Improvement Of Continuing Education Research Articles

Optimizing Quality Approaches and Investigating Lecturers' Perception for Course Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Courses are the fundamental building blocks of educational programs, serving as a tangible representation of student attainment and the desired learning outcomes of the program. Despite their pivotal role in education, however, a standardized framework for the development, implementation, and enhancement of course specifications remains elusive. Given that different programs may employ varying formats with differing levels of detail, it is critical to establish a universal framework that enables instructors to adhere to quality standards at the program level. To this end, leveraging the ASEAN University Network – Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) and Quality Matters Rubric, this study seeks to optimize course quality assurance requirements and assess lecturers' perception of these proposed guidelines. Drawing on document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and importance-level measurement, the findings of this study underscore the significance of eight criteria, comprising a total of 25 quality requirements, in ensuring course quality. These criteria include learning outcomes, structure and content, instructional approaches, learning assessment, learner support, staff, and output. Notably, these criteria align with the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle theory, thereby promoting continuous improvement in education.

The quest for continuous quality improvement in Australian long day care services: getting the most out of the Assessment and Rating process

The National Quality Framework (NQF) was intended to drive continuous improvement in education and care services in Australia. Ten years into implementation, the effectiveness of the NQF is demonstrated by steady improvements in quality as measured against the National Quality Standard (NQS). The process of assessing and rating services is a key element in the NQF, drawing together regulatory compliance and quality assurance. This paper draws on findings from a national Quality Improvement Research Project investigating the characteristics, processes, challenges and enablers of quality improvement in long day care services, concentrating on Quality Area 1 Educational program and practice and Quality Area 7 Governance and leadership. This was a mixed-method study focusing on long day care services that had improved their rating from Working toward NQS to Meeting NQS or to Exceeding NQS. The study comprised three phases, and in this paper, we draw on Phase 3 to understand the contribution of the NQS Assessment and Rating (A&R) process to continuous quality improvement from the standpoint of providers and professionals delivering these services. Phase 3 involved qualitative case studies of 15 long day care services to investigate factors that enabled and challenged quality improvement. Data was collected during two-day site visits, using professional conversations and field notes to elicit the views and experiences of service providers, leaders and educators. In this paper, we look at how the A&R process is experienced by those involved in service provision, with a focus on the factors that enabled and challenged quality improvement. Recognizing the interchangeability of enablers and challenges, three broad themes emerged: (i) curriculum knowledge, pedagogical skills and agency; (ii) collaborative leadership and teamwork; and (iii) meaningful engagement in the A&R process. The study found that meaningful engagement in the A&R process informed priorities for ongoing learning and acted as a catalyst for continuous quality improvement. Apprised by stakeholder views and experiences of A&R, we offer a model to foster stakeholder participation in quality assurance matters through affordances of meaningful engagement.

Research Trends in School Excellent Model (SEM): The Future Insights for Islamic Education Assessment

A School Excellent Model (SEM) is a concept of excellent school management in which there are interesting programs that can lead to the goal of quality education. Education needs in the digital era are increasingly complex, requiring practitioners to adapt and have diverse skills and competencies. It is intended to achieve the goal of quality education by one of the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research uses a type of literature review in the form of a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of articles indexed by Scopus about the School Excellent Model from 2015 to 2022 that have gone through a process of screening, eligibility, extraction, and inclusion criteria. The results of the research literature review on SEM from 2015 to 2022 are 1) mapping related studies; a. competence of an educator in managing learning, conducting assessments or assessments, and integrating technology in learning. b. competence of a leader (principal) in managing institutions, resources, and teacher coaching. c. The need for relationships and cooperation with school partners such as the government, parents, and the community is urgent. d. Innovation and continuous improvement of education. 2) From mapping the results of research studies on SEM, several things were found that can be used as insights into Islamic religious education in Indonesia, including the development of the quality of Islamic religious educators who are technologically sensitive, competent, and adaptive and can formulate assessment techniques for quality learning (self-assessment, formative and assessment ). Development of leadership skills and communication skills for education managers and implementers.

