INCREASING THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHING PROCESS BY IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AT A SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

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1 INCREASING THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHING PROCESS BY IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AT A SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL Jaroslav Jambor 1 1 Jaroslav Jambor, Dubnica Institute of Technology in Dubnica nad Vahom, Sladkovicova 533/20, Dubnica nad Vahom, Slovakia j.jambor@mail.t-com.sk Abstract: The auor analyzed in his article e improvement, quality of teaching and quality of education at schools by e means of introducing e philosophy of Total Quality Management (TQM) at a secondary technical school, as discussed. The current process of implementing e systems of quality management into schools in Europe and in e USA has been analysed. Auor targeted e system of quality management applied in Hungary. The Hungarian system is called Comenius 2000 Quality Improvement Programme for School Education. The present model is based on e Institutional Model I of e Comenius 2000 Quality Improvement Programme for school Education and is an extension ereof. Its implementation can only be successful if e institution has already met e requirements of e Institutional Model I or it starts to implement e Institutional Model II by aiming a partner-focused way of inking and operation. Therefore, e aim of e present model is to provide assistance in e development and implementation of a quality management system, concerning all areas of an educational institution. The next part of e article deals wi e possibility of implementation e philosophy of TQM into Slovak schools. The secondary technical school in e town of Dubnica nad Vahom was appointed e first school where e TQM model and its effectiveness has been verified an proved. A model of improving e quality of teaching and school education is discussed. By e implementation of e given patterns e school as an institution is able to manage: - to control its processes, improve continuously e controlled processes based on e partners expectations (customers), develop consciously and improve continuously e institutional culture based on e expectations of all stakeholders participants in e every day life of eir school. Steps of implementing TQM (Model I) were as follows: - Self-evaluation of e school - Customer identification - To map requirements and to map customer satisfaction - Requirements analysis and satisfaction of customers

2 - Designate target and working-out of action plans (PLAN) - Implementation of e action plans (DO) - Measurement and evaluation of improvement process (CHECK) - Process improvement (ACT) We defined our targets and verified our hypoesis rough empirical experiment. We described e research meods, experimental circumstances, respondents group, e subject and place of experiment and e procedures. Then we carried out bo quantitative and qualitative analysis of our findings and results. The results of our pedagogical experiment have shown higher quality of teaching technical subjects by using philosophy TQM. At e last part of article Auors included some advice for e quality teaching process while using e TQM philosophy in teaching and educational process. The article benefit is for e quality improvement of e teaching process. When e TQM is introduced into e school management e school will became competitive in market of education. We defined our targets and verified our hypoesis rough empirical experiment. We described e research meods, experimental circumstances, respondents group, e subject and place of experiment and e procedures. Next we carried out bo quantitative and qualitative analysis of our findings and results. The results of our pedagogical experiment have shown a higher quality of teaching technical subjects by using e philosophy of TQM. At e last part of article e auors have included some advice for e quality teaching process while using e TQM philosophy in teaching and e educational process. The article gives benefit to e improvement of e quality relating to e teaching process. When e TQM is introduced into e school management, e school will become competitive in e field of education. Keywords: quality management, improvement, customer, quality of teaching process, quality of education, Total Quality Management, European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) 1. Introduction Meods of quality management can be used to make a self-diagnostic and to formulate points for e improvement of processes. The basic model for improving e quality of higher education has been derived from e EFQM model at intends to disseminate and stimulate e Total Quality Management philosophy roughout Europe. Managers of secondary schools obtained rough e above meodology, e implementation of TQM philosophy as an important tool for continuous improvement of schools and e processes. As a result, we will have more students interested in studying at a particular school, based on more students receiving school education rough vouchers and more funds for running schools. This paper describes e procedure of verifying and implementing e TQM philosophy in order to ensure an improved quality in education and e teaching process. The practical application of e TQM philosophy was tested on a secondary industrial school called SPS Dubnica nad Vahom.

3 2. Quality Characteristics and principles of TQM philosophy in high school Schools or oer educational organizations need to apply e philosophy of TQM (Total Quality Management), is at e heart of "quality". The requirement is e need or expectation at is generally expected or required [1, p. 18]. Quality in is sense means to meet e requirements of external and internal customers - partners (student, teacher, parent, employer or e purchaser of services and training). It follows at e quality of e content is dynamically changing. The objective of TQM is erefore continuously improving e service. The school, which applies e philosophy of TQM is considered an improving system which is eliminating eir weaknesses and errors based on e feedback of students, teachers, parents, or ose who fund e education. Ensuring an appropriate quality of industrial products is considered to be an obvious requirement.. Basic quality assurance systems in education can be presented in e following areas: a) Quality Assessment b) Quality Assurance c) Total Quality Management [3]. The core processes are: e teaching process, secondary processes such as teacher training, and management processes [6]. The challenge is to continually improve ese individually.. The key principles of TQM philosophy, which can be applied to secondary schools are, customer satisfaction - Partner, continuous process improvement, activity of all associates and objective information (Fig. 1). PRINCIPLES of TQM Customer satisfaction Continual improvement Activity staff Objective information TOP MANAGEMENT SCHOOL Figure 1: Basic principles of TQM [2] The implementation of TQM philosophy of e mentioned principles should be modified to use e EFQM Excellence Model for self-assessment of schools in order to determine e strengs and weaknesses, opportunities and reats using SWOT

4 analysis. The Deming PDCA cycle is used in order to continuously improve e quality of schools, is is composed of e following successive operations [3]: - Determination of objectives, priorities and drawn up action plans (Plan). - Implementation of action plans (Do). - Measuring and improving e evaluation process (Check). - Enhancement and process improvement (Act). 3. Internal evaluation of e school and system access to e educational process For self-assessment, institutions can use e EFQM Excellence Model. Its latest version was developed in 1999 and is shown in Figure 2 below: PLAN DO CHECK 3. People 9 % 7. People satisfaction 9 % 1. Leadership 10 % 2. Policy and strategy 8 % 4. Resources 9 % 5. Management of processes 14 % 6. Customer satisfaction 6 % 8. Impact on society 20 % 9. Business results 15 % Organization Results Feedback ACT Figure 2: The EFQM Excellence Model, version of 1999 [4] One of e alternatives in implementing e school self-evaluation is e application of e modified EFQM Excellence Model. Self-assessment by e EFQM Excellence is performed in e following areas: st 1 Management School nd 2 School policy and strategy rd 3 The management of school staff 4 Resource management 5 Process management - management of capital (learning) process, support and management processes 6 Partner Satisfaction 7 Satisfaction of school staff 8 The impact of e school to its surroundings (e company) 9 The results of teaching and non-teaching activities [4] Based on e self-assessment area it is agreed at priority should be improved.

5 4. Empirical research The research was to evaluate e quality of teaching specialist technical subjects rough analysis of e views of students and school staff when implementing TQM in teaching at e school. This was compared wi e conventional system at was previously used. The main research meod was a natural pedagogical (educational) experiment. Oer meods are e meod of interview, questionnaire meod, didactic tests, analysis of school documents and statistical meods. 4.1 Research Hypoeses The main hypoesis was determined by dividing it into a working hypoesis. The main hypoesis H: Implementation of e philosophy of TQM at a school will increase e satisfaction of partners (customers) wi e process of teaching technical subjects. The main hypoesis H has been divided into a working hypoeses: H1 - Following e introduction of TQM philosophy students will have a better experimental group relationship regarding e teaching of technical (profile) vocational subjects as students in e control group. H2 - The implementation of TQM philosophy will improve e climate in e school (school atmosphere) between e school staff (teaching and non-teaching) and also between internal partners (customers). H3 - The implementation of TQM philosophy in a school so e learning process will improve e learning outcomes (study average). Experimental group students in e second half of e experimental group achieve better academic results an e control group students in technical (profile) vocational subjects. H4 - Unexcused absence for e teaching of technical vocational subjects Experimental research was conducted under normal conditions of school practice. The research was carried out wi internal and external customers of e Secondary School in Dubnica nad Vahom. 4.2 Action Research The research was divided into two parts. The first part of e research was focused on school self-evaluation rough e EFQM Excellence Model in e philosophy of TQM. In it we raised e needs and requirements of partners wiin e school and especially in e educational process. The second part of e research was focused on an area at needs improvement as a first priority. Steps of implementing TQM were as follows: - Self-evaluation of school - Customer identification - To map requirements and to map customer satisfaction - Requirements analysis and satisfaction of customers - Designation of target and working-out of action plans (PLAN) - Implementation of e action plans (DO) - Measurement and evaluation of improvement process (CHECK) - Process improvement (ACT)

6 We defined our targets and verified our hypoesis rough empirical experiment. We described e research meods, experimental circumstances, respondents,e subject and place of e experiment togeer wi e procedures. We carried out bo quantitative and qualitative analysis of our findings and results. 5. Results and recommendations for practice Research has indicated at e quality of e teaching process and us also e quality of education can also increase e application of TQM philosophy. Based on experience and research findings, it must be noted at e development and implementation of e philosophy and system in terms of a school is quite timeconsuming and financially demanding. Empirical research has e working hypoesis H1 and H2 at selected levels of significance (0.05). Secondary hypoeses H3 and H4 were not at selected levels of significance (0.05). Verification of e hypoeses is summarized below: Table 1: Summary of verification of hypoeses The meod of obtaining e facts H1 Questionnaire for students Level of significance The validity of e Hypoesis 0,05 Hypoesis H2 Questionnaire for staff 0,05 Hypoesis H3 Didactic test 0,05 Hypoesis is not H4 Analysis of school documents 0,05 Hypoesis is not Assessed value Relationship to e teaching of technical vocational subjects School climate Study results Unexcused absence for e teaching of technical vocational subjects Based on e current state of research problems e carried out educational experiments suggest e following recommendations to improve e quality of e learning process and e quality of schools: - applied in teaching partnership between teachers and students where e student is considered a partner, respectively. e customer (external customer), - periodically checks for student satisfaction wi a quality learning process questionnaire meod and real requirements to implement e learning process, - provision of continual training and education of teachers and non-teaching staff in e field of quality management systems and TQM philosophy, - delegation of some decision-making powers for teachers to be involved in decision-making process and e improvement of schools at e appropriate level, - to ensure an appropriate school climate and to elimination e problem areas which we will be regularly monitored to increase e satisfaction of school employees,

7 - appropriate motivation and encouragement of employees to get actively involved in e implementation of TQM philosophy, e success is e satisfaction of e partner schools (e customer) internal and external, - develop a guide for teachers in efficient utilization of teaching tools, - use teaching material resources in accordance wi e requirements of e organizations for which students are trained, - to conduct regular self-evaluation by schools EFQM Excellence Model to detect opportunities for improving e quality of schools, - to publish experience and e positive results achieved in e implementation of TQM philosophy regarding e school togeer wi a resulting increase in quality of education at secondary school. 6. Conclusion The paper aimed to present a concrete experience of improving e quality of schools and e educational process of vocational subjects in a secondary school by e revised meodology of applying e philosophy of total quality management (TQM). TQM philosophy can be used in e management and support processes of schools. Each school would have developed its own quality management system, which would apply to all proceedings pending at e school, is would include all school staff [5]. This school will ensure quality of customer service. The customer will be satisfied (parent, student, employers etc.) and e school will have good marketing position in education. References [1] STN EN ISO 9000:2006. Systémy manažérstva kvality. Základy a slovník. Bratislava, SÚTN, [2] Kmeť, S. Manažment kvality. Zabezpečovanie a zlepšovanie kvality. Žilina, EDIS, [3] Albert, A. Rozvoj kvality v škole. Bratislava, Metodicko-pedagogické centrum, [4] The HBO Expert Group. Meod for Improving e Quality of Higher Education based on e EFQM Model. 2nd. Ed. AH Eindhoven, Fontys Hogescholen, [5] Jurkovičová, M. Nová koncepcia národného programu kvality Slovenskej republiky na roky In Kvalita, 2003, roč. XI, č. 4, s [6] Zgodavová, K. Totálne manažovanie kvality pre učiteľov stredných odborných škôl. Učebnica ďalšieho vzdelávania. Košice, TU, 2000.