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Teaching quality assurance has become a common concern and a common pursuit for institutions of higher learning around the world. This paper takes teaching quality as a governance issue in higher education, as different governance systems entail different approaches to quality assurance. Through a detailed examination of the Chinese system in teaching administration in comparison with the Canadian system, this study aims to provide insights on different approaches to teaching quality assurance in more centralised and decentralised governance structures. Based on the findings of this study, no winner can be declared between centralised and decentralised systems in the area of teaching quality assurance. Instead, the study points to different strengths in each system. With more local autonomy, the decentralised system better respects disciplinary uniqueness and academic freedom in teaching. With more national planning, the centralised system secures a system-wide threshold in teaching quality and an optimal long-term development.

This study aims to examine the effects of e-learning management system -- quality characteristics and student characteristics on continuous intention to use e-LMS. This empirical and quantitative study focuses on emerging nations, specifically India, and explores the acceptance of e-LMS among students. While previous research has examined student acceptance of e-LMS, a limited number of studies investigate the impact of e-learning management system quality and student characteristics on continuing e-LMS usage. This study aims to fill this gap by identifying the key variables that influence the adoption of e-LMS. The survey was disseminated online over four weeks in several departments of an HEI located in a rural, remote, and isolated area of the Himalayan foothills. 469 valid replies were obtained using the purposive sampling technique. The data analysis using the structural equation model showed that learner control, technology experience, motivation for learning related to technology, information quality, system quality, and service quality all had a statistically significant impact on students' continued use of e-LMS. According to the neural network (NN) model results, the most significant factors influencing continuous intention to use e-learning are information quality, technological experience, service quality, system quality, motivation for learning, learner control, and personnel innovativeness.

This study aimed to investigate common features and ways of understanding quality culture (QC) within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Nordic countries. While the concept of QC is commonly accepted and often used, its meaning is not always clear. This paper focuses on how Nordic universities frame QC in their internal documentation. The Nordic context was chosen due to the close cooperation on quality issues that characterise HEIs within the Nordic region. The discussion section of this paper outlines QC in relation to quality assurance (QA) among HEIs within the European and Nordic regions. Sixteen universities participated in the study by sharing documents describing their QCs. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis and discussed from different perspectives, such as regarding how the universities use the concept of QC and how QC is created. Based on the results, a model was created that provides an overview of how QC emerges and how the concept is implemented in documentation. It is hoped that the results will both contribute useful input to the ongoing collaboration on quality issues among HEIs in the Nordic region and will also be useful in enhancing QC at universities in other regions.

Purpose: In India, national accreditation agencies stipulate that internal quality control in higher education institutions (HEIs) is to be institutionalized through internal quality assurance cells that are responsible for implementing and controlling quality systems. As the concept of goal congruence is central to a control process, this study aims to examine whether goal congruence is observed in such institutions. The impact of the absence of goal congruence on the quality of performance in higher education was also examined. Design/methodology/approach: This cross-sectional study measured the impact of goal congruence or the lack thereof on the performance quality of HEIs as defined in the evaluation criteria of the apex accreditation agency, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Two hypotheses were tested using t-tests and regression analysis. Focus group discussions were conducted to elicit participants' suggestions. Findings: The results showed a lack of goal congruence between HEIs' quality goals and their faculty's personal goals, which adversely impacts the quality of their performance, as indicated by an average disagreement of 81% on a ten-statement scale. Goal congruence as an independent variable explained 63% of the variability in HEIs' performance quality, and the results were statistically significant, indicating that lack of goal congruence is an important contributor to poor performance among HEIs. Originality/value: Accreditation of HEIs is a global practice; hence, the findings of this study and the importance of goal congruence apply not only to India but also to HEIs globally.

Purpose: This paper aims to develop precise statements (standards) to describe the knowledge and skills that should be possessed by Islamic education (IE) teacher candidates who receive their initial preparation in various international higher-education institutions. These statements must be compatible with the requirements and guidelines for building specialized standards set by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), so that they can be used for accreditation and improving quality. Design/methodology/approach: Two panels of IE experts participated in developing and validating the standards, using a combination of Delphi and content validity methods. Alongside this research activity, management activity ensured that the process ran smoothly, as the researcher coordinated panels, allocated resources and tracked progress during standard development. Findings: Twenty-six components divided into five standards were developed into a final list based on the panels. Originality/value: This study provides standards for the preparation of IE teachers in higher-education institutions that can be applied in different countries and geographical regions. Furthermore, it aims to make the subject of IE more comparable with other academic disciplines, and appropriate for CAEP accreditation.

