Student-Involvement Trends (SIT) For Quality-Assurance in Higher Education among STEM Institutions, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Background, the context and purpose of the study: Higher education is shifting from institutional success factors to student-centred learning, focusing on research-based methods and student involvement. This shift emphasizes the importance of holistic education based on intended learning outcomes and suitable processes. Using the pragmatic research paradigm, the study sought to identify stakeholder attitudes and feelings regarding student involvement vis-à-vis quality assurance processes and outcomes. The study targeted 15 quality assurance officers and Student Representative Council members per institution. Results, the main findings: Findings underscore that to a large extent, this is not the case among higher education institutions, buttressing the need for student-involvement in quality-assurance and promotion initiatives. Higher education institutions should balance student-involvement in quality-assurance processes without compromising the same desired quality. Faced with the paradox, higher education institutions tend to involve students only peripherally in important academic quality-assurance processes short-changing them thereby. Correspondingly, trends should move from university-centred evaluation of teaching and learning towards student-centred evaluation of teaching and learning. Conclusions, brief summary and potential implications: Consistently followed, evidence indicates universities that have reacted to student feedback through enhancing their participation have student-satisfaction, closely related to clear, tangible action taken. Students of STEM can, and should be engaged as ‘producers and products’ at all levels of quality assurance processes, from academic boards to working with staff developing innovative teaching materials.