Educational Accountability and the Need for Comprehensive Evaluation in TAFE.

Nelson Wadsworth, P.O. Box 4725, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia.

N

88

Accountability; Administrative Principles; Adult Education; Audits (Verification); Business; Databases; Evaluation Methods; Evaluation Needs; Financial Audits; Foreign Countries; Management Information Systems; Management Systems; Organizational Effectiveness; Planning; Postsecondary Education; Program Evaluation; Quality Control; Systems Approach; Technical Education

978-0-86397-107-5

This paper seeks to provide a rationale for evaluating Technical and Further Education (TAFE) programs by using a management system approach that is based on corporate planning. The first section reviews the sources of increased demands for accountability in TAFE (societal, economic, government, and legislative sources) and examines various management systems that could be used to meet increased demands for accountability (program budgeting, program evaluation, management information systems, management procedures, and corporate planning). The first section concludes with an examination of the Swedish model for self-evaluation. The second part of the report describes the following aspects of the attempt in New South Wales, Australia, to increase accountability by using a corporate planning-based approach in which evaluation is a major component in providing accountability and maintaining quality of educational provision. The following topics are covered: the diversity and scope of TAFE in New South Wales, corporate planning as a management tool, strategic planning (departmental, college/school, and servicing unit strategic plans), staff participation in strategic planning, action or operational planning, evaluation and monitoring, performance indicators and their interpretation, evaluation procedures for program monitoring, comprehensive audits and program evaluation activities, establishment of a directorate of audit and review, program performance evaluation plans, planning and evaluation support to managers, and future directions. (MN)

1988

ED286053