A structure of interlocking contingencies was designed to train and support managers' provision of effective feedback to subordinates, peers, and superiors at a large state residential institution for children with developmental disabilities. The system included formal scheduling of feedback, reinforcement, and goal setting. Increased feedback…

Reports on research at six Florida schools that identified common contributors to poor indoor air quality. Discusses the reasons behind the state implementing the research, the many problems associated with elevated humidity levels, and ways to improve air quality, which includes effective operational systems and maintenance procedures. (RJM)

Discusses how software programs can help managers evaluate roofing options, project maintenance, and repair costs. Describes how computerized roof management can aid in budgeting, facilitate the development of a roof-management database, and help in selecting the appropriate roof system. Offers tips on shopping for software. (RJM)

A response to a paper on Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) and the training of translators supports the argument that the functionalist approach to TQA has not succeeded and that despite the merits of the approach, this reflects a flaw. The role of contrastive/comparative linguistics in functionalist translation theory is considered. (MSE)

Presents an intervention, used in the Netherlands, that empowers clients in residential care homes. The intervention comprises a standardized survey-feedback procedure in which residents' opinions on life and care in their particular home are gauged, discussed, and reported. Explores instrument validity, reliability, and its use in the home. (RJM)

The Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) has extended its commitment to academic library performance measurement with the publication of the first three CAUL Performance Indicators, focusing on library/clientele congruence, document delivery quality, and the proportion of sought material obtained. All have been applied effectively in…

The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award (MBNQA) framework for defining organizational quality is widely accepted in for-profit organizations. A study examined the validity of the proposed relationships among MBNQA dimensions using data from higher education. The empirical results help identify a modified model that has implications for…

Discusses the regional accrediting commissions that provide quality assurance for the majority of degree-granting institutions in the United States. Considers the balance between accountability and innovation regarding new forms of educational delivery and describes draft guidelines being developed for evaluating electronic programs. (LRW)

It is argued that university faculty, in their involvement with students, have the most direct impact on educational quality, and that impingement on their autonomy leads to reactive curriculum design, decreased motivation, and skewed values concerning research and publication. Australian university administrators are called on to use available…

Refereeing describes the process by which an independent expert assists a journal editor in evaluating materials submitted for publication. Discusses the history, purposes, and criticisms of refereeing, as well as technical aspects that include standards, rejection rates, interrater reliability and bias, the referees, ethics and malpractice,…

Outlines the context to the development of national standards in advice, guidance, and counseling. Reviews definitions of national occupations standards. Explains the approach to writing generic standards across the advice, guidance, and counselling fields. Examines ethics and equality in detail and generic standards imported from elsewhere.…

Development of quality-assurance mechanisms for course and program offerings delivered internationally is lagging; only the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong have taken steps to regulate the quality of such imported or exported offerings. A nongovernmental organization, the Global Alliance for Transnational Education, created in 1995, will…

Discusses quality assurance and evaluation at institutions of higher education in Africa. Notes driving forces behind this trend, including declining financial resources; accountability to stakeholders; and massification, internationalization, and globalization of education. Notes establishment by many institutions of internal and external quality…

Reports on a pilot project which examined the feasibility of introducing a quality assurance system, originally developed in the United Kingdom, in Turkish universities. Although a convergence between systems was observed, there emerged significant cultural, structural, political, and technical issues that affected the transfer fo the UK system to…

Discusses the changing role of government as Australian universities face restructuring including: (1) shaping the system for national policy purposes; (2) funding research and teaching; (3) setting industrial relations and related policy parameters; and (4) quality assurance and accountability. Urges universities to tackle their problems without…