Creating Core Competencies and Workload-Based Key Outcome Indicators of University Lecturers’ Performance Assessment: Functional Analysis

Abstract

This research aims to create and validate the quality of performance assessment using functional analysis. The researchers employed a design-based research method to create core competencies and their workload-based key outcome indicators as a preliminary study encompassing two phases, before formulating a standards-setting appraisal model to assess university lecturers in a public university, Thailand. The researchers began with documentary research to identify core competencies of university lecturers from three clusters of educational programs, namely science and technology, health science, and humanities and social sciences. An innovative prototype of university lecturers’ core competencies was developed based on the obtained results from the first phase. A total of five experts and 17 users participated to validate the quality of the innovative prototype. The preliminary results reveal that there are four core competencies of university lecturers, namely teaching, research, academic service, and preserving arts and culture. Moreover, there are 13 workload-based key outcome indicators and 27 elements that resulted from the four core competencies related to the specific research university in the Thai context. Moreover, the quantitative results of the content validity index from the rating scales of the five experts indicate that the conformity index is 0.78 or higher. However, the qualitative interview results regarding the 17 users from four focus groups imply that there is a gap regarding the accuracy of current performance appraisal between lecturers’ core competencies and their actual workload. Therefore, the dean should make the necessary adjustments based on the context.

Rasch Analysis for Standards-Setting Appraisal of Competency Level-Based Performance on the Part of Instructors in Higher Education

“…In applying Rasch's model to instructor performance assessment, every item has an imagined location on the measured variable (Masters, 2005). The quality of the instructor performance assessment results was analyzed using the Rasch model analysis ACER Conquest 2.0 program (Wu et al, 2007).…”

“…When test data conform to the Rasch model, the relative difficulties of two items can be estimated by using any group of people without regard to their abilities or other characteristics. Making multiple pairwise comparisons of this kind makes it possible to estimate the relative locations of several items on the measurement variable (Masters, 2005). In short, Rasch analysis is an approximation characterized as a logistic function by only considering the ability (θ ) and the difficulty value.…”

“…Higher education instructors represent a specialized group of employees and the intellectual elite of a nation because they are a model of erudition and permanent progress that can be used for the benefit of society as a whole (Blašková et al, 2014;Nongna et al, 2021). It is supported by Tan et al (2019), who highlighted the challenge currently faced by higher education institutions with regard to improving instructors' teaching and other relevant core competencies to enhance student's learning process.…”

“…In general, instructor performance assessment in this research university comprises two major components, namely, 70% work achievement and 30% behavioral assessment (Khon Kaen University, 2015, Nongna et al, 2021. Instructor performance assessment mainly focuses on the operational competencies encompassing service mind, expertise, achievement motivation, teamwork, and integrity, as indicated in the guidelines published by the Thailand Civil Service Commission in 2011 (Office of the Higher Education Commission, 2018).…”