This paper considers the influence of course design on the capability of a vocational college to implement a student-centred learning approach to enhance academic student engagement. It is based on an action research project involving a course redesign within a vocational agricultural education setting that created a more student-centred approach and in turn enhanced academic student engagement compared to its traditional delivery. Phase 1 of research looked at academic student engagement in a traditional lecture format utilising a multi-methodological analysis. This analysis identified that one type of module presented a significant challenge with 0/16 classes rated as 'high engagement', primarily due to the subject content. Phase 2 redesigned a module of this type using a more student-centred learning approach to evaluate if this could enhance academic student engagement. Observations carried out on 24 classes of the redesigned module rated 21/24 as 'high engagement'. The redesign process enabled the use of a more student-centred learning approach albeit limited by requirements to comply with traditional quality assurance requirements of the current course design. This action research contributes a greater understanding of how the principles of course design need to be considered in seeking to enhance academic student engagement in vocational education.

Purpose: In the Netherlands, thesis assessment quality is a growing concern for the national accreditation organization due to increasing student numbers and supervisor workload. However, the accreditation framework lacks guidance on how to meet quality standards. This study aims to address these issues by sharing our experience, identifying problems and proposing guidelines for quality assurance for a thesis assessment system. Design/methodology/approach: This study has two parts. The first part is a narrative literature review conducted to derive guidelines for thesis assessment based on observations made at four Dutch universities. The second part is a case study conducted in one bachelor's psychology-related program, where the assessment practitioners and the vice program director analyzed the assessment documents based on the guidelines developed from the literature review. Findings: The findings of this study include a list of guidelines based on the four standards. The case study results showed that the program meets most of the guidelines, as it has a comprehensive set of thesis learning outcomes, peer coaching for novice supervisors, clear and complete assessment information and procedures for both examiners and students, and a concise assessment form. Originality/value: This study is original in that it demonstrates how to holistically ensure the quality of thesis assessments by considering the context of the program and paying more attention to validity (e.g. program curriculum and assessment design), transparency (e.g. integrating assessment into the supervision process) and the assessment expertise of teaching staff.

Given the current rapid development of informatization, people will increasingly use online teaching methods to learn for their quality improvement. Starting from the fundamental theories, such as the concept, classification, basic process, task, and method of data mining under the background of Internet Plus, this article analyzes the problems that must be considered in data mining application. Secondly, the Apriori algorithm is studied, the FP-Tree flow chart is established, and the Internet Plus vocational education teaching system model is constructed using multiple databases as data sources. Finally, the results of the teaching system are analyzed and verified, with the model analysis showing that the minimum confidence boost of the system is 0.65, and the minimum support reaches 0.03. The maintainability of the database based on the association rules Apriori algorithm is good; the data entry can be completed smoothly, and the update, deletion, and modification can also be completed smoothly.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the best practices to institutionalize the internal quality of student assessment (SA) when a gap emerges between quality conceptualization and practice work, using Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University (IAU) as a case study. Design/methodology/approach: A single-embedded case study research design chronologically presents key events of assuring and improving SA at IAU. It integrates quantitative and qualitative data to provide empirical evidence of changes in SA practices. Findings: Over three years, evident improvements in SA practices resulted in more effective internal quality assurance strategies (e.g., faculty involvement) and the achievement of performance indicators. Research limitations/implications: This study used data from informal observation and self-reports. Thus, it is suggested that future research should use in-depth (e.g. focus group) and diverse data sources from stakeholders (e.g. students) and use emerging global trends to assess SA quality. Practical implications: Involving faculty as changing agents via accountability and training in assuring and improving SA quality leads to measurable improvements. Social implications: A top-down approach alone is insufficient to assure and improve the quality of SA practices, so empowering faculty via involvement and training is inevitable. Originality/value: The quality assurance of SA described in this practice-oriented case places IAU as a leading university in the region, contributes to the external quality assurance of SA, empowers Saudi graduates to compete in the labor market as aspired in Vision 2030 and adds to the literature on quality assurance of SA in a higher education context.

Purpose: This study aims to identify the strategic leadership and change management used to obtain the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditations as well as the research development on AACSB in the past decade. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a systematic literature review following Petticrew and Roberts' study. The articles were limited to empirical studies published from 2013 to 2022, taken from the Dimensions AI database. Findings: The findings suggested that two leadership styles were used to obtain AACSB accreditation: dominance-oriented transformational and financial leadership, alongside three traits of academic leaders: commitment, engagement and encouragement. Additionally, three change management models/processes were found in the articles: teaching evaluation framework, temporary isomorphism and authenticity. Finally, they discovered that the object of the studies on AACSB accreditation had been narrowed down from the organizational level to smaller objects consisting of schools' identity, teaching, learning and business schools' key players. Research limitations/implications: As this study only used Dimensions AI, potential articles related to the topic outside the database could not be obtained. Thus, it limits the scope of the findings of this paper. Practical implications: This study informs academic leaders in business schools about the role of strategic leadership and change management in obtaining AACSB accreditation. Originality/value: Through a systematic scoping review, this study presented a decade of research development on AACSB in addition to the strategic leadership and change management needed to obtain it.

