Online delivery –key considerations for providers
April 2020

Changes to mode of delivery
1. How is TEQSA supporting providers with changes to mode ofdelivery?
TEQSA is supporting providers to be flexible and adaptive in how they deliver higher
education and support students, both in Australia and offshore, to continue their study.
We are not setting out particular approaches that providers should adopt. Providers are
best placed to consider their individual context and determine the appropriate delivery
solutions.
TEQSA appreciates providers have had to act swiftly to adapt to the current challenges
and that they will be at different stages in terms of their online preparedness. We
encourage providers to focus on ensuring that learning outcomes for courses aremaintained, staff are adequately resourced to teach online, and that student wellbeing
and safety continues to be a priority. This focus should be underpinned by clear, open, andaccessible communication between students, teaching staff, and support staff.
So long as providers are able to demonstrate that they have taken into account relevant
considerations and made a reasonable decision, in the best interests of students and thequality of learning, TEQSA is unlikely to draw negative conclusions about actions taken
by a provider to change the mode of delivery to respond to COVID-19. It is important thatproviders report material changes and keep adequate records of decisions and reasonsfor their decisions.

2. Moving to online delivery
As a result of COVID-19 and in the interests of staff and student welfare, many providers
are shifting to online delivery in short timeframes. There are a number of useful resources
readily available on the topic of online learning and delivery. TEQSA has worked with peakbodies and experts to share a collection of resources that may assist providers. Theseonline learning good practice resources are published on our website.
We also encourage providers to engage with their peak bodies as well as other providers
as appropriate. There are many providers in the sector who have extensive experience indelivering online learning and they may be willing to share their expertise. For providers
who don’t have online learning expertise within their own organisation, we encouragethese providers to consider engaging the professional expertise required to assist them.

3. Online delivery and the HES Framework
To assist providers, we have identified some key considerations, linked to obligations underthe Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 (HES Framework)that providers should remain mindful of as they shift to online delivery.

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The list of key considerations below do not reflect the full range of HES Frameworkand the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas
Students 2018 (National Code 2018) requirements that relate to online delivery. Providers
should ensure that there is appropriate governance in place to support online delivery
and document key decisions and actions. These records are important to demonstratethat the provider has acted reasonably in the circumstances.
It is also important to recognise that there are immediate, upfront considerations to beaddressed whereas responses to other considerations may be addressed over time.

1. Support for students in the new learning environment
A number of Standards are focussed on ensuring students are supported during theirstudy. This includes Standards under Section 1.3 (Orientation and Progression), Section 2.3(Wellbeing and Safety) and Section 3.3 (Learning Resources and Educational Support).
Key considerations include:• ensuring students have access to the resources they need to engage in online learning,
including identifying and addressing barriers to accessing technology• ensuring students are offered alternatives where there is significant change or
disruption to delivery of courses, including processes for fee reduction, refunds ordeferral• checking existing contractual arrangements with students about mode of delivery,
which may involve seeking and incorporating the views of students• what additional learning, academic and personal support may be required in theonline context. This includes ensuring students have the opportunity to contact andinteract with academic and support staff and that student support is adequately
resourced• how student engagement will be maintained throughout the delivery of the course,
including peer-to-peer interaction, staff to student interaction, and student support.
This includes mitigating risks associated with social isolation.

2. Support services and training for teaching staff
It is a requirement under Standard 3.2.3 that teaching staff are equipped for their role. A
move to online delivery may require nuanced approaches to course content, delivery andstudent engagement, noting that what works well for one course discipline may not besuitable for another. Staff are likely to require enhanced support and training.
Key considerations include:• what support services and training for staff are required for the changed delivery
mode to ensure staff have the appropriate qualifications, knowledge and skills
required to support the achievement of learning outcomes• ensuring teaching staff have access to the tools to deliver online• ensuring teaching staff have a common baseline for learning and teaching success• how peer-to-peer interaction among teaching staff and support to teaching staff will
be maintained.

Online delivery – key considerations for providers

23. Maintaining quality of education and learning outcomes
The quality of delivery and learning outcomes must be maintained to high standards
irrespective of the mode of delivery. This focus on quality and learning outcomes iscovered by a number of Standards, including Standard 3.1.4 which requires that eachcourse of study is designed to enable achievement of expected learning outcomes
regardless of a student’s place of study or the mode of delivery. Further, Section 1.4 deals
with Learning Outcomes and Assessment and Section 5.2 deals with Academic andResearch Integrity, which need to be applied in an online delivery context.
Key considerations include:• assurance on how students will be able to meet the learning outcomes, and effective
monitoring of student progression and the learning outcomes• how student engagement and interaction will be monitored to ensure students are
regularly logging in and undertaking the required learning• quality assurance mechanisms tailored for the changed delivery mode, including how
to review, measure and improve outcomes• how academic integrity will be monitored and maintained. This includes ensuringrisks that are particularly relevant in an online context are adequately mitigated e.g.
academic misconduct, including cheating and plagiarism• ensuring exams and assessments are fit for purpose, clearly communicated, effectively
moderated, and allow students to demonstrate learning outcomes• ensuring there are processes in place to maintain academic integrity of assessments,
including proctoring/supervision of tests and exams• how professional accreditation will be maintained (where applicable).

4. Other governance arrangements to support online delivery
The academic and governing bodies have ultimate responsibility for the provider’soperations to ensure that student interests and the quality of learning remain a priority
with any shifts to new modes of delivery. Governance obligations are set out underSection 6.2 Corporate Monitoring and Accountability and Section 6.3 AcademicGovernance.
Key considerations include:• the internal decision-making and approval processes for developing, approving andimplementing changes to delivery mode are clear and fit for purpose• ensuring appropriate records are kept, including key decisions and actions, andreasons for decisions• ensuring accurate records of changes to delivery mode on student files are maintained• ensuring there is an appropriate communication plan for staff and students e.g.
setting out key changes, how these apply to domestic and international students, andinformation relating to specific courses, classes, and programs• oversight of key risks to operations in an online delivery context, including risks toacademic integrity - how this will be monitored, reported, and acted upon.

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In addressing key considerations and making decisions, providers should continue to act
in the best interests of, and minimise adverse impacts to students, while maintaining thequality of learning. Providers should seek regular student feedback, particularly during
this period of disruption, to inform continuous improvement of the student experience.

Resources
Visit the TEQSA website for a range of online learning good practice resources fromacross the sector (teqsa.gov.au/online-learning-good-practice).
Topics covered are:1. Getting started: best practice for establishing online learning
2. Enabling staff to work with online learning
3. Student experience
4. Assessment integrity
5. International perspective

Version #Date

Key changes

1.0

8 April 2020

Made available as beta version.

Online delivery – key considerations for providers

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