Quality, viability and relevance: a strategic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of mixed-mode teaching and learning in an undergraduate biotechnology and biomedical science degree

RMIT is a major Australian university of technology based in central Melbourne with regional and international reach. It has made both online education and programme quality two central planks in its teaching and learning strategy in recent years. This paper proposes making the connection between these two strategic directions by working within a framework of programme quality assurance to evaluate the effectiveness of mixed mode teaching and learning. This paper undertakes a case study of evaluation-readiness in one RMIT degree programme - undergraduate biotechnology and biomedical science - in which implementation of the university's teaching and learning strategy has been a major focus. (A note on terminology: at RMIT, 'programme' describes a degree comprising a number of 'courses' usually studied over several years).