QQuality Promotion

&

uality Promotion

&

CCapacity Development…….

apacity Development…….

Lesley Boyd and Jill Fresen

QualityQuality

…..could they come to the aid of weary South African academics?

…..could they come to the aid of weary South African academics?

Dept of Telematic Learning and Education InnovationUniversity of Pretoria

IndependentQuality Assurance Consultant

AgendaAgendaQA initiatives get ‘bad press’QA initiatives get ‘bad press’

Reasons for failure of systems

Reasons for failure of systems

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

AgendaAgendaQA initiatives get ‘bad press’QA initiatives get ‘bad press’

Reasons for failure of systems

Reasons for failure of systems

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

Let’s face it....Let’s face it....

There has been a great deal ofsometimes passionate dissent about how quality improvement should beimplemented

There has been a great deal ofsometimes passionate dissent about how quality improvement should beimplemented

Road so far has been ‘tumultuous’Road so far has been ‘tumultuous’

Difficulties in implementation in any new system are not uncommonDifficulties in implementation in any new system are not uncommon

The Chasm....The Chasm....

Business as usual

Externaldemands

not well explained

not digestible

jargon ridden

time consuming

CONTROL POWER OWNERSHIP

alienationstressnegative impacton people

impression managementgame playingtick box mentality

Closing the chasmClosing the chasmBusiness as usual

Externaldemands

easily interpreted

benefits understood

not unduly complicated

politically acceptable

internally drivenCONTROL POWER OWNERSHIP

external accountability demands are absorbed as a part of normal QA activities

BalancingBalancingSELF EVALUATION

• Guidance is required on effective internal self evaluation mechanisms

• Quality is variable within the institution

• Working methods are individualised

• Little ownership of QA mechanisms

EXTERNAL CONTROL

BalancingBalancing

SELF EVALUATION

EXTERNALCONTROL

A ‘lighter touch’

Self evaluation mechanisms are established and proven to be effective

External QA systemsExternal QA systems

Basic conditions for success: simple and efficient as possible trusted by all stakeholders enable government to fulfill its responsibility for QA to parliament and the public cost effective recognised internationally

Basic conditions for success: simple and efficient as possible trusted by all stakeholders enable government to fulfill its responsibility for QA to parliament and the public cost effective recognised internationally

Vroeijenstijn, T. 2001

External QA systemsExternal QA systems

‘A successful QA system should empower learning providers to take responsibility for quality assurance’.

‘A successful QA system should empower learning providers to take responsibility for quality assurance’.

Vroeijenstijn, T. 2001

AgendaAgendaQA initiatives get ‘bad press’QA initiatives get ‘bad press’

Reasons for failure of systems

Reasons for failure of systems

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

Why do systems fail?Why do systems fail?

The users of the proposed system: don’t perceive a benefit can’t make sense of it can’t understand its purpose feel coerced into it don’t think it applies to them don’t accept they have a ‘problem’ situation had inappropriate or unrealistic expectations feel threatened by it

The users of the proposed system: don’t perceive a benefit can’t make sense of it can’t understand its purpose feel coerced into it don’t think it applies to them don’t accept they have a ‘problem’ situation had inappropriate or unrealistic expectations feel threatened by it

Effective implementation

Effective implementation

Effective implementation enables individuals to progress through a cycle of commitment

Effective implementation enables individuals to progress through a cycle of commitment

Deny

Resist Explore

Commit

Effective implementation

Effective implementation

Unconsciousincompetence

Consciousincompetence

Conscious competence

Unconsciouscompetence

Effective implementation

Effective implementation

‘The process of implementation is to marry the proposed system with the people who are going to use it, so that it becomes a part of their everyday work’.

‘The process of implementation is to marry the proposed system with the people who are going to use it, so that it becomes a part of their everyday work’.

Boyd, LG. 2004

‘A new system rarely succeeds purely by just being available, or at the other extreme, just by being mandatory’.

‘A new system rarely succeeds purely by just being available, or at the other extreme, just by being mandatory’.

