OPERATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

The Accreditation Commission of Slovakia was created in 1990, six months after passage of the Higher Education Law. The accreditation procedure stresses decentralization and participation at all levels; however, it leads to major decisions concerning the disapproval or approval of given faculties and appointments to professorships. Institutions as a whole are still not subjected to accreditation procedures. The Accreditation Commission has gained wide acceptance. Its judgments can be expected to influence the financing of given faculties and programmes in the future.     

大学人文教育的理念、目标与模式

中国大学人文教育的问题涉及到我国大学本科教育的转型问题,亦即从以往那种只注重专业教育而缺乏通识教育的本科培养模式,转向“以通识教育为基础的专业发展”的本科教育模式。文章首先提出中国大学人文教育所面临的七个主要问题,然后比较详细地讨论和分析了美国现代大学通识教育近百年的历程及其不同阶段,并指出美国通识教育的核心特点是以人文社会科学为重、采取深度阅读经典阅读的方式以及小班制的讨论课。在此基础上,作者指出了所谓哈佛模式的误导,认为我国通识教育的道路应该是在有限的学分时间限制下、精心设计少而精的几门“共同核心课程”作为第一步。文章最后强调：中国大学通识教育课程的中心任务是要把从民国以来断裂的文化传统重新作现代整理,走“中西并举”的道路,以此逐渐形成我们大学的“核心课程”传统,使中国大学成为中国文明的担纲者。     

高等教育制度变迁中的制度创立者、机遇和预见

本文利用美国和德国高等教育制度变迁的历史比较数据,试图对导致制度变迁的三类因素的普遍性和运行机制进行评价。这些因素是:机遇(或外因)、内因以及理性的人类预见。其中理性预见是引起制度变迁的因素当中最少出现的,笔者例举了制度创立者和政府对制度变迁的干预来加以说明,并讨论了这些干预的相对效果。     

ADMINISTRATIVE INTENSITY AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This paper formulates a model to partition theobserved administrative/faculty ratio (or administrativeintensity) for higher education institutions into twocomponents. One component uses internal factors. The second component acts as an augmenter anduses external factors. In particular, it uses sources offunding dependency to explain additionally the demandfor administrative resources. A logit analysis is used to link the type of institutionalcontrol to sources of funding dependency. The mainresults indicate that public institutions use relativelyless administrative resources compared to privates in seeking public and private sources of funding.Privates, on the other hand, use relatively less whenseeking private funding, but they use relatively morewhen seeking public funding. Policy implications relate to barriers of entry to the fundingsources.     

OVERVIEW OF THE INTERNATIONAL HIGH‐LEVEL CONSULTATION ON POLICY ISSUES OF QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This consultation, which lasted three days (5‐7 May 1993), featured discussions among high‐ranking eastern and central European officials responsible for higher education, UNESCO staff members, and invited experts. The discussions were organized under the following rubrics: Quality Assessment in Higher Education: Issues and Concerns; Institutional Self‐Evaluation and External Quality Assessment; Policy Implications of Quality Management in Higher Education; National Evaluation Bodies; the Role and Functions of an International Body, sponsored by CEPES‐UNESCO, currently being formed: the European Group on Academic Assessment; and Quality Assessment and Institutional Accreditation.     

我国高等教育资源配置方式转换与制度环境

我国选择社会主义市场经济作为配置资源的基本经济制度 ,使影响高等教育资源配置转换的制度环境发生了质的改变。本文在分析框架中引入制度环境这一外生变量 ,重点探讨我国改革开放以来高等教育资源配置变化与制度环境的关联性 ,以及不同约束条件下高等教育资源配置方式变化的特点。讨论的要点为 :在原有计划配置的框架中不可能使资源再扩大 ;资源的增量主要是在市场环境中通过制度创新实现的。     

CENTRAL AGENCY RENEWAL AND EDUCATIONAL GOAL SETTING

The infrequently used label mishshamshim baKodesh may well capture the essential life-style most needed, and authentic, for bureaus of education; central agencies for Jewish education in communities whose variant demographics and structure mandate a caveat for generalizations.     

QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Although quality in higher education is hard to define and to identify, there is growing concern about it at national and international levels. The work of CEPES, particularly its proposal to create a European Group on Academic Assessment (EGAA), and the work of OECD, particularly its Institutional Management in Higher Education Programme (IMHE), respond to this concern. Approaches to quality assessment in the United States, Japan, and Sweden are evoked.     

SETTING OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSING COMPETENCE IN PROFESSIONAL LEGAL EDUCATION

Professional Legal Education in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is undertaken at the Legal Workshop. A problem‐based learning orientation is a prominent feature of their programme. In this paper the assessment of the problem‐based learning used in the Workshop is described. All stages of this assessment process, including setting the course objectives, defining the conditions under which the problems (tasks) will be undertaken, and setting the criteria which are the standards for the assessment of success in the task, are described. The importance of criterion‐referenced assessment in the stage of setting assessment standards is emphasised. The results of the first attempt to use this assessment method are then described, and problems emerging with the process are discussed. Although this first “reality test” reveals some difficulties with the assessment method, it is concluded that this novel and innovative teaching and assessment technique has been appropriately applied to Professional Legal Education. While some refinements are required in the implementation of the method, the overall assessment concept has been successfully developed.     

THE USE OF COMPUTERS IN ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The use of the computer and in particular the micro‐computer, by the student provides the opportunity for a significant review of the syllabus and the way in which it is taught. The commercial use of the computer should make us re‐evaluate the content of certain syllabuses, particularly those dominated by mathematical modelling.

