Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo que possui como tema central a acreditação segundo a norma ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 e os esforços dispendidos por laboratórios de ensaio e calibração para sua obtenção. O objetivo principal foi facilitar a implantação da norma ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 em laboratórios de ensaio interessados em obter tal reconhecimento. O trabalho foi organizado conforme três artigos. No primeiro, foi estruturado um método de padronização de ensaios que atende aos requisitos da norma vinculados à seleção e validação de métodos e pode auxiliar os laboratórios a obter a acreditação almejada. No segundo, foram propostas diretrizes para criação, estruturação e acreditação de sistemas de gestão da qualidade que visem o atendimento dos requisitos da norma referida. No terceiro, foram identificados os impactos que requisitos listados pela norma ABNT NBR ISO 14971 e pela Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada (RDC) 16 da Anvisa, de 28 de Março de 2013, podem provocar em laboratórios de ensaio e calibração de equipamentos. Os resultados indicaram que são utilizados, predominantemente, critérios quantificáveis nas etapas que compõem o ciclo de vida de métodos de ensaio. Além disto, foi destacado que diretrizes como “treinar envolvidos em ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025” e “avaliar o Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade (SGQ) estruturado” podem contribuir para que sejam minimizadas as não conformidades identificadas durante a verificação a ser realizada pelo organismo acreditador. Posteriormente, foi identificado que o desenvolvimento de métodos de ensaio se relaciona diretamente com as demandas dos clientes dos laboratórios. Por fim, foi destacado que as principais dificuldades enfrentadas pelos laboratórios de ensaio e calibração estão relacionadas com a estruturação física e com o processo de estruturação do SGQ desses laboratórios. / This thesis reports a study whose central theme is ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, and the efforts to be exerted by testing and calibration laboratories to obtain it. The main objective was to facilitate the implantation of ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 requirements in laboratories which seeks such recognition. The work was organized in terms of three articles. In the first, a test standardization method is described which meets the requirements specified for the selection and validation of methods, and which can help laboratories to obtain the desired accreditation. In the second, guidelines are proposed for the creation, definition of structural form and accreditation of quality management systems set up to meet the specified requirements. The third identifies the impacts which ABNT NBR ISO 14971 and RDC 16 from Anvisa, of 28 March 2013, can have on laboratories that undertake tests and calibration of equipment. The results show that the criteria used in the steps which make up the life-cycles of testing procedures are primarily quantitative. It is also emphasized that meeting requirements such as "training those involved in ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025" and "evaluate performance of the structured Quality Management System (QMS)" can contribute by minimizing the occurrence of failures to meet required specifications when the certifying body conducts its assessment. It was also found that the development of testing methods is directly related to the demands of clients served by the laboratories. Lastly, it was found that the main difficulties encountered by testing and calibration laboratories are related to the way in which their QMSs was established, and to their physical structure.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-03-30T16:14:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Monique Lustosa Pinto.pdf: 1006719 bytes, checksum: 6222e5aa286c842c4c4b5e0542b00430 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-30T16:14:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monique Lustosa Pinto.pdf: 1006719 bytes, checksum: 6222e5aa286c842c4c4b5e0542b00430 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-03 / Health care has been continuously revolutionize, with advancements and developments in scientific and technological knowledge in the dental field. The health compared with the business, has a fledgling tradition of public management. The lessons from industry on organizational development, psychological and social science disciplines have emerged as health professionals collaborate, coordinate and interact with patients, and how these aspects could be improve, in addition such perceptions and penetrate the quality management. Accreditation is an educational strategy that seeks to bring affordable and practical way the logic of quality with continuous improvement to health care organizations and thereby ensure a more qualified assistance to the population. The scarcity of information on accreditation in the field of dentistry motivated this study, which aims to analyze the perception of the dentist on accreditation in dentistry. Accreditation assesses the safety of care processes for patients and professionals working in organizations. To achieve the objective of the research were first collected secondary data in the literature on the topic quality and accreditation. Secondly, interviews were conduct with dentists. The interview was conduct following a script to ask related to the professional knowledge about quality management and accreditation. They interviewed 120 professionals working in 40 individual offices, 40 dental clinics and 40 health clinics. The results of the analysis technique used was content analysis. With the study noted that few professionals know the concept of accreditation and its importance. Do not exhibit the respondent’s homogeneity in our understanding, applicability, need and process utility, with an ambiguous and inconsistent reflection on the positive and negative points. / A atenção à saúde tem sido continuamente revolucionada, com os avanços e desenvolvimentos no conhecimento científico e tecnológico na área odontológica. A área da saúde comparada com a empresarial, possui uma tradição incipiente em termos de gestão. As lições advindas da indústria sobre desenvolvimento organizacional, psicológico e disciplinas das ciências sociais vêm destacando como os profissionais de saúde colaboram, coordenam e interagem com os pacientes, e como tais aspectos podem ser melhorados, ao acrescer tais percepções e penetrar na gestão da qualidade. A acreditação é uma estratégia educativa que busca levar de forma acessível e prática a lógica da qualidade, com a melhoria continua para as organizações de saúde e com isso garantir uma assistência mais qualificada para a população. A escassez de informações sobre a acreditação na área da odontologia motivou esse estudo, que tem como objetivo analisar a percepção do cirurgião dentista sobre acreditação na odontologia. A acreditação avalia a segurança dos processos assistenciais para os pacientes e profissionais que trabalham nas organizações. Para alcançar o objetivo da pesquisa, primeiramente foram coletados dados secundários na literatura referente ao tema qualidade e acreditação. Num segundo momento foram realizadas entrevistas com cirurgiões dentistas. A entrevista foi realizada seguindo um roteiro com perguntas relacionadas ao conhecimento do profissional sobre gestão da qualidade e acreditação. Foram entrevistados 120 profissionais, 40 atuantes em consultórios individuais, 40 clínicas odontológicas e 40 em clínicas de saúde. A técnica de análise dos resultados utilizada foi a análise de conteúdo. Com o estudo observa que poucos profissionais conhecem o conceito de acreditação e sua importância. Não apresentam os entrevistados homogeneidade quanto ao entendimento, aplicabilidade, necessidade e utilidade do processo, com uma reflexão ambígua e incongruente sobre os pontos positivos e negativos.

