Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol 3 No 2

December 2012 • Volume 3, No.
Publisher
William Tony IN THIS ISSUE:
[email protected]
Giving the Body of Knowledge a Voice 2
Editor
Fernando F. Padró Fernando F. Padró
[email protected]
Associate Editors
Lyman Briggs College: An Innovative Living-Learning
Cindy P. Veenstra Community for STEM Education 7
Sid Nair Ryan D. Sweeder, Kathleen A. Jeffery, and Aaron M. McCright
Theodore Allen
Copy Editor Critical Event Narrative Inquiry in Higher Education Quality 15

Janet Jacobsen Patricie Mertova and Len Webster
[email protected]
Production Administrator
Cathy Milquet
[email protected]
Layout/Design
Laura Franceschi
Sandra Wyss
Founding Editor
Deborah Hopen
©2012 by ASQ
The Journal That Connects Quality and Higher Education
Quality Approaches in Higher Education (ISSN 2161-265X) is a peer-reviewed publication that is published by ASQ’s
Education Division, the Global Voice of Quality, and networks on quality in education. The purpose of the journal
is to engage the higher education community in a discussion of topics related to improving quality and identifying
best practices in higher education, and to expand the literature specific to quality in higher education topics.
Quality Approaches in Higher Education grants permission to requestors desiring to cite content and/or make
copies of articles provided that the journal is cited; for example, Source: Quality Approaches in Higher Education,
Year, Vol. xx, (No. xx), http://asq.org/edu/quality-information/journals/
Questions about this publication should be directed to ASQ’s Education Division, Dr. Fernando Padró,
[email protected]. Publication of any article should not be deemed as an endorsement by ASQ or the ASQ
ONLY @ asq.org/edu Education Division.
EDITORIAL Giving the Body of Knowledge a Voice
Fernando F. Padró
As someone who has been studying how quality is defined in

higher education and how its quality assurance mechanisms
interpret the definitions, what is striking is the difference in
perceptions from academics, educational professionals, and non-
academics (employers, policy makers, regulators, and members
of the community at large) regarding quality and quality assur-
ance. Whether a person is what Boiral and Roy (2007) call a
quality enthusiast or a dissident, the decision to become one or
the other rests with perceived expectations based on regulatory
compliance or, more realistically, his or her own view of what
quality is in a college or university environment. Regardless Editor, Fernando F. Padró
of perspective, the aim of this journal, Quality Approaches in
Higher Education (QAHE), is to create a venue that may be outside the comfort zone of
many of the potential contributors (cf. Ibarra & Hunter, 2007) to provide a forum for all
whose practice and/or research add to the understanding of quality and quality assurance
in higher education. To paraphrase Quinn (2005), QAHE seeks to move the narrative of
quality from a normal state to a fundamental state in which the conversation moves from
what one “knows” to venturing beyond familiar territory, based on one’s values, learning
from this environment, and recognizing when there is a need for change.
The Journal’s Focus

Quality as a model was declared a fad as far back as 2000 by Robert Birnbaum, but if it is a
fad why is it that the ideas and tenets from the world of quality are driving the discussion in
the accreditation/external review world? Look at how the language and ideas proposed by
the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity are framing change
for higher education in the United States (Padró, in press b). Simply, in a world environ-
ment in which accountability expectations for higher education institutions and systems
continue to grow because of perceived deficits (Dill & Beerkens, 2010), quality is based on
policy steering (Padró, 2009; Dill & Beerkens, 2010). Quality assurance often is posited as
part of a balance between external control and internal improvement (Danø & Stensaker,
2009), therefore placing discussions of academic and academic support matters in a qual-
ity framework only makes sense. QAHE was created to provide a forum for the body of
knowledge in higher education from all sectors, and regardless of viewpoint, to discuss
issues related to good and excellent practices and/or how programs and processes in higher
education can be improved. It is intended as a venue where:
• academic staff (faculty) from the different disciplines present their findings and ideas
related to performance issues;
• student service professionals and academics can discuss how student engagement and
other campus practices performed in support of students can express their theories
and findings;
• specialists in centers dedicated to the scholarship of teaching and learning can
showcase their research;
asq.org/edu • institutional researchers can inform the higher education community at large;
2 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

• other members of the campus community can share their research papers. Conceptual papers, policy pieces, best practices,
work; and and case studies are welcome as well. The requirements these
• policymakers and external regulators can engage in the dis- articles must meet are rigor, the ability to generate reader inter-
cussion of how to make higher education the best it can be. est, timeliness, and the ability to expand the body of knowledge.
In this regard, our outlook is based on what Bertalanffy (1968)
Framing the Quality Literature in Higher Education observed about adding to the body of knowledge of systems:
“The theoretical link between quality management practices and It may be preferable first to have a nonmathematical
firm performance has not been clearly understood” (Linderman, model with its shortcomings but expressing some previ-
Schroeder, Zaheer, Liedke, & Choo, 2004, p. 604). For example, ously unnoticed aspect, hoping for future development
there is little empirical evidence that institutional accreditation of a future algorithm, than to start with premature
as practiced in the United States has been effective in assuring mathematical models following known algorithms and,
academic standards (Dill & Beerkens, 2010). There is James’ therefore, possibly restricting the field of vision. (p. 24)
(2005) cautionary observation that learner outcomes are poten- This journal wants to be a forum for different viewpoints dis-
tially problematic because too much is expected from them cussing issues relevant to quality in higher education. The body
while they may have the unintended consequence of limiting of knowledge in higher education is more than what Foucault
or restricting learning because it commodifies knowledge. Also, (1980) termed “a polymorphous ensemble of intellectuals who
issues articulated by Geoff Scott’s (2004) forces of change enter virtually all pass through and relate themselves to the academic
the conversation on external reviews; learner outcomes (espe- system” (p. 127). Campuses are multi-disciplinary in nature
cially the competencies these represent); student engagement because of the tripartite composition of a campus—academic
and its nexus with satisfaction; access; opportunity/diversity; affairs, business affairs, and student services—along with the
and globalization and internationalization of higher education. many academic and professional disciplines taught. Therefore,
Assessment and evaluation form integral aspects of accountabil- QAHE must be interdisciplinary in scope and look for contribu-
ity within a quality framework; however, questions abound as tions from faculty and other professionals working on campus.
to whether learning and its effects can be effectively measured Given the myriad structural permutations within a higher edu-
quantitatively and if other forms of evidence will be recognized cation institution in terms of function, mission (and in some
as sufficiently rigorous to get recognition as legitimate data. instances covenant), personnel, and what is taught, what must
There are curricular and programmatic development and imple- be remembered is Maturana and Varela’s (1992) observation that
mentation issues as well as co-curricular support activities and structural coupling and human dynamics “entails a reflection
approaches that are part of the quality discussion. So too are enabling us to see that as human beings we have only the world
contradictions and tensions surrounding academic (professional) we create with others—whether we like them or not” (p. 246).
development (Lee & McWilliam, 2008), divergent faculty QAHE desires to be a journal that looks at quality from all
conceptions of “leading” and “management” in the area of learn- aspects of higher education and from all different perspectives.
ing and teaching (Marshall, Orrell, Cameron, Bosanquet, & For many, quality as a concept is not the issue. The approach,
Thomas, 2011), strategic considerations of scholarship of teach- language, and model toward the concept are the issues. Those
ing and learning (Palmer, Holt, & Challis, 2011), and differing interested in quality cannot dismiss or ignore the view espoused
faculty (academic staff) evaluation approaches (Padró, 2011), at the beginning of the 20th century by Thorstein Veblen
among other salient meta-topics that can and should frame the (1965/1918) who believed “the intrusion of business principles in
quality literature in higher education. the universities goes to weaken and retard the pursuit of learn-
ing, and therefore to defeat the ends for which a university is
Diversity in Research and Viewpoints maintained” (p. 165). It is alive and well today (Aly & Akpovi,
The question when discussing quality is, to quote Zemsky, 2001; Felder & Brent, 1999). Many teachers in the humanities
Wegner, and Massy (2005), “[w]ere there a good definition of and social sciences believe that way. Some would even argue that
quality, were educational products designed and engineered, the reliance on external funding has impacted the views of those
and if the academic workforce understood its role in achieving a pursuing research in the natural sciences (cf. Stokes, 1997). On
quality product, would the result be a better educational prod- the other hand, Feigenbaum (1993) implies that competition
uct?” (p. 140). Therefore, we are not looking for any one form within systems reflects the international competition between
of research. Qualitative studies are as welcome as quantitative the educational infrastructures of nations in relation to quality,
asq.org/edu 3 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

