How Do National Education Policies and Quality Assurance Frameworks Influence the Adoption, Governance, and Pedagogical Innovation of Online Teaching, Particularly in Relation to Assessment Practices, Accreditation Processes, and Academic Integrity?

Author's Information:

Dr. Robert Liston Omari Otieno

Kisii University

Dr. Tabitha Otieno

Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Dr. Benjamin C. Ngwudike

Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Vol 03 No 02 (2026):Volume 03 Issue 02 February 2026

Page No.: 122-127

Abstract:

The rapid institutionalization of online teaching has intensified debates about the role of national education policies and quality assurance (QA) frameworks in shaping educational quality, legitimacy, and innovation. While online teaching offers expanded access and pedagogical flexibility, its effectiveness is profoundly influenced by regulatory environments governing adoption, assessment, accreditation, and academic integrity. This study examines how national education policies and quality assurance frameworks influence the adoption, governance, and pedagogical innovation of online teaching, with particular attention to assessment practices, accreditation processes, and academic integrity. Drawing on a critical review of policy and quality assurance literature, the study analyzed how regulatory frameworks both enable and constrain institutional practices in digitally mediated learning environments. The analysis reveals persistent tensions between standardization and innovation, especially where quality assurance systems remain anchored in face-to-face teaching assumptions. Findings indicate that policy clarity and alignment with institutional capacity are essential for sustainable online teaching, while enhancement-oriented QA frameworks are more effective than compliance-driven models in supporting pedagogical innovation. The study further showed that surveillance-heavy approaches to assessment and academic integrity raise ethical concerns and may undermine trust and learning quality. The paper argues for adaptive, context-sensitive governance models that balance accountability with pedagogical flexibility. By foregrounding the interaction between policy intentions, quality assurance mechanisms, and institutional enactment, the study contributes to ongoing debates on the governance of online teaching and offers policy-relevant insights for strengthening quality, credibility, and innovation in digital higher education.

KeyWords:

online teaching, education policy, quality assurance, accreditation, assessment, academic integrity, National Education Policies, Quality Assurance Frameworks, and the Governance of Online Teaching

References:

  1. Asiyai, R. I. (2022). Best practices for quality assurance in higher education: Implications for educational administration. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 25(5), 843–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2020.1774684
  2. Butler-Henderson, K., & Crawford, J. (2020). A systematic review of online examinations: A pedagogical innovation for scalable authentication and integrity. Computers & Education, 159, 104024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104024
  3. Dill, D. D. (2007). Quality assurance in higher education: Practices and issues. In The international encyclopedia of education (3rd ed.). Elsevier.
  4. Gbadago, F. Y., Masud, I., Iddris, F., Koomson, S., Poku, P. K., & Zoiku, S. (2025). Ethical dilemmas in teaching and assessment in higher education: A literature synthesis towards an integrative model for policy, practice and academic integrity. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-2024-0031
  5. Hénard, F., & Roseveare, D. (2012). Fostering quality teaching in higher education: Policies and practices. OECD Publishing.
  6. Jung, I., & Latchem, C. (2012). Quality assurance and accreditation in distance education and e-learning: Models, policies and research. Routledge.
  7. Kahsay, M. N. (2012). Quality and quality assurance in Ethiopian higher education: Critical issues and practical implications. Addis Ababa University Press.
  8. Makhoul, S. A. (2019). Higher education accreditation, quality assurance and their impact on teaching and learning enhancement. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 35(4), 235–250. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEAS-03-2018-0030
  9. Mattar, M. Y. (2022). Combating academic corruption and enhancing academic integrity through international accreditation standards: The model of Qatar University. Journal of Academic Ethics, 20(2), 119–146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-021-09414-8
  10. Mello Silva, M. F. D., & Vargas, E. R. D. (2022). Quality assurance systems: Enemies or allies of innovation in higher education institutions? Quality Assurance in Education, 30(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-04-2021-0060
  11. Ramezani, S. G., & Mostafavi, Z. S. (2025). Developing and validating a comprehensive scale for accreditation standards and quality assurance in e-learning institutions. Education and Information Technologies, 1–49.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12655-9
  12. Robinson, B. (2003). Governance, accreditation and quality assurance in open and distance education. In Policy for open and distance learning (pp. 197–222). Routledge.
  13. Shattuck, K. (Ed.). (2023). Assuring quality in online education: Practices and processes at the teaching, resource, and program levels. Routledge.
  14. Thacker, E. J., & McKenzie, A. (2022). Using quality assurance frameworks to support an institutional culture of academic integrity at Canadian universities. In Academic integrity in Canada: An enduring and essential challenge (pp. 519–534). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83255-3_28
  15. Vettriselvan, R., Velmurugan, P. R., Deepan, A., Jaiswani, G., & Durgarani, M. (2025). Transforming virtual education: Advanced strategies for quality assurance in online and distance learning. In Navigating quality assurance and accreditation in global higher education (pp. 563–580). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-9472-7.ch030
  16. Wangai, M. M. (2022). The influence of quality assurance practices on quality of academic programmes in higher education institutions in Kenya: A case of the Faculty of Education, University of Nairobi (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).