Is the consistent drive for higher quality or at least the control of quality effectively killing our educational efforts? It’s a question that has sparked some very heated debates among parents and among educators.
Quality should be the driver of education, working to improve FE at every level. Some would argue that the push for quality, rather than the delivery itself is distracting us from the mission at hand and additionally detracting from the level of education that we provide. In and of itself, quality is not detrimental. It is, and should be an integral provision of education that our country currently needs. With the right staff, and the right approach, we can use quality as the driving force for improved education on every level.
At any level, it’s the quality of educators that will determine the success of students. Lecturers, support staff, educational management and even non-academic support should all be aligned with the same focus; delivering and supporting a curriculum that leads to success.
Before we can improve education, the system within any FE organisation should be analysed to determine its effectiveness. This should involve benchmarking, as well as competition analysis. Benchmarking will determine the capabilities of courses and modules, as well as the support structures around them. Academic results only tell part of the story, because it’s the function of the whole organisation that leads to these results. Competition analysis can indicate where processes are working, and where they are failing. Studying competing universities, polytechnics, and private FE providers can provide insight in to why a particular system is failing, and adapting successful strategies to an underperforming institution can help to improve quality and deliver results.
Quality of leadership will be the determining factor in the improvement of education through the quality of FE providers. Directors, vice principals, and principals etc. will continue to play a key role in the decision-making process. They will offer tips and assistance in strategy and focus, and have the task of driving these strategies through their leadership teams. Through the trickle-down effect, lecturers, leadership, assessors, trainers, and other support staff will all have the responsibility to drive strategies that eventually result in improved education for students.
Because quality is a huge focus in education, from a government, and private institutional level, there is currently a high demand for skilled individuals in all areas of education. Academic and vocational lecturers of the highest quality are required to deliver learning in a way that is engaging to the current generation of students. Apprenticeship assessors and trainers are also required to facilitate learning and grade competency in the trade industries outside of traditional academia.
There is even a need for high calibre guidance counsellors, and student support professionals. These are the people who will be able to gauge the effectiveness of any FE institution, because they are the ones who can view the structure holistically, right down to the experience of students.
A strong leader will be able to build the right teams consisting of professionals from all areas, while fostering the change required that will raise quality in their institution. Are you prepared to raise standards in further education?
As a senior educator, it will be your drive that raises the bar when it comes to quality in education. Whether you’re tenured in your current role, or seeking your next opportunity as a senior FE professional, a market leader in academic recruitment has a lot to offer you. At Morgan Hunt, their vastly experienced education team have the knowledge and inside view of market shifts to help you discover the roles where you can make a difference, or to find the professionals that you need to assist you in delivering excellence at your current facility.
