What is quality and how do we measure it? Quality is one of those concepts that we are all very sure of, but cannot seem to articulate precisely what it is. Perhaps the main reason is that we often contextualize the term in our discussions, or the understanding of quality becomes obvious in any discussion so that clarification is not necessary. Let’s consider a few examples of context-based understanding of quality:
- Quality in health care means receiving the right care, at the right time, and in the right way – and getting the best possible outcomes. Should cost factor into the quality understanding here?
- Water quality is defined in terms of the presence or absence of undesirable/harmful chemicals and particulates in the ‘drinking’ water. The Water Quality Association has a quality set of standards for water treatment facilities.
- The quality of a clothing item might be described in terms of appearance, fabric, texture, etc.
What about quality in academics or education? How do educators talk about quality of education – especially at educational institutions? There is no clear consensus. Traditional academic views of quality differ and have been widely replaced by more ‘marketplace’ views which hold that quality is whatever we do that makes our ‘customers’ happy. Over-reliance on this ‘marketplace’ view borders on being irresponsible. What we do know is that quality at an educational institution is complex and multidimensional. Below is a summary chart showing a few elements that must be considered in any discussion of quality at an educational institution (i.e., any school in the P-20 system). On the left are the major/key elements, and on the right are quality measures – the list is not exhaustive. The quality analysis is performed at the unit or departmental level, and applies to K-12 and higher education institutions alike – with identification of the appropriate “Quality Indicators or Measures”.
Unit or Departmental Evaluation of Quality |
|
Major Element or Criterion |
Quality Indicators or Measures |
Faculty/Teacher Qualifications |
|
Faculty/Teacher Productivity |
|
Efficiency |
|
Curriculum Quality |
|
Pedagogical Quality |
|
Student Quality |
|
Student Productivity |
|
Learning Outcomes |
|
Adequacy of Resources |
|
Contribution to Institutional Priorities |
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~ Dr. Cleo Samudzzi