Evaluation of Engineering Students’ Learning Outcomes: Creating a Culture of Continuous Quality Improvement

Assessment and evaluation of outcomes and continuous quality improvement often lead to uneasiness among engineering educators, which is a barrier to implementing an effective system of results-assessment. The sophisticated evaluation models and analytical instruments adopted by higher learning institutions are believed to worsen this uneasiness, impeding the successful implementation of programme quality improvement. In this paper, the challenges in assessing and evaluating learning outcomes, types of programme outcome assessment model and an analytical tool known as Engineering Outcome Analytics developed by Tunku Abdul Rahman University College for the assessment were presented. Documents related to quality improvement from two higher learning institutions in Malaysia were reviewed and discussed based on the key elements of continuous quality improvement. The results can be used to avoid the shortcomings and adopt the best practices in continuous quality improvement. With proper understanding on the key elements of continuous quality improvement, and adoption of culminating assessment model and a highly integrated analytical tool, engineering educators and programme owners are expected to benefit from this re-search in three ways. First, it cultivates a culture of continuous improvement of quality by increasing the educators' willingness to evaluate results. Second, it enhances their existing analytical tools to reflect students' actual developments, resulting in significant continuous actions to improve quality. Third, it satisfies the accreditation requirements on outcomes-based assessment.

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Organizational Learning and Continuous Quality Improvement: Examining the Impact on Nursing Home Performance

Healthcare Management Forum ◽

10.1016/s0840-4704(10)60576-5 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 17-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Kent V. Rondeau ◽

Terry H. Wagar

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Organizational Learning ◽

Organizational Performance ◽

Corporate Culture ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Total Quality ◽

Term Care ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

The Impact

Interest is growing in learning more about the ability of total quality management and continuous quality improvement (TQM/CQI) initiatives to contribute to the performance of healthcare organizations. A major factor in the successful implementation of TQM/CQI is the seminal contribution of an organization's culture. Many implementation efforts have not succeeded because of a corporate culture that failed to stress broader organizational learning. This may help to explain why some TQM/CQI programs have been unsuccessful in improving healthcare organization performance. Organizational performance variables and organizational learning orientation were assessed in a sample of 181 Canadian long-term care organizations that had implemented a formal TQM/CQI program. Categorical regression analysis shows that, in the absence of a strong corporate culture that stresses organizational learning and employee development, few performance enhancements are reported. The results of the assessment suggest that a TQM/CQI program without the backing of a strong organizational learning culture may be insufficient to achieve augmented organizational performance.

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An automated continuous quality improvement framework for failing student outcomes based on mathematics weaknesses

International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education ◽

10.1177/0020720920956563 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 002072092095656

Author(s):

HA Wajid ◽

Hassan Tariq Chattha ◽

Bilal A Khawaja ◽

Saleh Al Ahmadi

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Learning Outcomes ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Student Outcomes ◽

Action Plan ◽

Student Learning Outcomes ◽

Mathematical Concepts ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

High Level ◽

Outcomes Based Education

In this paper, we present a detailed action plan under continuous quality improvement (CQI) exercise of outcomes based education framework related to Mathematics concerns highlighted by the Electrical Engineering (EE) Department. Failing and low performed student learning outcomes (SOs) and course learning outcomes (COs) in range of core EE courses were observed to be linked with weak Mathematics basis of students. This feedback was achieved through an automated CQI system in EvalTools under Faculty Class Assessment Report (FCAR) tab, where each instructor is required to make reflections about failing as well as low performed SOs and COs. Feedback was reviewed comprehensively, and mathematical concepts which significantly affect the performance of students in the core EE courses were derived. Moreover, a high level of Mathematics pre-requisite covering required mathematical concepts is identified for the range of core EE courses. Consequently, well-defined tasks were assigned to continuously evaluate and monitor improvement in required Mathematics concepts to ensure SOs and COs achieved in core EE courses. Results are given to exhibit the effectiveness of continuous improvement management system (CIMS).

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TQM: The Quality Imperative

ASME 1991 Citrus Engineering Conference ◽

10.1115/cec1991-3706 ◽

1991 ◽

Author(s):

William Smitley ◽

Teri Yanovitch

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Quality Management ◽

Total Quality Management ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Senior Executive ◽

Total Quality ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

Tools And Techniques

A wide variety of methods, tools, and techniques currently exist to assist companies enhance quality. However, many of them do not bring about substantiative improvement. The reasons are varied but usually begin with a lack of senior executive commitment and leadership. This paper explores the concepts and actions that are needed to change the culture of an organization to one of continuous quality improvement. It provides the outline for successful implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in any corporation. Paper published with permission.

