Explores the dependability of assessments of student achievement when used for internal and external quality monitoring (IQM and EQM). Identifies problems and suggests responses, including a radical approach based on accepting that reliable national data about complex student achievements are not available. Asserts that reliance on EQM is unwise…

The quality assurance consortium begun in 1979 and similar professional and foundation projects have influenced dental school curriculum development in the last decade. Other forces driving development of academic and practice programs for quality assurance include cost containment, risk management, electronic technology, and developments in…

Promotion of evaluation as a profession in Australia and New Zealand is discussed. The profession is challenged to make a commitment to utility, quality products and processes, and the development of skilled, trained professionals. Ways of overcoming barriers to the establishment of evaluation as a profession are outlined. (TJH)

Program management is the complete management of all phases of all educational facility projects including control of procedures, schedules, costs, finances, and quality. (MLF)

Describes the elements of a quality assurance (QA) program for special libraries, including one library's program and problem-solving model; the role of others in the library's program; types of recordkeeping; and integration of the program with organizational QA. Ten suggestions for establishing a QA program are offered. (6 references) (MES)

Data gathered from 296 agency accreditation surveys, conducted by the Accreditation Council on Services for People with Developmental Disabilities, were analyzed, focusing on ownership, services provided, size of residential units, critical standards, characteristics of individuals served, and accreditation outcome. Redundancies between private…

Describes the background of library outsourcing, and discusses the quality of cataloging and physical processing services provided by Blackwell North America and B. H. Blackwell Ltd. during a one-year pilot project at Stanford University (California). At the end of the project, an error rate of less than 1% was achieved in outsourced work.…

Investigates the extent to which draft reviews improved the technical accuracy of two computer documents. Finds that draft reviews encouraged reviewers to make suggestions about all aspects of a document, not only technical accuracy. Recommends that draft reviews be supplemented by numerous other quality control techniques such as user reviews and…

Describes how, by adapting software inspections to assess documentation and code, technical writers can collaborate with development personnel, editors, and customers to dramatically improve both the quality of documentation and the very process of inspecting that documentation. Notes that the five steps involved in the inspection process are:…

Discusses the inaccuracies and distortions found within the Portland Baseline Essays, one of the most widespread Afrocentric teacher resource materials in use. Specific distortions examined are that ancient Egypt was a Black nation and that the achievements of ancient Greece had African origins. (GLR)

Twelve articles on total quality management (TQM) cover the following: corporate transformation; systemic barriers to quality improvement; Japan's experience; avoiding costly mistakes; the experience of Land-Rover, Hewlett Packard, and Britain's Royal Mail; unleashing the potential of people; and a profile of a senior TQM practitioner. (SK)

A collaborative approach to program design, marketing, instruction, and evaluation can yield high quality interdisciplinary certificate programs. Evaluation issues include (1) quality of core knowledge; (2) input from beneficiaries; (3) appropriate methodology; (4) appropriate instructors; (5) measurement of learning gains; and (6) curriculum…

Discusses benchmarking, the continuous process of measuring one's products, services, and practices against those recognized as leaders in that field to identify areas for improvement. Examines ways in which benchmarking can benefit human resources functions. (JOW)

Nursing homes in Illinois Quality Incentive Program receive separate bonus payment per Medicaid day for achieving each of six quality standards. Of 809 participating homes (1985-88), over 90 percent of eligible facilities chose to participate annually. Success in achieving bonus payments in multiple standards increased over time, with 27 percent…

Discusses issues that must be addressed when archivists consider whether to join in cooperative preservation microfilming projects. Highlights include the pros and cons of microfilming, project planning needs, physical preparation, intellectual control (i.e., the order of the materials on the film), quality control inspection, cataloging,…