Quality Circles: A Classroom Assessment Tool for Improving Teaching and Learning

Concern for the quality of undergraduate education and its graduates has been a recurring topic of conversation in the literature and the workplace. Student involvement has been identified as a major factor that contributes to improvement in student learning. Recent emphasis on the need for excellence in higher education has increased the use of assessment as a tool for achieving and measuring the quality of student learning. Quality circles have been used in the workplace as a means of increasing quality and productivity; however, their use in undergraduate classroom has been limited. The purpose of this paper is to report the use of the quality circle technique (student management team) in an undergraduate course. This exploratory pilot study describes the effects of a student management team (four volunteers) on student learning and student satisfaction in a Medical/Surgical nursing course for approximately 40 students. End of semester student evaluations indicated increased student ownership of the course, student satisfaction with both the course and their mastery of course content, and a positive perception of faculty concern with their learning. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/SLD)