Perceptions of lecturers on quality assurance in higher education teaching and learning process

Abstract

This paper presents a report on investigation carried out to determine the perceptions of lecturers on quality assurance in higher education teaching and learning process. A survey study was conducted on a group of lecturers from one of the higher education institutions Campus in South Africa on their perspective on quality assurance in teaching and learning. As the study was qualitative in nature, interview was used as the main instrument for data collection. The results of the study showed that perception on quality assurance according to the respondents is influenced by several factors including lecturers' income levels, academic qualification and teaching experience, job satisfaction, career achievement, student learning needs, students' knowledge and experience. The significance of the study was the realisation that the perception regarding concept of quality assurance is difficult to define and articulate as the quality of a product or service is concerned with the attributes and characteristics which suppliers and customers expect at the time of production and purchase, as well as during the life of the product or service.