At the E-Learning Quality Network (ELQN), we are committed to ensuring the highest standards of quality and integrity in online education.

Our membership criteria are designed based on a comprehensive set of best practices, regulations, and guidelines from renowned organizations and authoritative sources. This page provides a detailed list of the key references and regulatory documents that underpin our criteria, ensuring transparency and trustworthiness in our processes.

Each section below highlights the foundational references we refere to establish our criteria, offering our members and the public a clear understanding of the rigorous frameworks and practices we follow to maintain excellence in e-learning.

We invite you to explore these resources to better understand the principles that guide us in promoting quality education and supporting our members in delivering exceptional online learning experiences.

Section 1: Management and Staff Resources

• U.S. Department of Education
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
• ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems
• ISO 29994:2021: Learning Services Outside Formal Education — Service Requirements
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
• UNESCO Guidelines on the Recognition of Qualifications

Section 2: Digital Information Transparency

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Quality Matters (QM) Standards
• Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guidelines
• Social Media Best Practices by Higher Education Marketing
• ISO 29994:2021: Learning Services Outside Formal Education — Service Requirements

Section 3: Certification and Recognition

• American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendations
• European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations

Section 4: Contracts and Terms of Service

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Terms of Service; Didn’t Read (ToS;DR)
• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
• Better Business Bureau (BBB) Guidelines
• Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN Act)

Section 5: Learning Platform and Technology

• Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM)
• Experience API (xAPI)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• ISO/IEC 27001: Information Security Management
• ISO 29994:2021: Learning Services Outside Formal Education — Service Requirements

Section 6: Content Quality

• Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowships
• ADDIE Model
• Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Understanding by Design (UbD) Framework
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations

Section 7: Assessment and Feedback

• Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing
• International Test Commission (ITC) Guidelines
• Formative Assessment Practices
• Response to Intervention (RTI)
• Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Quality Scorecard
• ISO 29994:2021: Learning Services Outside Formal Education — Service Requirements

Section 8: Support and Communication

• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) Framework
• Help Desk Institute (HDI) Standards
• ISO 10002: Customer Satisfaction and Complaints Handling
• Ombudsman Association Guidelines

Section 9: Educational Staff Management

• Professional Standards for Teachers
• Qualifications Frameworks
• Constructivist Teaching Practices
• Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Guidelines
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations

Section 10: Data Security and Privacy

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework
• ISO/IEC 27018
• Privacy Shield Framework

Section 11: Cultural Inclusivity and Respect

• UNESCO Intercultural Competences
• Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Framework
• Inclusive Pedagogy Principles
• Diverse Learning Environments Framework
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations

Section 12: Integrity and Ethics

• Ethical Standards in Education
• Academic Integrity Policies
• Whistleblower Protection Act
• Fair Work Ombudsman Guidelines
• ISO 21001:2018: Educational Organizations — Management Systems for Educational Organizations