Institutional dimensions of quality assurance and teaching in Makerere University.

Abstract

The study sought to investigate Institutional Dimensions of Quality Assurance and Teaching in Makerere University. Three (03) research objectives guided the study; How has the coercive element of quality assurance and teaching been implemented? How has the mimetic element of quality assurance and teaching been implemented? And how has the normative element of quality assurance and teaching been implemented? A case study research design was used, with qualitative research methods to collect and analyze data using semi structured interviews, Focus Group Discussions and document analysis techniques from 150 respondents, including 120 students, 18 lecturers and 12 administrative staff purposively selected from. Informants were drawn from the Hard Pure (Botany, Zoology, Geology); Hard Applied (Engineering, Computing, and Medicine); Soft Pure (Philosophy and Sociology) and Soft Applied (Education, Law, Development studies and Social Work and Social Administration) disciplines. Data analysis was done using data summary techniques, editing and coding. The study found out that coercively the University vision and mission have offered strict guidelines on the standards of teaching in Makerere University. And that mimetically quality assurance has been entrenched through internship training. The study further found out that normatively quality assurance is entrenched in teaching in through the University’s partnership with the professional bodies. Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers for engineering among others. The study concluded that for teaching to reflect the coercive dimension of quality assurance it should be done in line with the University’s vision and mission. Whereas for the mimetic dimension of quality assurance to be realized, internship should be put into practice. Finally the normative dimension can be realized when teaching puts in to account establishing a partnership with the respective professional bodies. The study recommended University management to enforce the mission and vision of the University, implementation of internship programs and encouraged that more professional bodies work with Makerere University; as key resource stakeholders who would set, monitor and maintain minimum standards for quality to be realized in teaching.