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US Perspectives on Educational Quality,

Assessment, and Accreditation

A Presentation Dr. Joseph G. Burke

Fulbright Specialist, ThailandJune 2013

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Describe US values & impact on quality

Outline US quality movement◦Rationale and history

Describe US Approach

Questions and Answers

Outline

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US Higher Education: Values & Context

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Three Scales- FREEDOM v order- INDIVIDUAL v society- LIMITED v powerful government

Strong belief in market approach to societal issues

Values influenced:◦ Constitution: Federal system and separation of powers ◦ Government policy regarding education & accreditation◦ Others: health care, gun control

Fundamental American Values

No powerful ministry of education

Who’s in Charge?◦ Feds provide some financial support and broad

policy outlines◦ State/local governments provide financial support

and regulation◦ Multiple non-governmental groups provide

“participatory” rule making regimes: commissions, associations, agencies, boards

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US Higher Education Context

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US higher education system highly diverse & decentralized w/autonomous institutions

Overlapping funding/regulatory structures

Multiple organizations involved in accreditation

Yet system:◦ “best in the world” reputation ◦ protects academic freedom◦ Encourages innovative and critical thinking

w/entrepreneurial and highly successful graduates

Implications

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(1983) “A Nation at Risk” report of Reagan era◦ Decline in learning standards versus rising costs

(1985) “Time for Results” examination of HE

(1985-2000) – Rise of Assessment Movement◦ Phase I – Total Quality Procedures inherited from Industry (Processes and Industrial- type Awards)◦ Phase II – Data Compilation ◦ Phase III – Big Question, comparative, and Internationalization Stage◦ Phase IV -Current

2000 – Growing concern US education system less competitive.◦ Growing federal intervention

Quality Assessment US History

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Atmosphere of accountability Increased competition in academic

marketplace Constrained fiscal condition requires

evidence-based academic management Technology provides increased capacity to

generate, compile, present, and analyze evidence◦ Use of “Dashboards” (analytics)

Industry provides better management techniques

Why Assessment Movement?

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The US APPROACH

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Responsibility◦ Independent regional commissions elected by

members Federal government periodically reviews

performance Comprehensive focus

◦ Resources, governance, faculty qualifications, instructional quality, student performance

Consequence of institutional failure Elimination of eligibility to participate in federal

student aid and financial loan programs

Institutional Accreditation

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Responsibility◦ Commissions chosen by professional membership

associations◦ Some states involved in program approval

Dual Focus◦ Faculty qualifications, curriculum, student

performance◦ Level of Institutional support

Consequences of failure dependent on professions

Programmatic Accreditation

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Comprehensive Self Study by institution

Multiday visit by peers, w/report & recommendations

Institution comments

Commission action◦ Accredit◦ Accredit with warning and reporting requirement◦ Not Accredit

Appeal Process

Accreditation Process

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How Good is our Product◦ What a student knows and can do upon graduation?◦ What is the “value added” by the learning process?

How good are we at producing our product?◦ -retention and graduation rates

Are our customers satisfied?

Do we have the right mix?

Do we make the grade? (Accreditation)

Questions for University Council and Administrative Leadership

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Based Upon American Value System De-centralized w/multiple actors and

approaches Focused on Student Development and Learning Quality approach Emphasizes formative

evaluation and continuous improvement Accreditation based upon summative

evaluation of ◦ Resource availability◦ Program qualifications and results◦ Assessment process

Summary

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US tends to disaggregate quality and risk management functions

US less focused on comparative rankings US has far more diversified and de-

centralized approach Each approach has strengths and weaknesses US accreditation/educational system under

review◦ National concerns about quality, competitiveness,

effectiveness of meeting changing occupational requirements

Comparison of US and Other Approaches to Quality

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Peter T. Ewell, Making the Grade, Second Edition, AGB Press, 2012.

“AGB Statement on Board Responsibility for the Oversight of Educational Quality, AGB Press, 2011.

“How Boards Oversee Educational Quality: A Report on a Survey on Boards and the Assessment of Student Learning,” AGB Press, 2010.

AGB Resources

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Question and Answers