Perspectives on Educational Quality: Illustrative Outcomes
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Scheerens, Jaap / Luyten, Hans / Van Ravens, Jan, PUBLISHER: Sprong>inong>ger, The quality of education is a term that is frequently used ong>inong> public debates. Understood ong>inong> the sense of education beong>inong>g "generally okay," or rather, most frequently, as "not okay." Perhaps there is an overrulong>inong>g nostalgic view that formerly education was better than today. ong>Inong> scholarly discourse there are those who maong>inong>taong>inong> that the quality of education is an illusive term, with varyong>inong>g ong>inong>terpretations ong>inong> different settong>inong>gs and by different stakeholders. ong>Inong> this book the complexity of the concept of education quality is recognized, but a conceptual framework is presented that makes quality, despite its complexity, amenable to rational and empirical analysis. Productivity, equity, effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness of education systems are seen as key facets of quality. A concrete set of ong>inong>dicators is presented that makes for the measurement of these quality facets. ong>Inong> the second part of the book the quality framework is applied to an analysis of the quality of education ong>inong> the Netherlands. Common sense ong>inong> the Netherlands is domong>inong>ated by the view that the quality of education is a course for serious concern. Some recent quality reviews take the same pessimistic outlook. However, the current overview of ong>inong>dicators on the Dutch system, seen from an ong>inong>ternational perspective, presents a picture that is much more positive. Still there is always room for improvement, ong>inong> the case of the Netherlands this should probably be sought ong>inong> dimong>inong>ishong>inong>g the selectivity of the system as a way to improve participation ong>inong> higher education.