Cette recherche évalue si l’intégration du programme d’agrément MIRE (Mesures implantées pour le renouveau de l’évaluation) d’Agrément Canada, anciennement Conseil canadien d’agrément des services de santé, engendre du changement et de l’apprentissage organisationnel. Elle étudie le cas de deux organismes de santé, la Health Authority of Anguilla (HAA) et la Ca’ Foncella Opetale de Treviso (CFOT). La recherche comporte trois niveaux d’analyse pour lesquels des données qualitatives et quantitatives ont été recueillies : 1) les membres des équipes d’agrément; 2) les équipes d’agrément; 3) l’organisme dans son ensemble. Des questionnaires individuels administrés aux membres des équipes, des entretiens semi-structurés avec les chefs des équipes et les coordonnateurs de la qualité, une revue de documentation et plusieurs mesures périodiques du niveau de compliance aux normes MIRE ont été les techniques de collecte de données utilisées. Les résultats indiquent que les organismes ont opéré des transformations : 1) stratégiques; 2) de l’organisation; 3) des relations avec son environnement. Ils ont amélioré leurs systèmes et leurs pratiques de gestion de même que leurs communications internes et externes. Il y a eu aussi des apprentissages utiles par les individus, les équipes et les organismes. Les apprentissages individuels concernaient les programmes qualité, l’approche centrée sur la clientèle, la gestion des risques, l’éthique professionnelle, la gestion participative et l’évaluation des services. Les étapes « autoévaluation » et « apporter des améliorations et donner suite aux recommandations » du cycle d’agrément ont contribué le plus au changement et à l’apprentissage organisationnel. Les équipes interdisciplinaires d’agrément ont été le véhicule privilégié pour réaliser ces changements et ces apprentissages. La HAA et la CFOT ont amélioré progressivement leur niveau de compliance aux normes dans toutes les dimensions de la qualité, au niveau des équipes d’agrément et pour l’ensemble de l’organisation. Néanmoins, l’amélioration du niveau global de compliance était en deçà de la limite minimum des exigences du programme pour l’obtention d’un statut d’agrément sans restrictions importantes. L’envergure des changements et des apprentissages réalisés soulève la question de la capacité des organismes d’institutionnaliser ces nouvelles connaissances. La CFOT pourrait y arriver étant donné les ressources et les compétences à sa disposition. / This research assesses whether integration of Accreditation Canada’s (previously known as Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation) AIM (Achieving Improved Measurement) accreditation program brings about change and organizational learning. It studies the case of two health organizations: the Health Authority of Anguilla (HAA) and the Ca’ Foncella Opetale de Treviso (CFOT). The research consists of three levels of analysis for which qualitative and quantitative data were gathered: (1) members of the accreditation teams; (2) the accreditation teams; (3) the organization as a whole. The techniques used to collect data consisted of individual questionnaires administered to team members, semi-formal interviews with team leaders and quality coordinators, a review of documentation and several periodic measurements of compliance with the AIM standards were the techniques used. The findings indicate that the organizations made strategic, organizational and relational changes. They improved their systems and management practices as well as their internal and external communications. There was also useful learning by individuals, teams and the organizations. Individual learning involved quality programs, the client-focused approach, risk management, professional ethics, participatory management and assessment of services. The “self-assessment” and “make improvements and implement the recommendations” stages of the accreditation cycle contributed the most to change and organizational learning. The interdisciplinary accreditation teams were the preferred vehicle for achieving these changes and this learning. The HAA and CFOT have gradually improved their level of compliance with the standards in all quality dimensions, both at the accreditation team level and throughout the organization. However, improvement in the overall compliance level was below the program’s minimum requirements to obtain accreditation status without major restrictions. The scope of the changes and learning achieved raises the issue of the capacity of organizations to formalize this new knowledge throughout the organization. CFOT might achieve this given the resources and skills available to it