e.g., how campuses and systems develop work and teamwork The Rewards of Publishing in QAHE
knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This feeling was anticipated
What are the rewards of publishing in QAHE? First and fore-
by Clark Kerr who wrote in 1963 that “more than ever, educa-
most there is the reward of sharing information and advancing
tion is inextricably involved in the quality of a nation” (p. 87).
the discussion and the body of knowledge of quality approaches
While adoption has been slow and piecemeal (Kanji, Tambi, &
throughout the campus. Hopefully, there is a professional reward
Wallace, 1999), quality management and assessment are more
of recognition and professional advancement. This last point is a
widely accepted today (Kitagawa, 2003), even if there are “fun-
particular challenge for academic staff seeking upward mobility
damental differences of view of the appropriate relationship that
through the academic cursus honorum because an interdisciplinary
should be established between higher education institutions and
venue for publication is not always recognized as an “appropriate
their external evaluators” (European Association for Quality
widget” depending on type of institution or national protocols
Assurance in Higher Education, 2005, p. 11). To paraphrase
dictating how to account for scholarship. Some colleges and uni-
Brubacher (1977), scholarly expertise is being called on to extend
versities are comfortable following the more expansive definition
the concepts of industrial production to mitigate the social evils
of scholarship as proposed by Boyer (1990), but others prefer
existing as a result of the existing economic order.
the more traditional singular-focused approach toward publica-
Veblen’s view reflects why many individuals within academ-
tion that recompenses specialized research in a subject area and
ics look at quality and quality assurance from an ultra-pessimistic
discourages ancillary interests in the field. Such a mindset has
perspective of minimizing regret, playing what economists call
created problems for many academic staff who are interested in
a minimaxing strategy (Padró, in press a). This feeds into the
the teaching and learning aspects of their discipline. Similarly,
often-found traits of problematic preferences, unclear technolo-
those interested in evaluating teaching face the same challenge.
gies, and fluid participation (Cohen, March, & Olsen, 1972).
If the metaprofessional model of teaching suggested by Arreola,
Consequently, “[w]hat becomes tightly or loosely coupled in this
Theall & Aleamoni (2003) holds, the many dimensions of teach-
symbolic system is related to a mixture of collegial interactions,
ing in higher education become a legitimate subtopic within the
bureaucratic structures, ongoing coalitions, chance, and cogni- disciplines. For all of the rhetoric at the national and interna-
tive processes by which people make inferences and judgments tional levels about the importance of teaching and considering
under conditions of uncertainty” (Birnbaum, 1988, p. 160). teaching as important as research, academic recognition is typi-
Under these conditions, even small misunderstandings about cally lacking. The same holds for those individuals interested
quality and quality plans have the potential to form inaccurate and/or involved in external review activity within the campus.
perceptions if key ideas about the system are not understood External reviews require academic staff input and participation.
(Folkerts, 2007). As a consequence of the dynamic, sometimes Their output needs to be recognized as well.
seemingly contradicting, and interdisciplinary nature of higher As someone who has been intimately involved in the tenure
education, this journal has to embody Niels Bohr’s theory of and promotion process of faculty at teaching institutions and
complementarity posited in 1927 to focus on what the different involved in a number of external institutional and program
articles and perspectives have in common rather than focusing reviews in the United States over the years, I have seen the afore-
on the discrepancies. According to Bohr (1963): mentioned challenges first hand. What is striking is the “star
… it must be recognized that such evidence which chamber” quality of the processes and decisions impacting aca-
appears contradictory when combination into a single demic staff performance recognition. The best way to describe
picture is attempted, exhausts all conceivable knowledge the attempt at countering the secretive nature of decisions and
about the object. Far from restricting our efforts to put deliberations is what Weick (1995) calls sensemaking, simply
questions to nature in the form of experiments, the notion because academic staff make strategic choices based on extracted
of complementarity simply characterizes the answers cues that may be plausible but not necessarily accurate. For those
we can receive by such inquiry, whenever the interac- involved in the decision making, QAHE commits itself to recog-
tion between the measuring instruments and the objects nition in the various journal indexes and to climb the so-called
forms an integral part of the phenomena… Likewise we ratings ladder as expeditiously as it can be managed. The journal
must be prepared that evidence, which obtained by dif- is about quality and thus it strives for excellence on its own. It
ferent, mutually exclusive… arrangements, may exhibit is a relatively new journal, yet, it is one that seeks to become a
unprecedented contrast and even at first sight appear more visible voice in higher education. For those academic staff
contradictory… (pp. 5, 12) seeking a publication venue, it is our goal to make the journal a

recognized place for people in different disciplines to share their Bohr, N. (1963). Essays 1958-1962 on atomic physics and human
work. For researchers whose area(s) of interest do not really have knowledge. Bungay, Suffolk: Richard Clay and Company, Ltd.
a home, for example, those involved in the scholarship of teach- Boiral, O., & Roy, M.J. (2007). ISO 9000: Integration rationales and
ing and learning at campus centers or improving the doctoral organizational impacts. International Journal of Operations & Production
studies experience, we want to make sure you have a place that Management, 27(2), 226-247.
will be interested in your work. Boyer, E.L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate.
The talk about academic staff is not meant to minimize Princeton, NJ: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
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Brubacher, J.S. (1977). On the philosophy of education. San Francisco:
is the case. As a proud, long-standing member of the National
Jossey-Bass.
Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), I
want to invite student services professionals to consider publish- Cohen, M.D., March, J.G., & Olsen, J.P. (1972). A garbage can model
ing with us. Quality as a concept and as a model is embedded of organizational choice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
in the topics represented in the field’s research agenda as pro- Danø, T., & Stensaker, B. (2009). Still balancing improvement and
posed by NASPA’s Q-list and continuing efforts at identifying accountability? Developments in external quality assurance in the
the future direction of research in the student services. So much Nordic countries 1996-2006. In M. Tight, K.H. Mok, J. Huisman,
is happening in the sector that it is important for student person- & C.C. Morphew (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook
nel professionals to share their practices and research so that they, of higher education, pp. 243-254. New York: Routledge Taylor &
Francis Group.
too, contribute to shaping and expanding the body of knowledge
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researchers and other individuals performing research within col- of academic quality. In D.D. Dill & M. Beerkens (Eds.), Public policy
leges and universities to better inform the internal and external for academic quality: Analyses of innovative policy instruments, pp. 15-19.
stakeholders of current developments. We also welcome submis- Dordrecht: Springer.
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integral to the understanding of colleges and universities at the Higher Education Area. Helsinki: Author.
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of these professionals within campuses and outside them have aren’t teaching it. National Productivity Review, 12(2), 139-141.
their own publications and venues for promoting discussion; yet, Felder R. M., & Brent R. (1999). How to improve teaching quality. The
QAHE wants to consider itself as another setting for their prac- Quality Management Journal, 6(2), 9-21.
tices, research, and ideas because of what these professionals do
Folkerts, T.J. (May 2007). The quality diet: Building a healthy business.
offer to the overall body of knowledge in higher education. The
Quality Progress, 40(5), 21-25.
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to the different sectors within higher education. Knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings 1972-1977 by Michel
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Arreola, R.A., Theall, M., & Aleamoni, L.M. (2003). Beyond scholarship: research in further education. The Curriculum Journal, 16(1), 83-96.
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2003 AERA Convention, April 21-25, 2003, Chicago, IL. study of quality practices in higher education institutions in the U.S. and
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Birnbaum, R. (1988) How colleges work: The cybernetics of academic University Press.
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Lee, A., & McWilliam, W. (2008). What game are we in? Living with Padró, F.F. (in press, a). Accreditation and institutional learning: A sto-
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This issue presents some of the changes to the
journal that we will be implementing during this Weick, K.E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA:
SAGE Publications.
year. We have been listening to feedback from con-
Zemsky, R., Wegner, G.R., & Massy, W.F. (2005). Remaking the
tributors and readers alike and are making changes
American university market-smart and mission-centered. New Brunswick,
based on what contributors and readers want to see NJ: Rutgers University Press.
as soon as it is practical. For example, this issue
provides a new look and articles that are longer in
length than before to provide more in-depth cov-
erage of the issues raised by the authors’ research.
The author guidelines have been revised to reflect CAll for PAPerS
the longer word limit for articles we will accept
for review and publication. You will also note the 2013 ASQ
inclusion of an editorial informing the readership
of issues of concern or interest to the editorial team Stem AgendA
regarding the journal and higher education quality ConferenCe
in general. We will continue to publish editorials
as developments in higher education quality war-
rant or when noted scholars in the field feel they June 3 – 4, 2013 | Grand Rapids, MI
want to inform our readership about a particular
concern, issue, or significant research that is worth Submit your
all of our attention. PAPerS todAy!
—The Editorial Team http://asq.org/conferences/stem-agenda/index.html

