The purpose of this dissertation was twofold. First, the study sought to determine if the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) Reading score predicts success on the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET). Second, the study addressed the effect on individuals of color of raising the minimum TASP Reading score entrance requirement for admission to teacher preparation programs. Data were collected from the ExCET Office of a Carnegie I metropolitan university. The defined sample consisted of 961 participants who had a TASP Reading score and had taken an Elementary Comprehensive ExCET, an Elementary Professional Development ExCET or a Secondary Professional ExCET between September 1999 and January 2001. Linear Regression, Box Test, Predictive Discriminate Analysis, and frequency distribution tables were used for analyses. This investigation examined the effects of the independent variable of TASP Reading score on the performance of participants on the dependent variable, the ExCET. Four null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance. The TASP Reading score was a statistically significant predictor for success on the Elementary Comprehensive ExCET, Elementary Professional Development ExCET, and the Secondary Professional Development ExCET. However, the Predictive Discriminate Analysis indicated that a TASP Reading score of 220 predicted that no candidates would fail the Elementary Comprehensive ExCET, 6 participants would fail the Elementary Professional Development ExCET and 19 participants would fail the Secondary Professional Development ExCET. Five hypotheses addressed the effect of raising the TASP Reading score to 250. Findings of four hypotheses showed that raising this admission standard would impact the number of individuals of color granted admission to the teacher preparation program. These results call for the recommendation that governing agencies address the impact of state teacher education program accreditation that often results in the policy of relying on the TASP Reading score as one of the primary admission standards for teacher education programs. The unintended outcome of raising the reading admission standard in the anticipation of continued state accreditation is a noticeable loss of candidates of colors, especially African American candidates.

The aim of this thesis is to outline the development and current situation of the interpreting profession in China. It places particular emphasis on interpreter training at chinese universities, interpreters accreditations, professional organizations and the formation of interpreting theory and training as an autonomous discipline. The beginnings of the conference interpreting profession in China date back to 1979, when the UN Training Programme for Interpreters and Translators was launched. In 1994 this programme was transformed into the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, which became the first interpreter training institution in China. In 2006 the first three universities launched a BA in Translation and Interpreting (BTI). In 2007 fifteen universities started offering anew Master's programme in Translation and Interpreting (MTI). Currently, the number of universities offering BTI has more than doubled and the number of universities offering MTI has reached 150. Several universities offer also PhD programmes in interpreting studies. Interpreting studies are gradually developing into an autonomous discipline in China and monographs of representative Chinese researchers, e.g. Liu Heping, Bao Gang or Wang Binhua, attest to it. Most of Chinese...

This thesis deals with the issue of educating helath workers. It describes mainly the legal framework of current situation and touches also the aspects of adults' education, humen resources and the educational system. Based on the teoretical knowledges there is built the methodology for creating educational plan in Hospital Pelhrimov followed by recommendations.

Quality assurance is increasingly becoming an important aspect of higher education institutions in developing countries, as expressed in the development of relevant policies, structures and systems at national and institutional levels. This thesis critically examines the nature of quality assurance policies and practices in selected universities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as the factors that shape these policies. Through a close examination of these policies and practices, the thesis explains why some universities realise better quality than others, even though they fall within the same geographical region and share relatively similar historical legacies. Although this study was largely qualitative, it did not preclude quantitative dimensions. Integrating the two approaches made it possible not only to triangulate data, but also to engage in multidimensional analysis of some of the phenomena under investigation. While debates in the literature locate quality assurance within internal and external discourses, this does not sufficiently explain the tensions that were observed amongst the various stakeholders within institutions, especially between management and academic staff. The manner in which institutional policies were developed, the role academic staff played in the process, and the reporting lines associated with institutional quality assurance arrangements, are reflected in staff perceptions on whether or not they regarded the policies as internal to the academic community and the extent to which they own the policies. The main contribution of this thesis to debates on quality assurance is its revelation of the complexities that arise in institutional policy making as a result of the highly differentiated nature of the academy. This aspect points at the need for institutions to pay particular care in adopting most appropriate strategies that privilege the organic development of policies within institutions. On the whole, institutions were mainly preoccupied with developing quality assurance policies and systems that are comparable to international standards, hence the heavy reliance on external/international expertise in doing so. Whilst this is not necessarily a iii bad thing, the quality assurance systems that were developed did not take into account the contextual peculiarities of the studied institutions. A direct consequence of this was the development of policies and mechanisms that are more concerned with standardisation of procedures than with enhancement of academic practice. Such quality assurance systems have not resulted in the self-improvement of institutions. The establishment of quality assurance policies and the putting in place of structures and procedures are necessary but not sufficient conditions for enhancing academic practice in universities.

