Quality Assuring Teaching and Learning Processes in Higher Education: A Critical Appraisal
Universities, the world over, seek excellence in teaching and learning. Emphasis is put on quality of all university processes as universities seek to satisfy major stakeholders. Quality assurance of teaching and learning processes and procedures is important in order to ensure that relevant and useful graduates are produced from universities. In the concept paper the researchers explore the concepts quality and quality assurance. A link is drawn between quality assurance and teaching and learning processes in higher education. Theories underpinning quality assurance in higher education are explored, importance of quality assurance is examined and the different dimensions quality assurance could take in teaching and learning are discussed. The researchers further discuss challenges associated with quality assurance in higher education, draw conclusions and make recommendations towards quality enhancement in university teaching and learning processes. Address for correspondence: C. Maphosa Professor Faculty of Education University of Fort Hare East London Campus East London, 5201 South Africa INTRODUCTION Higher education processes and procedures such as teaching and learning should always be reviewed, examined and critique to ensure fitness of purpose as well as fitness for purpose. Quality assurance is the careful and systematic appraisal practice of an organisation or curriculum to ascertain whether or not satisfactory standards of education are met (Hayward 2001) In this view, quality assurance becomes an integral measure of ensuring standards are met. Similarly, Peters (1996) claims quality assurance measures are also vital in adding value to the product and are best applied during the process of implementing a programme and not merely inspecting the final product. Quality assurance is a quality management measure which provides confidence that quality requirements are fulfilled (Manghani 2011) To this end, quality assuring becomes an important aspect of the maintenance of quality as well as ensuring accountability. Teaching and learning in higher education has a direct bearing on the type of graduate that universities produce as a result of the different curricula and pedagogical approaches. The issue of graduate employability is a critical one as the quality of university graduates is evaluated against capacity to contribute to economic growth and development. Any higher education system becomes a waste if produces unemployable graduates as well as those that cannot create own employment. Allan (2006) describes graduateness in terms of the skills a graduate possesses. These include 'hard' skills related to subject specific knowledge as well as 'soft' skills which refer to the ability to do something based more on attitude and behaviour. Through meticulous quality assurance of teaching and learning processes in higher education, an attempt is made to ensure that appropriate graduate attributes are imparted to students. Andrews and Higson (2008) note the skills gap between what university graduates possess and what employers look for. This becomes a problem if university programmes fail to adequately prepare graduates for the job market. This alludes to the issue of quality and how it can be assured to ensure a match between graduates knowledge, skills and values and job market expectations. Quality Assurance and Its Purpose Quality assurance is a global issue that calls for greater accountability and reflection in higher education institutions' ways of conducting business. In the South African higher education 66 LUFUNO NETSHIFHEFHE, VAKELE NOBONGOZA AND COSMAS MAPHOSA system "quality assurance practices and procedures differ from institution to institution" (Strydom and Lategan 1998: 73) Literature contains many definitions of quality assurance in higher education. According to Wilger (1997) quality assurance in higher education can be referred to as a collective process by which the higher education institution as an academic institution ensures that the quality of educational process is maintained to the standards it has set itself. Through its quality assurance plans a university has the capacity to fulfil itself, its learners and intrigued outer stakeholders that its courses meet the fitting scholarly and proficient measures, the targets of its courses are proper, the methods picked and the assets accessible for conveying those goals are suitable and sufficient, and that it is striving consistently to enhance the nature of its courses. Wilger (1997) expounds further that this definition incorporates a few key measurements of value confirmation in advanced education. Firstly, quality assurance concentrates on methodology; it tries to persuade both inside and outer constituents that an institution has forms that deliver great outcomes. Furthermore, quality assurance makes express responsibility for quality at different focuses inside the institution. Quality is the obligation of everybody in an institution. Thirdly, quality assurance is a ceaseless, dynamic, and responsive procedure which incorporates solid assessment and input circles. Compelling correspondence is key to a fruitful quality assurance framework. At its centre, quality assurance poses the question, "How does an institution realize that it is accomplishing the sought results?" Strydom (2001) expresses that the reasons of quality assurance at the institutional level are to enhance the institutions and their academic offerings. It gives affirmation to general society in regards to the accomplishment of the obliged general level of value. Quality assurance also gives confirmation to general society and different stakeholders that a specific set of expert and scholastic principles is accomplished. It shows viability and gives responsibility with respect to whether institutional and programme plans are satisfied to a palatable level. It exhibits impact of productivity in all capacities of the institution at all levels and allows decisions to be made in the institutions in admiration of funding from the government and to empower quality advocacy choices to be made in institutions and higher education in general. Kis (2005) expresses that quality assurance methodology can fill two real needs: change and responsibility. Quality assurance for responsibility reasons focuses around criteria situated around outside powers and organizations, for example, the Higher Education Quality Committee in South Africa. They go for reinforcing outside understanding and control, with probability of undertaking outer remedial activity, if essential. Quality systems for development purposes go for advancing future execution instead of making judgements on past execution. The criteria and methodology utilized are proposed to fortify the conditions, inspirations, degree and level of information of higher education institutions towards quality change. As indicated by Wilger (1997) the literature on quality assurance in higher education underscores that a compelling quality assurance framework rests on a few presumptions, including: institutions have overall characterized missions and objectives, which are generally imparted and saw through out the institutions; obviously characterized quality inside the connection of their mission and objectives; and that institutions have solid correspondence systems. An institution that fails to offer these "preconditions" will have a troublesome time actualizing a fruitful campuswide program of quality assurance. HIGHER EDUCATION AND ITS ROLE IN SOCIETY In order to discuss and learn more about quality assurance in higher education, we should ask ourselves, what is higher education and what role does it play in society? The role higher education can and should play in South Africa's reconstruction, development and transformation can be traced back to the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE Report 1996) The NCHE (1996: 65) states that 'higher education is a key allocator of life chances for the individual. This shows that higher education is responsible for human resource development in the country by imparting to students skills that enable them to serve in difference socio economic and political capacities. Accordingly, this is in line with what Mammen (2006: 640) says that: Every higher education institution should be looking constantly for ways to enhance the capaQUALITY ASSURING TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 67 bilities and talents of both academics and students in order to gain necessary competitive edge. Pavlenko et al. (2008) argue that important in this view is the issue of the quality of higher education programmes and teaching and learning processes. Similarly, university graduates have to be comparable to graduates from other universities and even have competitive advantage. In a diversified society like South Africa, higher education means different things to different people. Higher education is not only about the higher level of educational structure in the country. In terms of the level, higher education includes university teaching and learning towards which students' progress to attain higher educational qualifications. The purpose of higher education is to allow students to explore and advance new frontiers of knowledge in different areas of life and subject disciplines. NAAC (2007: 5) is of the view that: Higher education is about knowing more and more about less and less. It develops the student's ability to question and seek truth and makes him/her competent to critique on contemporary issues. It broadens the intellectual powers of the individual within a narrow specialisation, but also gives him/her a wider perspective of the world around. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India (NAAC 2007) highlighted four prime purposes of higher education. The first is the production of a skilled and qualified human resource base. In this view, higher education should provide k