A case study Lyman Briggs College: An Innovative Living-
of a residential Learning Community for STEM Education
Ryan D. Sweeder, Kathleen A. Jeffery, and Aaron M. McCright
college devoted Abstract
to the sciences Michigan State University’s Lyman Briggs College (LBC) is a residential, undergraduate
college devoted to studying the natural sciences with an understanding of the history, phi-
provides insight losophy, and sociology of science. LBC is the longest-running program of its kind at a large
U.S. research university and offers its students the close-knit living-learning community of
a liberal arts college and diverse resources and opportunities of a research university. LBC
on improving has succeeded in developing a strong residential science learning community that supports
its students by creating a culture of engagement in science and employing student-centered
student success learning techniques. This has resulted in a first-year retention rate of approximately 95%
(92% in STEM) and a six-year university graduation rate of approximately 85% (more than
in the sciences. 70% in STEM with equal retention of male and female students). LBC can therefore provide
a useful case study for approaches that lead to student retention and success in STEM fields.
Keywords
STEM, Higher Education, Career Development, Student Support
Introduction
Significant research has gone into understanding student motivation in college and
retention in a major. Astin examined the student experience extensively and reported
that one of the most important factors influencing students’ choices about remaining in
college is the connection they feel with the institution and their fellow students (Astin,
1984, 1993). Considering further Lave and Wenger’s (1991) view of learning as a social
construct, the environment that incoming potential science majors experience has a
huge impact on their choice to remain in the sciences. Astin additionally identified that
a student’s desire to make a theoretical contribution to a scientific field was positively
associated with “the hours per week spent talking to faculty outside of class, enrolling
in an honors program, tutoring other students, working on an independent research
project, assisting faculty in teaching a course… a number of interesting possibilities
for how students’ science interests might be strengthened” (Astin, 1993). Research spe-
cifically within the sciences has also suggested that connecting undergraduates with
authentic research experiences helps maintain interest in the pursuit of a science major
(Russell, Hancock, & McCullough, 2007; Seymour, Hunter, Laursen, & Deantoni,
2004). Providing all students with real undergraduate research experiences early in their
careers has been a challenge; however, there are examples of success at large institutions
for larger enrollment classes (Full, 2010; Weaver et al., 2006).
Concerns over the need for more graduates in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) fields have led to national calls for reform of teaching and learning
in undergraduate science education: The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology’s (PCAST) Engage to Excel Report (2012), Boyer Commission Report (1998), and
Rising Above the Gathering Storm (2007). Each report stresses the importance of engaging
students in the authentic practice of science and improving student-faculty connections,
as such out-of-class interaction has been found to be extremely impactful for under-
asq.org/edu graduate students (Strong, 2009). Similarly, they recognize that science students must be

prepared for authentic problem solving in real-world, interdisci- focused on undergraduate education—span the sciences from
plinary settings, which requires that students better understand astrophysics to zoology including the fields of history, philoso-
the connections between science and society (Goldey, 2008). phy, and sociology of science (HPS). For more than 40 years,
These calls for reform reinforce the need to rethink the student LBC has educated scientists to understand both the funda-
experience especially in the early years to attempt to maintain mental scientific and mathematical context of their disciplines
and even strengthen student interest in the sciences (National in a societal context. By interlacing academics, residential
Science Board, 2003). Even though students majoring in STEM life, and student services, LBC is able to fulfill its educational
fields are more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than are philosophy that those sharing an interest in the sciences will
students in other majors (DesJardins, Kim, & Rzonca, 2002; benefit from learning and living together.
Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; National Science Board, 2012), Annually, 625 first-time, first-year students enter LBC
Seymour and Hewett (1997) reported that 40 to 60% of under- intending to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in STEM or
graduates from a representative sample of universities leave the HPS. Students self-select into the college through their appli-
STEM fields—especially among women and students of color cation for undergraduate admission to MSU with no special
(Carnevale, Smith, & Melton, 2011). requirements or costs associated with the program; it is open
One method to improve undergraduate science education to all entering students on a first-application priority. LBC
is the creation of residential colleges or similar forms of learn- has nearly 1,900 total students, and all first-year students are
ing communities (Bean & Kuh, 1984; Tinto, 1997; Zhao & required to live in the residence hall where LBC classrooms,
Kuh, 2004). These residential learning communities have laboratory, faculty, staff, and administrative offices are located.
great impact by blurring “the boundaries between students’ LBC majors are affiliated with 17 departments across the
academic and social lives, and the evidence indicated clearly Colleges of Natural Science, Engineering, and Agriculture and
and consistently that they succeeded” (Pascarella & Terenzini, Natural Resources. The faculty of LBC consists of natural sci-
2005). In studying three differing living-learning communi- entists (biologists, chemists, mathematicians, and physicists)
ties in a single institution, Stassen (2003) found that two of and social scientists (historians, philosophers, and sociolo-
the three communities had statistically positive impacts on gists). The interactions between these groups provide excellent
grades and retention after controlling for pre-college academic opportunities for LBC to engage students in all aspects of sci-
success predictor variables. These settings provide the kinds of ence and experience a wider range of potential science careers.
out-of-class, student-faculty interactions that have been shown Since each faculty member also has a joint appointment in a
to have positive impacts on students’ academic, personal, and disciplinary department, the faculty can provide insight and
social development (Strong, 2009) and give strong indication advice to students regarding their academic pursuits.
for how to improve undergraduate education and retention.
This article focuses on Lyman Briggs College (LBC), a The Lyman Briggs Curriculum
residential science college, as a model for cultivating student Nationally, 90% of students who leave the sciences cite poor
success and retention in STEM fields. This article describes teaching as one of the primary factors in their departure
the curriculum including impacts on student retention, sum- (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997). However, research from the field
marizes the students’ experiences assessed via student surveys, of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) has helped
discusses lessons learned, and provides key recommendations identify practices that can help change these discouraging
for developing high-impact, science-based residential colleges. patterns. “High-impact” teaching and learning strategies can
greatly increase student retention in science majors (Bransford,
Lyman Briggs College: A Model Community Brown, & Cocking, 2000; Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1991).
Founded in 1967 at Michigan State University (MSU) with The LBC curriculum strives to use these learner-centered
the mission of bridging the divide between C.P. Snow’s “two teaching techniques to provide students with a solid founda-
cultures” of the sciences and the humanities (Snow, 1959), the tion before they focus on a specific major, see Table 1. Through
LBC is a residential, undergraduate college devoted to study- active and collaborative learning, initial courses help students
ing the natural sciences in their historical, philosophical, understand the nature of scientific reasoning, evidence, and
and social context. LBC offers its students the best of both knowledge, and instructors strive to demonstrate the relevance
worlds: the close-knit living-learning community of a liberal of course material to real-world issues (Gutwill-Wise, 2001).
arts college and resources and opportunities of a large research They not only introduce field-specific concepts, theories, and
university. The faculty—active and accomplished scholars methods, but also demonstrate the inter-relation of various

Table 1: Courses Typically Taken by LBC students nature of science. HPS instructors regularly prompt students to
engage with each other to confront their prior knowledge and
Student Usual courses taken Courses taken outside LBC reflect upon how and why they know what they know. By their
year through LBC very nature, HPS courses break down the boundaries erected in
First Intro to HPS, Biology I, 1-3 general education traditional disciplinary science courses (cf. Snow, 1959), illustrat-
General Chemistry I & II, courses ing, for example, sociologically that scientists have never divided
Mathematics (Calculus neatly along the lines we draw when teaching undergraduate
or other appropriate) courses. HPS courses also expose students to the human impli-
Second Biology II, Physics I & II Organic Chemistry cations of scientific research, thereby discouraging students from
2-6 general education thinking about science as merely vocational knowledge, and
courses instead seeing it as a professional career that demands more
than the mastery of a bounded body of technicalities.
Third 1-2 HPS upper-level 4-7 major or general
courses education courses The overall curriculum is designed to engage students with
learner-centered pedagogical techniques and assessment meth-
Fourth 0-1 HPS upper-level 5-8 major or general ods to impact a diverse group of learners. Science courses that
courses, senior seminar education courses
include pedagogical approaches used in LBC such as active
(Capstone Course)
learning benefit all students, but disproportionately increase
retention of underrepresented students (Herreid, 1998; Froyd,
scientific disciplines: e.g., how chemical principles underpin 2009). Much like the Colorado Learning Assistant model
biological processes. Students discuss course material with (Goertzen, Brewe, Kramer, Wells, & Jones, 2011), LBC
each other at a conceptual level to deepen their understanding employs undergraduate learning assistants (ULAs) to assist in
and engage in science collaboratively through course-based teaching many of the courses. This approach builds on the
research projects. long-held research model of identifying and engaging under-
Class sizes are designed to be smaller than equivalent graduate students early in their careers in a core aspect of the
university courses and provide a greater level of individual science disciplines. Highly talented students are introduced
attention from faculty (Kokkelenberg, Dillon, & Christy, into the culture of teaching science and work closely with fac-
2008). The introductory laboratory courses employ inquiry- ulty members in instruction as early as in their second year.
based experiments that focus on scientific methods and Much like those students undertaking research, some of the
argumentation to help students understand the process of sci- ULAs use this as an opportunity not only to improve their
ence (Bransford et al., 2000) rather than confirm pre-existing understanding of the core science, but also to explore teaching
“right” answers. The laboratory courses strive to help students as a potential career option.
learn how scientists communicate through the development As a means to formatively assess each course, Lyman Briggs
of the skills necessary to write journal-style lab reports that faculty formally adopted the research-validated Student
illuminate their scientific reasoning skills. Students also Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) (Seymour, Wiese,
begin to learn scientific presentation skills through the cre- Hunter, & Daffinrud, 2000) in 2011 as the primary means
ation and display of research-based scientific posters. This for collecting student feedback about their course experience
highly diverse range of pedagogies helps reach all types of to better evaluate their own teaching. This research-validated
students and engage them in learning the basic skills essential instrument asks students to evaluate their improvement on
for all scientists. specific skills, abilities, or knowledge, shifting assessment
Three courses in the HPS field strengthen the science educa- of the classroom from “teaching” to “learning” and better
tion. In an initial HPS course, students are introduced to key addressing the key question about the efficacy of classes:
questions, concepts, theories, and methods in HPS. Students what did students learn? Similarly, the faculty employs the
then extend and apply their foundational HPS knowledge Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) (Sawada et
to more advanced courses in at least two substantive fields of al., 2002) as a means to assess the learning environment that an
HPS of science, technology, environment, and medicine. These instructor fosters within the classroom. This instrument pro-
courses help students gain a more complete understanding of vides a resource for mentoring committees and strengthens a
the fields of science in which they are gaining technical profi- culture that openly discusses challenges and opportunities in
ciency by exploring the interdisciplinary, professional, and civic promoting student learning.

The Lyman Briggs Experience Board approval, a standardized survey was administered anon-
ymously online to 1,712 LBC students in spring 2012 to gauge
The Lyman Briggs experience profoundly influences how stu-
the student experience. The survey included closed-ended
dents critically think about science and the world around them.
questions. The measurements included usage of facilities, fea-
More than just a set of classes, it involves creating a culture of
tures of residence living, curriculum, and the general teaching
science engagement with students, faculty, advisors, and staff
and learning environment experiences in LBC. Students had
engaging with each other around science.
three weeks to complete the survey and were requested twice
The residential nature provides an environment conducive
via email to prompt completion. Four hundred and forty six
to building this science-laden culture. The inclusion of the
respondents completed the survey fully, representing a 26%
LBC classrooms, faculty, and student services within Holmes
response rate with equal distribution across class standing.
Hall is critical to the Lyman Briggs experience, providing out-
Females were statistically more likely to respond than males
of-the-classroom interaction between community members.
(34.6 versus 19.2%; p<.05 using z-test of proportions) consis-
These informal interactions humanize the faculty and staff in
tent with previous literature (Sax, Gilmartin, & Bryant, 2003).
the minds of the students and allow them to serve as better
Results were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. To better under-
mentors. Significant discussions take place during class times,
stand the differences between the male and female experiences
advising appointments, office and walk-in hours, as well as
informally in hallways, the cafeteria, and elsewhere throughout and potential reasons for differential retention, a z-test of pro-
Holmes Hall (Strong, 2009). portions was used to determine the statistical significance of
The culture of science is further strengthened by the wide differences between male and female responses. Retention data
range of co-curricular opportunities that help foster learning was obtained from the MSU registrar.
and engagement in the Lyman Briggs community and beyond. Students were determined to qualify as a STEM graduate if they
Such activities include the LBC Research Symposium, the earned a degree in mathematics; natural sciences (including physical
freshman class book debates, community service, and the LBC sciences and biological/agricultural science); science or math edu-
Speaker Series as well as involvement in student groups (e.g., cation; engineering/engineering technologies; health professions
Briggs Multiracial Alliance, Women in Science, and STEM and related clinical sciences; and computer/information sciences.
Alliance). Students also help shape the future of LBC and MSU This broader definition of STEM tends to more accurately reflect
through their involvement in governance (on all LBC standing the participation of women and minorities in STEM-capable
committees and many university student groups) and in their careers (George-Jackson, 2011).
participation in the faculty hiring process.
Active research is another key component of the Lyman
Evidence of Success
Briggs culture, as demonstrated through the consistent engage- Student Survey Supports LBC’s Teaching Model
ment of students in scientific research. The LBC Research The students overwhelmingly showed support for a number
Symposium involves more than 700 student participants annu- of the pillars of the LBC teaching model through the 2012
ally as they present research from faculty-led research labs, survey as shown in Table 2. For example, regarding the use
coursework, and honors option projects. Each year more than of reformed teaching practices, 82.8% of Briggs students indi-
70 LBC students participate in the University Undergraduate cated that their LBC STEM courses had a “moderate amount”
Research and Arts Forum. LBC faculty work closely with stu- or “great deal” of influence on their success in upper-level
dents in their research labs, involving nearly 70 undergraduates STEM courses in their major as illustrated in Table 2. Also,
in research and leading to between 15 and 22 students coau- 96.8% indicated that class size and 73.3% indicated that
thoring papers and a similar number presenting at regional/ the inquiry-based nature of the LBC’s labs added either “a
national conferences each year. Many other students work with great deal” or “a moderate amount” to their LBC experience.
non-LBC faculty as well. These numbers testify to our efficacy Students also indicated moderate or great benefit from their
in developing a culture of scientific research and investigation interactions with Briggs faculty both inside (91.5%) and out-
that reaches beyond the classroom. side (88.6%) of the classroom and with their peers (92.9%) as
illustrated in Table 2. For both the class size and preparation
Methods for Evaluation items, female students were significantly more likely to indicate
Our students are well situated to provide information about a greater positive response, consistent with previous literature
the success of our program. With MSU Institutional Review results (Kokkelenberg et al., 2008).

Table 2: Results of 2012 Student Survey
Percent of respondents indicating factor Percent of Percent of

LBC characteristic added a “great deal” or “moderate amount” Males Females
of quality to their LBC experience (N=137) (N=309)
Smaller class sizes 96.8 83.8 98.2*
Inquiry-based labs 73.3 72.3 73.8
Intro STEM classes leading to success 82.8 77.9 85.0*
Living in Holmes Hall 88.4 85.2 89.8
Interaction with faculty in class 91.5 90.3 91.9
Interaction with faculty outside of class 88.6 85.5 90.0
Interaction with peers/classmates 92.9 91.7 93.5
Integration of HPS with science and math 67.4 63.4 69.3
Percent of Percent of
Percent of respondents who indicated they
Statement Males Females
“somewhat agree” or “strongly agree”
(N=137) (N=309)
The Briggs curriculum has given me opportunity to do real science 84.2 82.2 85.2
The Briggs curriculum is helping me graduate timely with a

70.6 71.2 70.3
BS degree
LBC promotes an inclusive science learning environment 82.1 71.9 86.7*
Percent of respondents who indicated a
How much did your LBC courses help you… Males Females
“moderate amount” or a “great deal”
(N=137) (N=309)
Develop scientific skills 87.0 84.9 87.9
Understand relationship between science and society 84.7 85.6 84.2
Communicate science to others 83.8 81.5 84.9
Percent of Senior respondents who
Activity Males Females
participated in activity (N=115)
(N=36) (N=79)
Research with professor outside a course 48.7 55.6 45.6
Study abroad 38.3 36.1 39.2
Work as learning assistant 24.3 25.0 24.1
* z-test of proportions indicates significant difference between males and females at the 0.05 level.
The student survey also provided strong evidence that the LBC as an undergraduate learning assistant as listed in Table 2. These
culture encourages students to participate in many high impact percentages may be inflated by the self-selection of student respon-
co-curricular activities. Of the 115 senior respondents, 48.7% had dents, yet the independently verifiable study abroad rate of the
conducted research with a professor outside of a lab course, 11.3% classes from 2008 to 2010 ranged from 31% to 41%. Interestingly,
had co-authored a publication with a faculty member, 38.3% had 67% of non-freshman respondents still felt that greater opportu-
participated in a study abroad program, and 24.3% had worked nities for research would significantly enhance their experience,

suggesting an unmet demand for Figure 1: Six-Year Path of LBC Freshman Class of 2006
authentic research opportunities.
High Persistence Rates at LBC

The value of the LBC experience,
which supports its students in their
transition from high school to col-
lege and through to graduation, is
evident in the retention and gradu-
ation rates. The first-year retention
rates at MSU for LBC’s incoming
classes between 2003 and 2008
were consistently around 95.5%,
and the six-year graduation rates
at MSU for the LBC classes enter-
ing as freshmen between 2001
and 2006 were between 82% and
86%. This compares to 74-77%
for MSU overall (MSU, 2012) and
57% for life science majors nation-
ally (PCAST, 2012). Sixty percent
of matriculating LBC students
graduated within four years, almost
double the national four-year graduation rate of 31.3% (NCES, education. This is indicative that a large number of our stu-
2012). Figure 1 shows how the incoming class of 2006 progressed dents have fostered an interest in continuing their education
through MSU in six years. It is remarkable that more than 70% and have achieved a sufficient level of academic success to be
of incoming LBC students persist in the STEM fields, with accepted by a subsequent institution.
nearly equal retention of male and female students. This high rate
helps LBC fill the expected 17% growth of STEM occupations Conclusions
between 2008 and 2018 (Langdon, McKittrick, Beede, Khan, & Many institutions are recognizing the benefits of an educa-
Doms, 2011). The survey results support that these high first-year tional setting such as LBC. Stanford University has recently
retention and graduation rates are a result of the learner-centered created a Science, Technology, and Society program which,
teaching and science culture developed with LBC. similar to LBC, strives to bridge Snow’s two cultures divide
Assessment of recent student graduation trends indicate that (AAC&U, 2012). The lessons taken from LBC highlight the
incoming female LBC students graduate at an equivalent rate importance of using learner-centered teaching pedagogies in
to their male counterparts (+/- 2% on the six-year graduation combination with the creation of a strong science culture.
rate). This is evidence that LBC helps female science students Although the creation of a robust residential college such as
pass the critical first and second years where most institutions LBC can be an extensive undertaking, in the case of MSU it
lose females from science majors at higher rates than they lose has been a strong investment that has continued to pay divi-
males (Astin, 1993; Atkin, Green, & McLaughlin, 2002). dends for almost 45 years by creating a setting with the 95%
Presently, minority students in LBC graduate at a slightly lower first-year retention and 85% six-year graduation rates. The stu-
rate than the LBC average (0-12% lower), yet at a higher rate dent survey strongly indicates the importance of any designed
than MSU’s average. These data, combined with a 95% first- science living-learning community to:
year retention rate at MSU, suggest that LBC is providing a
• Utilize learn-centered teaching techniques
broadly supportive environment that leads to success across the
demographic diversity of incoming students. For each of the • Engage students in the research culture of science
graduating classes of 2008 to 2010, nearly 80% of LBC grad- • Provide meaningful student-faculty and student-student
uates have continued on to some form of post-baccalaureate interactions

