THE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL PROCESS IN TERMS OF DIGITALIZATION OF EDUCATION

Purpose: The paper deals with the optimization of the preparation of educational professional programs of higher education to the processes of accreditation and licensing. Methodology: In this paper, we will consider technical tools that optimize the organization of the management of the university's educational process in the conditions of the “digitalization” of education. Result: Since the verification of compliance of University educational programs with the requirements of Federal state educational standards is carried out in the process of accreditation examination, it is necessary to optimize the organization of management of the educational process of the University on the basis of computer equipment and software. Applications: This research can be used for universities, teachers, and students. Novelty/Originality: In this research, the model of the organization of the university educational process in terms of digitalization of education is presented in a comprehensive and complete manner

How to clutch skills from higher education curricula: analysis of Portuguese learning outcomes

In Portugal, the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education - A3ES - promotes and ensures the quality of higher education, following the development of quality management systems in the European space. Thus, their mission is to contribute to improving the quality of Portuguese higher education, through the assessment and accreditation of higher education institutions and their study programmes, and to ensure the integration of Portugal in the European quality assurance system of higher education. This agency performs the assessment and accreditation of higher education study programmes in 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles. At an initial stage of the accreditation process, HEI submit an accreditation proposal to A3ES. In the description of each study programme for evaluation, HEI must describe what are the “intended learning outcomes” they expected students will achieve at the end of a specific period of learning. Data analysis focused on information included in this question, and which is limited to 1000 characters. All proposal of study programs submitted to accreditation in A3ES, from 2009 to 2014, were examined (n = 2961). A content analysis was carried out using the MAXQDA software for qualitative data analysis (version 12). Adopting a theoretical thematic analysis approach, instead of a data-driven option (Braun & Clarke, 2006), a competence matrix of technical and generic skills were identified. Based on these qualitative results, a set of 30 learning competencies cited in all the Portuguese study cycle curricula official documentation was analysed. The relative importance of a given competency, in each curriculum, was roughly estimated by counting the number of corresponding mentions in the document submitted to A3ES for approval. A Principal Component Analysis, with varimax rotation, allowed the association of the 30 competencies with nine components. Each new component was, then, characterized based on the initial variables’ loadings. The nine components could also be associated with several distinct features of the higher education study programmes (study cycle and scientific area) and institutes (namely geographical location, university/polytechnic subsystem, and private/public sector). This study aims to contribute to the identification of areas for improvement of study programmes in Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Restyling the higher education landscape: regional (a)symmetries across Portugal

This work studies the disparities found in higher education institutions across Portugal - in terms of geographical location, being polytechnics institutes or universities, and operating in the private or public sector - in relation to their offering of 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle study programmes and scientific areas. Bearing in mind that, on the one hand, any education institution must adapt to the surrounding population, and that, on the other hand, the population also ends up adapting to the existing educational offer, there is always some synergy between the characteristics of higher education institutions and local population/social context. Therefore, it is of surmount importance to characterize the educational system and verify the presence of asymmetries, by evaluation of the way it relates and is related to the physical and social setting. At an initial stage of the accreditation process, HEI submit an accreditation proposal to national accreditation agency. In the description of each study programme for evaluation, HEI must describe what are the “intended learning outcomes” they expected students will achieve at the end of a specific period of learning. Data analysis focused on information included in this question, and which is limited to 1000 characters. All proposal of study programs submitted to accreditation, from 2009 to 2014, were examined (n = 2961). A content analysis was carried out using the MAXQDA software for qualitative data analysis (version 12). Adopting a theoretical thematic analysis approach, instead of a data-driven option (Braun & Clarke, 2006), a competence matrix of technical and generic skills were identified. Based on a descriptive analysis of the data, it was possible to cross-tabulate several variables and to do a thorough discussion, highlighting the influence of different internal aspects of the Portuguese Higher Education System. This data-based reflection is a contribute for future works aiming to understand the underlying dynamics behind such asymmetries. Knowing the regional asymmetries may provide opportunities to find innovative solutions that foster education on disadvantaged regions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Latin American perspectives to internationalize undergraduate information technology education

