Quality models in higher education

1. Quality models in higher education • After completing this topic, you should be able to: • Understand various models of quality • Understand the objectives of quality control and quality assurance • Learn the importance of quality models • Readings: • Chapters 2, 5 B. Janakiraman & R.K. Gopal, 2007 • Nina Becket & Maureen Brookes, 2007, Quality Management Practice in Higher Education – What Quality Are We Actually Enhancing? • G. Srikanthan & John F. Dalrymple, 2002. Developing a holistic model for quality in higher education

2. Introduction • Quality in higher education has been placed as an important contemporary agenda. • Approaches to implement quality in higher education have been made based on quality management models practiced in the industrial sectors. • Many universities have began implementing ‘total quality management - TQM’ model as an alternative. • TQM not focused on ‘core functions of teaching and learning’, considered as a ‘myth and illusion’. • The model is seen as flawed and unfit with the core operation: education.

3. Introduction • The model for quality management has to be a holistic model to meet the requirements of the core functions of service and education. • Distinction has to be made between the two processes of the functions. • The service relates to general administrative activities to support for academic (enrolment, library) and amenities (cafeterias, recreation) services. • The education processes relate to the functions of teaching, research and community services.

4. Theoretical educational quality models • Transformative models (Harvey & Knight, 1996): • Transformation is the most appropriate learning oriented approach to quality. • The emphasis is on ‘enhancing participants’, ‘adding value’ to capability and ‘empowering participants’. • There is a clear focus on total student experience. • Quality policies have to be learning-oriented and centered on student’s learning experience. • Learning is based on interactions between learners and teachers. • There is a shift of focus to learning rather than teaching.

5. Theoretical educational quality models • An engagement model of program quality: • Developed by Haworth & Conrad (1997), focusing on the students, academics and administrative engagement in teaching and learning. • High quality program is one that ‘contribute to the learning experiences for students that have positive effects on their growth and development’. • Three principles stakeholders (students, academics and administrators) contribute to the learning experiences for students in five programs attributes.

6. Theoretical educational quality models

7. Theoretical educational quality models • An engagement model of program quality: • Diverse and engaged participations from academics, students and leaders. • Participatory cultures through shared program direction, community of learners and risk-taking environments. • Interactive teaching and learning through critical dialog, integrative learning, mentoring, peer learning, out of class activities. • Connected program requirements. • Adequate resources such as support services for students, academics and ample basic infrastructure.

8. Theoretical educational quality models • University of Learning Model: • Bowden & Marton (1998) examine the organizational characteristics of higher education from a pedagogical perspective. • Quality in a university context through its core functions has a lot to do with the quality of learning and quality of learning has a lot to do with different ways of seeing things that could widen the range of possibilities of seeing the same thing (variation is an acceptable foundation in learning). • University must be conducive to facilitate a dynamic learning process that contribute to a ‘university of learning).

9. Theoretical educational quality models • A model for a Responsive University: • Tierney (1998) postulated a model for excellence – a responsive university. • The model is based on the premise that ‘the public will judge the university in terms of the quality of their relationships and the quality of the outcomes. • To survive and thrive, universities will have to be responsive and be service oriented. • The emphasis is on development of new relationships and partnerships with communities, focus on customers. • Student-centered in programs, community-centered in outreach and nation-centered in research.

10. Evolution of Quality Hierarchy Inspection Inspect products Detection (Reactive) Operational techniques to make inspection more efficient and to reduce the cost of quality Quality Control Planned and systematic actions to ensure that products or services conform to company requirements. Quality Assurance Prevention (Proactive) Incorporates QC/QA activities into a company-wide system aimed at satisfying the customer (involves all organizational function). Total Quality Management

11. Strategies - Quality Control To establish standards of quality which are acceptable to the customer and economical to maintain the standards. To enable the setting and resetting of processes and machinery. To keep up the quality of products during manufacturing by taking remedial steps. To locate and identify the process faults and defects of products and thus control the scrap and wastes. To take different measures to improve the standard quality of products.

12. Objectives of Quality Control To see that products of lower quality do not reach customers. To enable reduction in operating cost by not producing defective goods. To develop quality reputation which is of prime importance in selling both consumer and industrial goods.

13. Importance of Quality Control Increases the profit earning capacity of the business. Enables the industry to compete successfully. Reduces cost of production. Reduces operation losses by keeping scrap and wastes to a minimum level. Improves the product design. Reduces the product line bottlenecks. Improves employees’ morale. Enhances customers’ satisfaction. Increases the reputation of the industry.

14. Functions of Quality Control Department Advises on inspection and quality control policy formulation. Sets inspection standards. Prepares department budget requests and control operating expenses. Selects inspection points. Selects inspection instruments. Collaborates with statisticians about statistical quality control instruments. Generate deviation reports for rectifications. Train inspectors on duties/ in using inspection standards.

15. Mechanism of Quality Control Setting standards and specifications – standard and specifications must be determined to achieve the objectives of quality control. Inspection – it is the method to attain standardization, uniformity and quality of workmanship. Statistical quality control – makes use of statistical methods and principles to assess variations cause variations. Inspection devices (gauges) – to investigate the dimensional fitness of a mechanical element in relation to its predetermined dimensional standards.

16. Strategy - Quality Assurance Quality Assurance – the process of verifying or determining whether products or services meet or exceed customer expectations. In HEI it is defined as “systematic management and assessment procedures adopted by HEIs and systems in order to monitor performance against objectives, and to ensure achievement of quality outputs and quality improvements” (Harman, 2000, p.1). In short, it is a process of defining and fulfilling a set of quality standards consistently and continuously with an objective to satisfy customers. PDCA model developed by Deming fits for QA.

17. Strategy - Quality Assurance Jaminan Kualiti – Semua bentuk dasar, proses, langkah dan aktiviti yang melalui program kualiti dan dipertingkatkan selaras dengan keperluan pihak berkepentingan. Standard asas – Aspek keperluan asas dan petunjuk prestasi jaminan kualiti yang perlu dipatuhi untuk memastikan produk atau perkhidmatan memenuhi atau melangkaui jangkaan pelanggan.

18. PDCA Model / Cycle PDCA comprises four steps – Plan – establish objectives and processes required to deliver the desired results. Do – implement the process developed. Check – monitor and evaluate the implemented process by testing the results against the predetermined objectives. Act – apply actions necessary for improvement if the results require changes. PDCA is an effective tool for monitoring quality assurance because it analyzes existing conditions and methods use to produce goods and services. The aim is to ensure excellence in every component of the process.

19. Quality models in higher education Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award ISO 9000 and other standards Six Sigma Balanced Scorecard Benchmarking Total Quality Management Lean

20. A management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society (ISO 8402:1994). Four process steps: Kaizen – focuses on continuous improvement Atarimae Hinshitsu – idea that things will work as they are supposed to. Kansei – examining the way the user applies the product leads to improvement in the product it self. Miryokuteki Hinshitsu – idea that things should have an aesthetic quality. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM)