HOW GOOD ARE OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES – THE SELF-EVALUATION APPROACH

This study was conducted to design valid and reliable self-evaluation instruments for periodic assessment of academic programmes of Bolgatanga Polytechnic using evaluation experts and relevant stakeholders of the Polytechnic. Teachers, Administrators, students, alumni and employers of Polytechnic graduates were identified as the main relevant stakeholders for the self-evaluation process. Curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, output, outcome, programme organisation, resources and quality assurance were identified as the main quality domains of the academic programmes. The methods of data collection adopted in the instrumentation included: survey questionnaire, interviews, focused group discussions and document analysis. In the instruments, a quality domain or an indicator is rated along the scale of very good, good, fair and unsatisfactory which translate into major strength, strength, weaknesses and major weakness respectively. To emphasise on a major strength, 90% or more of the total respondents should rate a domain or quality indicator as very good; 60% to 90% in favour of both very good and good emphasises strength; 50% or more in favour of unsatisfactory emphasises major weakness; and 40% to 50% in favour of both fair and unsatisfactory emphasises weakness. The presentation of evaluation feedback report is in a tabular format which gives picturesque view of the strengths and weaknesses of the quality indicators assessed. Validity and reliability of the instruments were ensured using expert views, pilot exercises and the Alpha Cronbach’s Reliability Test Model.