Modest correlations between teacher-assigned grades and external assessments of academic achievement (r = 0.40-0.60) have led many educational stakeholders to deem grades subjective and unreliable. However, theoretical and methodological challenges, such as construct misalignment, data unavailability and sample unrepresentativeness, limit the generalisability of previous findings. We overcome these challenges by exploiting rich, population-wide data from the National Registries in Norway (n = 511,858), where state regulations require close construct alignment between grades and external exams. Correlations between lower-secondary education final grades and external exam results (r = 0.64-0.86) suggest that grades are better measures of academic achievement than previously acknowledged. Dominance analyses and multivariate regression analyses indicate that external exam results are the best predictor of grades in the same subject. However, our results also indicate that state regulations and quality assurance systems cannot completely eradicate potential sources of discrepancy.

Skills-based education can provide a way forward to sustainable development in a developing country. It is a hopeful scenario that more than 60% of the population of Pakistan is less than 30 years of age and almost half of them are under 15 years of age. It is important for the policymakers and planners to learn from the societies where human resource development is integrated in educational planning at secondary and higher secondary schools level. The paper at hand presents the policy analysis part of a bigger study that was conducted for proposing changes in the current policies and practices of technical and vocational education in Pakistan. To fulfill this purpose three of the best models of technical and vocational education were reviewed and a comparative analysis was conducted to identify the adaptable policy measures in Pakistan. The three models reviewed and compared were from Germany, Switzerland, and South Korea. This paper presents the analysis of policies in the three aforementioned countries including the implementation strategy proposed; as well as lessons learned for improving the policy of technical and vocational education in Pakistan. This article is based on one part of a larger study.

Implementing quality assurance of university students' learning outcomes is an important challenge. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein many universities are implementing online education as "a new form of education," there is a pressing need to rethink class methods. This study clarifies the effect of class experience via online education on Japanese university students' learning outcomes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that students acquire knowledge and skills through online education in the same way as conventional face-to-face education, but regardless of the specialized field, the knowledge and skills acquired differ according to the form of online education employed. Our finding that appropriate learning outcomes are assured even for online education in the same way as face-to-face education is likely to be of major significance.

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is an international initiative for the harmonisation of higher education (HE) systems in 49 countries. Literature about UK's participation in the EHEA is limited, and the role of EHEA's membership for the UK, particularly after the end of the Brexit transitional period, has not been researched. The originality of the study reported in this paper is in addressing this gap by exploring the perspectives of key UK HE actors on the strategic significance of UK's memberships in the EHEA post-2020 for the UK. The paper draws on the theoretical ideas of rational choice neo-institutionalism, differentiated Europeanisation and internationalisation, and a thematic analysis of 19 official communications of key stakeholders and six in-depth interviews with their representatives. The findings contribute to filling in a significant gap in the literature about Bologna in the UK in making a distinction between its two memberships in the EHEA and the differences and complexities of the roles they play in constructing UK's overarching agenda in HE particularly in the post-Brexit context. The article has also contributed to the literature about Bologna more widely, presenting an investigation into differentiated Europeanisation that has been taking place within one unique post-EU country.

The aim of the study reported on here was to evaluate the roles of supervisors in the implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in South African schools. The supervisors are the School Management Teams (SMTs), namely principals, deputy principals, or heads of department (HoD), circuit managers, and district coordinators. We followed a qualitative approach to evaluate the implementation of the IQMS based on supervisors' perspectives. A case study research design was used with an interpretive paradigm to evaluate the day-to-day practices of the IQMS. The population in this study consisted of 38 supervisors (circuit managers, principals, deputy principals and HoDs). Purposive sampling was used to select 12 participants who have been supervisors in the past 10 years. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Kolb's learning theory was used as a theoretical lens to evaluate how the IQMS was applied in the circuit under study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that there was no proper implementation of the IQMS in schools. Teachers conducted the IQMS for monetary reward instead of quality assurance. We conclude that the roles and responsibilities of supervisors are crucial during the implementation of the IQMS in schools, and that a huge discrepancy existed between the perceptions of supervisors and educators. We recommend that continuous training for both supervisors and educators is necessary for better implementation.

This translational scoping study investigates how ethics learning is assessed in engineering education worldwide and interprets concepts and practices for relevance to educational planners at the postsecondary level. It provides insights on how engineering education has achieved a level of standardization globally, a calibration process that has facilitated infusion of prioritized abilities across engineering graduates broadly. The engineering education system is designed and maintained through a series of multi-jurisdictional accords that seek to prepare engineering graduates for a global marketplace of engineered products, goods, and services. This paper synthesizes existing literature (research and policy) related to engineering ethics education (EEE), providing a useful introduction to planners regarding ethics, understood to incorporate global responsibility and sustainability. Conclusions provide a foundation for a further systematic investigation of EEE at a global level, highlighting implications of this scoping study for teaching, research, and planning.

