Quality Assurance in Education

Study Notes

Quality Assurance in Education

Assessment is the gathering of information from various sources to determine performance effectiveness, it can be applied to the whole institution (institutional assessment) or to specific educational programs (programmatic assessment).
External assessment (also known as external audit) is a key component of accreditation procedures, conducted by experts in various fields of education, to assist accreditation authorities in evaluating educational institutions.
Standards are criteria set for educational institutions, serving as the foundation for evaluation and accreditation.
- They represent the level of quality for aspects like vision, mission, academic programs, educational resources, human, material and financial capacity, student services, etc.
- They are designed to be flexible and evolve over time.
- They are developed with the participation of the Ministry of Education, universities, schools, federations, professional unions, and employers.
Indicators are used in self-evaluation and external evaluation to measure actual performance against standards. They can be quantitative, qualitative, or both.
- They are also expressive statements describing expected performance from teachers, learners, managers, and institutions.
- They measure comparison, indicating a degree more or less than a predefined agreed-upon point.
Rubrics are tools for systematically evaluating and assessing performance.
- They provide a structured system with levels that represent different levels of performance:
  - Level 4: Distinguished/Very Good - institution demonstrates mastery
  - Level 3: Institution has met objectives according to adequate standards (Good/Proficient)
  - Level 2: Developing - institution is approaching learning objectives, requires extra effort to reach Level 3
  - Level 1: Not Met - institution has not met learning objectives, provides little evidence of meeting performance expectations or learning goals.
Evidence is essential for making judgments in the evaluation and assessment process. Crucial pieces of evidence include:
- Databases
- Meetings
- Annual reports
- Interview results
- Observations
- Evaluation processes
- Various records (attendance, absence, follow-up)
Accreditation Agency: specialized bodies established to grant accreditation to educational institutions that have met specific standards.
- They can be private or governmental authorities.
- Their main responsibilities include setting and promoting standards for the quality of educational institutions and programs.
- They also recognize institutions or programs that adhere to these standards.
Accreditation Authorities are categorized into two types:
- Programatic Accreditation Authorities: Focus on accrediting specific educational programs.
- Institutional Accreditation Authorities: Focus on accrediting entire educational institutions.
Accredited Institution: Any institution certified by the relevant authority for meeting predetermined standards.
Accreditation Status: Represents the decision taken by the accreditation body regarding an educational institution after an examination process.
- Possible accreditation statuses include: Candidate, Accredited, Probation, Withdrawal.
Duration of Accreditation: Accreditation decisions are typically valid for a specific period. After this period, institutions or programs must undergo a re-accreditation process.