Perspectives of teaching staff about quality assurance process in Hawler Medical University: Q-methodology

Background and objective: quality assurance is the planned and systematic review of an institution to determine whether or not acceptable standards of education and infrastructure are being met, maintained and enhanced. This study intended to explore the perspectives of teaching staff about quality assurance process with the aim of uncovering commonalities and discrepancies among staff from the different educational background. Methods: This explorative study was conducted in Erbil governorate, Iraq. Data were collected using Q methodology, a technique for eliciting subjective views and identifying shared patterns among individuals. A sample of 40 teaching staff in Hawler Medical University from the different educational background and academic titles were invited to sort a set of 42 statements reflecting various aspects of the quality assurance process into a distribution on a scale of nine from "disagree most" to "agree most." By-person factor analysis was used to derive latent views through centroid factor extraction and varimax rotation of factors. Results: Analysis of the participants’ Q sorts resulted in identifying four distinct views and experiences of quality assurance process: (i) Accepting the current quality assurance process with constructive criticism, (ii) Actively opposing the quality assurance process, (iii) General satisfaction with quality assurance process and (iv) Students’ feedback concern. The typical characterizations that were associated with each view were highlighted. Conclusions: This study revealed different patterns of views and experiences of teaching staff about quality assurance process and recognized the particular issues related to each pattern.