Quality assurance in higher education – meta-evaluation of multi-stage evaluation procedures in Germany

Systematic procedures for quality assurance and improvement through evaluation have been in place in Western Europe since the mid 1980s and in Germany since the mid 1990s. As studies in Europe and beyond show that multi-stage evaluation procedures as the main quality assurance instrument for evaluation of teaching and learning in higher education institutions have proved reliable and have gained acceptance, in Germany (as well as in other countries) the evaluation of teaching and learning through internal and external evaluations has long come under the fire of criticism. Our results of the first comprehensive and representative investigation of procedures for the evaluation of teaching and learning in Germany show that former participants in the evaluations (reviewers and those reviewed) are satisfied all in all with the multi-stage procedure. They are convinced that the goals of quality assurance and improvement were achieved. Suggestions for improving the procedures target individual aspects, such as, for example, the composition of the review panel. Against this background, it makes sense to perform regular quality assessments of the procedures for quality assurance and improvement. The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany (Stifterverband fu¨ r die Deutsche Wissenschaft) for funding our study and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.     

Relationship between developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices of pre‐service teachers

Abstract

This article explores the meaning of professionalism as it relates to early childhood teacher education. The poignant need for such professionalism is timely within the context of contemporary policies that have the potential to de‐skill educational professionalism as well as minimize the breadth and depth of early childhood education. After exploring problems/issues associated with a number of specific policies with such potential, an action plan and strategies for implementing such a plan are proposed. Now that early childhood teacher certification has been receiving increased attention in several states, the author concludes with what she feels is a problem worthy of immediate attention—greater school administrator preparation in early childhood curriculum.     

远程高等教育质量保证:反思与评论

本文主要针对开放远程教育质量保证的理论与实践进行了思考,着重分析了开放远程教育质量保证实践的现状、存在的不足、今后发展的策略等。     

Early impact and outcomes of an institutionally aligned,student focused learning perspective on teaching quality assurance1

This paper describes an evidence‐based quality assurance system for teaching and learning, which takes as its starting point a well‐researched theoretical perspective on student learning in higher education. We argue this explicit use of a relevant theoretical base promotes coherence between quality assurance and improvement processes. We outline the principal features of our university's quality assurance strategy, systems and processes, and describe how the university's teaching quality assurance policy and systems have been implemented. We then consider the extent to which the project has achieved its goals of fostering an evidence‐based approach to teaching consistent with the student learning perspective on which the policy and systems are based. We also present data on student learning experiences showing reliable changes in the quality of the student learning experience. We discuss the applied significance of these changes, with a particular focus on changes in the experiences of commencing first year university students.     

Translating Policy into Practice: the teaching and learning experience

Student diversity has increased within Australian universities. This has changed the teaching and learning needs of students. The implementation of quality was aimed at enhancing the quality of the higher educational product. However, the policy, while providing an accountability framework at the institution level, failed to provide the structural mechanisms needed to achieve quality in the teaching and learning the students receive, that is the sub‐faculty level. Other factors, such as the potential growth of non‐government resources in the form of more international students have perhaps a greater chance of improving the quality of teaching and learning within the faculties, because they provide both the funds and an incentive for more funds as a reward for implementing quality assurance within the teaching and learning function of universities.     

Principal's Leadership as a Critical Factor for School Performance: Evidence from Multi‐Levels of Primary Schools 1

This study aims to investigate how principal's leadership is related to school performance in terms of multi‐level indicators such as school's organizational characteristics, teachers’ group‐level and individual‐level performances, and students’ performances. In the study, strong leadership represents that a principal can be supportive and foster participation for teachers, can develop clear goals and policies and hold people accountable for results, can be persuasive at building alliances and solving conflicts, can be inspirational and charismatic, and can encourage professional development and teaching improvement. The strong leadership is found associated with high organizational effectiveness, strong organizational culture, positive principal‐teachers relationship, more participation in decision, high teacher esprit and professionalism, less teacher disengagement and hindrance, more teacher job satisfaction and commitment, and more positive student performance particularly on attitudes to their schools and learning. The findings support that principal's leadership is a critical factor for school performance at multi‐levels. Implications are advanced for further study and development of leadership.

     

Quality assurance and its impact from higher education institutions’ perspectives: methodological approaches,experiences and expectations

This paper reports on methodological approaches, experiences and expectations referring to impact analysis of quality assurance from the perspective of three higher education institutions (students, teaching staff, quality managers) from Germany, Finland and Romania. The presentations of the three sample institutions focus on discussing the core characteristics of quality assurance procedures applied and their expected and observed impacts, and how intended and non-intended undesirable ones are measured. It turns out that all sample institutions have already some instruments and sub-procedures in place for impact analysis of quality assurance and all of them are striving for further improvement by applying internal and external quality assurance procedures and impact analyses. Finally, a closer look at the recently revised Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area shows that the European sample institutions are on their way towards coherent quality assurance policies, while there is also room left for further improvement and investigation (for example, in implementing systematic methodologies of impact evaluation and quality policies in general).     

Creating a Quality Assurance System for Croatian Higher Education

This article presents an action plan for establishing a system of quality assurance for Croatian higher education. The action plan is forward‐looking rather than retrospective and draws on experiences with adopting continuous improvement practices in Australia, Turkey, and the United States. Numerous authors have explored the challenges facing Croatian higher education, so we do not duplicate that task. We propose to adopt a continuous improvement system which will help modernize the system of education in Croatia.     

