Factors Affecting the Operation on Educational Quality Assurance of Nakhon Phanom University: Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

This research aimed (1) to study the operation on educational quality
assurance and the results of internal educational quality assessment of Nakhon
Phanom University, (2) to study the factors affecting the operation on educational
quality assurance of Nakhon Phanom University using both quantitative and qualitative
researches, (3) to compare the factors affecting the operation on educational quality
assurance of Nakhon Phanom University among faculties/ colleges which revealed
more than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results and the others with less
than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results, and (3) to analyze, classify and
create factor equation affecting the operation on educational quality assurance of
Nakhon Phanom University. The samples for quantitative research were 222 people
included the instructors and official staff from six faculties/colleges selected by
Stratified Random Sampling. The samples for qualitative research were 54 people
included the administrators, instructors and official staff responded for educational
quality assurance. The instruments used in this research were a five-rating scale
questionnaire and 3 semi-structured interviews. The statistics employed in data
analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, t-test (Independent Samples). The analysis
of classifying and creating factor equation affecting the operation on educational
quality assurance were Discriminant Analysis with Stepwise Method of Wilk’s Lamda.
The findings were as follows:
1. The authority responded for the operation on educational quality
assurance of Nakhon Phanom University was the Office of Evaluation and Quality
Assurance which operated the internal education quality assurance in the academic
year 2010 for 9 components and 41 indicators for higher education in six
faculties/colleges: the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Boromratchonnani Nursing
College, Nakhon Phanom Technical College, the Faculty of Management Sciences and
Information Technology, Nakhon Phanom College of Agriculture and Technology,
Tourism and Service Industry College. All personnel from all faculties/colleges realized
the importance of internal quality assurance and participated in it. The educational
quality assurance system was developed in better ways. The personnel responded in
educational quality assurance were developed continuously. The highlight of Nakhon
Phanom University was the adolescence personnel who were ready for transformation
and development while the issue that should be developed was budget, building and
location, the limited in number and experience of personnel as higher education
institute.
The results of internal education quality assurance for higher education
of Nakhon Phanom University in academic year 2010 in overall aspects were at a very
good level which revealed the average of 2.53. The highest three components were
the sixth : arts and culture maintenance ; the eighth: finance and budget; the ninth:
systems and mechanisms for quality assurance which revealed the results at very a
good level for three points. On the other hand, the one lowest component was the
seventh: administration and management which revealed the result at a very good
level with the average points of 2.33.
2. The results of qualitative study on factors affecting the operation on
educational quality assurance in the opinions of the administrators, instructors and staff
revealed that first five highest frequency of factors affecting the operation on
educational quality assurance were the aspects of administrator, instructor, budget,
staff and material.
The results of quantitative study on factors affecting the operation on
educational quality assurance of Nakhon Phanom University in academic year 2010 in
overall aspects were at the moderate level. Considering in individual aspect, it was
found that two aspects were at the high level : administrator and instructor ; eleven
aspects were at the moderate level. The highest aspect was administrator while the
lowest one was economics.
3. The comparison on the average of factors affecting the operation on
educational quality assurance of Nakhon Phanom University among faculties/ colleges
which revealed more than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results and the
others with less than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results in overall
aspects were significantly different at .01 level. Considering in individual aspect, it was
found that seven aspects were significantly different at .01 level: administrator, staff,
budget, data system, economics, society and technology. The faculties/colleges which
revealed more than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results showed the
higher average than the ones with less than 2.0 internal education quality assessment
results in overall and individual aspects.
4. The united factors classified the groups of faculties/colleges which
revealed more than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results and the others
with less than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results were 6 factors: society
(SCO), student (STU), finance (FIN), resource (RES), economics (ECO) and official staff
(STA). The equation accurately classified the groups of faculties/colleges which
revealed more than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results and the others
with less than 2.0 internal education quality assessment results at 91.8 percent and
45.3 percent respectively. Considering in individual aspect, it was found that the
equation could accurately anticipate both groups at 77.6 percent.
A predictive equation in a raw-score form:
Y' = -0.201-1.256SOC+0.651STU+1.012FIN-1.570RES+0.686ECO+0.753STA
A predictive equation in a standard-score form:
Zy' = -0.753ZSOC+0.419ZSTU+0.726ZFIN-1.003ZRES+0.519ZECO+0.552ZSTA