É um dever dos profissionais que trabalham na área de mensuração discutir os temas que envolvem a manutenção/calibração de instrumentos geodésicos em ambiente laboratorial e o uso de padrões específicos voltados para as áreas de instrumentação e de Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade. Para isso, é importante mencionar as normas ISO 17123:2001, NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ABNT NBR ISO 9001:2000 e os métodos compactos para laboratório voltados para testar estações totais e instrumentos EDM. Neste contexto, o principal objetivo desta pesquisa é discutir os temas relacionados à manutenção/calibração de instrumentos geodésicos em laboratório, mostrando a importância da implantação do Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade (SGQ). Também são discutidas as vantagens decorrentes desta implantação, bem como a organização estrutural e de pessoal para tal sistema, apresentando as normas específicas usadas para a realização de trabalhos em agrimensura. Para compreender melhor a temática da dissertação foram pesquisados alguns laboratórios internacionais que trabalham com a manutenção/calibração de instrumentos geodésicos, que são acreditados pela norma ISO 17025:2005, são certificados pelas normas ISO 9001:2000 e realizam os seus procedimentos de acordo com os requisitos da norma ISO 17123:2001. Dessa forma, as avaliações sobre a estrutura organizacional do laboratório, a estrutura de pessoal e o SGQ implantado, foram realizadas de forma mais segura. Os laboratórios pesquisados realizam suas atividades de acordo com os requisitos das normas ISO 9001:2000, ISO 17025:2005 e ISO 17123, garantindo qualidade aos trabalhos nos laboratórios. A calibração realizada de forma correta e regular contribui para a promoção da qualidade das atividades nos laboratórios. / It is the duty of professionals working in the area of measurement discuss issues involving the maintenance/calibration of geodesic instruments in the laboratory and the use of specific standards directed to the areas of instrumentation and Quality Management System. Therefore, it is important to dimensional standards ISO 17123:2001, ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ISO 9001:2000 and compact laboratory methods aimed at testing EDM instruments and total stations. In this context, the main objective of this research is to discuss issues related to maintenance/calibration of geodetic instruments in the laboratory, showing the importance of implementing the Quality Management System (QMS). Also discussed are advantages of this deployment, as well as the structural organization and personnel for such a system, with specific standards used to perform work in surveying. To better understand the theme of the thesis were searched some international laboratories that work with the maintenance/calibration of geodetic instruments, which are accredited to ISO 17025:2005 are certified by ISO 9001:2000 and realize their procedures in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17123:2001. Thus, the ratings on the organizational structure of the laboratory, the personnel structure and quality management system in place, were held more securely. The laboratories surveyed perform their activities in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:2005 and ISO 17123, ensuring quality to work in laboratories. The calibration performed correctly and regularly contributes to the promotion of quality activities in the laboratories.

