Total Quality Management as the Basis for
Better Co-op Student Learning Outcomes
Nick J. Kok
CapeTechnikon
SouthAfrica
ABSTRACT
The Cape Technikon is an institution offer-
ing educational programmes up to the D
Tech degree, a doctorate in technology
based on research. The Technikon is one
of the few higher educational institutions
in South Africa which introduced a struc-
turedmodelforTotalQualityManagement
(TQM).Themodelwasintroducedin1990.
TheQualityManagementModelinvolves
a process of regular Institutional Self-
evaluation (ISE) in order to set objectives
for promoting, inter alia, student learning,
and the determining of strategies to
achieve these objectives. The ISE com-
prises comprehensive evaluation of all
programmes,includingstudents’experien-
tial learning (or work-based learning), as
well as academic support activities. The
questionnaires cover a wide range of as-
pects pertaining to the institution such as
students’learning experiences both at the
institution and in a work-based mode, the
courses and curriculum concerned, em-
ployment patterns, the faculty, co-opera-
tive education co-ordinators, facilities and
services provided, etc. This paper refers to
theTQMmodeloftheCapeTechnikon,with
particular reference to co-operative edu-
cation, and describes outcomes and per-
formance.
Finally, it will show those strategies that
were to promote co-operative education
at the Cape Technikon. These strategies
include the selection of suitable co-op co-
ordinators, a sound administrative support
structure, a very sound relationship with
commerce and industry and, most impor-
tantly of all, the need to structure the work-
based requirements to accommodate a
variety of employment situations that
would achieve the desired student learn-
ing outcomes. Reference is also made to
the learning outcomes fundamental to the
National Qualifications Framework which
were formulated by the South African
Qualifications Authority during 1997.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Cape Technikon is an institution offer-
ing educational programmes up to the D
Tech degree, a doctorate in technology
based on research. Most of the pro-
grammes offered are characterised by a
system of co-operative education: i.e.,
work-integrated learning.
The Cape Technikon is a public higher
education institution whose mission is to:
• Provide and facilitate quality career and
technology education and training in
partnership with relevant stakeholders.
• Encourage and develop individual cre-
ativity, skills acquisition and knowledge
production on a lifelong basis.
• Empower and develop its communities
on a national and regional basis.
Inordertoachievetheaboveobjectives,
it is important for the Technikon to be in a
position to improve its educational qual-
ity on a regular basis. A model for quality
control, based on institutional self-evalu-
ation, was developed during 1990. The
system was developed to ensure:
• Accountability to students, employees,
employers and the community.
• Maintenance and improvement of stan-
dards.
• Realistic decision-making regarding
funding and planning, based on valid
and reliable information.
The discussion that follows briefly out-
lines the outcomes of the quality manage-
ment model of the Cape Technikon. Fur-
thermore, it focuses on the strategies fol-
lowed to ensure continuous improvement
of the services of the institution to pro-
mote student learning, with particular ref-
erence to work-based learning.
2. QUALITYMANAGEMENTMODEL
The assurance management model sup-
ports the institutional research and plan-
1
ning activities. The implementation of this
model in both the academic area and cen-
tral departments (support services and
general administration) is vital, especially
during a period of transformation and in a
climateofeconomicstringency,whenstate
funding is dwindling and the cost of Higher
Education rising.
CurrentlytheQualityAssurancesystem
relies on selected panels for investigating
and evaluating all facets of the various
Technikon activity areas: for example, fac-
ulty expertise, teaching methods, assess-
ment methods, student success rates,
placing and monitoring of co-op students,
employment of graduates, service provi-
sion and utilisation of resources. The com-
position of panels also provides for repre-
sentation of professional bodies, employer
organisations, students and alumni. All
panel reports are submitted for scrutiny to
the Quality Assurance Committee, which
in turn reports to the Senate.
3. OUTCOMESAND
PERFORMANCEINDICATORS
Institution-wide surveys are annually con-
ducted by means of questionnaires to
obtain the views of students and alumni
of the Cape Technikon and all its facilities,
services,etc.Theseevaluationsreflectthe
perceptions of:
• Freshmen after six weeks of attendance
• Graduates on graduation day
• Alumni who graduated during the previ-
ous five years
In the case of graduates, the respon-
dents also have to indicate their future
plans (eg., employment/further studies),
their views on their personal development
at the Technikon, and their opinion regard-
ing the quality of teaching and their expe-
riential learning experience.
The percentage of students who were
dissatisfied with some aspects related to
their experiential training is indicated in
Figure 1 on page 2. Experiential learning
activities of 1998 Mechanical Engineer-
 2