The development of school education depends on the quality of the education provided, and it is a key metric for assessing the effectiveness of schools in developing talent. Building specialized, intelligent education quality monitoring (EQM) databases is crucial for speeding EQM progress in the big data era. This article examines the development of regional EQM databases in the areas of operational procedure and logical structure based on the idea of data lakes by using the development of databases for the EQM data analysis system (DAS) in Suzhou City as a case study. The goal of this study is to assist in addressing the current issues with regional EQM data processing and ensuring EQM's successful implementation.

Objectives: This study outlines the journey of an online university to evaluate faculty performance standards, key performance indicators, and systems for quality assurance using an appreciative inquiry summit model. The study reveals the power of "quality appreciation" as an approach that elicits a shared vision for quality definitions and standards and serves as a historical marker in the higher education shift from data-driven faculty performance approaches to strengths-based, inclusive methods. Method: The retrospective business case outlines one university's 2018 Appreciative Inquiry Summit, 5D (define, discover, dream, design, destiny/deliver) approach, resulting deliverables, lessons learned, and conclusions. Results: The summit and subsequent quality appreciation processes laid a foundation for inclusive leadership and inclusive teaching and learning. Quality appreciation was observed to be a third component to quality enhancement that had heretofore included quality control and quality assurance mechanisms. Quality appreciation, based on appreciative inquiry (AI) approaches, is a method for uncovering the positive core of an organization that results in ideal quality standards, definitions, and desires for ongoing quality creation. Conclusions: This case provides a view of one university's building upon data-driven methods for faculty performance evaluation. The use of appreciative inquiry to advance a quality appreciation agenda and human-centered approaches served as a stepping-stone toward a vision for inclusive, strengths-based quality enhancement. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: Quality control mechanisms and systems for quality assurance are supported by quality appreciation. In this case, faculty quality appreciation is the integration of AI practices with ongoing evaluation and identification of faculty and classroom quality standards. Quality Appreciation leads to strengthened definitions of quality that are values-driven and founded in the heart and soul of the university's teaching and learning.

Over the past few years, we have witnessed immense advancements of technology which challenge conventional teaching methodologies. This paper analyses an open and distance learning university from two culturally distinct continents --Africa and Asia-- through an international staff exchange program that was attended over a two-week period. This essay examines both distance learning institutions and data that was collected through interviews and observations to benefit students through quality assurance. According to the research presented in this paper, it is necessary to create an atmosphere that makes it possible for quality assurance activities to be carried out consistently. Distance learning institutions need to move towards a culture of quality and by doing this they need to tailor their student support not just to produce graduates at the end of a cohort but to produce quality graduates needed for the ever evolving and rapidly transforming information and communication technologies. The recommendations made in this paper are intended to help distance education institutions develop a culture of quality. It is argued that to successfully develop a quality culture, a supportive environment should be created for pedagogical activities linked to quality assurance.

In the scenario of COVID-19, the online learning capacity has increased much more than the face to face or traditional learning. Due to the increased capacity of online learning in higher education, the quality of online learning has serious concerns. To achieve the minimum requirements of quality in online learning for sustainable development, it is important to review the quality assurance principles and strategies. A brief review of the literature was conducted to define the quality of online learning, presented some quality assurance indicators for online learning, and discussed some online learning models by selecting 27 published articles through inclusion and exclusion criteria for performing a systematic review of the literature. The review showed that learner-teacher interaction, learner's prompt feedback, learner's support service, applying appropriate media, tools for online learning, and planned documented technology application for the assurance of quality in online learning are important quality indicators. Some quality assurance models for online learning are also presented in this study for the implication of these models according to the learning requirement to ensure the online learning quality.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are software applications that facilitate the management and monitoring of online teaching courses and/or training programs, workshops, webinars, forums, and other similar learning activities. The LMS provides learning and teaching benefits and possibilities for synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid training. For instance, learning management systems (LMS) can store a wide variety of large-scale educational data. The stored data can be analyzed by employing educational data mining methods. Educational data mining (EDM) is a new discipline that deals with methods for exploring the unique and large-scale data generated by digital platforms to better understand students' learning progress and the learning environment itself. In this study, the data stored in the LMS used by Balikesir University during the fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year were analyzed by using educational data mining methods in order to reveal the current status of distance education activities and make suggestions to improve the quality.

In this study, three dimensions were evaluated: the process of developing the curriculum, course distribution to serve quality assurance, and development of courses for "Merdeka Belajar"(Freedom to Learn) program. Curriculum documents and papers presented in the focus group discussion were used as data sources. Content analysis design and qualitative data analysis were used for analyzing the data. A total of 42 participants from Indonesian public and Islamic universities were included in this study. The data were thematically analyzed. The study resulted in three key findings. First, initial curriculum development focused on competency-based curriculum and outcome-based education. Not all learning outcomes and course mapping match the curriculum based on backward design. Second, the National Qualification Framework should be built on the skill and knowledge cluster to adequately assess course learning outcomes. Also, the 144-credit-course distribution should allow the undergraduate program to be completed in seven semesters. Third, curriculum developers can divide 40 semester credits for "Merdeka Belajar" courses and 104 credits for regular courses. Conversion of credits can be achieved by assigning equal courses in the same semester, combining undergraduate research with fieldwork, or publication in a journal.

This study aims to investigate the challenges of improving the quality of education concerning curriculum and quality of lecturers-based technology in the State Islamic University (UIN). The qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach focuses on three themes, including the quality of education, aspects of the education curriculum of the State Islamic Religious University (PTKIN), and the quality of lecturers who collectively suggest the challenges of implementing digital technology. The research location was UIN KH. Achmad Shiddiq Jember, West Java Province. The findings reveal three primary points, namely; (1) the main challenges in improving the quality of education from the aspect of the education curriculum are integrating skills, themes, concepts, and topics based on digital technology amid a shift in cultural, ethical values, and inequality in access to education; (2) the second challenge is the quality of lecturers who are still not qualified due to the traditional paradigm of religion, limited funds, low learning motivation in participating in technology-based training, and self-competence; (3) the strategy of curriculum development and improving the quality of lecturers through an internal quality assurance system, local wisdom values in the frame of religious moderation, and towards a technology-based independent campus program conducted by UIN so that the quality of education continues to improve to achieve educational goals. The expected implication suggests that the government pays attention to aspects of curriculum development and the quality of lecturers through policies to improve the quality of education at PTKIN throughout Indonesia to create education equality towards the acceleration of development-oriented Human Resources.

The quality of the education system is the foremost factor for the success of the students as well as the academia at large, and therefore, needs the focus of regulators and researchers alike. The current article investigates into the role of human resource (HR) quality and Kaizen on the quality assurance system in the context of the high school environment in Indonesia. The current research also analyzes the moderating role of national higher education policies among the associations of HR quality, Kaizen and the quality assurance system in the high school environment in Indonesia. The primary sources of data collection have been adopted by the researchers using survey questionnaires. The medical students are the respondents targeted by the researchers selected based on purposive sampling. The researchers have adopted primary data analysis tools such as Smart-PLS to test the hypotheses and check the validity and reliability of the items and constructs. The findings indicated that HR quality and Kaizen have a positive association with quality assurance systems within the high school environment in Indonesia. The outcomes also revealed that national higher education policies significantly moderate among the association of HR quality, Kaizen and quality assurance system in the high school environment in Indonesia. These outcomes provide valuable insights for policymaking regarding assessment and improvement of the quality assurance system in the education sector in the country.

This study examined internal school quality assurance practices and undergraduate students' attitude towards academic activities in public universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three null hypotheses and the design adopted was ex-post facto research design. The population of the study was made up of all the regular undergraduate students in their third year of study in the two public universities (University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology) in Cross River State, Nigeria. The researchers used convenience sampling technique in selecting a sample of 2,500 students from the population which cut across the two public universities in the study area. Internal Quality Assurance Practices and Undergraduate Students' Attitude Towards Academic Activities Questionnaire (IQAPUSATAAQ) with Cronbach reliability reliabilities of 0.81, 0.86, 0.83, and 0.80 was the instrument used for data collection. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was the statistical tool used in testing the hypotheses at .05 level of significant. The results of the study revealed significant relationship between school quality assurance approaches (maintenance of facilities, curriculum implementation, examinations administration) and students' attitude towards academic activities. It was recommended among others that available teaching and learning facilities at the disposal of the management of universities should be maintained and made functional for the benefit of the students.

This quantitative research aimed to advance the use of the service quality construct to measure the perceived service quality of K-12 international schools by Generation X parents. It proposed an approach that contextualised previously published scale items for private healthcare into educationally relevant scale items. The revised scale items were developed and confirmed through an Item Objective Congruence Test (IOC) by industry experts. The instrument was tested for reliability through a pilot test and then administered to 499 parents in a school. The results used Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to reduce the complexity of the standard 5 service quality (SERQUAL) factors into 3 factors: Responsibility, Assurance and Professionalism, Empathy and Facilities which accounted for 65% of the variance of the SERVQUAL variables amongst Generation X parents at The International School of Macao. The revised instrument can be used to effectively measure parents' perception of service quality in an international school setting.