工科专业本科毕业设计质量保证体系建设的思考

毕业设计是本科教学计划中最后一个综合性的教学环节,是整个教学计划的重要组成部分。文章结合工科本科毕业设计工作实际,从目标、组织、标准、制度四个方面思考如何构建毕业设计质量保证体系,探索行之有效的质量保证体系,保障毕业设计质量不断提高。     

eVALUate: an evaluation instrument for measuring students’ perceptions of their engagement and learning outcomes

In the current climate in Australian higher education, quality assurance in university teaching is a priority. In particular, the introduction of the Learning and Teaching Performance Fund (LTPF) has refocused attention on universities’ internal student evaluation survey instruments. This paper reports the development, validation and implementation of a new unit survey instrument which prompts students to reflect on what helps their achievement of unit learning outcomes, and to report their levels of motivation, engagement and overall satisfaction with a semester‐long course or unit of study. The instrument (eVALUate) was created from precepts reported in the research literature, current practices in evaluating teaching, and sound quality assurance practices appropriate to a university outcomes‐focused education paradigm.     

聚焦质量,齐抓共管,扎实推进本科教学评估工作——兼谈对普通高校本科教学评估新方案的学习体会

提高质量是高等教育发展的核心任务,最近教育部出台了有关全面提高高等教育质量和开展本科教学评估的文件,如何理解并贯彻落实是高等教育战线面临的现实问题。本文从国家高等教育发展战略的高度,国际教育管理改革和质量保障发展的角度,阐述提高质量的重要性,并指出教育评估是提高质量的重要抓手。进而,全面解读了新时期我国普通高校本科教学评估的制度框架,分析其内涵和基本特征。为了把本科教学评估工作落到实处,按照齐抓共管、内外结合的思路,从政府、高校、评估机构等不同主体职能分工出发,文章指出政府应发挥主导作用、高校应加强内部质量保障和自评自测、评估机构应提供专业服务并实行行业自律管理。     

Teachers' perceptions of their professionalism in government primary schools in Karachi,Pakistan

This paper examines teachers' perceptions of their professionalism under conditions of educational reforms in government primary schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Conceiving teacher professionalism in terms of four dimensions (teacher efficacy, teacher practice, teacher leadership and teacher collaboration) it reports a quantitative survey research study of teachers in these schools, where educational reforms have been initiated. One conclusion from the study is that such teachers do perceive themselves as professionals—a finding that is counter to the often‐held beliefs about these teachers. The paper argues that it is important to regard teachers as professionals, capable of further enhancing their own professionalism, for improvement in the quality of teaching and learning in the government primary schools in Karachi.     

Academics’ perceptions of the impact of internal quality assurance on teaching and learning

Internal quality assurance systems are expected to improve the institutions’ core mission of teaching and learning. Using data gathered through an online survey, distributed in 2014/2015, to the teaching staff of all Portuguese private and public higher education institutions, this paper examines the impact of internal quality assurance systems on teaching and learning from the perspective of academics. Findings suggest that Portuguese academics feel that, despite the positive contribution of internal quality assurance towards an increased awareness of teaching quality issues at their institutions, the practical effects of these systems have been more related to increasing bureaucracy than to substantive improvements in teaching and learning. The use of information with a view to improvement and teaching staff involvement in the development of quality assurance were found to induce positive changes in teaching and learning, in academics’ perceptions. Based on the findings, the paper makes recommendations for institutional practice.     

自主学习质量控制要素探析

在现代远程教育中，影响自主学习质量的要素包括学习观念、学生的知识基础和社会背景、办学条件、质量评价和质量控制体系以及考试与考核等。提高自主学习质量的措施与途径包括转变观念、加强师资队伍建设、完善现代化教学设备和教学支持服务体系、建立自主学习质量体系和加强自主学习质量监控以及全面深化教学全过程的改革等。     

有机化学线上教学质量保障与评价体系研究

文章研究了实施网络教学过程中有机化学课程线上教学资源建设和学生线上教学体验,构建了教学质量保障与评价体系,为其他高校课程网络教学提供了参考。     

成果导向教育:信息化教学质量评价体系的构建与实践--以《城市轨道交通信号》课程为例

文章针对信息化教学的发展特点,将“以学生为中心,以成果为导向”融入教学质量评价体系中,构建符合人才培养需求的信息化教学质量评价体系,包括学生学习效果、教师教学效果、信息化教学环境和毕业生就业质量等4项一级指标,以及细分的11项二级指标和31项三级指标,以深职院《城市轨道交通信号》课程为实证研究对象,阐述该课程在信息化建设、教师教学方面取得的成效,找出学生在信息化素养、专业认同上存在的问题,引导教学反思和改进.     

Quality Assurance in Open and Distance, Education： a Case Study of Kota Open University

After a brief analysis of the concept of quality in open and distance education, information technology for quality assurance and Indian initiative for quality improvement, the paper examines the quality assurance measures at Kota Open University under the following areas ： planning academic programmes ; developing academic programmes ; producing learning materials ; implementing programmes ; reviewing courses/programmes ; and ing human resources.     

Accountability and professionalism: a contradiction in terms?

Declining trust in public services has led to increasing calls for higher education to be ‘accountable’ for the quality of its teaching and learning provision. However, increasing levels of quality evaluation have led academics to feel that their professionalism is under attack. Reflecting on this history and various dimensions of accountability, this paper seeks to interpret accountability by addressing two questions: What is accountability in higher education? How can it be related to academic professionalism? The paper argues that professionalism and accountability appear to be contradictory terms, but can exist simultaneously. If academics' moral and social responsibility becomes requisite to an enhanced social accounting for the quality of university teaching and learning, there could be less perceived tension between academic professionalism and accountability.