Introdução: A gestão da qualidade é um imperativo para as instituições de saúde que almejam sobreviver ao mercado globalizado e competitivo. O programa de acreditação hospitalar é uma metodologia de avaliação voluntária, periódica e educativa utilizada para garantir a qualidade da assistência por meio de padrões previamente definidos. O centro cirúrgico é um setor complexo em que a equipe de enfermagem desempenha um papel importante na melhoria dos processos em busca da excelência. Objetivos: Analisar a acreditação hospitalar no centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário, sob a ótica da equipe de enfermagem, nas dimensões avaliativas de estrutura, processo e resultado, e identificar os fatores intervenientes da acreditação, de acordo com modelo Donabediano. Método: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório-descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, realizado no centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário no interior do Estado de São Paulo. A população constou de 69 profissionais de enfermagem e a coleta de dados ocorreu nos meses de Janeiro e Fevereiro de 2014, por meio de um questionário, empregando-se uma escala de Likert. Os dados foram analisados em função dos índices percentuais e testes estatísticos específicos. O instrumento mostrou-se confiável para a população estudada, sendo o valor obtido de Alpha de Cronbach igual a 0,812. Resultados: Na caracterização dos sujeitos, verificou-se que 76,8% pertenciam ao sexo feminino, 17% eram enfermeiros, 19% auxiliares de enfermagem e 64% eram técnicos de enfermagem, sendo uma equipe predominantemente adulta. Na dimensão de estrutura os sujeitos demonstraram percepção favorável aos aspectos do centro cirúrgico referentes à aquisição de equipamentos, aos investimentos realizados na estrutura física e ao custo financeiro para a instituição que se propõe a participar de um programa de acreditação. Na dimensão processo a maioria reconhece o treinamento admissional, considera que houve uniformização das práticas e condutas na equipe de enfermagem e que o enfermeiro supervisiona o processo de qualidade. Avaliou-se a participação da equipe no protocolo de cirurgia segura, sendo os cirurgiões os profissionais com menor adesão. No que tange à dimensão de resultado, os participantes concordaram que foi obtida maior visibilidade para o hospital após a conquista da certificação, que houve aumento na segurança proporcionada aos pacientes e que os indicadores são usados na gestão do setor. Não houve consenso referente ao aumento de punições no setor após o processo de acreditação. Na comparação das três dimensões, a que obteve maior escore de favorabilidade foi a de resultado, média de 47,12 (dp± 7,23), e a menor foi de estrutura, média de 40,70 (dp± 5,19), com diferença estatisticamente significante. Conclusões: Esperamos contribuir para a melhoria dos serviços de saúde, principalmente disponibilizando uma fonte a mais de literatura específica do centro cirúrgico. Este diagnóstico situacional irá subsidiar a reestruturação dos pontos vulneráveis avaliados nas três dimensões, sobretudo os da dimensão de estrutura, auxiliando o setor no propósito da certificação ONA nível II. / Introduction: The quality management is an imperative for the health institutions that aim to survive in the globalized and competitive market. The hospital accreditation program is a methodology of volunteer, periodic and educative assessment utilized to ensure the quality of the assistance by means of previously defined patterns. The surgical center is a complex sector where the nursing team performs an important role in the improvement of the processes in pursuit of the excellence. Objectives: Analyze the hospital accreditation in the surgical center of a teaching hospital, from the perspective of the nursing team, in the evaluative dimensions of structure, process and result, and identify the intervening factors of the accreditation, based on the Donabedian model. Method: This is an exploratory-descriptive study, of quantitative approach, conducted in the surgical center of a teaching hospital at the interior of the São Paulo state. The population consisted of 69 nursing professionals and the data collection occurred in January and February 2014, through a questionnaire, using a Likert scale. The data were analyzed in terms of percentage rates and specific statistical tests. The instrument has proved reliable for the studied population, and the value of Cronbach\'s Alpha obtained was equal to 0.812. Results: Regarding the characterization of the subjects, it was verified that 76.8% were female, 17% were nurses, 19% were nursing assistants and 64% were nursing technicians, consisting of a predominantly adult team. In the dimension of structure, the subjects demonstrated favorable perception of the surgical center\'s aspects related to the acquisition of equipment, the investments in the physical structure and the financial cost to the institution that proposes to participate of an accreditation program. In the dimension of process, the majority acknowledges the admission training and considers that there was a standardization of the practices and conducts of the nursing team and that the nurse supervises the quality process. It was assessed the team\'s participation in the secure surgery protocol, considering the surgeons as the