• Employ smaller introductory science courses to create an Froyd J. E. (2009). White paper on promising practices in under-
inclusive environment for female students graduate STEM education. The National Academies Board on Science
Education. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. http://www7.
Creation of programs with these key elements may help meet
nationalacademies.org/bose/PP_Commissioned_Papers.html
the demand for quality STEM graduates that all institutions of
higher education must work together to fill. Full, R. (2010). Poly-PEDAL related instruction at UC Berkeley. http://
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MSU for making this research possible. This material is based in Minorities in Science and Engineering, 17(2), 149-171.
part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Goertzen, R. M., Brewe, E., Kramer, L. H., Wells, L., & Jones, D.
under Grant Nos. DUE-1022754 and DUE-0849911. (2011). Moving toward change: Institutionalizing reform through
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in inorganic chemistry and chemistry edu-
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explores gender inequity in science education,
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and mathematics classrooms: The reformed teaching observation proto-
curricular interventions on learning. He can be
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reached at [email protected].
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rates and nonresponse bias in web and paper surveys. Research in Higher Kathleen A. Jeffery, B.S. is a recent gradu-
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undergraduates leave the sciences. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. cal sciences for secondary education and was
a semi-finalist for the 2012 Knowles Science
Seymour, E., Hunter, A.-B., Laursen, S. L., & Deantoni, T. (2004). Teaching Fellowship. Jeffery is in the process
Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the of earning her teaching certificate. She is
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Michigan State
Seymour, E., Wiese, D. J., Hunter, A.-B., & Daffinrud, S. M. (2000). gogical approaches on their learning. She can
University
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Chemical Society, San Francisco, CA. http://www.aacu.org/resources/ Aaron M. McCright, Ph.D. is an associ-
sciencehealth/documents/Mousetrap.pdf ate professor of sociology in Lyman Briggs
College and the Department of Sociology at
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the National Academy of Sciences, and he
lege environment: An investigation of student development in the designed University
received the 2009 Teacher-Scholar Award
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and the 2009 Curricular Service-Learning and
Tinto, V. (1997). Enhancing learning via community. Thought & Civic Engagement Award at MSU. He can be
Action, 13(1), 53-58. reached at [email protected].

The authors focus Critical Event Narrative Inquiry in
on the use of Higher Education Quality
Patricie Mertova and Len Webster
the qualitative
Abstract
technique of The paper is another one of a series of works describing a research study concerning
the academic voice in higher education quality in England and the Czech Republic
capturing and (Mertova & Webster, 2009). To investigate the academic voice in higher education
quality, a critical event narrative inquiry method was employed, and that is the focus
classifying of this paper. A significant feature of the method was eliciting critical events related
to higher education quality in professional practice of academics and higher educa-
critical events to tion leaders. The research uncovered a number of similar issues and concerns in higher
education quality voiced by academics and higher education leaders in both countries.
provide context Some culture-specific issues related predominantly to Czech higher education quality
were also uncovered.
by discussing the Keywords
Quality Management, Educational Quality
academic voice
Quality in Higher Education
to issues in higher Quality has moved from a marginal to a central issue in higher education as a result of
heightened political control combined with stricter control over financing the sector,
education quality. the growth in the number of students in higher education, and changing stakeholder
and student expectations. The migration of quality to the the center stage of higher
education during the past 20 or so years, however, has brought with it particular per-
spectives regarding its approach and use. For example, quality assurance processes have
become control-focused and management-driven (Lomas, 2000; Jones, 2003). In the
literature, works by Barnett (1992), Harvey & Green (1993), Morley (1997), Lomas
(2000), and Harvey (2004, 2005) make the case that monitoring in higher educa-
tion disguises the emphasis on accountability rather than on enhancement even when
scholars such as Birnbaum (2000) and Green (1994) point out the unsuitability of
such approaches in higher education (Mertova & Webster, 2009). Missing is a generic
understanding of the human-centered elements or “soft factors” that contextualize
quality processes along with the academician’s perspective on how to make universities
even better, a voice that has had little impact in the development of these processes
(Kogan, Bauer, Bleiklie, & Henkell, 2000; Blythman, 2001; Newton, 2002; Lomas,
2007; Cartwright, 2007). Studies by McInnis, Powles, & Anwyl (1995), Newton (2002),
Anderson (2006), Lomas (2007), and Cartwright (2007) argue for the importance of
the academic voice to be heard and for more research in this area.
This paper focuses on quality in two higher education systems: English and Czech.
The choice of these particular two systems was guided partly by the lead researcher’s
familiarity with the systems but also by the fact that these systems are historically and cul-
turally very different, and to see whether these differences would impact the approaches
and main trends in quality. The emphasis of the discussion is on the qualitatively-based
methodology used to capture the academic voice.
asq.org/edu

Background People make sense of their lives according to the narra-
tives available to them (Dyson & Genishi, 1994; Webster &
The data gathered through the methodology of critical events
Mertova, 2007). Stories are constantly restructured in the
was based on research performed to capture the academic voice
light of new events because stories do not exist in a vacuum
in higher education quality in the UK and Czech Republic. The
but are shaped by lifelong personal and community narratives.
UK system was selected because it was one of the first countries
Narrative allows researchers to present experience holistically
in the world to create a formal quality assurance system for
in all its complexity and richness. It illustrates the temporal
its higher education system (Westerheijden et al, 1994). The
notion of experience, recognizing that one’s understanding of
study eventually only focused on the English system and not
people and events changes (Herman, Manfred, & Ryan, 2005;
the whole of the UK higher education system that also includes
Conle, 2000; Riessman, 1993).
the Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish higher education sys-
Connelly and Clandinin (1987, 1988, 1990, 2000) have
tems (Tapper, 2007). The Czech higher education as a system
been prominent in adapting narrative inquiry for educational
was selected because of its cultural and historical differences
purposes. Their work offers an introduction of the field to teach-
from the English system. First, the Czech higher education sys-
ers and teacher educators. They have also pioneered narrative
tem was significantly influenced by the so-called Humboldtian
inquiry as a research method, and it appears that they have
tradition from the German system that places teaching and
coined the term narrative inquiry.
research as part of educational achievement (Rozsnyai, 2003;
Even though the original methodological resources for nar-
File & Goedegebuure, 2003; File, Hauptman, Herlitschka,
rative inquiry were provided by literary theory, Webster and
Kristensen, & Weko, 2006). The second reason for selecting
Mertova (2007) found no single narrative inquiry method that
the Czech system was the impact that Communist rule had on
predominates, but rather a number of methods dispersed into
its development (File & Goedegebuure, 2003).
individual disciplines. Webster and Mertova suggested that the
most likely reason was the fact that the individual narrative
Methodology inquiry approaches have been impacted by other theoretical
The research concerning the academic voice in higher edu- underpinnings of the various disciplines. They outlined a criti-
cation quality was conducted using a critical event narrative cal event narrative inquiry approach, which arguably would be
inquiry. Critical events in professional practice of academics applicable in a wide range of disciplinal settings. The research
and higher education leaders were elicited through semi- described in this paper further refined the methodology by
structured, face-to-face interviews with the individuals (cf. applying to an investigation of academic voice in the area of
Mertova & Webster, 2009). higher education quality.
Narrative inquiry Critical events