The main intent of the present research is to explore the particular practices of human resource management (HRM) to impact on sustainable assurance in quality higher education. Specifically, how promotion opportunity, performance appraisal, work condition and payment package influence teachers' job satisfaction which, in consequence, impacts on education quality in the private universities. To attain this objective, this research applies the two factor theory of Herzberg as its theory background. Data (n = 517) were collected from 21 private universities' faculty following the technique of random sampling. The study analyzed the data utilizing structural equation modeling through the analysis of moment structure. Results demonstrate that all four HRM variables are statistically positively significant to influence faculty job satisfaction. It also indicates that faculty job satisfaction also influence positively quality education. The study also indicates that if proper HRM practices are nurtured in private higher education institutes (HEIs) that will enhance faculty satisfaction which will sustain the development of quality education.

The study used the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework to determine the STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) teachers' experiences and practices. Data were sourced through interviews, classroom observations and document analysis from purposively selected 106 STEM teachers (from randomly identified universities/colleges of the 17 regions of the country). Three frameworks: Policies Standards and Guidelines (PSGs), Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) and TPACK guided the analysis of the qualitative data. Exploratory design developed the visualization for the three education domains (pedagogy, assessment and technology integration) that represent teachers' experiences and practices. Findings revealed that teachers characterized the unique attributes of the domains defining the individual visualizations of these education domains. Re-thematization provided an image for the Philippine Higher Education Responsive Model (PHERM) which showed that STEM teachers develop one knowledge construct of TPACK at a time, the last being integrating technology. The developed model of STEM teachers' experiences and practices is envisioned to track and enhance the competencies of teachers to deliver 21st century-skilled STEM workforce for the Philippines. [Note: The page range (237-256) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 233-252.]

The main purpose of this study was to determine the degree of achievement of CAEP standards in the master's program of curriculum and instruction at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University from the perspective of faculty members and candidates. The research utilized an analytical descriptive method to describe the reality of the master's program of curriculum and instruction. A survey with 34 items was administrated to faculty (n= 22) and candidates (n= 38). The results showed that CAEP standards achieved at a large extent in the Master's Program of Curriculum and Instruction where: Clinical partnerships and practice comes first with an average of (3.95) then Program Impact (3.95), Program Impact (3.45), content and pedagogical knowledge (3.84), and they all were highly available. In the last place comes Candidate Recruitment Progression and support (3.65) with a medium availability in the program. The results showed that there were no significant differences at the level of significance between the faculty members and students responding to(CAEP) standards availability in the program.

Many Higher Education institutions outsource online course development to an online program management (OPM) provider because of a lack of budget, staff, and technology. Current research indicates that OPM providers often do not have instructional design (ID) services tailored to a specific university. This research uses a case study to analyze a business partnership between a research university and an OPM provider. The activity theory framework was used to direct inquiry and analysis. Results show a serious lack of consistency in the ID services provided by the ID firm outsourced by this OPM. The faculty needs and background were not considered by the OPM. The OPM partnership model does not consider tailoring the ID needs to the specific university environment.

For ages, teaching and learning face-to-face has been very popular and considered the best way to achieve knowledge and accomplish academic activities. However, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, where on the one side, the whole world was searching for a solution to cope with the situation on the other side online learning demonstrated a substantial alternative. The present paper aimed to investigate the teachers and students' perceptions of the emergency online learning process, especially for intensive English writing courses. The study is descriptive using the qualitative research methodology. The two focus groups (teacher and student) are interviewed, consisting of 42 participants, asking open-ended questions mainly about the benefits and challenges of the writing course during the Pandemic. The paper ends with the teachers and students' positive response that indicates the thrilled and jubilant welcome of the synchronized online/virtual learning in the latest situation that emerged due to the Pandemic. Eventually, the study discussed the quality assurance efforts, particularly towards the spontaneous conduction of lectures infused with motivation, responsibility, discipline, and flexibility offered without any interruption. The Internet proved a great learning tool in assuring many resources.

In recent decades, higher education has embraced the concept of blended teaching, the design and facilitation of online and face-to-face learning activities. As such initiatives are embedded in the formal context of an institution, educational managers and other decision makers are in search of evidence for creating sustainable conditions that facilitate and support blended teaching. In this paper, the authors present the guidelines articulated by the European Maturity Model that address such concerns. These were developed during a three-year joint effort between seven European project partners. For each guideline, background information in line with the foundations of the European Maturity Model is included, as well as examples and references to predominantly open access resources. It is hoped that the results might inspire key actors within higher education or scholars that are investigating models for continuous improvement in the field of blended teaching and education.

