This study focuses on the composition of guidelines for the effective
assessment of lecturers - hence the emphasis is on the principle that
assessment may be regarded as indispensable for professional development
and for making a meaningful contribution towards ensuring quality in the context
of the National Qualification framework.
To this end a literature study was firstly undertaken regarding the nature of and
criteria for effective assessment. The literature indicated that a variety of
changes took place in South Africa since 1994, amongst others in the area of
education, training and development. There have been numerous debates
about this on stages and in political council halls, schools, colleges, technikons,
universities, the press and the general workplace. Often the debates also
centred on the low levels of competence and performance of workers in South
Africa. Sometimes even the abilities, competence and performance levels of
graduates and diplomandi have been questioned. In the context of these doubts
people started investigating the role played by higher education, and more
specifically lecturers, in ensuring that competent human resources leave the
higher education environment for the professional world. As a result the
purposeful assessment of lecturers has been identified as imperative.
Furthermore, certain important factors that may influence the nature of and
criteria for assessment, are discussed in this study. These include, amongst
others, issues such as the education and training system, outcomes-based
education and training, competence, knowledge escalation, the assessment of
competence arid performance, the professional development of the lecturer, the
concept assessment, the relation between assessment and ensuring quality,
Bloom's taxonomy, different assessment instruments, the management of
quality and the appointment of lecturers.
The assessment of lecturers is viewed from a development-oriented
perspective, where the focus is on continuous assessment that may be
beneficial for individual, professional and organisational development. It is
shown that a variety of qualitative and quantitative assessment instruments may
be optimalised during formative as well as summative assessment, with which
the training, needs, abilities, skills, competencies, capacity and performance of
lecturers may be determined. The assessment of lecturers is regarded as a
contributing factor in delivering and ensuring quality. It is also shown that the
process should be undertaken in a managerial manner in order to continuously
promote quality.
Thereupon a discussion of assessment practices follows. In this discussion the
focus is on the roles of lecturers in government-supported higher education
institutions. The discussion is guided by the context which is determined by the
implementation of the principles of the National Qualification Framework. A
number of actors are identified who are directly or indirectly involved in the
assessment of lecturers' competencies, outputs and performance in the higher
education environment. It is also indicated that the implementation of the
National Qualification Framework is guided by a number of legislations of which
government-supported higher education institutions must give account in the
performing of their tasks and functions.
From literature it is clear that countries like the United Kingdom, the USA,
Australia and New Zealand use assessment practices to ensure quality in the
higher education environment. The role of the lecturer in that process is
highlighted, and it is indicated that the assessment of the lecturer is indirectly
addressed in the process.
An empirical study was performed to establish, in the first instance, whether
lecturers have been subjected to effective and appropriate training regarding
the implementation of the National Qualification Framework. The second
objective of the empirical study was to identify the implications of the
assessment of lecturers attached to government-subsidised or public higher
education institutions for all stakeholders.
It is found in this study that a distinction should be made between the
competence and performance assessment of lecturers. In addition it is indicated
that the competence certification of lecturers must be regarded as imperative in
order to facilitate performance-oriented functioning in the higher education
environment. It is also found that lecturers must to a large extent cope with the
process of giving account of all the new legislations and resulting expectations -
sometimes under great pressure and amidst uncertainty and insufficient
competence levels because of inadequate training, assessment and feedback.
As a result lecturers do not experience the implementation of the National
Qualification Framework as effective.
In order to accommodate the changed and changing environment of the higher
education sector, a conceptual model is composed to serve as a guide for the
assessment of lecturers. In this model it is indicated that systems being
developed for the assessment of lecturers should make provision for and
account for a variety of factors, such as quality, primary and secondary actors,
legislation, and the abilities, skills, competencies, capacity and performance
levels of lecturers, assessment instruments, proactive, reactive, formative,
summative, qualitative and quantitative assessment interventions. The
synchronization and purposeful structuring of these factors may make a
contribution towards creating a context which is beneficial to the professional
development of the lecturer and consequently to performance in the higher
education system. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/10414 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Jacobsz, Johannes Marthinus |
| Publisher | Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Language | other |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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