Developing and Using Indicators for Continuous Improvement

Background/Context Amidst the complex and fast-paced demands in schools and classrooms, identifying what most deserves educators’ attention can pose a challenge. Indicators help focus attention by highlighting key features that signal important outcomes or opportunities to take action or learn. Purpose Informed by multiple literatures, we offer a conceptual framework that elaborates on the connection between an indicator's development and use. Specifically, the framework proposes that how to develop indicators depends on the answers to several questions about how they will be used: the intended use (why), timing (when), content (on what), and threshold (how much). Research Design To explore this conceptual framework, we present two cases on the construction and use of indicators for continuous improvement in the San Francisco Unified School District. In the first case, we applied statistical process control (SPC) theory to create control charts that visualize district-level outliers on student achievement outcomes to examine potential causes of variation among schools. In the second case, we combined SPC with more basic statistical methods to develop indicators highlighting areas of potential promise across multiple measures and student subgroups within a school. In our exploration of the two case studies, we present the statistical methods applied to construct the indicator, an example of the visualizations created, and descriptions of how central office leaders interpreted and used the results. We document how the intended use informed the indicators’ design, and the ramifications of those decisions for educators’ subsequent use of the indicators for improvement. Conclusions and Recommendations In learning from these cases, we highlight the importance of constructing indicators from the perspective of their intended use and linked with specific conditions and potential actions. This requires including more useful process data in the development of those indicators, as well as more follow-up analysis of the effectiveness of the actions taken based on those indicators, contrasted against alternative actions. We also underscore the importance of developing indicators that distinguish between the need for systemic versus targeted improvement efforts, based on SPC. We believe that combining approaches across disciplines and methodologies holds great promise for the development and use of indicators for continuous improvement in education.

Mitigating gender gap in access to primary education in rural areas of Morocco

ABSTRACTUnder the influence of the common goals of Education For All (EFA), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the international development realm, many countries around the world have reached a great level of development through continuous improvement in education since 2000. Meanwhile, Morocco could be one of the developing countries that struggle to resolve many problems resulting from having a weak educational system, which has been considered as one of the main obstacles to the country's economic growth. The purpose of this article is to analyse the gender gap in access to primary education in rural areas of Morocco, focusing on primary school girls. Based on the investigation on the major obstacles, we carried out descriptive statistics with selected variables such as the adjusted net enrolment rate, the cumulative drop-out rate to the last grade, the gross intake ration (graduation ratio) to the last grade, and Gender Parity Index (GPI). In addition, we conducted a few private interviews via Skype with local stakeholders to underpin our research and to reflect personal ideas on the Moroccan educational system from their own perspective. Lastly, we suggested applicable solutions against those barriers from the perspective of education ODA.

Continuous Improvement in Education: Adaptation of Kaizen Philosophy on the Example of the Student Project AGH Leanline

The current study purpose is o highlight the creation and execution of a project that will teach effectively and practically the knowledge of production engineering and will create an opportunity to acquire key competencies and attitudes on the market while still at university. This research uses the descriptive and qualitative approach. Students Research Group Management’ runs a project which assumes optimization of production and logistic processes on the basis of identification of waste and implementation of Lean Manufacturing tools. The production line made of lego blocks - AGH LeanLine is an original undertaking of students of the AGH University of Science and Technology, adapted to practice and experience Lean methods, tools, and principles in the university environment. Each production process simulation is a Kaizen Workshop, during which the losses occurring in the basic model are defined and then eliminated from the value stream with the help of known methods of process organization. Such training is an active passage through the Plan Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, taking up and testing all the activities included in each stage. Thanks to such projects, students experience the practical application of theory and are ready to take such actions on a living organism a production company.