Following the intensification of secondary education in the developing world, the attention of Ethiopia has currently shifted to its quality education and its management. This study is aimed to explore experts' perceptions of quality management challenges in secondary education in Ethiopia. The researchers employed a case study design recruiting participating supervisors from the Ministry of Education, region, zone, wereda, and cluster by using a purposeful sampling technique. Twenty-six interviewees took part in this study. The researchers employed NVivo 8 versions together with a thematic analysis process to analyze the data. This study revealed that major problems that affected quality management practices in Ethiopia were: lack of qualified experts at all levels; lack of accountability in every echelon; the changing nature of teacher education; the ineffectiveness of teacher-licensing programs; and lack of educational budget and the problem of utilizing this limited budget. The study concluded that the experts at different levels were not genuinely fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, together with the concerned parties, need to reconsider budget allocation for secondary education.

School accreditation as a quality assurance system for education in Indonesia aims to assure the entire community that education is professional and quality. The accreditation process requires serious efforts from all relevant parties so that the accreditation value becomes a reflection of the quality of the school being assessed. This study explores teachers' views on school accreditation as a quality assurance system for education in Indonesia based on their experiences. The problem of this research is how Indonesian teachers view school accreditation based on their experiences. This study used qualitative research methods. Participants were determined by purposive sampling, namely as many as two principals and eight teachers. We collected the data through individual in-depth interviews. The results of the study show that, in general: (1) the participants view that fulfilling the evidence of accreditation performance is not easy; (2) school accreditation as a school quality assurance system has been carried out according to standards and is transparent; and (3) the value of school accreditation plays a role in influencing public interest in making decisions about the destination school where their children study. Thus, all participants recognize the school accreditation system as a quality assurance system trusted by process and results.

This study aims to recommend applications of quality assurance for schools of basic education by analysing the school quality assurance applications of some countries which were successful at international tests and by interviewing university lecturers. This current study first analyses the quality assurance applications used in schools in some countries which achieved success at international tests. Thus, the school quality assurance applications in Estonia, Hong Kong and New Zealand were described. In addition to that ten university lecturers were also interviewed within the scope of this study. The data for the countries were collected by the document analysis method, and the views of the faculty members were collected by the interview method. The data were analysed in sub-themes such as the quality assurance applications used in schools in some countries which achieved success at international tests, the stake holders in the applications, how often the applications were used and in what processes they were used. As a result of the interviews, similar themes were classified. It may be recommended in the light of the results obtained that external evaluation should be made for self-evaluation and that national beside international tests should be used as data for school quality assurance applications. In addition, it is revealed how self-evaluation and external evaluation practices can be shaped.

This study investigates the quality of higher education institutes' (HEIs') administrative services by assessing student satisfaction in the context of Total Quality Management (TQM). Differences between students' perceptions and expectations of administrative service quality are examined and discussed. A questionnaire survey was developed employing the SERVQUAL service quality model, the results of which were further enhanced by the application of importance-performance analysis (IPA). All five dimensions of the model were explored (reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness) with data from the 104 students from five Greek HEIs who participated in the survey. The results of the IPA complemented the survey research by enabling recommendations for importance and performance. The study's findings indicate that students' expectations are not met by the administrative services provided at the time of examination. A gap is observed between perceptions and expectations on all dimensions, indicating the necessity to make improvements to enhance service quality.

Due to the pressure exerted by competition among educational institutions to achieve funding and legitimacy in public, achieving quality of education has become a major concern for all the stakeholders not only in higher educational institutions but to the PTTCs as well. So, to achieve this, an understanding of what quality is in teacher training colleges such as PTTCs is highly paramount. The major aim of this study was to explore the insights of tutors in PTTCs on the meaning of quality of education. To achieve this, the study employed a phenomenological research design to attain a deep understanding of the concept of quality of education as perceived by the tutors in PTTCs. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through thematic and content analysis. The study unveiled that PTTC tutors perceive the quality of education in the following ways: meeting students' needs and government quality assurance (QA) standards, students performing well in examinations, work culture involving everyone to achieve the needs of the students, compliance with quality standards, and corresponding to the learners' expectations, meeting criteria in learner support services and the ability to deliver the subject matter to the students. Finally, several recommendations and conclusions were drawn from the study.

South Africa, like the rest of the world, was affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020, the country's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, imposed lockdown regulations in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which led to the closure of universities. When the national regulations allowed for the resumption of university activities, the University of Limpopo had to set up quarantine and isolation facilities as a strategy to manage infections. As a new initiative, challenges would be expected in managing this unfolding situation. Against this background, this paper considers the findings of a study which focused on the establishment and operations of quarantine and isolation facilities at the university. Documents were analysed for the purpose of data construction and substantiated with data collected through semi-structured interviews. The university staff members responsible for the facilities were purposively selected to participate in this study. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. The study found that the university established the quarantine and isolation facilities according to government guidelines; the facilities were well managed; and activities were implemented as expected. However, operational challenges that require improvements were identified and this article accordingly makes recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the continuity to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) activities and work-integrated learning (WIL) assessments, thereby negatively affecting the progression of studies for many learners. Several institutions revisited their assessment methods and tools for WIL during such pandemics. This study investigated the assessment methods adopted by private TVET institutions in Botswana to assess WIL during the pandemic. This was a quantitative study which used online questionnaires to gather data. Purposive sampling was used to select research participants, amongst TVET lecturers and WIL coordinators in two private TVET colleges. Findings indicated that assessment of WIL practical skills online remains a challenge and most of the institutions attempted to continue with usual assessment practices.

