Program and/or course evaluation is, in fact, one of the essential aspects of any curriculum. It is a kind of quality control in which various aspects of an instructional program are explored. Program evaluation is an attempt in which different elements of a given curriculum are scrutinized in depth. To this end, an evaluator makes every effort to…

Globalization in the 21st century has brought innumerable challenges and opportunities to universities and countries. Universities are primarily concerned with how to ensure the quality of their education and how to boost their local and global competitiveness. The pressure from both international competition and public accountability on…

This article demonstrates the value of theoretical ex-ante evaluation of policy programs. We show how a specific policy might not achieve its objectives and illustrate the elements of the policy, which need improvement. These conclusions are based on a reconstruction and evaluation of the theory behind a policy program that aims to increase…

The emergence of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) for Quality Assurance has been seen as an important step towards realising the European Higher Education Area by creating more transparency and accountability in the area of quality assurance. The ESG also include standards as to how quality assurance agencies should be reviewed. In a…

Describes the Slovenian system of higher education and the country's new effort to establish an improved system. A draft plan for introducing a system of quality assurance into the relatively small existing system has been developed based on foreign experience, with attention to Slovenian national needs. Evaluation will be an integral part of the…

The article examines harmonization of higher education as an prerequisite of improvement of study quality in Lithuania. It overviews the development of higher education and criteria of university and higher non-university study programmes. An assumption is made that higher university and higher non-university studies are poorly harmonized and the…

A survey of 48 United States dental schools investigated the degree and type of program evaluation conducted. Results indicated a range of related activities, with evaluation and remedial action occurring in a majority of schools. However, establishment of criteria for specific quality assurance activities was found lacking. (Author/MSE)

Discusses evidence from the British Universities Council for the Education of Teachers to the House of Commons Select Committee concerning methods of preservice teacher education evaluation by the Office for Standards in Education, explaining that the evidence represents a significant critique of the impact of recent teacher education reforms. A…

A study on the use of performance indicators within a quality assurance system in higher education in the Netherlands is reported. The case study of seven departments of economics shows the attention paid to structural aspects of the curriculum instead of the declared object of the program evaluation. (SLD)

This paper describes the process of principal licensure reform in Iowa. Upon adoption of the ISLLC standards, the state department of education required revision of all principal preparation programs to conform to state code and guidelines developed by an external review panel. This paper analyzes the review process and compares five programs that…

Presents a comparative perspective regarding evidence from the British Universities Council for the Education of Teachers to the House of Commons Select Committee concerning methods of evaluating preservice teacher education in England and Wales by the Office for Standards in Education, assessing it from the context of the global village and…

One may receive the most benefit from an evaluation of an educational program or the performance of a teacher if the evaluation process is approached from a Total Quality Management (TQM) point of view. Under the philosophy of TQM, the purpose of any evaluation process is to provide feedback for the continual improvement of the educational process…

Stage Two of the Title IV Quality Control Study evaluated quality in the Department of Education's major student financial assistance programs, by identifying, measuring, and analyzing the causes of inaccurate awarding of student aid funds. This volume recommends and evaluates four major levels of corrective actions to reduce error: (1) reducing…

Two pilot programs designed to improve and maintain quality in European higher education are described and compared: an audit of universities' procedures for quality assurance; and an assessment of programs of study, including teaching and learning, student characteristics, staff, facilities, and quality management. Both include institutional…

Higher education institutions can enhance school reform by establishing accountability measures for professional preparation of curriculum specialists. The article describes a knowledge base of curriculum domains and related practices. A quantifiable compendium of operationalized behaviors and skills can help establish frameworks for program…