Lietuviškai Content
- Rimantas Želvys
Goals of quality in doctoral studies and forecasted outcomes More - Fernando Cardoso De Sousa
Teachers' creativity and effectiviness in higher education: perceptions of students and faculty More - Mindaugas Misiūnas
Internal quality assurance system and its implementation in Kaunas college More - Viktoras Senčila, Ingrida Skiparienė
Application of ISO 9000 series quality management strandarts at a higher education institution: a case of Lithuanian maritime college More - Inga Juknytė-Petreikienė, Kęstutis Pukelis
Quality assessment of internationalised studies: experience of Socrates / Erasmus programme participants More
Abstract
Rimantas Želvys
Vilnius Pedagogical University
Goals of quality in doctoral studies and forecasted outcomes
Abstract
This article discusses the quality assurance policy of doctoral studies implemented in Lithuania and its probable outcomes are forecasted. In scientific literature the quality of education is commonly defined as a holistic phenomenon composed of the quality of initial conditions, quality of process and quality of outputs. The accomplished document analysis indicates that the quality assurance of doctoral studies in Lithuania is pursued through increased requirements for the quality of initial conditions, whereas requirements for process and outputs quality do not change or even decrease. Meanwhile, the opposite trend - orientation towards outputs and quality improvement of doctoral study process is emphasized in Bologna Process Communiqués and in the conclusions of the doctoral programmes project worked out by the European University Association. Our analysis allows to forecast that higher education policy implemented currently in Lithuania will not improve the quality of doctoral studies essentially, eventually it can increasingly discord with Bologna Process provisions.
Key words
Bologna Process, doctoral studies, education quality.
Fernando Cardoso de Sousa
Instituto Superior Dom Afonso III
Teachers' creativity and effectiviness in higher education: perceptions of students and faculty
Abstract
Students’ and lecturers’ perceptions of own effectiveness and creativity as teachers are compared, using a survey questionaire with a sample of 854 students and 254 lecturers of a higher education institution, together with interviews and class observations of lecturers who were selected as examples of creative teaching. Results indicate that students concentrate more than faculty on creativity when imagining how they would perform as teachers; when effectiveness is considered, the opposite applies. In addition, the lecturers selected as creative score similar to students, as to the perception of their own creativity, and to their peers, as to effectiveness. Teaching creatively is seen by its agents as the search for doing things better, and if the communication process is successful, that attempt is perceived by the students as creative. This research demonstrates that creativity lies not in the teacher, nor in the student, but in the interaction between the two.
Key words
Personal constructs, correspondence analysis, effective teaching, innovation, Kelly’s personal construct theory, creative teaching, creativity, grid, role.
Mindaugas Misiūnas
Kaunas College
Internal quality assurance system and its implementation in Kaunas college
Abstract
The article discusses the internal system of quality assurance and its implementation methods in Kaunas College. The issues of quality assurance are reviewed in the context of the European higher education area covering the three levels: European, national and institutional. The importance of quality assurance and its links with external evaluation in Kaunas College is highlighted. The significance of quality culture in an organization is emphasized.
Key words
Higher education institution internal quality assurance system, college, total quality management, ISO 9001, self-assessment, self-analysis, stakeholders.
Viktoras Senčila, Ingrida Skiparienė
Lithuanian Maritime College
Application of ISO 9000 series quality management strandarts at a higher education institution: a case of Lithuanian maritime college
Abstract
The European education standards assurance and pursuit of quality in education have been announced as strategic aims of the Lithuanian education system in the light of new challenges the society is facing and opportunities offered by democracy, development of market economy and globalization.
One of the ways to achieve the aims mentioned above is the implementation of ISO 9000 (International Organization for Standardization) series standards in higher education institutions. The key aim of the standards is to recommend for an organization how an efficient quality management system should be developed to encourage through its functioning continual development of an organization.
The article overviews specific quality requirements for marine training, the development of ISO series standards is discussed, concepts and structures of contemporary quality management systems based on ISO regulations are analysed. The peculiarities of the application of the standards in a tertiary school are revealed and description of the quality management system and its application experience at the Lithuanian Maritime College is presented.
Key words
Quality management, quality management system, management system, quality assurance, quality control.
Inga Juknytė-Petreikienė, Kęstutis Pukelis
College of Social Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University
Quality assessment of internationalised studies: experience of Socrates / Erasmus programme participants
Abstract
The article discusses theoretical preconditions of added value of internationalized studies for students’ knowledge and skills development in the area of professional training within the system of higher education. The premise is formulated that the value and quality of academic exchange is possible to assess grounding on the research into international exchange participants’ experience. Such kind of research should become an integral component of the system of study quality assessment and could contribute to quality assessment and development of higher education institution internationalization. The article presents research results on ERASMUS students, representing 13 countries attitude to the impact of international dimension in studies on development of their competencies. The research into ERASMUS students’ view revealed: 1) students’ motives to experience internationalized studies; 2) students’ attitude concerning added value of internationalized studies for their personal development and acquisition of subject knowledge and skills; 3) reasons presented by students explaining the necessity to internationalise higher education. Aiming at validating the applied value of research into exchange students’ experience for the value and quality assessment of international academic exchange, some criteria and indicators of quality assessment of higher education internationalization are formulated.
Key words
Academic competencies, open mindedness, internationalised studies, quality of internationalised studies, criteria of internationalised studies, indicators of internationalized studies, stakeholders, intercultural competencies.