It has been extensively researched how satisfied students are with the vast majority of goods and services offered by educational institutions of higher learning. However, there appears to be a paucity of research on students' satisfaction with the facilities and services of computer-based assessment (CBA) centers in higher education institutions, especially when the centers are equipped and staffed by third-party vendors. The CBA centers are public and private examination centers in developing countries that administer computer-based tests for higher education and other external organizations. Although satisfaction with the services and facilities is essential, it has been asserted that having the feeling of trust when using the CBA is even more critical to the students. Trust is essential for the success of any technological advancement, especially in the field of education. Any educational technology that lacks the stakeholders' trust, regardless of how effective it may be, is doomed to fail to be adopted on a large scale. However, limited studies have investigated how students' trust in the CBA affects their satisfaction. Therefore, this study aims to model and analyze the roles of CBA center service satisfaction and perceived trust in the CBA in attaining overall satisfaction by exploring their roles in influencing student satisfaction. A research framework based on the updated information system success model (ISSM) is validated using a survey incorporating system quality, service quality, question content, the cost-effectiveness of CBA services, CBA center service satisfaction, and perceived trust. A total of 459 survey responses collected from three higher education institutions in Nigeria were analyzed using structural equation modelling. As a result, the findings confirmed that students' satisfaction with services at the CBA centers is a mediator between service quality, system quality, and overall satisfaction with CBA. The correlation between CBA centre service satisfaction and overall CBA satisfaction was also found to be the strongest, indicating that student satisfaction with the services and facilities at the CBA centre is crucial. CBA center managers and institutions can utilize the findings from this study to successfully implement the CBA. In enhancing students' CBA satisfaction, higher education institutions should consider focusing on the necessary steps towards improving the conditions of the CBA centers in terms of infrastructure and services rendered. Meanwhile, to increase student satisfaction besides enhancing the system and service quality and cost-effectiveness, institutions should seriously consider promoting the CBA to the students by highlighting the personal impact of the CBA in terms of trust by improving the quality and features of the CBA.

The assessment process in higher education considers four aspects: assessment agents, procedure, content, and scoring. In this study, we delve into the who. We analyze the role of transversal competence assessment agents in the framework of professional internships in university master's degree programs, comparing the suitability of their assessment based on their degree of experience in each master's program. Four university master's degree programs, in the field of human and social sciences, were analyzed. To ensure the degree of expert competence among the participating judges, the K coefficient was used. Two expert and two nonexpert judges independently assessed the critical incidents narrated by the students and inquired about the competences described in the curricula. The reliability index between the assessments from expert and nonexpert judges was analyzed. The results show greater reliability among the assessments of expert judges compared to nonexperts. As a result, we conclude the importance of basing the selection of assessors on objective expert competence and not on criteria more linked to academic management. It is also necessary to include the critical incident method as a systematic information collection system to explicitly assess transversal competences.

This study was to determine the relationship between e-library and quality assurance in the Federal Government Colleges (unity schools) in Rivers and Bayelsa states, Nigeria. The population comprised of the teachers and students (SS3 and JS3) of the six unity schools in Rivers and Bayelsa States Nigeria numbering 3186 (teachers 1019, students 2167). A research sample of 637 was used through proportional stratified random sampling technique using 20%. A self-designed questionnaire known as E-library and Quality Assurance Questionnaire (ELQAQ) was used to elicit information from the respondents. Three research questions and one null hypothesis were formulated. Mean, rank order, standard deviation and z-test were used to find solution to the research questions and the hypothesis. The major findings of the study include that Federal Ministry of Education (F.M.E.) is a pacesetter of quality education, the library (print or non-print/digital) is the heart beat of the school system as it increases ones reading habit, e-library has the capacity of storing large content of information which can be accessed from anywhere, not all unity school (under study) have functional e-library, the print library is still useful, unity school teachers and students prefer a blend of the print and e-library as both have their advantages. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the print library should not be relegated but upgraded periodically to complement the digital library for quality service delivery, the Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria should endeavor to complete and equip the e-libraries as planned, the Inspectorate division of the F.M.E. should always inspect schools facilities for quality assurance, more qualified ICT teachers should be recruited in the unity schools (as model schools) to promote computer literacy and the F.M.E. should implement effective and regular capacity building in the unity schools of Nigeria to maintain qualitative education as quality teachers produce quality students.