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Multidisciplinary Prerounding Meeting as a Continuous Quality Improvement Tool: Leveraging to Reduce Continuous Benzodiazepine Use at an Academic Medical Center

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine ◽

10.1177/0885066618769015 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (9) ◽

pp. 707-713 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexander H. Flannery ◽

Melissa L. Thompson Bastin ◽

Ashley Montgomery-Yates ◽

Corrine Hook ◽

Evan Cassity ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Multidisciplinary Meeting ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

Academic Medical ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Benzodiazepine Use

Background: Evidence-based medicine often has many barriers to overcome prior to implementation in practice, hence the importance of continuous quality improvement. We report on a brief (≤10 minutes) multidisciplinary meeting prior to rounds to establish a dashboard for continuous quality improvement and studied the success of this meeting on a particular area of focus: continuous infusion benzodiazepine minimization. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a large academic medical center over a 4-month period. A morning multidisciplinary prerounding meeting was implemented to report on metrics required to establish a dashboard for MICU care for the previous 24 hours. Fellows and nurse practitioners on respective teams reported on key quality metrics and other important data related to patient census. Continuous benzodiazepines were tracked daily as the number of patients per team who had orders for a continuous benzodiazepine infusion. The aim of this report is to describe the development of the morning multidisciplinary prerounding meeting and its impact on continuous benzodiazepine use, along with associated clinical outcomes. Results: The median number of patients prescribed a continuous benzodiazepine daily decreased over this time period and demonstrated a sustained reduction at 1 year. Furthermore, sedation scores improved, corresponding to a reduction in median duration of mechanical ventilation. The effectiveness of this intervention was mapped post hoc to conceptual models used in implementation science. Conclusions: A brief multidisciplinary meeting to review select data points prior to morning rounds establishes mechanisms for continuous quality improvement and may serve as a mediating factor for successful implementation when initiating and monitoring practice change in the ICU.

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Programme Learning Outcomes Assessment and Continuous Quality Improvement in Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing, UTHM

IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering ◽

10.1088/1757-899x/165/1/012031 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 165 ◽

pp. 012031 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. Taib ◽

S M Salleh ◽

B A Md Zain ◽

M.A. Azlan ◽

S. Mahzan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Learning Outcomes ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Outcomes Assessment ◽

Learning Outcomes Assessment ◽

Continuous Quality

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Continuous quality improvement as a tool to implement evidence-informed problem solving: experiences from the district and health facility level in Uganda

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06061-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hector Tibeihaho ◽

Charles Nkolo ◽

Robert Anguyo Onzima ◽

Florence Ayebare ◽

Dorcus Kiwanuka Henriksson

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Health Facility ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Health Management ◽

District Level ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

District Health ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

Health Facility Level ◽

Facility Level

Abstract Background Continuous quality improvement processes in health care were developed for use at health facility level, and that is where they have been used the most, often addressing defined care processes. However, in different settings different factors have been important to support institutionalization. This study explores how continuous quality improvement processes were institutionalized at the district level and at the health facility level in Uganda. Methods This qualitative study was carried out in seven districts in Uganda. Semi-structured interviews with key informants from the district health management teams and document review were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results All districts that participated in the study formed Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams both at the district level and at the health facilities. The district CQI teams comprised of members from different departments within the district health office. District level CQI teams were mandated to take the lead in addressing management gaps and follow up CQI activities at the health facility level. Acceptability of quality improvement processes by the district leadership was identified across districts as supporting the successful implementation of CQI. However, high turnover of staff at health facility level was also reported as a detrimental to the successful implementation of quality improvement processes. Also the district health management teams did not engage much in addressing their own roles using continuous quality improvement. Conclusion The leadership and management provided by the district health management team was an important factor for the use of Continuous Quality Improvement principles within the district. The key roles of the district health team revolved around the institutionalisation of CQI at different levels of the health system, monitoring results of continuous quality improvement implementation, mobilising resources and health care delivery hence promoting the culture of quality, direct implementation of CQI, and creating an enabling environment for the lower-level health facilities to engage in CQI. High turnover of staff at health facility level was also reported as one of the challenges to the successful implementation of continuous quality improvement. The DHT did not engage much in addressing gaps in their own roles using continuous quality improvement.

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Using the Higher Learning Commission’s Assessment Culture Matrix to Support Continuous Quality Improvement of a Simulated Patient Program

INNOVATIONS in pharmacy ◽

10.24926/iip.v12i2.3684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 10

Author(s):

Molly Genereaux ◽

Michelle Nguyen ◽

Jolene R. Bostwick ◽

Sarah E. Vordenberg

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Continuous Quality Improvement ◽

Higher Learning ◽

Simulated Patient ◽

Assessment Data ◽

Assessment Culture ◽

Continuous Quality ◽

Shared Mission

The purpose of this commentary is to advocate for the use of the Higher Learning Commission’s Assessment Culture Matrix to support continuous quality improvement (CQI) of simulated patient (SP) programs. We will share examples from our program demonstrating our maturation as it relates to leadership, shared mission and vision, faculty, and resources. While we are at the beginning stages of engaging students, we continue to make progress accessing and systematically using assessment data. We anticipate that sharing our process for utilizing this matrix may help other institutions as they conduct CQI with their SP programs and in other areas of their assessment portfolio.

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