Accreditation is one way to identify a credible online learning platform as it is more than just a seal of approval; it also has to do with quality assurance. Without the proper and necessary accreditation from the responsible bodies, no online business will be considered reliable.
It also allows for service enhancements and gives online learning subscribers confidence that the classes and tutorials are of high quality.
Furthermore, the tracking they receive after the process may be the driving force behind the successes of many accredited online learning platforms. This is done to ensure that quality improvement and modification are carried out in areas that were previously lagging.
Here’s what you need to know about the various online learning accreditations:
Country-Based Accreditation Bodies
An online learning platform is a type of knowledge medium that is used by a large number of people, including international scholars from all walks of life. Some of these scholars may only want to use an online learning platform that has been accredited by a specific country. This accreditation is possible, but only through country-based online learning accreditation bodies. Some of them are as follows:
- British Institute for Learning and Development (BILD)
- Distance Learning Accreditation Council (DLAC) Ireland
- British Accreditation Council (BAC)
- United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
- Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) the United Kingdom
- Adult Higher Education Alliance (AHEA), US
- Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), US
- National Accreditation Board (LAN) Malaysia
Global Accreditation Bodies
Global accreditation bodies provide more powerful accreditation than national accreditation bodies. They may be somewhat strict in terms of performance indicator requirements as they access several factors ranging from system management to staff resources before accrediting an online learning service provider. This is done to ensure that the services provided meet global standards. Here are a few examples of global accreditation bodies:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Open and Distance Learning Quality Council, (ODLQC)
- Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses (ACTDEC)
- International Association of Universities
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- International Association for Distance Learning (IADL)
Conclusion
Accreditation is one of the best ways for an online learning platform to ensure its quality. It not only demonstrates competency and capacity, but it also indicates that the platform meets the global learning standard.
Furthermore, the comparison of distance and physical learning has been a source of contention for many years. While some scholars are correct that the two have different levels of experience and impact, accreditation remains an important factor in determining the credibility of any of them.