PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss some key aspects of quality in education in the light of over 30 years practical experience of doing quality assurance (QA).Design/methodology/approachReflection on three concepts, which are still the subject of debate, namely: “quality”; “total quality management (TQM)”; and “autonomy”.FindingsAs this is not a research paper, it presents no findings. There are some research implications, if only to deter researchers from digging up old ground. More research into the diversity of and interactions between cultures in academia might prove useful.Practical implicationsThere are lessons to be learnt from the past. Doing quality improves quality. Talking about it or trying to impose it does not. Managers and leaders need to reflect more carefully than is their wont on the purposes and procedures of QA in education.Originality/valueThis paper makes a contribution to the debate about quality in education in universities and schools and suggests that a clearer understanding across the education system of the scope and purpose of QA, the nature of TQM and the limitations of autonomy might lead to better embedded and more effective continuous improvement.
Abstract. This case study describes why the University of Wolverhampton made the decision first to pursue Total Quahty Management (TQM) and then to develop a Quality Assurance System to an international quality standard (ISO 9000).The study is organlsed in four major sections. 1, The contextual background to the decision making. 2. Phase 1 -what was done during the first one and a half years of the initiative, describing the wide ranging discussion set up across the institution. 3. Phase 2 -what was done during the second year of the imtiatlve, describing the practical steps towards implementation, inchadmg the first attempts at Quahty Circle methodology, 4. Appraisal -an assessment of the success, failure and lessons so far.For purposes of clarity and focus, the TQM and ISO 9000 aspects of the University's expenences have been described and discussed separately although, in practice, they are taking place simultaneously. Fmanciat costs, especially ha respect of ISO 9000 have been reported as accurately as possible and some reference, within the limits of a descriptive case study, is made to relevant management-of-change theory.
This paper examines a number of concepts of quality from Plat0 to Taguchi.That there is no generally accepted t h e m has led researchers w report various problems and adopt various devices to get round this difficult situation. Governmental concern with accountability and its implications in the current 'quality debate' are considered and a simple theory to meet all cases is proposed.There is nothing new about the quality debate nor about its philosophical complications but practical importance as the following little story will illustrate. It is not a fairy tale, it is true:-A long time ago, shortly after the Second World War, a young person was giving a demonstration lesson to a group of teacher-training students. He (it happened to be a he) was doing a lesson with a group of first-year Grammar School boys in Sheffield on local Geography. He began by bringing a large travelling case into the classroom which he placed on the teacher's desk with great panache.This, of course, immediately attracted a great deal of attention. He waited for a few moments to make sure that everyone was watching and then he flung open the CdSe and dramatically withdrew two swords. One was simple and visually unimpressive in every way. The other was majestic, be-tasselled, with a rich, ornamental, many-coloured hilt. He flourished them about a bit until the boys were thoroughly engaged and wondering what was going to happen next. Then he brought the simple sword down with a tremendous thwack into the wooden floor, where it stuck and quivered in the most satisfying way. After a suitable pause for effect, he repeated the process with the ornamental sword. Alas! it did not pierce the wooden floor but bent and fell to the ground with a dull, dead clunk.The young teacher looked at the class. He spoke for the first time and said:'Both these swords are made out of steel . . . which one is made out of good
Divided into four sections, first describes the institutional context and why the University of Wolverhampton decided to become engaged in a TQM initiative. Next describes how the university, discovering the TQM approach to be attractive but difficult to target, moved towards BS EN ISO 9001. There is a brief discussion of the pros and cons of each. Outlines some of the fundamental aspects of designing a quality management system, especially understanding the nature of the product and the importance of its design. Finally discusses the costs (which are difficult to assess accurately) and benefits of the exercise to the university, which have been considerable, and which will be used as a foundation for the continuous improvement of quality. Also includes a short discussion of the relationship between BS EN ISO 9001, HEFCE quality assessment and HEQC quality audit.
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