Quality Assurance in Teacher Education in Sweden
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This document summarizes Björn Åstrand's research on quality assurance in Swedish teacher education. [1] It examines the methods, elements, processes and consequences of QA at the national and institutional levels through document analysis and questionnaires. [2] Preliminary results show Swedish institutions apply similar QA elements regardless of profile, which may indicate an external inspection focus over local development. [3] Further analysis will relate student and alumni questionnaires to local QA approaches and examine if competence and a research-based quality culture have improved over time.
Quality Assurance in Teacher Education in Sweden
- 1. Quality Assurance in Swedish Teacher Education: inspection or enhancement? “We do not spontaneously learn that we don't learn that we don't learn” Nassim Nicholas Taleb The Black Swan, p xxvi Björn Åstrand Umeå University ECER Helsinki 2010-08-27
- 2. A comparative study of QA in Teacher Education, focus on: •Methods – elements – processes • consequences •National/institutional levels •Document analysis •Questionnaires to students •Questionnaires to and interviews with TEI, deans, stakeholders etc •Work in progress
- 3. Swedish study utilizes: Questionnaire to 9700 students who Questionnaire to graduated 2007/08 Analysis of documents TEI/deans (ongoing) (results public in September) National evaluation National evaluation Applications for 2004 2007 accreditation Self-evaluation Self-evaluation reports 2010 reports
- 4. Diversity of QA systems/elements Framework 1: External vs internal Mandatory – voluntary Primary vs secondary activities Top-down vs bottom-up Type of bodies in charge Profile of evaluators
- 5. Swedish Teacher Education – diverse institutions Framework 2: Seize Weight within institution In growth - decrease Profile: general - specialized Context: Urban – agrarian-industrial Organizational setting etc How are their approach to QA related to institutional profile?
- 6. Example of diversity of TE institutions: seize
- 8. QA instruments in use according to self-evaluation reports (2007): • QA plan for teacher education • Course evaluations /mid course evaluation • Semester evaluations/mid semester evaluation • Program evaluations /mid program evaluation • Collegial evaluations (internal) • Collegial evaluations (external) • Internal surveys • Utilization of national/international information for benchmarking • Collaboration with other HEI on QA • Questionnaires to students • Questionnaires to former students/alumna
- 10. Tentative results from the first analysis of self-evaluation reports (2007): Swedish TE applies in general same QA elements regardless institutional profile. A possible conclusion would be that institutions only conduct and report what's demanded of them (external inspection) and that there is no time left to advance quality by building a culture of QA. A concern would be the that mainstreaming results in system producing information more relevant for control than local development Next: •How will results from questionnaires to students (alumna) relate to local QA approach? •Will coming analysis of reports from 2004 and applications from 2010 indicate that the competence in handling QA systems have improved and will that relate to outcome of programs or QA as second level activity? •Will there be indications in applications from 2010 on the development of a research based Q-culture?
- 11. Thank you! bjorn.astrand@use.umu.se Umeå School of Education http://www.use.umu.se/english/?languageId=1