professionals with lower adhesion. Regarding the dimension of result, the participants agreed that the hospital obtained higher visibility after the certification was achieved, that there was an increase in the security provided to the patients and that the indicators are used in the sector\'s management. There was no consensus referring to the increase of punishments in the sector after the accreditation process. In comparing the three dimensions, the result obtained the highest favorability score, average of 47.12 (SD ± 7.23), and the structure obtained the lowest, average of 40.70 (SD ± 5.19), with a statistically significant difference. Conclusions: We hope to contribute with the improvement of the health services, mainly providing an additional source of specific literature of the surgical center. This situational diagnosis will subsidize the restructuring of the vulnerable points assessed in the three dimensions, especially regarding structure, supporting the sector in the purpose of the level II ONA certification

<b>Background:</b> External Quality Assessment assesses the quality of the structures, processes and outcomes of health facilities using pre-determined standards. South Africa is introducing a national policy on External Quality Assessment, operationalised by a newly established External Quality Assessment agency: the Office of Health Standards Compliance. This thesis seeks to answer three research questions: What is the relationship between External Quality Assessment and patient outcomes (specifically Healthcare Associated Infections) at the specialist-care facility level in South Africa? What are the facilitators of and barriers to health facility performance (i.e. attainment of compliance with standards) in External Quality Assessment at the district hospital level in South Africa? What has been the experience of External Quality Assessment by frontline healthcare workers at the district hospital level in South Africa? <b>Methods:</b> Three systematic literature reviews are conducted that attempt to identify the existing evidence base for the above-mentioned research questions in the international literature. A convergent parallel mixed methods design is used to answer the research questions, comprising an Interrupted Time Series Analysis and a multiple embedded case study of two pairs of health facilities that had undergone External Quality Assessment by the Office of Health Standards Compliance. The Interrupted Time Series Analysis assesses whether an effectiveness relationship can be demonstrated between External Quality Assessment and the Healthcare Associated Infection Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in eight South African specialist-care hospitals using monthly MRSA data from 2004 to 2014. MRSA is used in this thesis as the proxy patient outcome indicator. In order to answer research questions two and three, I participated in a district hospital External Quality Assessment as a participant observer as well as conducted fifteen in-depth interviews with healthcare workers from two pairs of district hospitals and thirteen in-depth interviews with Office of Health Standards Compliance inspectors. These findings are triangulated with health facility External Quality Assessment reports. <b>Results:</b> No conclusive evidence is found of a relationship between implementation of External Quality Assessment and changes in MRSA. The major theoretical lenses drawn from in the analysis of the qualitative findings are systems thinking theory and regulatory theory. The qualitative research suggests that facilitators of performance in External Quality Assessment in South Africa include strong directional leadership within health facilities, a collaborative organisational culture, a whole systems approach, staff development, incentives, a robust information system and a supportive External Quality Assessment agency. The research also identifies poor alignment of External Quality Assessment standards, under-developed and limited human resources, inadequate decision-making space afforded to district hospital leadership, limited financial resources, the use of penalties and negative staff perceptions of External Quality Assessment as barriers to health facility performance in External Quality Assessment. In unpacking the experiences of South African healthcare workers of External Quality Assessment, this research finds that the work of the Office of Health Standards Compliance is valued by healthcare workers as a potential educational opportunity and is useful in providing the health system with a means to compare health facilities using a standardised tool. The implementation of the Office of Health Standards Compliance's External Quality Assessments requires significant improvement and, in their current form, they have potential unintended negative consequences on healthcare worker motivation as well as potentially, inadvertently encouraging the gaming of External Quality Assessment. <b>Conclusion:</b> The Office of Health Standards Compliance is being set up in such a way that once fully established it will be the primary regulator of quality of care in the South African health system. This thesis attempts to identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of this largely under-researched health system intervention and to contribute to strengthening its implementation.

