Table 1
On the institutional level the implementation of the three models
is possible and recommended.
On the maintainer's level
the application of the first model is recommended for all organisations,
maintainers. The second and third models are recommended primarily
for the maintainers with a large network of institutions.
COMENIUS 2000 Institutional Models
The COMENIUS 2000 institutional models are based on the existing national
and international expertise and professional experiences gained in the
field of quality management and quality improvement, but also apply a
set of requirements and instruments corresponding exclusively to the specific
nature and needs of education and teaching.
Figure 2 shows that the COMENIUS 2000 Model stands on the level
of sector-specific approaches in the pyramid of the different quality
management approaches.
Figure 2
The COMENIUS 2000 institutional models are open towards the various systems/approaches
of quality management. They offer an opportunity
to implement systems based on the quality award models (such as Malcolm
Baldrige, the EFQM Excellence Model etc.), the ISO 9000 standard or the
TQM approaches, but they do not require any third party's certification.
At the same time the models allow the use of a wide range of consultants'
approaches (such as the QPSA or the 7 key processes), and they guarantee
the necessary freedom for the institutions in choosing and applying the
methods, which are recommended by the Ministry of Education and which
best suit the specific features of the institution itself.
Figure 3 shows the structure of
the COMENIUS 2000 institutional models.
Figure 3
The institutional models of the COMENIUS 2000 Quality Improvement Programme
Institutional model I - "Partner-focused operation"
Institutional model II - "Implementation of Total Quality
Management"
Institutional model III - "Multiplication of the results of
quality improvement"
are closely built on each other, the preceding model is a part of the
following one.
The aim of Institutional Model I is to develop an organisational
culture which is required for and promotes the development of the partner-focused
operation. The institution should identify its partners and regularly
assess their needs and demands. Based on the analysis of these demands,
the institution should continuously develop and improve its own operation.
In the process of continuous improvement it is the conscious and consistent
implementation of the PDCA (Plan - Do - Check -
Act) cycle, which offers a real help to the institution.
Figure 4 shows the logical flowchart of the COMENIUS 2000 institutional
model I.
Figure 4
Institutional Model II is based on Institutional Model I. Its implementation
may be successful if the institution has already met the requirements
of Institutional Model I, i. e. established a partner-focused thinking
and operation as a first step. The aim of Institutional Model II is to
implement Total Quality Management (TQM) within the institutions of public
education who have already established a partner-focused way of thinking
in their organisation. For this purpose the institutions have to make
significant progress in the following three areas:
- Ability to control processes: The institution should develop
and introduce a documented quality management system, which covers all
the processes affecting the educational and teaching activities of the
institution. The results of process control should be implemented into
the daily operation of the institution.
- Ability to develop organisational culture: The management of
the institution should consciously develop the organisational culture
by involving all staff members.
- The ability of continuous improvement: The management and staff
of the institution should be able to apply the PDCA cycle continuously
in every single area of the institutional operation.
The COMENIUS 2000 Institutional Model II is a mixture of different quality
management approaches: it has taken over from the ISO 9000 standard series
the requirement for process control and also covers the criteria of the
new ISO standard. It means that in education we had already had an
adapted model meeting the requirements of the new ISO standard when the
field of industry still did not have anything like that.
Institutional Model II, however, goes significantly beyond the ISO requirements
as it promotes not only the process of putting things into order but also
the continuous improvement and development of the organisational culture
which is a TQM and EFQM Excellence Model based approach.
The processes to be controlled cover 8 areas of the institutional
operation.
The development of the organisational culture is mostly based on
the processes describing:
- the responsibility and commitment of the management of the institution,
- the development of human resources,
- safe institution,
- education and teaching,
- measurement, analysis and corrective action.
The continuous improvement is based on the following processes:
- management of partnerships,
- provision of other resources,
- operation of the institution,
- education and teaching.
The aim of Institutional Model III is to promote mutual learning
by spreading best practices and by enabling the teachers of the institutions
of public education to pass on their knowledge, skills and experiences
acquired in the field of quality improvement, and to support - as role-model
institutions - the work of quality improvement at other institutions.
By now we have completed the development of the first (COM I) and the
second (COM II) institutional models. The first model - which is a kind
of an introduction to the quality-oriented way of thinking - has got the
widest circle of application.
Figure 5 illustrates the most frequently used methods by schools
in quality improvement.
Figure 5
1. Improved quality of pedagogical work
The results of the quality improvement activity could be used as information
input to the necessary revision of the Pedagogical Programme. In a large
number of institutions, the need to unify the evaluation of pupils' achievements,
to change the pedagogical methods applied and the need that teachers teaching
the same class should think together, came to the forefront. Instead of
pursuing isolated work, a dialogue started between the different teams.
As a result, the transfer of pedagogical methods became more and more
extensive, teachers follow each other's work and help each other.
2. Strengthened partner-focus
The relations of the institutions with their partners have improved considerably:
employees became more familiar with their own institution and with the
image created by their partners about them. The assessment and survey
results provided new information to assist the creation of a more appropriate
opinion on the institution. Pupils are conscious of being considered as
partners. The supporting staff (pedagogical assistance employees) was
pleased that they were also asked about their opinion and could express
their views during the identification of objectives. The involvement of
employees increases motivation and commitment.
3. Improved internal operation of the institution
The development of the organisational culture has been started in all
institutions. Some significant improvements are in place. The work place
climate and the information flow have improved. A broader scale communication
has been introduced.
The institutions have reviewed their own processes and their available
documents. Besides identifying areas for improvement, assessments also
produce positive confirmation.
The institutions have formulated their strategies, in most cases also
assigning deadlines and allocating resources required for the implementation
of these strategies.
Summary
In Hungary within the public sphere, education is a step ahead. There
is no other sector with such an adapted model as the COMENIUS 2000
Quality Improvement Programme for School Education, which we are rightly
proud of. The Programme promotes and raises the professionalism of
the teachers' work. Its scope also covers - beyond education and teaching
- the institutional operation and management, co-operation within the
staff, and co-operation with the partners. Beyond highlighting
the strengths, quality improvement, in essence, focuses on searching
for and exploring the areas for improvement rather than hiding
them.
In the international context Hungary is the first to start the realisation
of such a broad quality improvement programme covering the education system
as a whole. In this framework not the external evaluation is emphasised
but the gradual and value-increasing improvement of quality, and the development
of organisational culture within the institution based on regular self-assessment.
For more information please contact:
COMENIUS 2000 Programme Management Unit
H - 1054 Budapest, Báthori u. 10.
Phone: (+ 361) - 4733685
Fax: (+ 361) - 4733660
e-mail: comenius2000@om.hu or katalin.stadler@om.hu
or visit the web-site of the Ministry of Education:
www.om.hu
www.comenius2000.hu, English
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