A Partial Least Squares Path Model of Principals’ Performance in School Health Services Based on Spiritual Intelligence in Tabriz Female High Schools

Background: School principals have a crucial role on effectiveness of schools and their performance, especially in school health services programs. The purpose of this study was to predict principals’ performance in school health services based on Spiritual intelligence (SI) in high schools of Tabriz (Iran). Methods: The population of this correlational research consisted of all high school principals of Tabriz (520) at the first to fifth educational districts in 2016. According to Krejcie and Morgan’s table, and first, stratified random sampling method was used by equally considering the districts of education, and in the second step, random sampling method was used in terms of schools; 225 principals, including 45 principals of each district were selected. Data collection was done by the Spiritual intelligence self-report inventory (SISRI-24, 2009) (α = 0.71) and a researcher-made questionnaire (α = 0.88). Results: The results of correlation test showed that there was a correlation amongst critical existential thinking (r = 0.59, P < 0.001), personal meaning production (r = 0.16, P = 0.013), transcendental awareness (r = 0.26, P < 0.001), conscious state expansion (r = 0.45, P < 0.001) and spiritual intelligence (r = 0.39, P < 0.001) with school principals’ performance in school health services. The results of partial least squares regression showed that critical existential thinking (0.62, P < 0.001), transcendental awareness (0.4, P < 0.001), conscious state expansion (0.45, P < 0.001), and spiritual intelligence (0.51, P = 0.003) influenced school principals’ performance in school health services. Personal meaning production did not influence school principals’ performance in school health services (P = 0.11). Conclusions: Strengthening the spiritual intelligence of school principals could lead to improvement of managerial performance and continuous improvement of education.

Shiraz Pharmaceutical Students’ Knowledge about Pharmacy Professional Ethics

Introduction: In the medical community, ethics is important in this profession and pharmacy, like other branches of medical sciences, and requires attention. We aimed to examine the level of students’ knowledge of the Pharmacy Faculty of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from the principles of professional ethics recommended by the American Pharmacy Association in their ethical codes, especially the principles of patient rights. Methods: This was a descriptive-observational cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 162 Pharmacy students from the 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and final semesters of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who were willing to participate in the study. To collect data, a questionnaire containing 18 questions was used. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire was confirmed by expert faculty members of the Medical Ethics Department and the Faculty of Pharmacy, as well as the statistics expert. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 23). Results: According to Pearson test, there was a significant relationship between knowledge level and academic semester and year of entrance (P<0.05). 87 (53.7%) students participated in the workshop and 75 (46.3%) did not participate in the workshop. According to the K2 test, there was a significant relationship between knowledge and participation in the workshop (P<0.05). 14 (8.6%) students had moderate knowledge level, 68 (42%) had good knowledge level and 80 (49.4%) had very good knowledge. Conclusion: Because of the necessity and importance of observing ethics and behavior in their professional and job scopes, pharmacy service providers, especially pharmacists, should be aware of the principles of professional ethics and patient rights, and adhere to it. Accordingly, in addition to the necessity of quantitative and qualitative improvement of continuing education in the PhD degree course in pharmacy, the training framework should be arranged and planned in a way that, in addition to transferring knowledge to students, leads to the creation of a positive attitude and, ultimately, an increase in their skills. Keywords: PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, MEDICAL ETHICS, ETHICS IN PHARMACY

CURRÍCULO QUESTÕES INICIAIS: ATUAÇÃO DO EDUCADOR E A FORMAÇÃO DO CIDADÃO CRÍTICO E REFLEXIVO

O currículo, a partir do momento em que passou a ser considerado como um campo de estudo, sendo inserido no contexto pedagógico, tem passado por grandes modificações e/ou definições, principalmente em seu real objetivo. Assim, este trabalho, desenvolvido com base em meios investigativos de caráter bibliográfico e documental, de natureza básica e abordagem qualitativa visa dialogar acerca dos documentos e bibliografias afins, buscando relacionar objetivos da educação com relação à formação do indivíduo crítico e reflexivo com as propostas do currículo escolar prescrito. Tem ainda, como linha de diálogo, a prática docente referente à aplicação e construção desse currículo, bem como a inserção, quando e se necessário, do currículo oculto, visando manter atenção especial para a realidade social diversificada que hoje podemos vivenciar. Desse modo, esta pesquisa integrará, no decorrer de seu desenvolvimento, alguns pontos, apontando momentos propícios para a reflexão docente, com a finalidade de melhoria contínua da educação, tais como: os modelos de currículos trabalhados na atualidade, dentro de uma visão nacional e posteriormente fragmentada, focando o modelo prescrito e suas ramificações, o currículo oculto e sua importância durante a prática pedagógica e a atuação do educador enquanto agente de formação de cidadãos críticos e reflexivos.

