Abstract:

Today, we find ourselves as part of a globalized and dynamic world which is characterized by change. This fact forces us to innovate each day in order to be more competitive and survive in the global market.
This is the reason why in education, it is fundamental to use new teaching models that bring better results in the students’ learning. Therefore, educational quality is essential.
The word quality comes from the Latin term “quálitas” that means class. García Hoz (1982) defines it as a “determination of the being […] It refers to the very same being of things.” (pg. 2)
Consequently, to speak about quality education could be, in fact, unnecessary because education should be implicitly like this. The concept “education” contains in its own being the condition of quality. Hence, García Hoz (1982) states that “the right to an education is not only the right to a certain quantity of education, but the right to a certain quality.” (pg. 2)
Thus, quality education is that which influences the human person in an integral way, that considers all of its constitutive parts and that contributes to a global development. Then, quality education refers to perfection and, in consequence, should cover the entire educational process.
When we speak about the educational process, we find different quality models that are focused in certain functions which include certification and accreditation, whose aim is to reach a constant improvement. Generally, quality models are reflection-action based, which is precisely the reason why they demand a high level of commitment from all the members of the educational community.
The School of Pedagogy of the Universidad Panamericana has an evaluation, accreditation and certification pattern of educational models that allows institutions to assure their quality.
The project starts with the evaluation, which refers to the process of assessment that identifies the strengths and opportunity areas of the institution, in order to reach perfection in the educational process. Within this process of evaluation the accreditation, or verification of previously established quality standards, is carried out. The final step is to obtain the certification, which is a recognition of the achieved quality standards that have been evaluated.

The process includes the revision of the institution’s educational project, which consists of the organizational philosophy (mission, vision, values and institutional goals), the general administration (policies and procedures), and the pedagogical structure (didactical elements).

In this way, the congruence between the established project and the institution’s reality is evaluated. Moreover, the elements that constitute the educational model are assessed, in order to promote the organization’s constant improvement. This is the reason why the criteria and quality standards, both personalized – which vary according to the organization’s philosophy – and standardized – which refer to the basic elements that every educational institution should have –, are evaluated.

As a result, educational quality in the institution’s process is promoted and evaluation is valued as an indispensable element that will lead to the organization’s excellence.

References:
García Hoz Víctor. (1982) Calidad de educación, trabajo y libertad. España: Dossat.

Keywords:

Quality, Competences, Education.