Intrinsic appraisal of quality in region1
Islamic Azad Universities, Iran
1. Eisa Amiri,
department of Education, Islamic Azad University, Lamerd Branch, Iran.
2. D.r Seyed Ahmad Hashemi
PhD, Lamerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran Hmd_hashemi@yahoo.com
3. Abolfazl Abbasi
M.A Student Educational Management, shiraz university, and Employee Education, Larestan. Iran A.Abolfazl1369@yahoo.com
Abstract
Present research investigates intrinsic quality in region1 Islamic Azad Universities and presents a pattern to improve quality of universities. In present research, we appraise professors, and students, ideas about educational, administrative-financial, student, research and cultural factors. Present research is survey- descriptive. Its statistical society consists of 78440 students of undergraduate study fields in region1 Islamic Azad Universities in 2011-2012. The sample equals 382 students. We selected them based on Cochran formula and by using cluster random sampling. The data collected by one questionnaire that is made by the researcher based on liker’s spectrum. Questionnaire used after determination of their validity and stability (students 0.84) by the specialists. The analysis of data carried out using descriptive statistics (frequency, the percent of frequency, mean, skew, median, and standard deviation), inferential statistics (T-test and one-side variance analysis in significant level 0.05) and SPSS software. The results of research show that:
1) In students, opinion, the efficacy of student, research programs is lower than average, the efficacy of educational programs is average and the efficacy of cultural and administrative –financial programs is higher than average.
Keywords: Intrinsic appraisal, students, region1 Islamic Azad Universities
Introduction:
Government and nations notice higher education as key institution. Obtaining technology and advanced knowledge can have effective role in the realization and acceleration of economic and social movement. This object will achieve with higher education reinforcement and its qualitative and quantitative programing (Farokh Nezhad ,2006). In fact, university is a cycle that is the producer and supportive of national innovations system (Bill, 2004). Universities role in the production of human capital can cause development (Effron2005).
Nowadays, one of the universities challenges is quality purport (Girtz, 2005), so we need to appraise it. Appraisal of higher education is a systematic analysis process that improves the quality of higher education programs or institutions. This type of appraisal carries out using Intrinsic and extrinsic appraisal (Vlasceanu, 2007, Harvey2002). The discussion of quality, Intrinsic and extrinsic, is fundamental object that modern university notice on a regular basis (d Andrea.c and Gosling.d 2005). Quality in higher education includes all activities such as education, research, employee, students, facilities and equipment, services to society and university. We should notice all of elements such as input, output, process, product, outcome (Bazargan,2002) to improve the quality of higher education based on organizational elements pattern. Appraisal should provide the better organizational motivation base (Greer, 2000). In intrinsic appraisal, university appraises itself in order to "self-appraisal in mirror" and recognizes itself power and weak aspects and corrects weaknesses. This appraisal is first step to improve educational quality, and educational center members (group, college and university) can plan to have better future based on the recognition of facilities, weaknesses, opportunity, threats (bazargan,2012). Jacson (2001), expresses that intrinsic appraisal is a method to recognize and carry out things intellectually, so we can apply this attitude to improve method or performance. Arnoldlov (2005) quote from El-Khawss (2007:82) defines intrinsic appraisal in this form:" intrinsic appraisal is type of experimental researches that support planned alternation and organizational improvement. Intrinsic appraisal role not only is problem analysis and presentation of solution but also is mistakes correction and implementation of presenting solution to solve weaknesses.
Many researches carried out that present research investigates some researches. Ahmadi (2005), in his research "The intrinsic appraisal of the quality of Tehran university environment engineering group" appraised many factors such as the management and organizing of group, students, teaching-learning process, implemented educational course, the facilities and equipment of educational and research. The result of his research showed that the management and organizing of group and implemented educational course were partly desirable and students, teaching-learning process and the facilities and equipment of educational and research were desirable. Farokh nezhad (2006), in his doctoral dissertation appraised the quality of intrinsic and extrinsic of the master and doctoral courses of the groups of educational management, educational psychology and sociology in Shiraz University. The results of his research showed that there are partly desirable situation in this university. Alvez and Vieira (2006), in their research investigated the services quality of higher education institute in Portugal and understood that the management and organizing of group, students, teaching-learning process, implemented educational course, the facilities and equipment of educational and research had partly desirable situation at these universities and faculty members and students appraised in desirable level. Yilmaz et al (2007), investigated the services quality of higher education systems in two Turkey universities and appraised 7 factors. In this appraisal, the management and organizing of group, students, teaching-learning process had desirable situation, but students didn’t satisfy of themselves situation. The general results of the validation of 3000 colleges until 2002 in America showed that the results of the 10 criterion of validation had partly desirable situation in 2003.
