Abstract
This chapter focuses on the problem of assessing the quality of higher education. It has been identified that the quality assessment of higher education consists of external and internal assessment of educational services quality. External assessment of educational services quality is carried out by all economic entities that are consumers. Internal assessment of educational services quality should be carried out by the university itself. For these purposes, the university develops a quality management system and organizes a department responsible for organizing and monitoring the quality of educational services. Internal assessment of educational services quality includes such parameters as the quality of student training and the quality of teaching at university. A rating assessment of students' knowledge is developed at university to control the quality of students' training. A rating assessment of the university academic staff is carried out to maintain the quality of teaching.
TopBackground
In 1993, the American Association for Higher Education developed nine principles that are used to assess students' knowledge in higher educational institutions (Wright, 1993). Assessment of students' knowledge is carried out not for the sake of quantitative measurement, but is aimed at creating a more complete and accurate picture of learning. It allows you to compare the result of educational activities with the original goal (Knowing what students know: The science and design of educational assessment, 2001). In the United States, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2013 proposed an identical assessment for schoolchildren achievements in each state (NCES, 2013). The level of knowledge in a limited number of disciplines is assessed: math, reading, writing. Other subjects may be assessed additionally (NRC, 2001).
Griffin, McGaw, & Care (2012) in his article drew attention to the changes that occurred in countries with developed economies. Information and communication technologies change the nature of work and impose new requirements to the knowledge and skills of employees. An article by Gui (2014), Chen (2014) is devoted to assessing the performance of university teachers. The articles show that an in-depth evaluation of university teachers’ activities involves the use of comprehensive assessment. Multi-factor decision-making method can be used to assess the quality of teaching. University administration plays a leading role in the management of teaching quality.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Qualimetry: A scientific discipline which studies the problems and the methodology of comprehensive quantitative assessment of the quality of an object of any nature (objects, processes, animate, inanimate objects, etc.). The term was proposed in 1968 by a group of Soviet scientists headed by V. V. Azgaldov.
Teachers’ Rating: Individual numerical indicator of assessing the achievements of a teacher.
Students’ Rating: Individual student performance in points.
Image-Building Publications and Speeches: Written or oral presentations by academic staff members in the mass media: printed periodicals, online publications, TV channels, radio channels, television programs, radio programs, video programs, and newsreel programs. Speaking as an expert, a representative of the university sharing comments, analytical information or other statements that serve to increase awareness and strengthen the positive image and reputation of the university.
Progress Check: Establishes the depth and completeness of knowledge, skills and abilities (competencies) of students upon completion of one disciplinary module.
RSCI: The Russian Science Citation Index is a national bibliographic database of scientific citation, which features more than 12 million publications by Russian scientists as well as information on the citing of these publications. Official website: https://elibrary.ru
Rating System: The organization of the process of mastering an educational program, in which the content of each academic discipline is structured into separate parts (sections, topics) and students’ knowledge and skills (skills development) are regularly checked during the semester (training modules).
Academic Year: At Russian universities begins on September, 1 of the current year and ends in early July of the next year. For example, the academic year is September 1, 2018 to July 6, 2019.
Creative Rating: Evaluates the creative approach to the performance of academic work by a student.
Cumulative Rating: The sum of the student’s (group’s) academic ratings; calculated based on the results of each summer and winter exam session.
Ratings: The process of identifying the rating.
Semester: Half the school year. There is a fall semester from September, 1 of the current year to January of the next year and the spring semester from February, 7 of the current year to July of the current year. For example, the fall semester is September 1, 2018 to January 25, 2019; spring semester – February 7, 2019 to July 6, 2019.
Midterm Academic Assessment: Control of knowledge, skills and abilities (competencies), developed by the discipline, conducted in the form of a test (test with a grade), an exam or defense of a term paper.
Current Control: Determines the degree of mastering by students of the theoretical and practical part of the curriculum during the study of the disciplinary module.