Keynote: Developing a quality framework for online and distance education

Dr. Dominique Abrioux, President, Canadian Virtual University and Athabasca University

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With a view to either better serving their existing student body or to expanding the markets they serve, many educational providers now seek to complement classroom offerings with online curriculum. The relative unfamiliarity of traditional education circles with distance and e-learning pedagogy has given rise to a heightened concern about the quality, or perceived lack of quality, of these emerging educational models. This concern is frequently aggravated by the fear that online learning is often promoted on non-educational grounds (i.e. technological or financial).

This address builds on the experiences of distance and online institutions and consortia, such as the Canadian Virtual University – Université virtuelle canadienne - and its founding partner, Athabasca University - Canada’s Open University – and contrasts conjoint and institution specific approaches to providing exemplary learning environments for distance and online students.

The presentation concludes with the proposition that distance learners are not alone in benefiting from the attention that is quite correctly being directed to quality in the online educational environment. So too do their classroom counterparts, whose instructors and home institutions are increasingly transposing the online quality discussion, and lessons learned, to their more familiar (closed door) classroom environment.

Dominique A.M.X. Abrioux, BA, Ma, PhD

Dr. Dominique Abrioux was appointed President of Athabasca University on February 10, 1995 and under his leadership Canada’s Open University has more than doubled its undergraduate student complement, and now serves some 26,000 adult learners (including 2,000 post-graduate students) in over sixty-five countries.
Dr. Abrioux obtained a BA (honours) in French and German from the University of Saskatchewan in 1973 and then undertook graduate studies at the University of Alberta, where he received an MA in Comparative Literature in 1974 and a PhD in Comparative Literature in 1979. During this period, he also gained considerable experience teaching French language courses, both at the formal university level and in continuing education settings. Dr. Abrioux’s interests in language, literature, education and educational administration have been the basis for numerous articles, published papers, peer review assignments, and speaking engagements and workshops on distance education presented worldwide.

The late 1970s witnessed Athabasca University’s rapid expansion as it responded to students’ heightened interests in an alternative method of post-secondary education. In 1978 Dr. Abrioux launched the University’s French program and went on to develop the curriculum plan and five distance education French courses. Since then, he has held a number of positions at the University including co-ordinator of the French program; Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences; Acting Vice-President Academic; and, prior to his appointment as president, Professor of French in the Faculty of Arts.

A comparatist by training, Dr. Abrioux has expanded his education-related experience through international travel and appointments. In 1987 he was named a Founding Visiting Professor at the Université Canadienne en France and from 1993 to 1994 he served as Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Japan.
Dr. Abrioux is actively involved in national and international distance education initiatives, most notably as: founding president of the Canadian Virtual University-Université canadienne virtuelle consortium; International Council For Open and Distance Education (ICDE) vice-president for North America; and International Commission Member of the (US) Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

In July 1999, Dr. Abrioux was named one of Alberta's fifty most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine and in August 2002, he was named an Honorary Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning.