On January 8, 2015, a seminar to evaluate the OUC's 2014 Plan for Data Collection and Dissemination of Teaching Quality Factors was held in Beijing. Vice President of the Open University of China (OUC), Mr. Li Linshu, together with experts from 14 branches(schools)of the OUC, experts from relevant departments, and staff members from the Quality Monitoring and Evaluation Centre at the OUC headquarters attended the meeting. The meeting was held to discuss the 2014 Plan for Data Collection and Dissemination of Teaching Quality Factors for the OUC and the future work thoughts.
The programme of data collection and dissemination of teaching quality factors is integral to promoting the construction of a dynamic quality control system for the OUC. Ever since its inception in 2008, the programme has consistently made parts of the data of its annual teaching quality factors available for consideration. After 5 years of accumulation, the various features and relevance of the data has become ever more significant. More than 20 teaching quality factors have been proposed for accumulation and the basic outline of "factor collection, plan drafting, expert research, data acquisition, expert evaluation, data release, result implementation" has been formulated. The duties of each department were clearly set forth and the quality conscious attitude was encouraged for those at all levels throughout the system. The programme has also become a driving force for related work in the OUC’s branches and has played an active role in promoting work related to guaranteeing and improving the OUC’s teaching quality.
Mr. Li Linshu pointed out that the data collection and release of teaching quality factors had become the standard practice of the OUC's quality supervision and control system and had played an active role in ensuring education and teaching quality. Despite a basic consensus on such aspects as work flow mechanisms and data significance, during the period of transformation from a radio and TV university to the OUC, certain issues must be addressed, such as: how to meet the OUC's demands in data construction in harmony with the quality guarantee system; how to further define and expand work connotation and extension; direction for future work; and how to further perfect the long-term operational mechanism. Addressing these issues will necessitate constant in-depth research and exploration into work practices, and will require the educational units at all levels within the OUC system to work together.
The meeting set the OUC’s 2014 Plan for Data Collection and Dissemination of Teaching Quality Factors on how to expand the quality factors for teaching, how to analyze relevant data and use the results, and how to improve the long-term mechanism by integrating actual quality assurance work demands during the RTVU's upgrading and transition period.
By Qi Kun,the OUC