Student Guide to DALC’s Approach to Quality Assurance 

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The Dublin Adult Learning Centre is committed to providing high quality programmes and courses for our students. We have a Quality Assurance Manual which lays out the way we go about doing that. It is laid out in 11 sections. 

This is a brief, student friendly version of the Quality Assurance Manual. If you want more detail, you can speak to your tutor or to any member of staff who will guide you through the manual.

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Section 1: Governance and Management of Quality

This section deals with how we at DALC make sure that we have proper structures in place to make sure that the Centre is run properly. 
This includes:

1. The structure of the organisation. This is shown on an organisational chart.

2. Who makes the decisions?

3. Who develops programmes?

4. Who assesses students?

5. Who is responsible for managing the finances?

6. Who is responsible for making sure the management works within the law?

7. What does DALC do to check these are done? 

Section 2: Documented Approach to Quality Assurance 

This means that all the documents we have on how we run the Centre are in the one place and that anyone who wants to look at it, can look at it.

Any new documents agreed to by the board or any committee of DALC will be put along with the other documents.

Section 3: Programmes of Education and Training

This section deals with providing programmes and classes that students need and making sure the courses are of a high standard.

Our Design and Review group evaluates the programmes by asking students and tutors what they thought of the class/programme and if they think they could be improved. They also look at what the QQI examiner says for QQI courses. Another group, the Quality Committee, checks the work of the Review and Design Committee.

This section of the manual also deals with developing new programmes based on what is said in the evaluations. 

Section 4: Staff Recruitment, Management and Development 

This section deals with everything to do with the staff. 

● How DALC recruits staff
● The kind of contracts staff get
● How DALC communicates with staff
● What kind of further training staff can get

Section 5: Teaching and Learning

This section deals with the way in which DALC tutors teach and the learning experience it hopes students will receive. This includes learning how to use technology as part of the programme or class.  
Tutors bear in mind at all times that classes are to be 
● Learner-centred 
● Empowering 
● Inclusive 
● Transformative 

This section explains how we run our classes.

DALC delivers classes in two ways:
● Face to face only
● Face to face using technology like zoom, Whatsapp, Google docs. This is called Blended Learning.

This section also deals with how to complain and student Appeals.

This section also lists other educational and community organisations DALC works with.

Section 5: Teaching and Learning

This section deals with the way in which DALC tutors teach and the learning experience it hopes students will receive. This includes learning how to use technology as part of the programme or class.  
Tutors bear in mind at all times that classes are to be 
● Learner-centred 
● Empowering 
● Inclusive 
● Transformative 

This section explains how we run our classes.

DALC delivers classes in two ways:
● Face to face only
● Face to face using technology like zoom, Whatsapp, Google docs. This is called Blended Learning.

This section also deals with how to complain and student Appeals.

This section also lists other educational and community organisations DALC works with.

Section 6: Assessment of Students 

This section gives details on how students are assessed from the first interview.
It also includes:

1. Assessment in the class on an ongoing basis.
2. Assessment of bigger pieces of work at the end of a unit, for example work for a QQI folder. For a very small number of students at level 5, this may include an exam.

For QQI programmes, there is a procedure that explains all of the people involved in looking at folders and ensuring that marking is fair.

It also states how a student will be told about their progress.

Section 7: Support for Students

This section deals with how DALC can support students. This includes resources such as: 

● Folders
● Paper
● Tablets in class
● The library 
● The creche
● The canteen

It includes support given to students by tutors.
It also includes ways in which students can play a role in the centre through writing pieces or by joining the Student Committee or attending meetings and workshops to give their views.