AgendaAgendaQA initiatives get ‘bad press’QA initiatives get ‘bad press’

Reasons for failure of systems

Reasons for failure of systems

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

The solution: supportive programmes to empower

academics in their institutions

DefinitionsDefinitions

Quality Promotion:raising the awareness of the need for change

Capacity Development:enhancing skills to

achievespecific results

Quality Promotion:raising the awareness of the need for change

Capacity Development:enhancing skills to

achievespecific results

Adapted from HEQC Founding Document and website

InitiativesInitiatives

Quality Promotion Unit (1995-99) QA Managers Forums Regional HE institutions – FOTIM HEQC Programme of one day visits HEQC Improving Teaching and Learning Project First cycle of audits 2004 -2009

Quality Promotion Unit (1995-99) QA Managers Forums Regional HE institutions – FOTIM HEQC Programme of one day visits HEQC Improving Teaching and Learning Project First cycle of audits 2004 -2009

The requirement?The requirement?

A comprehensive quality promotion and capacity building programme to support and not burden the already quality weary South African academic.

A comprehensive quality promotion and capacity building programme to support and not burden the already quality weary South African academic.

Programme ObjectivesProgramme Objectives

share simple improvement initiatives

demystify and interpret QA theory and practice in a way which engenders ownership and motivation to develop internal QA systems

assist in scene setting for external audits

share simple improvement initiatives

demystify and interpret QA theory and practice in a way which engenders ownership and motivation to develop internal QA systems

assist in scene setting for external audits

Programme attributesProgramme attributes

aimed directly at supporting academics and departments available to public and private providers alike on a voluntary basis as a result of expressed needs simple and digestible in approach share best practice from those who

have made good progress

aimed directly at supporting academics and departments available to public and private providers alike on a voluntary basis as a result of expressed needs simple and digestible in approach share best practice from those who

have made good progress

ConclusionConclusion

Let us provide appropriate training and support to empower academics toimplement, and assume responsibility for, their own accountable quality assurance practices.

Let us provide appropriate training and support to empower academics toimplement, and assume responsibility for, their own accountable quality assurance practices.

Telematic Learning and Education Innovation

Telematic Learning and Education Innovation

Flexible Learning,

enhanced by Technology

Flexible Learning,

enhanced by Technology

E-

education

E-

education

Education

Innovation

Education

Innovation

University of PretoriaUniversity of Pretoria

E-EducationE-Education

Web-support Multi-media (on CD-Rom) Video production Video conferencing Interactive Television Graphic services Photographic services

Web-support Multi-media (on CD-Rom) Video production Video conferencing Interactive Television Graphic services Photographic services

QMS - PhilosophyQMS - Philosophy

evaluation, improvement rather than external accountability ownership and commitment from all practitioners in the E-education Unit

evaluation, improvement rather than external accountability ownership and commitment from all practitioners in the E-education Unit

Quality Management System

Quality Management System

DODO

Detailed work instructionsDetailed work instructions

Standards, checklists, forms

Standards, checklists, forms

ProceduresProceduresProcessesProcesses

PLANPLAN

Quality PolicyQuality Policy

Quality Objectives

Quality Objectives

Organisational Objectives

Organisational Objectives

CONTROL

CONTROLRecordsRecords

Measurements and Targets

Measurements and Targets

ACTACT

Feed

back L

oop

Feed

back L

oop

Boyd, 2001 – adapted from Waller, Allen & Burns, 1993

Procedure writingProcedure writing

Task teams Template for each procedure:

• Title of the procedure• Overview of the procedure• Objectives of the procedure • Numbered procedure steps • Responsibilities• Supporting documents & outputs• Footer: document control data

Example of a procedure

Task teams Template for each procedure:

• Title of the procedure• Overview of the procedure• Objectives of the procedure • Numbered procedure steps • Responsibilities• Supporting documents & outputs• Footer: document control data

Example of a procedure

Four levelsFour levels

ReactionLearningBehaviou

rResults

ReactionLearningBehaviou

rResults

Customer satisfaction

Kirkpatrick, D. 1998

Return on investment