Educators' perceptions of quality assurance in education
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Date
2006
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate educators' perceptions of quality assurance in education. During the quality assurance process educators are evaluated on the quality of their delivery inside and outside the classroom, in order to assess whether successful educational outcomes are achieved. Successful educational outcomes are dependent upon empowering, motivating and training educators. Quality assurance seeks to manage and support these processes.
The evaluation process is essential to any ongoing effort to improve the teaching profession. Evaluation is part of the educational process, based on sound performance standards that are congruent to the delivery of quality education. The evaluation process is transparent, accountable, supportive, developmental and inclusive. There are three programmes, which together form the Quality Assurance. Each of these programmes has a distinct focus and purpose, and together they monitor the performance of the education system and develop the educator. These are:
> Development Appraisal.
> Performance Measurement.
> Whole School Evaluation.
The Developmental Appraisal process appraises individual educators in a transparent manner with the view to determining areas of strength and weaknesses. The Performance Measurement process uses scores achieved during the teacher evaluation exercise to evaluate individual educators for salary progression, grade progression and rewards and incentives. The
Whole School Evaluation process, which is an external process, evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school.
The empirical investigation commenced with a self-structured questionnaire which was distributed to educators. The data obtained from the completed questionnaires was processed and analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. The following are some of the recommendations made:
> The educator evaluation instrument must focus on teaching time.
> The quality assurance process must focus on developing the educator.
> Further research should be conducted on the role of quality assurance in educator career paths.
Description
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the
University of Zululand, 2006.
Keywords
Teachers--Rating of--South Africa., Quality assurance--Education--South Africa.