;
Guidelines for learning design in online and blended learning: guidelines for teachers and education centres.
Quality assurance framework and instruments for institutions and supervision bodies, and self- assessment instruments for learners and teachers as quality monitoring tools;
Guidelines and manuals for (re)designing blended learning environments at both course level and programme level;
Models for professional development of teachers for integrating online and blended learning;
Scientific and professional publications and policy recommendation papers. OBL quality assurance framework and instruments
A framework for quality assurance and a series of instruments will be developed and validated. More specifically, this will include:
quality assurance framework for online and blended education in AE and CVET,
instruments for institutions to monitor and assess the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for inspection bodies to monitor the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for learners to measure learner characteristics, outcomes and report on the quality aspects/indicators of OBL,
instruments for teachers to measure their competences and report on the quality aspects/indicators of OBL. Guidelines for (re)designing blended learning environments
Guidelines and manuals for the (re)design of blended learning environments at both course and programme level will be provided. This includes both general guidelines, as well as specific contextual variables for the users to customize the design in accordance with the specific educational context. The guidelines can be used for teachers, course designers, programme designers, programme managers, etc.
As part of the design-based research and intervention, online learning content/material and learning environment designs as examples will be developed for specific courses in second chance education and SLO teacher training programmes. The developed learning material and learning environment designs will be available for (re-)use during and after the project life cycle. The learning material can also be used as a model for other instructional designers and educators aiming to develop their own learning material and learning environment based on the principles they can learn from these examples. Training models for teacher professional development
Validated teacher training models will serve as basis for teacher training programmes to enhance teacher competences for integrating online and blended learning. Regular teacher training programmes will be organized and implemented by Toll-net and Vocvo, as part of the activities of the OBL Competence Center. Publications & policy recommendation reports
The scientific outcomes of the ALO! project will be available for knowledge transfer through scientific and professional publications. As output, each WP will produce at least 2 high quality research articles in international high impact journals and present at least 3 high quality research papers at international leading academic conferences; at least 6 papers will be published for professional journal and professional conferences respectively. Three handbooks will be compiled based on the research results of this project:
the use of quality assurance framework for online and blended learning in adult education,
the guidelines for blended learning environment design for specific adult learner groups, and
teacher professional development for implementing online and blended learning.
The research findings and results will provide empirical evidence and insights for policy making. Three policy recommendation papers will be produced as outcomes of the project:
Quality assurance of online and blended learning in adult education: recommendations for the policy makers and inspectorate;
Monitoring and facilitating learner success in online and blended learning in adult education;
Guidelines for learning design in online and blended learning: guidelines for teachers and education centres.