A temática das Redes de Agências de Acreditação e Avaliação da Qualidade da Educação Superior surge no contexto da internacionalização, da cooperação e do movimento de integração entre os países. Como uma consequência da Sociedade do Conhecimento no mundo contemporâneo, este contexto tem fomentado o estabelecimento de relações de cooperação e troca de informações sobre avaliação das universidades na América Latina, através de Redes. Este cenário marcou a existência do objeto de estudo. Compreender perspectivas democráticas construídas no interior dos movimentos de Redes e como se tecem as relações de forças no seu interior, privilegiando possíveis tramas de resistência a modelos de avaliação da educação superior hegemônicos com foco nas Redes de Agências de Acreditação e Avaliação da Qualidade da Educação Superior na América Latina,foi o objeto da tese.As opções metodológicas incluíram a seleção de duas redes, Riaces e Rana, a escolha intencional de sujeitos respondentes dentre seus gestores e especialistas, a técnica de coleta de dados através da produção de narrativas dos sujeitos e a construção de um mapa conceitual da categoria democracia dentro de uma concepção contra hegemônica (Sousa Santos,2003; 2008). A análise interpretativa dos dados permitiu identificar o exercício de uma forma de democracia que representa a tomada de decisões em alinhamento com grupos determinantes no poder,dentre os quais outras redes de avaliação internacionais,em que o processo de decisão e participação nas decisões resume-se a consolidar concepções hegemônicas que não reconhecem a perspectiva do local. Neste sentido, a questão democracia,pode entender-se como um pensar que parece ser ingênuo, não havendo sido encontrados traços de compatibilidade com uma democracia de forte intensidade (Barber, 2003). Parece ser uma forma de democracia que representaria o mascaramento do poder invisível (Bobbio, 1986), servindo ao fortalecimento do capital. As teias de um possível pensar democrático sustentando “rupturas”, presentes no discurso dos atores dos movimentos de Redes de Agências de Acreditação e Avaliação da Qualidade,mostram vozes que levam a repensar e rediscutir as dinâmicas de uma democracia. Uma democracia forte, com participação efetiva e igualitária, respeitando as diversidades culturais e a heterogeneidade dos povos que constituem a região, impondo a liberdade de expressão como condição para a autonomia, parece distante do contexto analisado. / The thematic of Networks of Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Agencies arises in the context of internationalization, cooperation and integration movement between countries. As a Knowledge Society consequence in the contemporary world, this context has fostered the establishment of cooperative relations and information exchange over the universities evaluation in Latin America. This scene marked the thesis. The study aimed to understand the democratic perspectives built within networks movements as well as the woven relationships of forces conducting possible plots of resistance to hegemonic higher education evaluation models focusing on Networks of Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Agencies. The methodological options included the selection of two networks, Riaces and Rana, the intentional selection of respondents among their managers and specialists, the technique of data collection through the production of subjects' narratives and the construction of a conceptual map of the category democracy in an antihegemonic conception (Sousa Santos, 2003; 2008). The interpretative analysis of the data allowed to identify the exercise of a form of democracy that represents decision-making in alignment with determining groups in power, including other international evaluation networks, where the decision-making process and participation in decisions sums up to consolidate hegemonic conceptions that do not recognize the local perspectives. In this sense, the issue of democracy can be understood as a kind of naïve thinking. No traces of compatibility with a strong democracy have been found (Barber, 2003). It seems to be a form of democracy that would represent the masking of an invisible power (Bobbio, 1986), serving to capital strengthening. The webs of a possible democratic thinking sustaining "ruptures"in the discourse of the networks of Accreditation and Quality Evaluation actors, are showing voices that lead to re-thinking and re-discussing the democracy dynamics. A strong democracy, with effective and equal participation, respecting the cultural diversities and heterogeneity of the peoples which constitute the region, imposing freedom of expression as a condition for autonomy, seems to be no existent.

