Tertiary workshops assist development of self-assessment

Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) have responded enthusiastically to NZQA workshops on organisational self-assessment currently being held around the country. The workshops, hosted by volunteer TEOs, are to help TEOs prepare to implement the new quality assurance system coming into force in 2009.

Ongoing self-assessment by TEOs and periodic external evaluation and review, by a quality assurance body such as NZQA, are the key components of the evaluative approach to quality assurance being introduced as part of the wider tertiary reforms, which aim to drive improvements in tertiary education.

The new evaluative approaches replace a system of quality audit. Effective self-assessment in a TEO looks at what is being achieved and how outcomes can be improved for learners and other stakeholders such as employers and the wider community.

NZQA Project Advisor Teresa Quin says the workshops, which run through into early 2009, have been fully subscribed with around ten TEOs at each - 55 workshops are scheduled for November and December and a further 30 for 2009. She says feedback from those held to date has been very positive.

"We have been delighted at how highly participants have rated the workshops - they really feel they are gaining something useful from them. The workshops have helped TEOs feel more confident about the new approach as they understand that it builds on current good practice and focuses on evaluating at organisational level what really matters which is the quality of learning and teaching.

A hospitality student at Wellington High School puts the finishing touches to a dessert.

"One analogy that's gone down really well employs the analysis of a cake to show the difference between audit and evaluation. Audit would ask: what is the quality of the ingredients, what qualifications does the baker have, how clean is the kitchen? Evaluative approaches, on the other hand, ask: what does the cake taste like, what is the texture, does the finished cake look appealing, does it meet consumer needs, and what can I do to make it even better?"

In looking at their effectiveness, TEOs are addressing what are known as key evaluation questions. These are designed to explore the most important dimensions of educational quality. They cover:

• Course/programme content and design: How well do programmes and activities match the needs of learners and other stakeholders?
• Delivery: How effective is the teaching? How well are learners guided and supported?
• Outcomes: How well do learners achieve? What is the value of the outcomes for key stakeholders, including learners?

Building organisational evaluative capability will take time, Ms Quin says. While TEOs themselves will primarily take responsibility for this, NZQA will provide some support. Following the workshop, facilitators will maintain contact to support with any issues that may arise in planning for and implementing self-assessment.

The workshops are designed to encourage participants to explore, talk and share practice, as they develop self-assessment. It is hoped TEOs will continue to work together after the workshops in what is known as "communities of practice". These have become increasingly common in recent years as organisations or individuals in a particular sector come together to share knowledge, solve problems and innovate in order to improve performance.