Developing the System for Teaching and Learning Quality

24.8.2006AMICT Workshop, PedrozavodskMarkku Pylkk(co-writers Pasi Karppinen and Petri Pulli)

Department of Information Processing ScienceUniversity of Oulu, Finland

Quality Management in Teaching and LearningThe aim is to boost learning by means of pedagogical and didactical solutionsProducing quality teaching is long process (no exact studies available which factors affect and how to improve the results)University of Oulu decided in 1994 to develop teaching and learning in various ways, among them utilizing student feedback

Increasing learning productivityBest way to increase the productivity of learning is to remove those factors that slow or prevent effective learningBest way to find preventive factors of learning is to ask studentsCollecting student feedback is essential part of Quality Management System for Teaching and Learning (QMS for TL)

The Aims towards Total Quality ManagementIn Finland The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council (FINHEEC) will audit (i.e. inspect) QMSs for TL in autumn 2007In University of Oulu Teaching Development Unit has advised departments and faculties to develop QMSs for TL Advising emphasizes the need for developing and utilizing student feedback system

The background of auditingBologna process as starting pointThe follow-up meeting in Berlin in 2003wishing till the year 2005 national quality assurance systems to include accrediting, certifying or other verifying system.Finnish Ministry of Education settled work group in 2004Result 1: Universities in Finland will develop QMSs for TL, FINHEEC will auditResult 2: No accrediting or certifying, only auditing the QMSs for TL in various universities, the usefulness of the processes.The follow-up meeting in Bergen in 2005European Association for Assurance in Higher Education ENQA suggests European principles and recommendations for verifying teaching and learning in universitiesThe meeting of Ministries of Education accepted and decided to inaugurate themPrinciples and recommendations of ENQA were as starting point in outlining Finnish model for auditing

The Guidance from Teaching Development UnitEvery department in University of Oulu should create literal guidance for departmental details in auditing teaching and learning. These directives are for internal use, but must be presented in auditing process. Creating is assisted by the files from Teaching Development Unit including quality manual of the university, directions and guidelines, annually updated self evaluation report, strategy for developing teaching in university of Oulu and the handbook of auditing QMSs for TL (from FINHEEC).

Some instructions from the Quality manual in UOUniversity of Oulu introduced the self evaluation system (or process) for quality of teaching during the academic year 199394, decided by The Board of the UniversityUpdated manual (2006) has considered FINHEEC criteria for evaluating (auditing) the QMS for TL.The factors considered in the evaluation process at the University of OuluTeaching Developing Groups Student feedback as a course or lecture basisFeedback days organized at least once in academic termAnnual self evaluation of QMS for TL

Outer evaluations, for example national quality unit evaluation every 3 yearsInner evaluation of teaching inside/on university levelContinuing evaluationof the quality of teachingInner quality units and rewarding of teachingThree levels of evaluations in the quality control of teaching123

Student feedback gathering and utilizing The methods of gathering and utilizing of student feedback is planned by the Teaching Developing Group of the DepartmentFeedback is gathered from all coursesRating should produce qualitative (literal) feedback information. Numeric (quantitative) information can be used as support info for qualitative rating. Feedback or summary of that will be given to the teacher concerned, students, the Teaching Development Group and the head of departmentFeedback will be needed also from earlier students (alumns) and interest groups (under construction)

THE LEARNING OF A STUDENTThe QMS for TL must produce relevant feedback information from the learning of students1 learning results of a student students way of work and spending of time (feedback about the learning itself) students experience about learning and stress ARRANGEMENTS FOR TEACHING co-operation between teachers and students students experience about the functionality of teaching arrangements and tutoring for learning TEACHERS PERSONALITY AND WORKING EGO demanding, empathy, teaching style Feedback level23

PalauteOodi (for feedback)Enables gathering feedback via WebOodi (total information system for 15 universities in Finland)Used in 7 universities in Finland, test runs started in Spring in UO (Electr. & IT-Dept.)Every student participating the course (or examination) will be invited to give feedbackQuantitative summary to be viewed by allQualitative feedback only for party concerned

The logical model for the student feedback systemdigital feedbackformcourses www-site / optimastudentsquality controlteachingactivitysocialdirectionteachingonce duringthe course (after registering for examination)exam.paperfeedbackformselfevaluationfeedback for one courserecommendationsdeveloping actsmade because of student feedbackcoursefeedbackinspectionTeacherstate ofcoursemoderator consultsgood practicesmoderatingdigital teaching materialpersonal feedbackTeaching Dev. Group organizesclassifierThe affecting area of PalauteOodi

Developing targets in our Department (IPS)

The Process for planning the teaching (Process model)The guidance and codification for course planning (clever Excel-form)The effectiveness analysis (accumulation of credits/working hours)Resource planning (Excel-resource matrix)The plans for the utilization of working hours (clever Excel-form under construction)Practices for distant teachingDigital teaching material (quality needs)Optima learning environment (utilization in a more effective level?)Distant practising environment (need to be developed)Student feedback introduction (under construction)Support for international students (work group on a way)

DecemberJanuaryJanuaryFebruaryFebruaryMarchMarchAprilMayJuneContinuing procedure during academic yearContinuing procedure during academic year1245637OctoberDecemberMarchAprilPlanning of the teaching in the Department of Information Processing Science, 2006 - coordinating of tasks is assisted by the board, the council and Teaching Development Group of the departmentProcess, tasks and time frameDevel-oping talksPlanning of next curri-culumRe-warding talksCreating course plansResource planning for remote sitesPersonal resourcing in-site searchPersonal administrationPlanning and implem-entation of teachingProcess-ing of course feedback

Thank you!Comments?

Questions?

Contact infoMarkku Pylkkmarkku@solutions.fi

(Petri Pulli, Pasi Karppinenforename.surname@oulu.fiwww.tol.oulu.fi)