External Quality Assurance 2014: What Effect does it have on the EFL Classroom?

Paper presented at:

"Enhancing Indonesian and Thai Education Systems Compatibility towards ASEAN Community"

The 9th CRISU-CUPT International Conference 2014.
Centara Hotel and Convention Centre, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
27th-30th October 2014.

Abstract

Slowly but surely, External Quality Assurance (EQA) has changed the way that tertiary educational institutions think about Quality Assurance (QA). Rather than waiting for end of year or five-yearly reports to stimulate QA, Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) procedures have been introduced by many establishments in order to attain the required satisfactory QA grading. Similar to students seeking grades without understanding the value of the lessons they should be learning, some universities are more concerned with their QA grading than producing quality education for the students under their care.

This paper looks back five years at the QA problems associated with English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Thailand and makes a comparison with where we are today, discussing how short cuts and a lack of understanding when dealing with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can lead to short term success and long term failure for students, faculties, tertiary education and Thailand as a country. Suggestions are made for integrating quality into daily routine, taking into account culture, management and administrative considerations.

Paper will appear here shortly.