Jenni Erlandsson, Quality Coordinator, who is involved in arranging the Faculty's annual quality conference, Forum Kvalitet, tells us more about the conference and the Faculty's quality assurance work in teaching.
Why is a conference on quality in teaching being held?
“Forum Kvalitet´s purpose is to engage and involve more people in quality work. The quality conference is a central part of the Faculty's systematic work to increase commitment, make quality work visible and promote the exchange of experiences.”
“One of the Faculty's focus areas for quality assurance work in the coming period is to stimulate the programmes' and teachers' use of QPS, (Quality and Progress System), as a tool for quality work and pedagogical development, and to stimulate increased use of QPS for assessment, observation and feedback. There is also a need for additional information for students on how the system can be used for their own learning.”
Why is quality work in teaching important?
“Education is one of the cornerstones of our business and it is important for the business, working life and society that our education is conducted with high quality and provides students with appropriate and socially important knowledge that they can carry with them after completing their education.”
“At the same time, the Faculty's quality assurance work must relate to European, national and internal regulations, policies and recommendations that regulate universities and colleges. Teachers and students need support in this work and also have the opportunity to feel part of the quality development that is taking place.
What themes will you focus on at this year's conference?
“We will start with a session with an exchange of experience on the Faculty's internal educational evaluations. The starting point will be the most recently evaluated programmes, the Audiology and Speech and Language Pathology Programme. The conference will also focus on how QPS can be used in quality work. Also, an interview with Luke Dawson (professor at the University of Liverpool) about how the quality of dental education has gone from "bottom to top". Another highlight is that we are conducting the conference in Forum Medicum's ALC (Active Learning Classroom) with an active learning focus.”
What do you hope the conference will bring?
“That the participants will get tools and inspiration for how QPS can be used to facilitate and simplify quality work with quality development as a result and an exchange of experiences.”
Who should sign up?
"The conference is aimed at education at undergraduate and graduate level. You should sign up if you are curious about or want to share experiences about the evaluation of education. Teachers, students, organisations (e.g. within the region) or administrative staff who in some way come or have come into contact with QPS as a system can benefit from Forum Quality in various ways. Exchange of experiences, learning and dialogue is Forum Quality's focus. No special prior knowledge is required. A computer should be brought to be able to actively participate since the conference is held in an ALC (Active Learning Classroom).”