Students’ opinion on the quality assurance of a study process: case study at Daugavpils University, Latvia
2020
Davidova, J., Daugavpils Univ. (Latvia) | Kokina, I., Daugavpils Univ. (Latvia)
It is obvious that in recent years the system of higher education quality assurance has undergone several essential changes: a greater emphasis is being laid on the qualification framework, on student-centred learning and study results; also there is a change in the attitude from quality assurance towards the development of the teaching staff. One of the characteristics of higher education is the extent the higher education is based on active students’ participation in the assessment of the study process. The aim of the study is to explore students’ opinions about the process of study quality assurance at the Daugavpils University (further – DU), Latvia. The participants of this study were 60 students from 12 master and doctoral study programs at DU. The analysis of structured interviews with the students made it possible to identify the typical characteristic features of DU internal quality assessment. The research showed that students assess highly lecturers’ personal qualities (attitude to their profession, personal interest in students’ success, empathy, striving for cooperation) and their professional qualities (knowledge of the subject, didactic and communicative competence, and ability to get the feedback from students as well). To promote the cooperation between the students and the academic staff of DU, it is useful to practice trans-disciplinary out-of-study forms. Summer schools for students studying in master and doctoral programs encourage students to think about the future of civilization, about a sustainable and unsustainable behaviour on a local and global scale, goals of a sustainable development and awareness about them, and also about the role of a qualitative education content and study environment for achieving these goals. The use of international summer schools, academic discussions and creative work-shops contribute to a deeper understanding of the study content, of topicalities in global education and possibilities of synergetic thinking in cooperation between students and lecturers.
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