Figure 1

Experiential Training Evaluation by Qualifying Students 1997

Prep. for Exp. Train. 13,2%

10.6%

Placement in Firm 16.1%

15.2%

Le cturer Contact 26.8%

1997
15.7%
1996
Pe rsonal De velopment 5.9%
6.1%

Evaluation by T'kon 15.1%

16.9%

Average Eva luation 13.2%

12.9%

Dissatisfied Students Only

1434 Participants (95)

ing students are also depicted in Figure 2
on page 3.
TheCapeTechnikonisunderstandably
proud of its graduate employment rate in
a depressed economy running to unem-
ployment of up to 33 1/3%. The 1997
alumni survey indicated that almost 90%
of the respondents was employed, with
18% of them self-employed.
A very important aspect of the quality
managementmodeloftheCapeTechnikon
is the comparison of the institution to the
other fourteen technikons in South Africa
regarding the following performance or
quality indicators.
•• The profile of the freshers
•• Availability of student accommodation
•• Examination pass rates
•• Number of higher qualifications
•• Qualifications awarded per 1,000 stu-
dents
•• Qualifications awarded per faculty
•• Qualifications of faculty
•• Library spending per student
•• Research projects completed
•• Expenditure per faculty
•• Proportion of students placed for expe-
riential learning
•• Cost per qualification awarded
•• Permanent employment of graduates
These quality indicators are used very
effectively to recruit students for the insti-
tution.
Since 1991 a comprehensive set of
these performance indicators, compiled in
geographical format, has been published
asannual“ProfilesoftheCapeTechnikon.”
4. ANEWTEACHINGVISION
Higher education in South Africa is rapidly
being transformed.During the last two
yearstheCapeTechnikonhasbeenreview-
ing its policies and strategies to effectively
respondtothetransformationprocess.The
rapid change in the demography of stu-
dent intakes and the rapid increase in the
numbers of students, many of whom are
often ill prepared for higher education, rep-
resent enormous challenges to faculty.
It is evisaged that there will be a three-
fold increase in the numbers of students
seeking access to higher education by
2005 and that the proportion of black stu-
dents will rise by 60%.
The following Teaching Vision was con-
sequently formally adopted by the Cape
Technikon during 1998, after consultation
with all the relevant role players:
 3

Figure 2: Mechanical Engineering

500 490
480

450

400

Numbers 350
320

300

250

200

150
150 130

100 94 94 94

47
50
10
0
0
New Workstations

Companies Visited

Tel Enquiries
Jobs Available

Projects Marked
Contact with Students
Co-op Completed
Want Placement

Not Placed

Registered
Placed

Experiential Learning Activities

“Excellence in all aspects of teaching and
learning”. A policy document relating to a
Model of the Teaching (as the facilitation
of learning) and Learning process at the
CapeTechnikonwassubsequentlyformu-
lated. A diagrammatic illustration of the
model is indicated in Figure 3 on page 4.
Strategies regarding the important ele-
ments of the model were developed over
a period. These strategies are aimed at en-
suring an environment conducive to stu-
dent learning. Some of the strategies that
are in place are explained below.
5. STRATEGIESTOPROMOTE interviews, an orientation course and a
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING weekly support programme for new edu-
OFSTUDENTS cators, it turned out that some of the ap-
pointees apparently did not have the ba-
5.1 Selection of Suitable Co-op
sic characteristics of an educator.
Co-ordinators
The following staff selection procedure
It is essential that co-op coordinators are wasconsequentlyimplementedduringJuly
not only educators but also good commu- 1994 and is now applied throughout the
nicators. institution:
Until June 1994 faculty recruitment was
mainly based on finding suitable appli- •• The list of applicants is carefully
cants with the appropriate academic quali- analysedbytheheadofdepartmentand
fications and industrial experience. Al- a short list compiled according to quali-
though all applicants were subjected to fications, industrial and other experience
 4

Figure 3
A Model of the Teaching and Learning Environment and Associated Factors

TECHNICAL/
COMMUNITY CURRICULUM

COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ALUMNI

COLLEGES RPL TimeFrame

TION
CO-OP
Flexibility

EDUCA
RESEARCH
LIBRARY
CLASSROOM

ATION
BRIDGING Facilities
SCHOOL

ORIENT Methodology
Assessment
TEACHING&ACADEMIC
SUPPORTSTAFF
Selection / Staff Development
Research into T&L / Reward System
SELECTION
PROCEDURES
ACADEMICSERVICES
Counselling / Learning Support / Tutoring

NOTE: The above model attempts to capture the substantive elements in the teaching and learning environment.
It does not try to represent the complex interrelationships between these factors.

