In this paper, I report on the work of a practitioner inquiry group that went awry when the sponsor refused to publish and disseminate the participants' final reports, stating that they were of poor quality and did not contribute to the knowledge base. I, the facilitator of the group, disagreed strongly with her. I suggest that the difference…

Self-evaluation is supposed to be a valid, reliable and easy-to-use instrument to commit professionals to external quality assurance. The writing of a self-evaluation report is the first step in most higher education accreditation systems all over the world. Research on accreditation in the Netherlands and Flanders shows that professionals…

There has been, and remains, much criticism of the external monitoring of the quality of universities' learning and teaching by bodies such as the QAA largely on the grounds that it is essentially a bureaucratic collection of data that does little, if anything, to help in improving or enhancing the learning and teaching. In this article, while…

This article started as a debate between the two authors. Both authors present a series of propositions about quality standards in education research. Cook's propositions, as might be expected, not only concern the importance of experimental trials for establishing the security of causal evidence, but also include some important practical and…

Considering accountability, affordability, and access through the experiences in Chile, East Asia, Australia, Croatia, and the United States offers a clear reminder that trends and issues in higher education are often more similar across national contexts than they are distinct. Across higher education, institutions and systems are responding to…

Describes a method for evaluating faculty workload (measured by time spent in teaching, research, and service) by using process control charts with supplementary run rules that can identify potential overload or underload. (SK)

The directory contains a list and description of 20 quality assurance instruments, 5 organizations, and 10 publications to aid in monitoring service delivery systems for people with mental retardation. A position statement by the Association for Retarded Citizens on the multiple dimensions of quality assessment precedes the list. It stresses…

The European University Association (EUA) established in 1994 a Quality Assurance Pool of current and former presidents/rectors prepared to serve on small teams that conduct institutional evaluations, when invited, in order to advise leaders of the host universities on the quality of their various operations and how to improve it. At a seminar…

The dilemma inherent in formal standards results from the tension between maintaining quality control and constraining creativity. This dilemma is nowhere more apparent than in matters of method: measurement, sampling, research design, and statistical analysis. The author offers suggestions for revision of the standards to allow for specific…

Clinical applications of statistical process control (SPC) in human service organizations are considered. SPC is seen as providing a standard set of criteria that serves as a common interface for data-based decision making, which may bring decision making under the control of established contingencies rather than the immediate contingencies of…

Discusses the use of total quality management (TQM) principles in libraries. Topics addressed include commitment from the library director; strategic planning; training needs for library staff; the identification and selection of targeted areas that would benefit from TQM; quality improvement teams; analysis; proposed solutions; and evaluation…

Argues that there is little rationale behind current methods of assessing higher-education quality because there is little exploration of what constitutes quality. Despite good intentions, quality monitoring has become overly bureaucratic, and potential for significant change is hampered by an inappropriate focus on accountability, not on…

Examines the development of quality assurance in higher education delivered through open and distance learning. Highlights include recent publications on quality assurance, factors for change, key terms, debate about organizational mission, management, customers and students, competitive environment, and philosophy of professional- versus…

This report begins with discussion of several issues in the field of quality assurance in residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The issues include definitions of key terms, the role of ideology, major types of quality assurance, and dimensions of quality assurance. The report takes the position that primary values…

Effective internal evaluation requires dependable data for decision makers. Influences on clinical and fiscal data dependability are discussed. The focus is on organizational influences, data quality control, and staff concerns. (Author/PN)