Latrob University in 1994 appraised feedback relevant to curriculum dialects, facilities and equipment, the management of educational group, research and financial problems at different course. The results of appraisal showed that facilities, equipment and financial problems had desirable level and research, curriculums, the management of educational group and faculty had partly desirable level. At the end, they presented methods to improve (Sim, 2001:72).
Intrinsic appraisal is a method to increase higher education quality, so this research introduces questions relevant to the intrinsic appraisal of quality in region1 Islamic Azad Universities:
1. How do students of undergraduate study appraise the efficacy of presenting programs in region1 Islamic Azad Universities?
Research method:
Present research is survey- descriptive in type of goal, application and the method of data collection. In present research, statistical society consists of student’s undergraduate study in region1 Islamic Azad Universities in 2011-2012. The sample selected based on Cochran formula and by using cluster random sampling. Society and sample size are given in table 1.
Table 1: The statistical society and sample size of research
The data collection instrument is a questionnaire that is made by researcher. Questionnaire includes 36 questions that investigates students, ideas about educational, administrative-financial, student, research and cultural components. Specialists determined the apparent and content validity of questionnaire. Research carried out two weeks apart among 30 students and questionnaire stability appraised by using the coefficient of Ceronbakh Alpha 0.84. The analysis of data carried out using descriptive statistics (frequency, the percent of frequency, mean, skew, median, and standard deviation), inferential statistics (T-test and one-side variance analysis in significant level 0.05) and SPSS software.
The result of research:
a) Investigation of the appraisal of programs efficacy in undergraduate study Islamic Azad Universities:
Statistical indexes (frequency, the percent of frequency, mean, skew, median,mod ,standard deviation) each component are given in table 2, 3
Table 2: The results of the descriptive analysis of components (students, opinion)
Table 3: The appraisal of programs efficacy in undergraduate study Islamic Azad Universities.
Table 2, 3 show that students, opinion about administrative-financial and cultural components has tendency toward above average, and students, opinion about student and research components has tendency toward below average. Skew values determine this attitudes tendency, also many students appraise educational components (close to average). We used one-side single-sampling T-test to investigate the significant of attitudes tendency. Based on likers spectrum is allotted rank 3 to average, so average value each component is compared with constant value 3. The results are given in table 4.
Table 4: The result of T-test relevant to students
According to T-test results in table 4, test is meaningful in two cases and isn’t meaningful for the rest of cases and we can’t accept this hypothesis that average is higher than 3, so we can say that average of ideas about administrative-financial and cultural components is higher than value 3 (higher than average) and average of ideas about the rest of components is lower than or close to average.
Conclusion:
The results of the appraisal of educational programs efficacy show that the efficacy of educational programs is close to average in region1 Islamic Azad Universities, in students, opinion. The results of present research are in accordance with Ahmadi,s (2005), Farokh nezhad,s (2006), Lim,s (2001), America validation organization(2003), Alovz,s and Viera,s (2006) researches that were appraised nearly average and aren’t in accordance with Araste ,s, Sobhani Nezhad ,s and Homai ,s(2008), researches that was appraised higher than average and Yilmaz et al (2007), that was appraised lower than average. Students appraised the performance of administrative-financial programs higher than average in regin1 Islamic Azad Universities. This object can attract students to regin1 Islamic Azad Universities. The result of research is in accordance with Lm,s (2001), Yilmaz,s et al (2007), researches that were appraised higher than average and isn’t in accordance with America validation organization (2003), Alovz,s and viera,s (2006) researches.
Students appraised the performance of cultural programs higher than average in regin1 Islamic Azad Universities and students, opinion relevant to this component show that regin1Islamic Azad Universities have effective role in this base. We should exactly plan due to necessity of cultural performance in Iran Islamic society. The result of research isn’t in accordance with Mohamadi,s (2003) researches.
Students appraised the performance of student programs of the lower than average in regin1Islamic Azad Universities and students, opinion relevant to this component show that universities have low activities in this case, so regin1Islamic Azad Universities should plan to provide better services for students. The result of research isn’t in accordance with Farokh Nezhad,s (2006) and Yilmaz,s et al (2007), researches that were appraised higher than average.
Students appraised the performance of student programs lower than average in regin1 Islamic Azad Universities and students, opinion relevant to this component show that regin1 Islamic Azad Universities have effective role in this base and they need to revise themselves activities. The result of research isn’t in accordance with Farokh Nezhad,s (2006), Mohamadi,s (2003) , America validation organization (2003), Ahmadi,s (2005), researches.