Over the last two decades, narrative has gained momentum as The essence of the critical event narrative inquiry method is
both a phenomenon and a method across a wide range of dis- in the identification of critical events in professional practice
ciplines from philosophy, education, theology, and psychology of individuals (Webster & Mertova, 2007; Mertova, 2008); in
to economics, medicine, biology, and environmental science. the case of this research it was the academics. Consistent with
Narrative inquiry is set in human stories of experience. It pro- Mertova and Webster (2009), a critical event is defined as an
vides researchers with a rich framework through which they unplanned and unstructured event that significantly impacts
can investigate the ways in which humans experience the world the professional practice of an academic (Webster & Mertova,
depicted through their stories (Carr, 1986; Dyson & Genishi, 2007; Mertova, 2008). The event can be internal or external
1994; Bruner, 1986). in nature and can be either as a result of professional practice
Narrative inquiry has depicted human experience and endeav- or from other personal experiences. The impact of this type of
ors from ancient times. It records human experience through the event on an academic’s perception of their professional practice
construction and reconstruction of personal stories. It is well- might have entirely or considerably changed his or her percep-
suited to address issues of complexity and cultural and human tion of what he or she does or even the lens through which
centeredness because of its capacity to record and retell events the world is seen. Consequently, a critical event can only be
that have been of most influence on us. Such issues play a sig- identified retrospectively (Webster & Mertova, 2007; Mertova,
nificant role in many areas of human activity, including higher 2008) and has a unique, illustrative, and confirmatory nature
education (Webster & Mertova, 2007). regarding the identified phenomenon. As an example of how

data of this type can be collected, for this study, critical events The pilot stage of interviews was followed by the main set
in the professional practice of academics were elicited through of interviews. The total number of main interviews conducted
semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with the individuals. was 30: 11 in the Czech Republic and 19 in England. Seven of
Critical events in professional practice of academics were fur- the main interview participants were female and 23 were male.
ther distinguished as critical, like, and other events in accordance Interviews in England were conducted at two old university
to the degree of significance and uniqueness characteristics. colleges and four “new” universities (new universities gained
Stories that were collected through narrative inquiry interviews university title after 1992). In the Czech Republic, interviews
were then analysed accordingly. A more detailed description of occurred at two large research-intensive universities. The deci-
the criteria is described in detail in Mertova (2008). sion was made to concentrate on interviewing academics from
A critical event was an event which was unique, illustrative, the social sciences and humanities: education, higher education,
and confirmatory in nature in relation to the studied phenome- law, history, English, English literature, Russian, Slavonic stud-
non. An event which had a similar level of significance as a critical ies, Australian studies, political science, sociology, medicine,
event, however, not as unique as the critical event and which fur- psychology, media studies, geography, quality, and management.
ther illustrated, confirmed, and/or repeated the experience of the Twenty-two interview participants were senior academics and/or
critical event was labelled a like event. higher education leaders with at least seven years of experience to
A review of the like events was useful in confirming and/or more than 20 years; the remaining eight interview participants
broadening issues arising from the critical event (Webster, 1998). had fewer years of experience in higher education. Interviews, on
Further, confirmatory events that may or may not have taken average, took between 30 and 45 minutes. They were recorded,
place at the same time as the critical and/or like events were transcribed, and line-numbered to allow tracking of particular
referred to as other events. Typically, such events related to other issues back to the original transcripts), and analysed to extract
background information which may have revealed the same or the critical events in the interviewees’ professional practice.
related issues. These other events were interwoven in the analysis Interviewees were given pseudonyms to protect their identities.
of the critical and like events (Webster, 1998). Critical, like, and Face-to-face interviews were augmented by extensive lit-
other events may have occurred within the narrative of a single erature and documentation reviews concerning the nature
interview, but more often would have occurred across a number of English and Czech higher education systems and quality
of different interviews. practices in English and Czech higher education to provide
Distinguishing critical, like, and other events provides a way additional context to the stories interviewees were providing.
of approaching the complexity and extent of data that might be Short surveys were also conducted to gather biographical infor-
collected using a qualitative research method. A common ques- mation and to identify the academic/professional backgrounds
tion in qualitative research is how to manage the amount of of the interviewees.
collected data. Identifying and distinguishing individual events
provides one way to assist the researcher in this (Webster &
Findings
Mertova, 2007). Critical Events in Professional Practice of Academics
and Higher Education Leaders
Design Looking for critical events in professional practice of academ-
Per Mertova and Webster (2009), six pilot interviews were con- ics and higher education leaders in Czech and English higher
ducted initially in Australia (four interviews) and England (two education quality identified at least one type of critical event in
interviews) to refine the methodology and interview questions. each interview with Czech and English academics and higher
Three of the interview participants were female and three male. education leaders. The individual events were distinguished
Four of the pilot interviews were conducted at three large research- according to their level of criticality, using criteria of criticality
intensive universities in Australia, and two at one “old” university for critical, like, and other events.
college (so-called old universities gained university title before This paper presents examples of each of the event type to give
1992) in England. The pilot interview participants represented an idea of the kind of events related to higher education quality
the disciplines of education, political science, and law. Five of the that the study identified. Due to the limited space, only exam-
interview participants were senior leaders with at least 15 years of ples of the different event types described in the Czech context
experience in higher education while one interview participant are provided. Examples from the English academic and higher
was less senior with six years of experience. education leaders are reported in Mertova and Webster (2009).

Example 1—“Critical” Event: Tomas like event (related to unification of study rules throughout his
Tomas was an associate dean for education in a faculty of a institution) described by him was key in terms of making the
research-intensive university in the Czech Republic and an university environment more transparent and responsive to stu-
associate professor in political science with more than 10 years dent needs and subsequently to academics’ needs. The event was
of experience in higher education. Tomas’ story referred to the identified as like because its level of significance was comparable
changes in higher education instigated by the political change- to a critical event, except it repeated the experience outlined in
over related to the so-called Velvet Revolution in November the critical event.
1989 in what was then Czechoslovakia. The event had a sig-
Example 3—“Other” Event: Richard
nificant impact on Tomas, Czech higher education, and the
entire Czech society. This event brought considerable interest Richard was a director of an office for international studies in
and motivation into Tomas’ academic life (then a student), pro- a research-intensive university in the Czech Republic. He was
viding an example of the kind of qualitative changes happening previously a senior lecturer and also head of the English depart-
in Czech higher education after 1989. Tomas was a student of ment at the same university. Overall, he had more than 25 years
Russian and history, and he related: of experience in Czech higher education.
The other event concerned the process of internationalization
“I remember the first lectures by people I might have heard
that was being debated in Richard’s institution. Richard outlined
of, but who could not lecture until 1989. All of a sudden,
it as an ongoing process or debate in the institution. To him,
you were ‘confronted’ by these people who really had the
the process of internationalization was closely related to quality,
knowledge and the ability to ‘pass’ it on. But even those
and there were a number of issues associated with the possible
who could lecture under communism, but perhaps were
approaches to internationalization with underlying implications
lecturing just on Soviet literature or something like that,
for quality. Richard pointed out one specific aspect of quality
suddenly liberated themselves and started lecturing on, e.g.
enhancement related to internationalization in the Czech higher
Classical Russian literature, or on the ‘forbidden’ authors…
education culture, which was the introduction of programs taught
(VII/CR/Tomas: p. 4, 158-164)
in English. The event was identified as other because it provided
At the same time, we managed to get rid of those who had further information on the range of measures of quality enhance-
no place in the university environment. I remember, for ment, which Richard saw gradually being introduced into Czech
instance, one compulsory seminar we had in history run by higher education, in particular to his university.
the deputy of the Communist party regional committee,
who was a professor, of course, but who had never pub- Emergent Issues and Concerns in English and Czech
lished a single academic piece. But [after 1989], luckily, he Higher Education Quality
very quickly realized that he had no place in the university.” The research uncovered a number of significant issues identi-
(VII/CR/Tomas: p. 4, 168-172) fied by both English and Czech academics and higher education
The event was identified as critical because of its unique, illus- leaders (Mertova & Webster, 2009, p. 149):
trative nature of the issues concerning higher education quality • focus on innovation and change in higher education;
within the Czech context. The issues were also highlighted as
• collegial approach and sharing of opinions and values;
critical by the interviewee, and they were distinguished as critical
by the criteria of criticality (described in detail in [author], 2008). • value of research in teaching practice;
• quality in higher education stemming from personal
Example 2—“Like” Event: Ivo involvement of the academic in the educational processes;
Ivo was a vice-chancellor’s executive officer at a research-intensive
• hierarchical approach to research and teaching; and
university in the Czech Republic. He had seven years of experience
in higher education, which included his experience as a student • benefit of exposure to different worldviews (within different
representative in the university senate. He was responsible for disciplines).
organizational and legal affairs in the vice-chancellor’s office and Identifying a narrative based on critical events showed a dis-
for an internal audit of the university. Despite his young age, Ivo connect between current higher education quality enhancement
held a senior leadership position in the university. practices in both countries and what academics in the UK and
The like event described by Ivo concerned the unification of the Czech Republic considered important. Some of the issues
a credit system throughout his university. Ivo believed that the uncovered in this research were highlighted by the academics as

