Shows similarities between the health care crisis and problems in higher education, including quality, cost, access, systemic issues, public trust and confidence, and technology. Suggestions offered for improvement in higher education include sharing resources, demonstrating and practicing quality improvement, dealing with systemic problems, and…

A pilot study investigated and developed the potential contribution of self-assessment procedures in the regulation of British day nurseries. Inspection staff in four local authorities used day-care self-assessment materials adapted for inspection purposes. Results suggested that self-assessment incorporated with inspection and development work…

External factors, such as university affiliation, can help improve teacher-training programs. Using the University of Botswana (UB) as an example, this paper discusses quality control and assurance; evaluates their impact on courses offered, final examinations, and teaching practice; and evaluates operational drawbacks of UB's system, suggesting…

Comparatively analyzes the process of and trends in program accreditation in parks and recreation curricula and health care, noting implications for the future of accreditation. The paper makes recommendations to improve specialized accreditation in parks and recreation due to the increasing demand for identifying quality via outcome measurement.…

Accurate transactional financial data are necessary for governmental compliance; transformational information is crucial for measuring and improving school performance. Some districts are shifting from a systems to a service, focus, from partial to full-cost accounting, from centralized to decentralized reporting procedures and facilities, and…

Although unemployment is a serious problem in Europe, deregulating labor markets is not the solution. Deregulation could lead to decline in quality and competitiveness. The example of Japan shows the interaction of education, training, human resource management, and quality control. (SK)

Despite the hype, the Internet has limitations as a reference tool. This article discusses the use of the Internet as a reference tool, examines bibliographic structure on the Internet (online directories, search engines, site structure, categorization of reference tools, levels of structuring), and argues the Internet provides no comprehensive…

Presents a new model of effective school leadership based on recent empirical research (nonautobiographical case studies) on 12 British headteachers. Demonstrates how the multiperspective methodology contributed to a critique of existing leadership models and development of a grounded and value-led contingency model. (Contains 65 references.) (MLH)

Asserts that if designed properly, individual program (rather than institutional) self-assessment could play an important role in the enhancement of quality assurance in South African higher education. Provides an in-depth discussion of formulating and implementing effective policy for program self-assessment. (EV)

Various total quality management (TQM) approaches are explored and some core elements specified. Generic problems of TQM and those relating to higher education are analyzed. It is argued that while there are some aspects of TQM that are applicable in the collegiate setting, the specific approach is inapplicable in higher education. A new…

Evaluates the Swedish model of quality assurance of higher education by examining the response of institutions to 27 quality audits and 19 follow-up interviews. Discusses the relationship between top-down and bottom-up approaches to internal quality assurance and suggests that, with growing professionalization, more limited result-oriented audits…

Considers the size of online classes in higher education. Highlights include size as a factor in course design; interactivity issues; synchronous communication; balancing budget considerations and quality concerns; and enrollment parameters. (LRW)

Asserts that the recent emphasis on quality assurance in higher education, particularly with its sometimes confusing mixture of components, can do a disservice to effective education. (EV)

Describes the tests used in the Final Year Study of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), noting a variety of problems that render any interpretation of the study problematic (e.g., misleading statements, age variation, the devastating character of the results, failure of quality controls, differences in populations…

Surveyed U.S. and Canadian dental schools about integration of quality assurance (QA) and risk management (RM) and what mechanisms have been most effective in measuring accomplishments. Main findings included that a majority of schools had a written QA program and committee and many reported significant changes resulting from the program; over…