Implementation of Quality Function Deployment to Improve Online Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Institutes of Engineering in Oman

Abstract

In this digital era, online learning and teaching is an essential platform for college and university students, and it requires many technical facilities and in-depth knowledge to have an effective learning process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, students and teachers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were forced to grapple with the certainty of shifting to online classes due to large learning groups or the advantages of effective distance learning which is becoming an essential part in learning and teaching. In the case of Oman, there have been some efforts to integrate alternative learning mechanisms in the past, but they have not followed the scale in the post-pandemic world. This study sought to utilize the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) by implementing Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to understand the experiences of Omani teachers and students from HEIs to enhance the quality of online learning and teaching. The perspectives of teachers and students were investigated and recorded. In this regard, 165 teaching staff and 355 students from HEIs of engineering participated in a survey. After the survey, a house of quality analysis was performed to analyze the requirements based on how strongly they relate to the standard learning outcomes expected from HEIs in Oman. The results of the house of quality show that “in-person attention is required as a technical requirement”, with a high score of 164, and that student knowledge and competence need to improve as a customer requirement, with a high score of 45. This shows that more attention is required in online education in the Sultanate of Oman before it is implemented as a significant part of learning and teaching.