Os ensaios de proficiência têm sido utilizados, por laboratórios de ensaio e calibração acreditados sob a norma ISO/IEC 17025 (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories), como principal mecanismo para garantia da qualidade de seus resultados. Além de atender a um requisito normativo, a participação satisfatória neste tipo de atividade é utilizada, por organismos acreditadores, como condição à obtenção e manutenção da acreditação. Entretanto, existe uma carência por provedores de ensaios de proficiência acreditados de acordo com a norma ISO/IEC 17043 (Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing), o que causa dificuldades aos laboratórios. Esta dissertação teve como objetivo analisar a viabilidade de que laboratórios acreditados à ISO/IEC 17025 atuem, simultaneamente, como provedores de ensaios de proficiência, acreditados à ISO/IEC 17043. Para isso, foram estabelecidas as relações entre os itens das normas, identificadas e analisadas as exigências adicionais e adaptações necessárias no sistema de gestão, identificados os potenciais conflitos de interesses e estabelecidas propostas de atendimento para cada item normativo afetado. Os artigos que constituem esta pesquisa foram validados por um grupo de especialistas na área da metrologia, sendo as suas opiniões consideradas nos estudos realizados. Conclui-se, ao final, que a atuação simultânea proposta é viável, exigindo adaptações no sistema de gestão e procedimentos complementares referentes à confidencialidade e à imparcialidade. Como resultado prático, espera-se minimizar a carência por este serviço, sem comprometer sua confiabilidade. / Proficiency tests have been used by testing and calibration laboratories accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories) as the main mechanism for assuring the quality of their results. Besides attending to a normative requirement, the satisfactory participation in this kind of activity is used by accreditation bodies as a condition to obtaining and maintaining the accreditation. However, there is a lack of proficiency testing providers accredited according to the ISO/IEC 17043 standard (Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing), which causes laboratories to have difficulties. This thesis had as its goal to analyze the viability of laboratories accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 acting simultaneously as proficiency testing providers, accredited to the ISO/IEC 17043. For that, relations between the items of both standards have been established, additional requirements and necessary adaptations in the management system have been identified and analyzed, potential conflicts of interest have been identified and solutions have been proposed for each normative item. A group of experts in the field of metrology validated the articles that constitute this research and their opinions have been considered in the studies. At the end, the conclusion was that the proposed simultaneous acting is viable, requiring adaptations in the management system and complementary procedures referring to confidentiality and impartiality. As a practical result, it is hoped to minimize the shortage for this kind of service, without compromising its reliability.

A implementação de Sistemas de Gestão da Qualidade (SGQ) em laboratórios de ensaio de instituições de ensino e pesquisa, com fins de acreditação conforme norma ISO/IEC 17025, demanda abordagens que atendam às características típicas deste tipo de ambiente. A necessidade de conciliar as atividades de ensino, pesquisa e prestação de serviços de ensaio, a falta de foco no cliente e a presença de pessoal temporário, bem como a ausência de publicações mais específicas e detalhadas a este respeito, dificultam e até impedem iniciativas neste sentido. Um dos objetivos desta pesquisa foi propor soluções para as principais dificuldades encontradas durante a implementação de um SGQ realizada em dois laboratórios de ensaio da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, através do relato e da análise deste processo. Baseado no estudo dos casos mencionados, foi proposto um método para a implementação de um SGQ de acordo com norma ISO/IEC 17025 e a acreditação de laboratórios de ensaio de instituições de ensino e pesquisa. A proposta apresenta a descrição das principais etapas, incorpora uma abordagem de gestão por processos e estabelece indicadores de desempenho vinculados aos objetivos do SGQ, adotando soluções criativas para atender às características e às necessidades dos laboratórios destas instituições. / The implementation of Quality Management Systems (QMS) in test laboratories of teaching and research institutions, with the purpose of accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 standard, requires approaches that meet the typical characteristics of this type of environment. The need to reconcile teaching, research and testing services, the lack of customer focus and the presence of temporary staff, as well as the absence of more specific and detailed publications on this subject, difficult or even prevent some initiatives. One of the objectives of this study was the proposition of solutions to solve the major problems encountered during the QMS implementation conducted in two laboratories at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, through the reporting and analysis of this process. Based on this case, a method to implement a QMS according to ISO/IEC 17025 in test laboratories of teaching and research institutions was proposed. This proposal presents the main steps description, incorporates a process approach and establishes performance indicators related to the objectives of the QMS. It also adopts creative solutions to meet the characteristics and needs of these institutions’ laboratories.