Symbiotic Harmony: The Realistic Way to Develop Teacher-Student Relationship in University

Today, universities still focus on the development of teachers in human resources, for believing that teachers’ development will promote both students and education quality; yet ignoring the role of students which should also have an important impact on teachers’ improvement. However, this thesis considers that education is the process teachers and students will grow together, so the role of students must be taken into account during education. And measures such as eliminating the traditional thought barriers, establishing effective systems, and achieving the spiritual union between teachers and students can be taken to construct teacher-student relationship based on symbiosis and harmoniousness. So that teachers and students will complement and reinforce each other. Then we could realize the common development of teachers and students; eventually achieve the comprehensive improvement of education quality. To enhance the quality of education, almost all colleges in China focus on teachers’ development but neglects students’ positive role to teachers, just as Weber ever said that “ no teachers, no students and vice versa” [1]. Additionally, as the idea of symbiosis entering education field, people more clearly realize that the teachers and students are indivisible symbiosis. Thus, colleges should not only pay attention to teachers’ effect on students, but also value students’ promotion to teachers, and try their best to building symbiotic harmony teacher- student relationship, and then they could achieve a continuous improvement of education.

Effective quality management requires a systematic approach and a flexible organisational culture: a qualitative study among academic staff

This qualitative research examines the similarities and differences between three teaching departments within Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in the Netherlands that provide effective and three that provide less effective quality management. What are staff members’ conceptions and perceptions of quality, quality management and organisational values and how do they connect? Per department three semi-structured interviews were conducted. Within all departments the conceptions of quality and the preferred organisational values are quite similar: quality is seen as continuous improvement of education and human relations values are preferred. The differences concern practice. In contrast with less effective departments, effective departments have a structured quality management that is closely connected with day-to-day work and results in improvements. In addition, these effective departments realise the organisational values they prefer, whereas less effective ones fail to do so. The recommendation is to work on a culture that involves cooperation, open communications, flexibility and external orientation and the close involvement of quality management in the regular work of staff.

Action research in teacher education

Action research by teachers allows for continuous improvement in education and the bridging of theory and practice. This research, while traditionally used in teacher education, is currently becoming enormously important since it should be carried out both before and after educational reforms. The purpose of this study is to map the development of action research in teacher education through articles published in Spanish education journals. The research uses a survey approach and applies a documentary methodology. The results show how productive this line of research has been throughout its evolution, provide a database of all the articles, and offer a view of the personal, social and cognitive dimensions of this line of research: collaboration in publications, the most productive authors, research teams, main institutions performing the studies, specific journals dedicated to this line of research, main topics studied, and epistemological approaches, among others.

Can unannounced simulated cardiac arrest reduce pauses in chest compressions and time to defibrillation?

Background The quality of resuscitation during cardiac arrest in hospital is often suboptimal and there is need for continuous improvement of education. Standardized simulation-based training is proposed as a mean to ensure a consistent and high level of competence among hospital staff, but it is costly and requires frequent recertification. Successful resuscitation is dependent on teamwork and it is a challenging task to train cardiac arrest teams (CAT) as a unit because they consists of varying people. The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate whether unannounced simulated cardiac arrests in hospital departments can reduce pauses in chest compressions and time to defibrillation.

The Baldrige Education Pilot Criteria 1995: An Integrated Approach to Continuous Improvement in Education

Abstract The Baldrige Education Pilot Criteria were developed in response to strong interest by the education community and business leaders in having a set of criteria, similar to the very successful Baldrige Criteria, to guide the evergrowing quality efforts by educational institutions. The goals of the Education Criteria, which were pilot-tested in 1995 in parallel with the Baldrige Award for businesses, are (a) “delivery of ever-improving educational value to students, contributing to their overall development and well-being;” and (b) “Improvement of overall school effectiveness, use of resources, and capabilities.” This article describes the Education Pilot Criteria and proposes that they are highly compatible with the AACSB standards and provide a useful guideline for improving the quality of business schools.