Continuous Quality Improvement in Higher Education

Abstract

SummaryHigher education faces a new era as a result of changes in the way people view colleges and universities. Expectations for better performance in terms of teaching and producing competent college graduates are increasing. One model for higher education is the success of many companies that have bettered their overall performance and products using "total quality management" (TQM). TQM is primarily concerned with increasing customer satisfaction through an integrated framework that examines the relationships between various systemwide elements and makes data-driven decisions to reduce errors and waste in processes. To do this, managers must create an environment in which employees take joy and pride in their work and are empowered to make changes. This paper examines the need for continuous quality improvement in higher education; the role of academic statisticians in changes in higher education; some of the strategies and techniques colleges and universities are employing related to TQM at college and department levels; what individual instructors can do in terms of making improvements in higher education; and the role and importance of a personal quality vision in such an overall effort for organizational change. In addition, it is the authors' intent that the paper be a source for ideas about improving teaching and ways to think about issues related to TQM on campus.

Using Six Sigma for performance improvement in business curriculum: A case study

“…We view this as an initial investigation in using DMAIC to assess and improve curriculum. The literature has a number of cases employing continuous improvement strategies in institutions of higher education in nonacademic areas (Hogg & Hogg, 1995;Hargrove & Burge, 2002). Stevenson and Mergen (2006) discuss the desirability of including Six Sigma thinking in an undergraduate business curriculum, whereas Weinstein, Castellano, Petrick, and Vokurka (2008) describe an approach used to direct MBA students through Six Sigma process improvement projects.…”

“…TQM methodology used in industry focuses on customer satisfaction through an integrated framework that examines the relationships between various systemwide elements and makes data-driven decisions to reduce errors and waste in processes. According to Hogg and Hogg (1995), TQM can help universities find solutions because it stresses continuous improvement of processes and products by listening to the stakeholders: students, faculty, employers, and others. Wild (1995) reported, "There is now a growing realization that TQM may also provide us with guidelines for transforming the way that we do business, the way that we do our own jobs.…”

“…And for a significant proportion of us, a large part of that business is the teaching of students" (p. 50). Hogg and Hogg (1995) provide examples of the implementation of CQI for nonacademic as well as for academic improvements in colleges and universities. However, they note that the academic side of CQI in higher education faces more resistance to its implementation: faculty individualism, academic freedom, and treating students as customers, among others, pose unique challenges.…”

Framework assessment for costs of poor quality in higher education processes

“…Author [4] wrote on the continuous quality improvement in higher education in which their work examines the need for continuous quality improvement in higher education; the role of academic statisticians in changes in higher education; some of the strategies and techniques colleges and universities are employing related to total quality management (TQM) at college and department levels; what individual instructors can do in terms of making improvements in higher education; and the role and importance of a personal quality vision in such an overall effort for organizational change with a view of improving quality teaching.…”

Institutionalizing Continuous Improvement Plan in an Engineering Technology Department - Closing the Loop

“…The tools were used for analysis and it begun with Ishikawa and Pareto in While others have attempted to present a serialized model based upon PDCA derived from six-sigma methodology, very few comprehensive models for assessment and continuous improvement have been published. 8,[11][12] It should be emphasized that a realistic model for assessment and continuous improvement must be dynamic and be able to evolve as learning and improvements take place. At the same time it should incorporate data from various assessment tools to continuously assess attainment of learning outcomes.…”