Structural Analysis, in the disciplines of Civil and Structural Engineering is a particular case in point since virtually all of the professional numerical analysis of structures is now carried out by a computer. If this is the case, we must seriously ask ourselves why we are teaching the students to carry out lengthy calculations which will never be used in practice.

The computer may be the engine of change for the syllabus content but it offers in return facilities for learning, particularly in formative assessment, unavailable before.

The student may use the computer to test various ideas about the way a structure works under various loading conditions and thereby acquire an understanding of structural behaviour which may not be available in the design office.     

ASSISTING QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF SLOVENIA

There are two universities in Slovenia which undertake research and teaching and offer professional services. The quality of the research performed by faculty members is assured by strict quantitative bibliographical criteria employed in the faculty rank award procedure. The criteria for teaching quality are less well defined. The new Higher Education Act of 1993, organized university staff development, the appearance of an integrated information system, and student evaluation of faculty teaching performance with the aid of student questionnaires can all be regarded as extrinsic assistance to intrinsic efforts on the part of faculty, students, and their organizations. Slovenia will endeavour to broaden and deepen its co‐operation with international organizations and foundations in the field of quality assessment and improvement of higher education institutions, particularly the quality of the teaching they offer.     

ENTERPRISE AWARENESS IN TEACHER EDUCATION: AN EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL POLICY MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION

Investigations into EATE's particular style of development, and its effectiveness of approach in introducing and sustaining innovations, were thought to be important aspects in the identification of noteworthy strategies for bringing about change in issues relating to enterprise, economic and industrial awareness in institutions of initial teacher education. This article describes the composite thinking and support underpinning the eclectic evaluations of EATE‐funded initiatives. It discusses two essential, and sequential, steps — initial thinking about issues which need to be clarified before embarking on an evaluation, and the strategies for action, i.e. the practical activities which can then be carried out. The article is written with reference to the EATE initiative but ideas and considerations could, with ease, be applied to other innovationsThe processes of formulating a policy statement on enterprise education, undertaking a course audit and introducing enterprise education and economic awareness into college courses are discussed. In particular developments within Professional Studies in the BEd Primary Education course are examined. The respective contributions of college staff and business representatives are assessed. The interaction between Institutional policy‐making and implementation in enterprise education is seen as opportunistic and organic as much as rational and systematic.     

WESTERN ASSISTANCE TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE: THE NEED FOR AN ASSESSMENT

This article introduces the topic of this issue of the review. Because there has been no systematic evaluation, so far, of the impact of western assistance programmes for higher education in eastern and central Europe since they got underway in 1989‐1990, the hope is that this publication will kick off the necessary debate. In general, two stages in the reform process can be identified, a reparatory stage that lasted around three years, and now a holistic stage, that emphasizes a systemic approach to reform. It is hoped that the eight articles making up the topic will serve as catalysts for many more studies on all aspects of this vast problem.     

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN THE SCHOOL SETTING

Suicidal behavior in children and youth continues to be a major public health problem in the United States. School personnel have a legal and ethical obligation to recognize and respond to the mental health needs of their students and to take steps to ensure their safety. In this exploratory study, suicide risk assessment practices of three large school districts were examined. More than 3,400 suicide risk assessments were conducted in these districts during the 3 years considered. The results indicate that all three districts have implemented suicide prevention programs that include risk‐assessment practices in an effort to reduce suicidality. Suicides risk assessments were conducted with at least one child in each grade from kindergarten through 12^th in each district, occurring most frequently at the middle school level. Differences by gender were noted in terms of level of risk and hospitalizations, but no significant differences were observed based on race/ethnicity. These risk assessment efforts of these three districts appear to be promising in preventing suicides: none of the students who were assessed went on to commit suicide. Implications for school‐based practices and training are discussed.     

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION IN EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS: PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONAL ASPECTS: WORKING DOCUMENT

This article forms the Working Document for the Conference bearing the same title. It reflects the fact that this Conference is the second in what is planned to be a series on quality assessment and accreditation in higher education. Thus it calls for an appraisal of the transition from policy statements to operational developments. The participants in the Conference are invited to describe developments in their countries in terms of the adoption of legal provisions; the establishment of bodies in charge of quality assessment and institutional accreditation; the identification of criteria, performance indicators, and assessment standards; the development of procedures for self‐study and peer‐review; and the identification of the policy and administrative consequences for higher education of the processes of quality assessment and accreditation.     

不确定性视野下的教育与教育研究

世界的发展和关于世界的知识充满了不确定性。在不确定性视野下,需要对长期追求的普遍性知识和客观规律重新认识,对科学理论的解释和预测功能持审慎态度。对知识的生产和传播方式从方法论上进行反思。无论是宏观层次还是微观层次的教育,都有自身的确定性和不确定性。不确定性视野下的教育研究,坚持主体建构式认识论,关注探索教育实践中具体的因果联系。     

大学通识教育与文化素质教育

本文叙述通识教育在中国实施的过程,指出它是中国高等教育为摆脱计划经济时代过分专业化教育的束缚、面向社会、适应经济体制转轨而推行的一种改革。1995年起在全国开展的文化素质教育推动了这一改革进程,而国外的博雅教育和港台地区的通识教育促进了通识教育在大陆的实施。作者认为大学通识教育的基本功能在于帮助学生树立做人和做事的正确态度与能力,实施通识教育的主渠道是开设通识课程。作者阐述了开设通识课程的原则、要求、做法以及教师的条件,叙述了通识教育与文化素质教育的关系。     

转型期新技术服务终身教育的制度选择

终身教育作为教育理念的产生与发展是工业化发展到一定阶段的产物,终身教育作为教育实践的普及与推广也是技术发展应用与制度设计结合的产物。本文重点讨论我国终身教育发展拐点的阶段特征以及技术因素与制度因素对它的影响。