Assessing the impact of ISO: 9001 implementation on school teaching and learning processes

Abstract

Purpose A growing number of schools are now implementing quality management systems (QMS). As a result, studies are being conducted to assess the educational benefits of these systems and their capacity to identify areas for improvement in school processes and performance. The purpose the present study is to assess the impact of ISO:9001 implementation on teaching-learning processes in the classroom, and in schools with at least three years’ experience of applying this standard. Design/methodology/approach To this end, a questionnaire was administered to a final sample of 2,185 subjects from 80 pre-school, primary and secondary education schools in the regions of Madrid, Castile and León, Andalusia and Valencia (Spain). Findings The results show that ISO:9001 implementation yielded a higher than average impact on teaching-learning processes. Specifically, improvements were observed in the subdomains of tutorials, evaluation and classroom teaching methodologies as a result of implementing this QMS. Originality/value This impact was higher in state-subsidized private schools in Valencia and Andalusia with over nine years’ experience of ISO:9001 in schools with internal funding plans and in those with fewer than 29 teachers on the staff.

Findings of quality management studies in primary and secondary education: a systematic literature review

“…ISO QMS can be implemented in education institutions successfully and have a positive impact on school development and performance (Thonhauser and Passmore, 2006; Hofman et al , 2008; Galvez et al , 2016; Cruz et al , 2016; Fernandez-Diaz et al , 2017; Rodríguez-Mantilla et al , 2018; Rodríguez-Mantilla et al , 2019a, b; Fernández-Cruz et al , 2019). The longer a QMS has been in place, the greater its impact on various areas (Fernandez-Diaz et al , 2016).…”

“…Cruz et al (2016) found that both managers and teachers valued, at a similar level, the impact of the quality management plans. Other researchers noticed that there is no alignment between teachers and principals' perceptions concerning QM (Fernández-Cruz et al , 2019; Cheng and Yau, 2011; Sebola and Malema, 2014), learning organization features (Konidari and Abernot, 2006), self-evaluation importance (Podgornik and Vogrinc, 2017), school effectiveness (Babalis et al , 2012) or ISO 9001 impact (Rodríguez-Mantilla et al , 2019a and b). Except for the position conditioned, the gender and the years of seniority at the school influence the perception of teachers and managers about the impact of QMS (Rodríguez-Mantilla et al , 2018) and the resistance to change (Pourrajab et al , 2015).…”

ISO 9001 standard and their impact on school management and planning and support systems–Comparative study on perception between heads–teachers

“…In this sense, it is difficult to compare the results obtained in this study with other similar ones, due to the scarce existence of scientific literature related to the application of ISO 9001 standard in the field of education and, more specifically, in non-university educational stages (as pointed out by authors such as Sweis et al, 2020;Arribas-D ıaz and Mart ınez-Mediano, 2018;Espiñeira-Bell on, Espiñeira-Bell on et al, 2016;Becerra and Corredor, 2015). This scarcity of research has been confirmed by our research group in the successive and exhaustive bibliographic reviews carried out in recent years for the numerous research studies on the application of QMS, specifically on ISO standards (Fern andez-Cruz et al, 2020;Rodr ıguez-Mantilla et al, 2020;Fern andez-Cruz et al, 2019;Fern andez-D ıaz et al, 2017;Fern andez-D ıaz et al, 2016;Rodr ıguez-Mantilla and Fern andez-D ıaz, 2013). This is the fundamental reason why this work contributes to providing knowledge about the impact of the application of these standards in non-university education, specifically on the aspects analysed here (school management and planning and support systems).…”

“…Specialised literature highlights certain core areas for evaluating the impact of implementing ISO 9001 standard, such as leadership and commitment of the management team, communication system (vertical and horizontal) at the school, climate, optimisation of resources and time, process efficiency, satisfaction of the education community, learning process, or external relations and school bonds with society, among others (Fern andez-Cruz et al, 2019;Martin and Thawabieh, 2018;Egido G alvez et al, 2016;Fern andez-D ıaz et al, 2016;AENOR, 2015;Rodr ıguez-Mantilla and Fern andez-D ıaz, 2015;Jackson and Marriot, 2012). However, one of the major dimensions is the school's management system (which is the subject matter of this study), particularly referring to the planning culture and related to the support and recognition policy.…”

The Quality Management System of One Polytechnic College

“…Similarly, ISO certification has resulted in a higher yield on impact in teaching and learning processes in schools that have undergone ISO certification. Tutorials, evaluation, and classroom teaching approaches improved in educational institutions that went through this evaluation procedure Fernández-Cruz, Rodríguez-Mantilla, and Fernández-Díaz (2019). This accreditation enables the institution to improve its institutional status and realign its policies, norms, and implementation to worldwide quality standards.…”