Deems administrator evaluation a necessary part of a total plan for institutional evaluation and quality assurance. Finds the benefits and advantages of administrator evaluations closely related to college mission. Reviews unstructured, structured, rating scale, critical incident, and goal setting/goal achievement approaches, considering the…

The needs for careful research and study in institutional evaluation are manifold, it is suggested, but it is important that educators monitor and guide the political and developmental aspects of this area. Guidelines for planning for institutional evaluation are provided. (Author/MLW)

Issues and developments relative to accreditation are discussed. The role of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is examined. (JD)

A study of the use of performance indicators in assessing the quality of higher education investigated the potential contribution to quality control of 17 indicators. It is concluded that of the 17, only 7 have high or medium impact, while 10 have low to marginal impact. Concerns regarding government use of performance indicators intended for…

Explores external quality monitoring in higher education, including types of external bodies, their modus operandi, and reasons for evaluation. Concludes that external evaluation is legitimating the status quo, failing to ask significant questions about the reality of learning experiences for students. Suggests that quality monitoring engage more…

Two years after the issue of CAUSE/EDUCOM guidelines, only two of the six regional accrediting associations--the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools--make significant references to information technology resources as part of their standards/criteria for institutional accreditation. (MLW)

Presents an argument for formal accrediting standards. Defines the purposes of accreditation and the term "standard." Describes the application of and impact of using standards. Includes excerpts from standards developed by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges regarding undergraduate programs, the faculty's role in academic…

Results of a survey of teacher education institutions which participated in a series of pilot accreditation visits by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) provided information on changes that occurred as a result of NCATE's redesigned assessment process and the influence the process had on the institution. (IAH)

Presents a collection of five essays on accreditation and the role libraries play in the process. Topics include: an overview of the accreditation process, librarian participation in the accreditation process, summary of what happens after the accreditation committee leaves, evaluation of libraries and services provided, and determination of…

A study used evaluative ratings and performance indicators to classify Australian higher education institutions within the new unified system of higher education. Results suggest that the new system has maintained and possibly increased institutional diversity and has not promoted uniformity. However, lack of consistency across performance…

A discussion of college guides reviews the older, standard resources briefly, looks at more recent and less well-known guides in greater detail, and discusses the methods used for institutional comparisons. Two surveys of high school seniors concerning their use of the guides are also summarized. (MSE)

Describes an outcomes accreditation study of 27 schools, undertaken after the 1985 North Central Association Commission on Schools' (NCA COS) two-year development pilot project on the same subject. Predicts that NCA COS will keep governance of the outcomes process at the local level, with peer review by visiting teams remaining an integral part of…

Survey responses of college-bound high school seniors (n=198) found most respondents viewed successful postgraduate careers as very important to the perception of an institution's academic reputation. Three factors described student perception of academic reputation: academic concerns, campus ethos, and practical value. Also, three factors were…

Review of quality assurance programs in higher education in developing countries considers best practices, the relationship of quality assurance to economic development, characteristics of universities in developing countries, and barriers to quality assurance activities in these countries. Stresses that quality assurance programs in developing…

Critically examines arguments that downgrade the importance of test reliability in English language proficiency testing of international students who attend British universities. Urges universities to move quickly to adopt an appropriate multiple- judgement approach to English language proficiency assessment and identifies alternative sources of…