This study identified the practices and procedures of instruction that is being implemented by group counseling instructors at CACREP-accredited institutions. A survey questionnaire developed by the researcher was used to gather data from 160 CACREP-accredited counseling units across the United States. The survey was designed to collect input from group instructors on how the didactic, practicum, and experiential components of the master's level group course are being implemented. Three assumptions were made in conducting this study: 1.) The majority of master's level group instructors will report that they use a didactic component in preparing students to become effective group leaders, 2.) The majority of master's level group instructors will report that they use an experiential component in preparing students to become effective group leaders, and 3.) The majority of master's level group instructors will report that they use a practicum component in preparing students to become effective group leaders. The survey questionnaire and, consequently, the results were divided into the respective sections of didactic, experiential, and practicum. The results indicated that each of these components were utilized in the instruction of master's level group courses.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Sociology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The debate on decentralisation has intensified on various global platforms wherein both developed and developing countries demonstrate interest in the subject. It is acknowledged by scholars and practitioners in the fields of social sciences and management sciences that decentralisation increases power and authority in sub-national governments. In the South African context, the Constitution of the Republic South Africa (RSA) (Section 156(4)) provides that functions such as the housing function must be assigned to local government. The Municipal Accreditation Programme as implemented by the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) is a classic case of decentralising (delegating and devolving) the housing function from one sphere of government to another in South Africa (DHS, 2012). Regardless of the constitutional provision for decentralisation, the challenge encountered is that the provincial sphere of government is unwilling to delegate and devolve the housing function to local government. As such, a scientific investigation was more than likely to unearth some of the reasons for the unwillingness and challenges affecting the Accreditation Programme in order to provide possible solutions and policy recommendations regarding the problem identified. The purpose of the study was to explore the challenges and perceptions on decentralising the housing function to the local government in South Africa using the case of the Accreditation Programme. The study was anchored by the Weberian Theory of Bureaucracy and Rationalisation. Also, Peter Evans’s embedded thesis was utilised as ancillary to Weberian theory. A qualitative research study was conducted wherein an exploratory case study design was adopted. Purposive sampling was utilised to single out relevant participants for the research problem identified. Interviews were conducted to gather data and thematic data analysis was utilised to analyse data. Besides the solutions provided which are more on the applied dimension for the empirical contribution of the study, this study also provides a theoretical contribution by suggesting some fundamental basis of a Weberian developmental state theory in the South African context. The empirical and theoretical contribution that this study provides address the researcher’s quest to contribute in generating knowledge on the subject of decentralisation. / Department of Human Settlements (DHS)

