The difficulty in implementing TQM in higher education instruction. The duality of instructor/student roles
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880610703938 |
| Date | 01 October 2006 |
| Pages | 324-337 |
| Published date | 01 October 2006 |
| Author | Gavriel Meirovich,Edward J. Romar |
| Subject Matter | Education |
The difficulty in implementing
TQM in higher education
instruction
The duality of instructor/student roles
Gavriel Meirovich
Salem State College, Salem, Massachusetts, USA, and
Edward J. Romar
University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The applicability of total quality management (TQM) to higher education instruction is
controversial. The purpose of this paper is to help clarify the application of TQM to higher education
instruction by identifying and analyzing the dual roles played by both students and instructors. The
authors also offer an improvement to the instructor evaluation process designed to eliminate some of
the negative effects of the duality of roles.
Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual paper discussing some of the shortcomings
in previous discussions of the applicability of TQM to higher education instruction. In addition, it
introduces the concept of the dual roles of students (customers/grade-seekers) and faculty
(suppliers/retention-seekers), and analyzes their relationship to, and effect on, the evaluation of the
educational process through the interaction of these dual roles.
Practical implications – This paper helps understand more fully the student/instructor roles and
will contribute to a better understanding of the applicability of TQM to higher education. It offers a
methodology to enhance the faculty evaluation process as a measure of instructional quality and offers
actions that will strengthen the knowledge-seeking motivation of students.
Originality/value – This paper offers a more thorough analysis of the roles of students and faculty
than previous discussions of the TQM in higher education. The value of this paper is the identification
of two pairs of contradictory roles played by both participants in the instruction process which
complicates an understanding of the concept of quality and applicability of TQM to higher education.
Keywords Total quality management, Higher education,Students, Management roles
Paper type Conceptual paper
Controversy surrounds the applicability of total quality management (TQM) to
instruction in higher education. This paper argues that the difficulty in applying TQM
is result of a lack of clarity in the concept of quality which is a consequence of the dual
roles of students and instructors. This duality of roles complicates the interaction
between faculty and students and makes the evaluation of classroom instruction
problematic. This paper discusses the complementary and conflicting roles of
instructor and students and offers practical ways to manage and evaluate instructional
quality in higher education.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
Please note that this article differs from the version – which had a section of text duplicated –
published in the paper issue.
QAE
14,4
324
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 14 No. 4, 2006
pp. 324-337
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880610703938
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