The computing education community expects modern curricular guidelines for information technology (IT) undergraduate degree programs by 2017. The authors of this work focus on eliciting and analyzing Latin American academic and industry perspectives on IT undergraduate education. The objective is to ensure that the IT curricular framework in the IT2017 report articulates the relationship between academic preparation and the work environment of IT graduates in light of current technological and educational trends in Latin America and elsewhere. Activities focus on soliciting and analyzing survey data collected from institutions and consortia in IT education and IT professional and educational societies in Latin America; these activities also include garnering the expertise of the authors. Findings show that IT degree programs are making progress in bridging the academic-industry gap, but more work remains

NETCU: analising e-Learning neworked curricula in Europe: the importance of legal and quality assurance aspects

Conferência realizada no Porto de 6-9 de junho de 2012info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Proposal for a EU quality label for aerospace education

The paper presents a possible roadmap for the definition of a European quality label for aerospace related higher education degrees. The proposal is the result of a two-years long Horizon 2020 project that has involved a great portion of the European stakeholders in aerospace: Universities, research centres, industries (both small and large) networks, associations and accreditation agencies. The core concept established is that it is possible to establish a sector-specific, content based, quality system, that can complement the existing national or European accreditation systems, providing added value to the internal and/or external quality assurance processes that are in place in most EU countries. The tools and processes proposed are sufficiently simple to be manageable by Universities in addition to their national accreditation processes or as stand-alone assessment. The main goal of the proposed process is the evaluation of the quality of the aerospace curricula in the European context, whereas the accreditation of the programme can be seen as an optional extension of the process, subject to further national regulations. The process is proposed in view of the awarding of a sector-specific, content based, quality label, to be issued by an appropriate legally recognized and qualified institution. 8 field tests with volunteering universities throughout Europe have been performed. They experienced the method as very practical and to the point.Unión Europea H2020 64021

Geology Programs and Disciplinary Accreditation

This report raises the question of whether accreditation may be coming to the geology discipline, and attempts to quantify the positions on accreditation of academic department heads/chairs. The study makes a distinction between institutional and specialized (or disciplinary) accreditation and explores attitudes toward both types. Results of the analysis are presented with a discussion of two methods of data interpretation, a multivariate analysis technique and the Chi square test for heterogeneity or independence. The report concludes that there is currently insufficient support for establishing disciplinary accreditation in geology. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

Development of predicting model for safety behaviour based on safety psychology and working environment

The increasing trend of occupational accident due to unsafe act and unsafe condition especially in construction site suggests the need for more proactive safety assessment model. Therefore this research aimed to establish a prediction model of safety behaviour based on safety psychology and working environment factors in construction site. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TpB) was adapted to examine on the prediction model of safety behaviour among construction workers using safety psychology representing unsafe act and working environment factors representing unsafe condition. A modified perception questionnaire named Safety Psychometric Model (SPM) was proposed based on TpB questionnaire and safety attitude questionnaire (SQA). Previously, the approach has successfully applied in health care and manufacturing sector. The questionnaire has been validated by three industrial and academic experts. A total of 554 respondents among 92 construction site were selected as the subjects for analysis. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) was use for analysis purpose which involve correlation, regression and structural equation analysis. The results demonstrated that safety psychology and work environment factor was related positively with safety behaviour intention. The elements of workers’ attitude, subjective norm and perceived control that form the safety psychology context found to be significantly has the ability to predict safety behaviour. The demographics variances of personal and education background, working experiences and training background also determine as the factors of safety behaviour of the construction workers. The research also successfully established a safety behaviour prediction model that named Safety Psychometric Model. The model can be benefited by safety practitioners, organizations and researchers to explore the safety behaviour prediction. It also enhanced the knowledge in the area of employee behaviour prediction and modelling

Quality assurance in higher education: for whom and of what?

Over the past two decades the quality assurance of higher education institutions has captured a growing interest as evidenced by the increasing number of national and transnational bodies engaged in this area. Yet as the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, higher education systems and thus the regimes designed to ensure their quality are faced with significant complexity. Issues of accountability, authority and responsibility are paramount when responding to industry bodies, to globalisation and the transnational provision of higher education and to the use of market mechanisms. In this paper we raise some of the challenges for quality assurance for higher education presented by this growing complexity through the question, quality assurance in higher education, for whom and of what, highlighting our concern for a need to expand the centrality of accountability to include authority and responsibility as part of the quality assurance regimes for higher educatio