having a negative impact on the quality enhancement processes in This was probably because higher education quality policies
their respective higher education systems. The similarity in identi- in the Czech Republic were typically government driven (Van
fied themes suggests a potential for wider relevance of such trends der Wende & Westerheijden, 2003). However, because of their
among a broader range of higher education systems worldwide. experiences under the Communist regime, Czech academics and
Based on the common issues identified by this research, higher education leaders probably would not let their autonomy
Mertova (2008) proposed a framework for a human-centered and voice to be undermined.
approach to quality enhancement in higher education. This
framework featured: Conclusion
• attention to human-centered aspects of higher education The main aim of this paper was to outline a critical event narra-
quality; tive inquiry method and illustrate how the method was utilized
in a study of academic perspectives in English and Czech higher
• a need for a collegial approach and reflection on the purposes
education quality. It was argued that this narrative inquiry
of quality evaluation processes;
method is particularly well-suited to investigations of complex,
• an effort to afford equal value to teaching and research; and human-centered, and culture-specific environments, such as
• a focus on innovation and change. quality in higher education. Due to space limits, only one exam-
There were also culture-specific issues uncovered, primarily ple of each type of event—critical, like, and other was provided
in regard to the Czech higher education system. These culture- and only from the Czech higher education context. For a more
specific issues may have reflected certain trends and features detailed explanation of what the respondents had to say, please
commonly found in other higher education systems in the refer to Mertova & Webster (2009). Using narrative inquiry to
Central and Eastern European region. In this respect, applying identify and categorize the importance of critical events helped
Mertova’s (2008) framework to the identified culturally-specific identify a range of issues common to both the English and
Czech issues may have provided insights of potential relevance to Czech higher education systems as well as issues that were more
other Central and Eastern European higher education systems culture-specific, particularly in the case of the Czech system.
(cf. Mertova & Webster, 2009). What the methodology sug- These issues were summarized as the main research findings.
gested was a quality framework for these countries that needs To paraphrase Connelly and Clandinin (1990), the central task
to concern itself with: of the methodology was to grasp the perspectives of people who
are both living their stories and reflecting upon their experi-
• the significance of transparency in educational processes;
ences by listening to themselves talk through and explaining
• the need for a fundamental change in the style of pedagogy these events. In so doing, what was found were themes on how
in higher education institutions (to focus more on thinking quality is a contested issue (Newton, 2002) from the point of
processes and reasoning); view of those who are responsible for making quality happen
• the need for a more systematic move toward a student- within the university environment. There was a range of per-
centered approach across the whole higher education spectives on quality (from antagonism through to support),
system; although the dominant concern was one of appropriateness.
Critical event narrative inquiry method is currently pro-
• the need to address the factor of pressure on Czech academ-
posed for research conducted outside of the domain of higher
ics to publish mainly in English to receive international
education. There is a potential for capturing important evidence
recognition; and
within different types of complex environments (such as busi-
• the need for education of Czech academic staff to enable ness, government, and public sectors) that would otherwise be
a broader and better understanding of the concept of lost. The findings from this research encourage this point of
higher education quality in the context of the Czech higher view because of its emphasis on the participant’s perspectives.
education system.
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Van der Wende, M., & Westerheijden, D. (2003). Degrees of trust
or trust of degrees? Quality assurance and recognition. In J. File, & L. Acknowledgements
Goedegebuure. (Eds.), Real-time systems: Reflections on higher education This paper was written as a part of the Monash University Postgraduate
in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia. Brno, Czech Publishing Grant. The first author of this paper would also like to thank
Republic: Vutium. the anonymous academics and higher education leaders who agreed to
Webster, L. (1998). A Story of Instructional Research and Simulation in participate in the research.
Aviation (Air Traffic Control). Unpublished Ph.D. thesis. Melbourne,
AUS: Monash University. Dr. Patricie Mertova is currently a research
Webster, L., & Mertova, P. (2007). Using narrative inquiry as a research fellow in the Department of Education at the
method: An introduction to using critical event narrative analysis in research University of Oxford, UK. Her current research
on learning and teaching. London, UK, Routledge. focuses on internationalisation and qual-
ity in higher education. Her Ph.D. research
investigated academic perspectives on higher
education quality. She has research expertise in
Dr. Patricie Mertova,
a broad range of education settings, including
University of Oxford
the fields of higher education, higher education
quality, sociology of education, adult education,
The Quality Approaches in Higher
educational development in law, and linguis-
Education is sponsored by tics. Her previous background is in the areas of
ASQ’s
linguistics, translation, cross-cultural communica-
tion, foreign languages, literature, and cultural
studies. For more information, contact Mertova
Education at [email protected].
Division Dr. Len Webster is currently a director,

Regulation and Review, Tertiary Education
Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA),
Shaping the Future Australia. Prior to this he was an audit director
through Quality with the Australian Universities Quality Agency
(AUQA). He has experience in teaching and
in Education and learning in higher education in areas of quality
Dr. Len Webster,
Professional Development Tertiary Education
development, e-learning, distance education,
educational development research, educa-
Quality and
tional strategic policy and planning, qualitative
To join other people interested in knowledge and Standards Agency
research methods, and academic staff devel-
best practices related to quality in education, check
out our website at asq.org/edu/index.html
opment. He has also played an active part in
and click on asq.org/join/addforum.html to join the the learning design and development of the
ASQ Education Division or call 1-800-248-1946. Future Research Leaders Program, an initia-
tive of the Group of Eight universities and the
Commonwealth Government, Australia. For
additional information, you may contact him at
[email protected].

Call For Papers
The American Society for Quality’s Education Division has launched a bi-annual, online, double-blind peer-reviewed
journal called Quality Approaches in Higher Education. The editorial review team actively encourages authors to submit
papers for upcoming issues.
The purpose of this publication is to engage the higher education community and the ASQ Education Division
membership in a discussion on a broad range of topics related to improving quality in higher education and identifying best
practices in higher education and to expand the literature specific to quality in higher education topics. Quality Approaches
in Higher Education welcomes faculty from two- and four-year institutions, including engineering colleges, business
schools, and schools of education to consider submitting articles for review. The journal also welcomes professionals from
the student services arena, institutional research, professional development, continuing education, business affairs, and
other aspects of the higher education campus to consider submitting articles for review. We encourage evidence-based
analysis using quality approach-driven improvement of higher education.
The following types of articles fit the purview of Quality Approaches in Higher Education:
• Case studies on how to improve quality in a college or university using evidence-based analysis.
• Conceptual articles discussing theories, models, and/or best practices related to quality in colleges and universities.
• Research articles reporting on survey findings such as a national survey on students’ attitudes toward confidence,
success in college, social networking, student engagement, access and affordability, etc.
• Case studies or conceptual articles providing institutional perspective on process development and maintenance
methodology at colleges or universities.
• Case studies or conceptual articles addressing issues such as the role of faculty and administrators in quality systems.
• Case studies, research studies, or conceptual articles focusing on accreditation issues.
• Case studies demonstrating best practices using the Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence or other
national quality models, standards from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS),
or national frameworks and protocols.
• Case studies, research studies, or conceptual articles on scholarship of teaching, enhancing student learning,
learning outcomes assessment, student retention, best practices for using technology in the college classroom.
• Case studies research studies, or conceptual articles on how student service units and intervention programs
impact the quality of student experience and student learning.
• Studies or conceptual articles on how higher education practices impact the quality of student life for different
student populations.
• Case studies on the type, use, and analysis of data to help improve teaching and/or services.
NOTE: We are looking to dedicate one of the two bi-annual issues to a special topic to highlight areas of high
interest in the field of higher education. We may also ask authors submitting articles that stand out in this area to
consider inclusion of their paper in this issue.
Articles generally should contain between 3,000 and 4,000 words and can include up to four charts, tables, diagrams,
illustrations, or photos of high resolution. For details, please check the “Author Guidelines” at http://www.asq.org/
edu/2009/09/best-practices/author-guidelines.pdf
Please send your submissions to Dr. Fernando Padró at [email protected].
Author Guidelines
Quality Approaches in Higher Education is a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal that is published online by the
Education Division of the American Society for Quality (ASQ ). The purpose of this publication is to engage
the higher education community and the ASQ Education Division membership in a broad-based discussion
of topics related to improving quality and identifying best practices in higher education and to expand the
literature specific to quality in higher education. We will only consider articles that have not been published
previously and currently are not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
General Information
Articles in Quality Approaches in Higher Education generally should contain between 3,000 and 4,000 words
and can include up to four charts, tables, diagrams, or other illustrations. Photos also are welcome, but they
must be high resolution and in the format described later in the “Submission Format” section.
The following types of articles fit the purview of Quality Approaches in Higher Education:
• Case studies on how to improve quality in a college or university using evidence-based analysis.
• Conceptual articles discussing theories, models, and/or best practices related to quality in colleges
and universities.
• Research articles reporting on survey findings such as a national survey on students’ attitudes toward
confidence, success in college, social networking, student engagement, access and affordability, etc.
• Case studies or conceptual articles providing institutional perspective on process development and
maintenance methodology at colleges or universities.
• Case studies or conceptual articles addressing issues such as the role of faculty and administrators in
quality systems.
• Case studies, research studies, or conceptual articles focusing on accreditation issues.
• Case studies demonstrating best practices using the Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence
or other national quality models, standards from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in
Higher Education (CAS), or national frameworks and protocols.
• Case studies, research studies, or conceptual articles on scholarship of teaching, enhancing student learning,
learning outcomes assessment, student retention, best practices for using technology in the college classroom.
• Case studies research studies, or conceptual articles on how student service units and intervention programs
impact the quality of student experience and student learning.
• Studies or conceptual articles on how higher education practices impact the quality of student life for
different student populations.
• Case studies on the type, use, and analysis of data to help improve teaching and/or services.
Author Guidelines: Quality Approaches in Higher Education
Manuscript Review Process

