ODLQC is The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council and is a former UK government organisation founded in 1969 that is now a non-profit organisation that offers its service to accredit courses including online TEFL certs. Sounds pretty impressive, and the TEFL course providers who are accredited by them certainly hope that you think so. They are:

– i-to-i

– TEFL England/ TEFL Scotland

– INTESOL Worldwide

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting doubts already with that little line up. Accrediting non-TEFL organisations like the College of Animal Physiotherapy, London School of Homeopathy, International Graphology Association, the Greenwich School of Theology and something formerly known as “Dream Harvest College” certainly doesn’t help, and neither does having none of the truly well-respected providers of online TEFL training such as Bell, International House, the Consultant-e and the British Council on their list. Still, let’s not jump to conclusions without having a look at the criteria they use to judge the courses that they accredit…

A lot of their criteria are too general to mean much (e.g. “All staff and tutors are suitable for their positions, and possess appropriate qualifications and experience.”), set the bar a bit low (e.g. “The provider takes all reasonable steps to ensure that course materials are effective and do not contain significant errors of fact, misleading or out-of-date information, concepts or approaches”), are specific to old-fashioned distance course provider (e.g. “Providers selling through home visits take particular care to avoid the possibility of mis-selling”), or are not relevant TEFL courses. However, there are others that would at least guarantee a certain minimum standard if they are met, one that the very worst online TEFL course providers do not manage:

– “Each course includes a clear statement of what the learner can hope to achieve on successful completion.”

– “The methods, materials and support offered by the course are sufficient to achieve the intended outcomes”

– “Any assessments set by the provider during or on completion of a course are appropriate and adequate to ensure a proper assessment of the learner’s ability”

– “Support is offered on a prompt, timely and wherever possible personal basis”

Notice the “if” above, because there are ones that I’m pretty sure some of their accredited organisations are at least breaking the spirit of, e.g.

– “The provider, its staff, representatives and agents, conduct all promotional activity in a fair and ethical manner, follow commonly accepted best practices, and comply with all relevant legislation.”

– “All advertising or promotional material gives a clear, accurate and balanced view of the provider, its personnel, its provision, the objectives and outcomes of that provision or the ease with which they can be obtained. All information included is real, current, and verifiable.”

– “Career counselling and placement services, if offered, do not make exaggerated claims.”

– “Face-to-face or hands-on training is provided wherever it is a necessary to achieve the stated outcome of the course.”

I also have some doubts about how they check the financial viability of schools which are outside the UK.

Some of the more obvious failures are listed in my Questions for ODLQC below. I’ve written to them asking whether they’d be willing to give me some more details but haven’t sent the actual questions yet, so please add any others that you’d like me to ask them. I do of course realise that it would have been better to have waited until I had their replies before I published this, but from my experience communicating with CIE I know how easily distracted I am…

Questions for ODLQC

What are the right qualifications for an online TEFL tutor?

What would be your reactions to one of your accredited organisations doing the things below (please respond to them one by one if you can)?

– Claiming they are the world’s most well-recognised TEFL course provider when that is clearly Cambridge ESOL

– Not making it clear on their website which of their courses are accredited by the ODLQC and which aren’t

– Permanently having “limited time” special offers running

– Making exaggerated claims about how much their qualifications help your career prospects

– Claiming on their website that you constantly monitor and moderate the courses, whereas your own information says that you only do so once every three years

– Not making it clear that observed teaching practice is necessary for teacher development and demanded by most employers who ask for TEFL qualifications

– Unsubstantiated claims that accreditation by you means that their qualifications are accepted worldwide

How do you go about accrediting parts of a group which are not in the UK, e.g. TEFL Stop and International TEFL Academy, which are part of (or perhaps franchises of) INTESOL? Ditto with TEFL Ireland, which says its courses are provided by i-to-i. And TEFL Wales, which seems to be an i-to-i course but doesn’t state so on their website (despite showing your logo)

If the above mentioned courses are just franchises, is it still okay for them to claim to be accredited by you?

Do you have TEFL experts on staff? If not, how do you assess the materials?

How many TEFL organisations and non-TEFL organisations have failed your criteria?

Has anyone ever lost their accreditation?

How do you deal with complaints?

Do you not think six years is a bit long to update your standards for something as fast-changing as online training?

Is one inspection every three years plus an annual report from the course provider enough to ensure standards?

Are you accredited by anyone yourselves, e.g. QCA, a university or an exam board?