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2006. / This thesis explores the responses of higher education to the national imperative to implement Recognition of Prior Learning. It makes use of a mixed methods mode of research to explore this phenomenon at three sites of higher education delivery in KwaZulu-Natal. The research investigates how these three institutions have responded to the imperative at an institutional level, in terms of policy development, organisational structures and philosophical approach. It also looks at academic staff perceptions of RPL policy and implementation and its successfulness in terms of the integration of RPL into the curriculum, the capacity of the curriculum to facilitate the assessment of RPL and the extent to which it has been implemented within the higher education system. It identifies the articulation of national policy on RPL as one of the factors that impacts on successful implementation. In so doing, barriers to the successful implementation of RPL are also identified and explored. These barriers include epistemological, material and systemic barriers. However, it also seeks to elicit the benefits that higher education sees in implementing RPL, both in terms of fulfilling the goals of higher education and in terms of the benefits for the national economic imperatives and the skills development initiative. Ultimately, the research attempts to establish the extent to which RPL has been institutionalised within the institutions in terms of a set of indicators as identified by the researcher. / University of Zululand

In 2012, the Missouri Board of Education took away Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) accreditation status. For over 40 years, KCPS has struggled with poor academic achievement, decreased enrollment and budget, and numerous leadership turnovers. Although KCPS regained provisional accreditation in 2014 and earned enough points on the annual performance report for consideration to become a fully accredited school system, state education officials first want to ensure that the district can sustain its new performance level before granting full accreditation. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore parents' perceptions about how the KCPS' parent involvement policy and practices can be improved to better engage parents in their children's education and assist the school district in regaining and sustaining its full accreditation. Putnam's social capital theory served as the theoretical foundation of this study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with a snowball sample of 21 parents, 7 from each school. Data were analyzed through Braun and Clarke's 6 phases of thematic analysis. Findings indicated the need for school personnel to be more welcoming to visiting parents, creating afterhours activities for working parents, increasing points of contact between parents and school personnel, teachers investing more time and effort in students, and school personnel making more efforts to keep parents informed. The implications for positive social change are directed at KCPS policymakers, school district leaders, teachers, and staff members as findings can be used to develop and improve policies and practices geared towards improving parents' involvement, which may help KCPS to regain and sustain full accreditation.

Despite attention given to the increasing diversity in higher education, greater barriers to college access and degree attainment exist for many minoritized groups in comparison to dominant groups. Research illustrates that campus climate for diversity, a systemic concept, plays a critical role in the success of minoritized groups. Additionally, institutional accreditation is a critical process, and it may be a catalyst for systemic change. However, there is little research on the relationship between the regional accreditation process and institutional change, with even less research on the impact of accreditation on campus climate for diversity. To address this gap in literature, this study utilized a descriptive qualitative methodology with three main sources of data for analysis—eight semi-structured interviews with accreditation liaison officers (ALOs), the Institutional Report, and the WSCUC site team visit report for each study participant campus. Data were analyzed using the multicontextual model for diverse learning environments, a multidimensional model for campus climate for diversity. Significant themes related to accreditation and institutional change in general included a focus on other mechanisms of change, a clear relationship between WSCUC accreditation and institutional change, and the need to consider mediating factors during the WSCUC process. Inconsistency related to the WSCUC Equity and Inclusion Policy, ALO skepticism about this possible relationship, and a lack of multicontextual emphasis emerged as themes related to campus climate for diversity. This study provides many practical recommendations to better leverage the accreditation process for positive institutional change—especially changes related to campus climate for diversity.

No description available.

The focus of this research was to complete a micro-examination of professional education course content related to classroom management and student motivation in approximately 24 traditional teacher preparation programs (TTPP) drawn from the eight of the10 largest teacher-producing states. Programs of study, course descriptions from the school catalogs, course syllabi, and student teaching handbooks or field guides for professional education courses were analyzed to determine what, if any, knowledge voids existed within selected programs designed to serve preservice teachers. Specifically, the researcher investigated materials to discover the depth and breadth of the professional education course content related to classroom management and student motivation offered to preservice teachers during their higher education undergraduate experience. The findings of the study have documented that a common practice in the programs reviewed was to infuse the content of each key topic, classroom management or student motivation, into other professional education course work. This practice serves to diminish the depth and breadth of the professional course content presented to the preservice teachers which, in turn, dramatically increases the risk of the development of a knowledge void.