We log all article submissions into a database and delete all references to you. These “blinded” versions then go to
the editorial review team for comments and recommendations. Both author(s) and referees remain anonymous
in this process. The review process takes approximately two months during which time the reviewers advise
the editor regarding the manuscript’s suitability for the audience and/or make suggestions for improving the
manuscript. Reviewers consider the following attributes:
1. Contribution to knowledge: Does the article present innovative or original ideas, concepts, or results that
make a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of quality in higher education?
2. Significance to practitioners: Do the reported results have practical significance? Are they presented clearly
in a fashion that will be understood and meaningful to the readers?
3. Conceptual rigor: Is the conceptual basis of the article (literature review, logical reasoning, hypothesis
development, etc.) adequate?
4. Methodological rigor: Is the research methodology (research design, qualitative or quantitative, methods,
survey methodology, limitations, etc.) appropriate and applied correctly? For a conceptual paper, is the
framework appropriate and applied correctly?
5. Conclusions and recommendations: When appropriate, are the conclusions and recommendations for further
research insightful, logical, and consistent with the research results?
6. Readability and clarity: Is the article well organized and presented in a clear and readable fashion? Is the
article written in English and in a grammatically acceptable manner?
7. Figures and tables: When submitted, are the figures and/or tables used appropriately to enhance the ability
of the article to summarize information and to communicate methods, results, and conclusions?
8. Organization and style: Is the content of the article logically organized? Are technical materials (survey scales,
extensive calculations, etc.) placed appropriately? Is the title representative of the article’s content?
9. Attributions: Are the sources cited properly using APA style? Are attributions indicated properly in the reference list?
You should use these attributes as a checklist when reviewing your manuscript prior to submission; this will
improve its likelihood of acceptance.
Review Process Outcomes

There are three possible outcomes of the review process:
• Accept with standard editorial revisions. In this case, the content of the article is accepted without requiring
any changes by you. As always, however, we reserve the right to edit the article for style.
• Accept with author revisions. An article in this category is suitable for publication, but first requires changes
by you, such as editing it to fit our length requirements. We provide specific feedback from our reviewers to
guide the revision process. We also assign a tentative publication date, assuming you will submit the revised
article by the deadline.
• Decline to publish. Occasionally articles are submitted that do not fit our editorial scope. In these situations,
we may provide you with suggestions for modifying the article to make it more appropriate to our publication,
but we do not assign a tentative publication date.
Please note that after articles are edited for publication, we return them to you to approve the technical content.
A response may be required within 48 hours or the article may be held over for a subsequent issue.
Articles that appear to be advertising or do not fit the general topics addressed by Quality Approaches in Higher
Education will be rejected without receiving peer reviews.
Helpful Hints
1. Articles should emphasize application and implications of what is being presented, whether conceptual or
research-based.
• Use the early paragraphs to summarize the significance of the research.
• Make the opening interesting; use the opening and/or background to answer the “so what?” question.
• Spell out the practical implications for those involved in higher education.
2. Detailed technical description of the research methods or conceptual/theoretical framework is important,
but not necessarily of interest to everyone. The description should enhance the narrative or critical to the
understanding of the article’s material.
3. Throughout the article, keep sentence structure and word choice clear and direct. For example, references
should not distract from readability. Whenever possible, use recent or most widely accepted references to
support your argument(s).
4. Avoid acronyms and jargon that are industry- or organization-specific. Try not to use variable names and
other abbreviations that are specific to the research. Restrict the use of acronyms to those that most readers
recognize. When acronyms are used, spell them out the first time they are used and indicate the acronym
in parentheses.
5. Occasionally, our reviewers and readers view articles that include reference to the author(s) proprietary
products or methods that come across as a form of advertising. Although we encourage you to share
personally developed theories and application approaches, we ask that you refrain from using our publication
as a marketing tool. Please take great care when including information of this nature in your article.
6. If the article cites cost savings, cost avoidance, or cost-benefit ratios, or provides the results of statistical
evaluations, include an explanation of the method of calculation, along with any underlying assumptions
and/or analysis considerations.
7. Access to the survey is important for our review. Depending on the length of the survey, we may include
the entire survey with the article.
8. When submitting an article that is based on qualitative methodology, please make sure that you describe the
research questions, the information that is the basis of the data analysis, and report the developing themes.
Also remember to include text analysis as part of data analysis. Please include the protocols in a separate
Word document; review of the protocols will be important in our technical review. Consider including the
protocols in the methodology section of the manuscript, if they can be presented concisely.
9. Our staff does not have the means to compile references or verify usage permissions; therefore, it is important
for you to provide all that information with your article, including written letters of authorization when
appropriate. Plagiarism is a rapidly growing crime—particularly due to the use of information from the
Internet. Please help yourself, and us, to maintain professional integrity by investing the time necessary to
verify your sources and to obtain and document all necessary permissions. Information on our requirements
for documenting references, along with specific examples, is included at the end of these guidelines.
Submission Format
1. We accept only electronic submissions in Microsoft® Word® format. Send electronic copies of articles to
[email protected]. Also please include an abstract of 150 words or less for each article. Include all of your
contact information in a cover letter or your email message.
2. Tables should be included at the end of the article and must be in Microsoft Word. Each table must be
referenced in the article and labeled, such as “Table 1: Graduation Rate by Major.” Do not embed .jpg, .tif,
.gif, or tables in other similar formats in your article.
3. Drawings and other illustrations should be sent in separate Microsoft® PowerPoint® or Microsoft Word files;
each item should be included in a separate file. All drawings and other illustrations must be referenced in
the article, and must be labeled, such as “Figure 1: Pareto Analysis of Student Participation in Department
Activities.” Please do not use other software to generate your drawings or illustrations. Also, please do not
embed .jpg, .tif, .gif, or drawings or illustrations in other similar formats in your article.
4. We can use photos if they enhance the article’s content. If you choose to submit a photo with your article,
it must be a high-resolution .jpg or .tif (at least 300 dpi and at least 4” by 6” in size). We cannot enlarge
photos and maintain the required resolution. Photos should be sent in separate files and referenced in the
article. Photos should be accompanied by a complete caption, including a left- to-right listing of people
appearing in the photo, when applicable. Do not include any text with the photo file.
5. Also submit a separate high-resolution electronic photo (at least 300 dpi) for each author. Author photos
should be at least 1” by 2”. Author photos should have a plain background, and the author should be facing
toward the camera.
6. Please include a 75- to 100-word biography for each author, mentioning the place of employment, as well as
contact information.
Copyright Transfer
Prior to publication, you must sign a form affirming your work is original and is not an infringement of an existing
copyright. Additionally, we ask you to transfer copyright to ASQ. The copyright transfer allows you to reproduce
your article in specific ways, provided you request permission from ASQ and credit the copyright to ASQ. The
transfer also allows ASQ to reproduce the work in other publications, on its website, etc.
If you use materials from other works in your articles (other than standard references), you must obtain written
permission from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) to reprint each item of borrowed material. This includes
any illustrations, tables, or substantial extracts (direct quotations) outside the realm of fair use. Submit these permis-
sion letters with the article. Articles cannot be published until copies of all permission letters are received.
For example, an article includes a PDSA illustration from a book. The permission statement would include:
Figure 1 is from Nancy R. Tague’s The Quality Toolbox, 2nd ed., ASQ Quality Press, 2005, page 391. This permis-
sion statement would appear in the caption just below the PDSA figure.
References
Quality Approaches in Higher Education follows the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. Please make sure that all your reference citations follow this format.
One of the most common errors we have observed with submitted articles is improper referencing due to
improper attribution in the text and reference section. Please make sure that all the material in the submitted
article is properly referenced and cited as appropriate.

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December 2012 • Volume 3, No.

Copy Editor Critical Event Narrative Inquiry in Higher Education Quality 15

The Journal That Connects Quality and Higher Education

As someone who has been studying how quality is defined in

The Journal’s Focus

2 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 3 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 4 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 5 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 6 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

7 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 8 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 9 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 10 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

Percent of respondents indicating factor Percent of Percent of

Living in Holmes Hall 88.4 85.2 89.8

Interaction with faculty in class 91.5 90.3 91.9

Interaction with faculty outside of class 88.6 85.5 90.0

Interaction with peers/classmates 92.9 91.7 93.5

Integration of HPS with science and math 67.4 63.4 69.3

The Briggs curriculum is helping me graduate timely with a

Understand relationship between science and society 84.7 85.6 84.2

Communicate science to others 83.8 81.5 84.9

Study abroad 38.3 36.1 39.2

Work as learning assistant 24.3 25.0 24.1

asq.org/edu 11 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

High Persistence Rates at LBC

asq.org/edu 12 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 13 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

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15 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

Narrative inquiry Critical events

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asq.org/edu 19 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

asq.org/edu 20 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

Division Dr. Len Webster is currently a director,

asq.org/edu 21 Quality Approaches in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2

Manuscript Review Process

Review Process Outcomes

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