A model for analysing factors which may influence quality management procedures in higher education

• Author: Maican C., Petcu N.
• Pages: 487-498

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 8 (57) No. 2 - 2015

A model for analysing factors which may influence

quality management procedures in higher education

Cătălin MAICAN1, Nicoleta PETCU2

Abstract: In all universities, the Office for Quality Assurance defines the procedure for

assessing the performance of the teaching staff, with a view to establishing students’

perception as regards the teachers’ activity from the point of view of the quality of the

teaching process, of the relationship with the students and of the assistance provided for

learning. The present paper aims at creating a combined model for evaluation, based on

Data Mining statistical methods: starting from the findings revealed by the evaluations

teachers performed to students, using the cluster analysis and the discriminant analysis, we

identified the subjects which produced significant differences between students’ grades,

subjects which were subsequently subjected to an evaluation by students. The results of these

analyses allowed the formulation of certain measures for enhancing the quality of the

evaluation process.

Keywords: academic performance, evaluation, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis

1. Introduction

The education process represents a teaching-learning-evaluation activity which is

intended, performed in an educational institutionalized space, by means of given

didactic technology, with certain anticipated and attained results. The sides of the

education process are: teaching, learning and evaluation. The efficiency of the

education process is given by the dynamic interaction between teaching, learning

and evaluation. Each of the three sides of the education process must be correlated

with the others in order to have a real and efficient interaction.

As compared to the traditional didactics, which separates teaching and

learning from evaluation, modern didactics favours the integration of evaluation in

the education process, with a view to supporting the decision-making as regards the

good organisation and progress of the entire process, to facilitating the improvement

and adjustments required along the teaching and learning process (Dinu C., 2011).

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, maican@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, nicoleta.petcu@unitbv.ro