Towards an effective integrated e-learning system: Implementation, quality assurance and competency models

Engineering e-learning systems is becoming of a vital importance in order to have an effective implementation of these systems in the different learning environments. The vast and rapid development in the computer, communication and Internet technologies has significantly affected contemporary educational systems. The wide utilization of technology, the abundance of information and knowledge, and the use of multimedia applications, create real challenges to present an efficient and attractive e-learning model that encompasses all these elements. In addition, the dimension of quality assurance in the emerged e-learning environment becomes a real challenge. In such a complex environment, the teacher/instructor competency level and readiness require a new dynamic frame work to ensure the quality of education. This paper presents a new blended e-learning model and quality assurance framework for an efficient implementation in higher education with concentration on online engineering. In addition, a new integrated competency level is presented to ensure the teacher/instructor readiness for the new e-learning environment. The proposed model and framework successfully incorporates all the above elements.