and referees’reports.
•• Informal interviews are subsequently
held in the department concerned to ex-
pose applicants to their potential future
workingenvironment.
•• All applicants on the short list are then
to lecture to a peer group of staff as
well as experts from the Technikon’s
TeachingDevelopmentUnit,whoevalu-
ate the applicant’s performance.
•• Subsequently a battery of psychomet-
ric tests is used to determine whether
the applicant is a stable person capable
of managing conflict, caring about oth-
ers, etc.
•• At the final interview the Technikon’sAp-
pointment Committee considers all the
information obtained on each candidate
before deciding on an appointment.
Since the introduction of the revised
staff selection procedure, no problem with
newly appointed staff has been experi-
enced at the Cape Technikon.
The ongoing development of co-op co-
ordinators is essential. Apart from regu-
lar development courses, a senior mem-
ber of staff is normally appointed to act
as a mentor.
5.2 Staff Evaluation
Staff evaluation by students is standard
practice at the Cape Technikon. Co-op co-
ordinators would normally request their
students to complete a questionnaire
anonymously to reflect student opinion on
a variety of aspects regarding their experi-
ential learning experience and the co-
ordinator concerned.
Positive student feedback is a prereq-
uisite when deserving staff members are
considered for merit promotion. Student
opinion is one of a number of instruments
used by the institution to identify and re-
ward good performance by staff.
5.3 Curriculum Changes
During the past two years the South Afri-
can Qualifications Authority developed a
National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
basedoneducationaloutcomes.TheNQF
is a seamless system (taking prior learn-
ing of the learner into account) with the
emphasis on student learning on a life-
long basis. Apart from the specific out-
comes for every field of study, the so-called
“critical cross-field outcomes”(for educa-
tional outcomes) are fundamental to the
NGF. These critical outcomes are generic
and are the characteristic employers nor-
mally require from graduates. The critical
outcomes are as follows:
• Identify and solve problems in which
responses display that responsible de-
cisions using critical and creative think-
ing have been made.
• Work effectively with others as a mem-
ber of a team, group, organisation, com-
munity.

Graphic: Jochen Berger

• Organiseandmanageonselfandone’s
activities responsibly and effectively.
• Collect, analyse, organise and critically
evaluate information.
• Communicate effectively using visual,
mathematical and/or language skills in
the modes of oral and/or written pre-
sentation.
• Use science and technology effectively
and critically, showing responsibility to-
wards the environment and health of
others.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the
world as a set of related systems by
recognising that problem-solving con-
texts do not exist in isolation.
Allprogrammes,includingtheexperien-
tial learning component, are currently be-
ingreviewedtoensurethatoutcomescom-
ply with the requirements of the NQF.
5.4 Administrative Support Structure
It is essential that co-op co-ordinators and
students engaged in experiential training
have the benefit of a sound administra-
tive support structure. Administrative staff
provide a very necessary function regard-
ing the link between student and co-op
co-ordinators, the typing and preparation
of guidelines/manuals for students and
employers, contacting of employers, pro-
cessing of data about student profiles and
student learning assessment scores, and
assisting with the arranging of advisory
committee meetings with commerce and
industry.
5.5 Relationship with Commerce and
Industry
Avery sound relationship with stakehold-
ers in commerce and industry is essential
for an experiential training system to be
successful.
A variety of contact techniques are em-
ployed by the Cape Techikon: viz., tele-
phonic contact, visits to employers, invita-
tions to visit the instutition, involvement of
employersasexternalexaminersofformal
coursesandasmembersofadvisorycom-
mittees. The placement of a student for
experiential learning would automatically
involve the employer concerned as super-
visor/mentor of the student concerned. In 5
many cases it was found beneficial that
the student’s supervisor in the workplace
and the co-op co-ordinator jointly assess
the student’s performance. REFERENCES
It is not always possible for the various 1. “Annual Report 1998: Experiential Learning
employer bodies in a particular field to Activities”.CapeTechnikonpublication,Decem-
ber 1998.
provide idential experiential learning op-
portunities. It is therefore necessary that 2. Bruwer, J. de W., and Kok, N. J. (editor), “Pro-
the co-op co-ordinator, in consultation with files of the Cape Technikon: 1997/98”.Volume
7. Cape Technikon publication, December
the student’s mentor, structure the work-
1998.
based requirements to accommodate a
variety of employment situations that 3. “Cape Technikon Annual Report 1997/98”.
would achieve the desired student learn- September 1998.
ing outcomes. The critical outcomes re- 4. “Institutional Plan of the Cape Technikon:
ferred to in item 5.3 serve as a useful 1999-2000”.Cape Technikon publication, Au-
guideline to measure the personal devel- gust 1998.
opment of a student engaged in experien- 5. “Teaching Vision of the Cape Technikon”.
tial training. Cape Technikon policy document. Adopted in
May 1998.
At the Cape Technikon good relation-
ships with employers have resulted in the 6. “Vision and Mission Statement of the Cape
identification of very appropriate research Technikon”, reviewed in 1998. Adopted in No-
projects for fourth-year and post-graduate vember 1998.
students. Furthermore, these relationships
have assisted the institution greatly in es-
timating future student intakes of various
programmes in relation to the number of
graduates that could be absorbed by the
job market in the disciplines concerned,
an aspect which is vitally important for
planning purposes.
6. Conclusion
The quality management model has been
in force at the Cape Technikon for the past
eight years. Although the strategies fol-
lowed to promote co-operative education
arebynomeansperfect,theachievements
to date and student opinion regarding their
learning have resulted in staff being more
motivated and confident to improve stu-
dent learning practices on an on-going
basis.
The initiatives take by the Cape
Technikon have resulted in it being re-
garded as one of the leading technikons
in South Africa.