Quality Assurance - A Comparative Analysis of South Africa's Occupational Learning System (OLS)
| dc.contributor.advisor | Rabie, Babette | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Melton, Demi | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-02-27T09:15:20Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-04-17T08:16:58Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-02-27T09:15:20Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-04-17T08:16:58Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-04 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2019. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH SUMMARY : The study was prompted by a quality assurance (QA) practice that is limited in terms of efficacy and efficiency within the culture of vocational institutions. This issue is widespread even with the presence of numerous criteria, guidelines, policies, templates as well as legislative frameworks in vocational institutions (specifically in private and public vocational institutions). What has contributed to this discrepancy was the genesis of generic monitoring and evaluation (M&E) requirements such as the relationship between provider and external moderator; the QA department’s knowledge of QA practices and procedures including technological QA platforms; the supervision of the QA process; the hierarchical process followed when serious quality errors are made; the efficacy of the institutions’ QMS; and manipulating compliance documentation in order to achieve the desired outcome. The study analysed and evaluated the similarities and differences identified in the findings of the private and public vocational institution's QA practice. Furthermore, it provides recommendations for both groups of institutions based on the findings, with the intention of contributing to their QA practice. This study was aimed at creating a better-quality culture that filters down to all individuals within the institution, even those who are placed at different institutional locations. Findings of this study may assist vocational institutions in improving their QA practices and procedures, and align these processes to their quality management systems (QMS). It may also contribute to employer and employee awareness that everyone within the organisation is responsible for quality. The literature reviewed provided an understanding of the importance of QA and its relationship to M&E. The study also delivers a comparison of QA practices internationally, which entailed analysis of three vocational models of QA practices in order to determine best practices. Furthermore, it analysed and evaluated the skills development policies and legislation which governs the South African Occupational Learning System (OLS). This research is case-study based and has a qualitative research design. The primary data will be collected by means of analysing a public and private vocational institution’s QMS in order to compare and contrast the similarities and differences of these institutions. Furthermore, a participatory observation was conducted in order to determine institutional QA practices. Finally, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to participants. The participants were purposively selected as key informants of this study. It is important to note that the intention is not to substantiate quality for the purpose of judgement, rather it is to discuss quality for the purpose of advancing best practice. Because of the competitiveness within the vocational sector, especially for private institutions, and the confidentiality of policies, this study is entirely anonymous. Pseudo codes are used throughout the empirical study. The study found that the problematic issues identified were largely a consequence of the way in which the definitions of quality were applied to institutional QA practices; lack of internal staff capacity; the absence of technological innovation along with templates and policy guidelines that are vague as well as out-dated; and the way in which risk or non-conformance is perceived and addressed. Ultimately, the research is about determining the PROs of the QA practice in order to create opportunities for improvement. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die studie was geinisieer deur 'n g praktyk gehaleversekening at beperk is ten opsigte van doeltreffendheid binne die kultuur van beroepsinstellings. Hierdie kwessie is omvattend selfs met die teenwoordigheid van talle kriteria, riglyne, beleid, formaats en wetgewende raamwerke in beroepsinstellings (spesifiek in private en openbare instellings). Wat tot hierdie teenstrydigheid bygedra het, was die ontstaan van generiese moniteering en evaluering (M&E) vereistes soos die lusgat binne hierdie vereistes; die verhouding tussen verskaffer en eksterne moderator; die kwaliteitsversekering departement se kennis van kwaliteitsversekering praktyke en prosedures insluitende tegnologiese kwaliteitsversekering platforms; die toesig van die kwaliteitsversekering proses; die hiërargiese proses volg wanneer ernstige kwaliteit foute gemaak word; die doeltreffendheid van die instellings se kwaliteitsbestuurstelsel en die manipulering van voldoening. Die studie het die ooreenkomste en verskille wat in die bevindings van die privaat en openbare beroepsinstansie se kwaliteitsversekering-praktyk ingesamel is, geanaliseer en geëvalueer. Verder bied dit aanbeveel vir beide instansies op grond van die bevindings, met die bedoeling dat dit bydra tot beide die instelling se kwaliteitsversekering-praktyk. Hierdie studie het ten doel om 'n beter gehalte kultuur te skep wat na alle individue binne die instelling afskakel, selfs dié wat op verskillende institusionele plekke geplaas word. Bevindinge van hierdie studie kan beroepsinstellings help om hul kwaliteitsversekering-praktyke en prosedures te verbeter en hierdie prosesse in hul kwaliteitsbestuurstelsels te belyn. Dit kan ook bydra tot werkgewer en werknemer bewustheid dat almal binne die organisasie verantwoordlik is vir kwaliteit. Die literatuur wat hersien is, het probeer om die belangrikheid van kwaliteitsversekering en sy verhouding tot M&E te verstaan. Die studie lewer ook 'n vergelyking van kwaliteitsversekering-praktyke internasionaal, waarby drie beroepsmodelle van kwaliteitsversekering-praktyke ontleed is om beste praktyke te bepaal. Verder het dit die vaardigheidsontwikkelingsbeleid en wetgewing ontleed en geëvalueer wat die Suid-Afrikaanse Beroepsleerstelsel beheer. Hierdie navorsing is gevallestudie gebaseer en het 'n kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp. Die primêre data sal versamel word deur 'n openbare en private beroepsinstansie se kwaliteitsbestuurstelsel te ontleed om die ooreenkomste en verskille van hierdie instellings te vergelyk en te kontrasteer. Verder is 'n deelnemende waarneming gedoen om institusionele kwaliteitsversekering-praktyke te bepaal. Ten slotte is 'n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys aan deelnemers toegedien. Die deelnemers is doelbewus gekies as belangrike informante van hierdie studie. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat die bedoeling is om nie kwaliteit vir die doel van oordeel te regverdig nie, eerder om gehalte te bespreek vir die doel van die beste praktyk. As gevolg van die mededingendheid binne die beroepsektor, veral vir privaat instellings, en met selfvertroue van beleid, is hierdie studie heeltemal anoniem. Pseudokodes word dwarsdeur die empiriese studie gebruik. Die studie het bevind dat die kwessies wat geïdentifiseer is grotendeels te wyte was aan die wyse waarop die definisies van kwaliteit toegepas word op institusionele kwaliteitsversekering-praktyke; gebrek aan interne personeelkapasiteit; die afwesigheid van tegnologiese innovasie tesame met formaats en beleidsriglyne wat vaag en verouderd is; en die wyse waarop risiko of nie-ooreenstemming aangespreek en waargeneem word. Uiteindelik gaan die navorsing oor die bepaling van die van die kwaliteitsversekering-praktyk saam met die skep van geleenthede vir verbetering. | af_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xvi, 189 pages ; illustrations, includes annexure | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/105879 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.subject | South Africa's Occupational Learning System -- Effectiveness | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Vocational education -- Standards -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Vocational education -- Quality control -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Quality assurance -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.title | Quality Assurance - A Comparative Analysis of South Africa's Occupational Learning System (OLS) | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |