1. Programme Review: Staff Orientation Directorate of Quality Promotion
Live your life. Create your destiny.
Programme Review: Staff Orientation
Faculty of Science
18, 19, 20 January 2011
Session 8: Site Visit
Dhaya Naidoo
18 – 20 January 2011
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Tel +27 (12) ∙ Fax +27(12) ∙ ∙
Building 21:426 ∙ Pretoria West Campus ∙ Private Bag X680 ∙ Pretoria ∙ 0001

2. Presentation overview
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Presentation overview
Purpose of site visits.
Panel composition.
Roles and responsibilities.
Interview management.

3. Purpose of site visits and interviews
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Purpose of site visits and interviews
Gather additional information, seek clarifications and conduct an audit trail in a specific area.
Validate and triangulate claims made in the portfolio.
Evaluate the adequacy of teaching and learning facilities and resources.
Developmental and enabling with constructive comments to improve programme provisioning.
Not an interrogation session with the aim of “catching them out”.

4. Panel composition Chairperson 2 academic peers
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Panel composition
Chairperson
2 academic peers
2 industry / professional representatives
1 peer (preferably head of department)
2 senior academics (for post graduate)
2 DQP representatives

5. Academic peers Advises the panel on academic and scholarly matters
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Academic peers
Advises the panel on academic and scholarly matters
Provides insight into teaching and learning and assessment and moderation practices
Evaluates programme planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation
Examines the adequacy of programme documentation
Analyses the programme leadership, management and oversight functions.

6. Chairperson’s role Introductions (purpose, procedures outcomes).
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Chairperson’s role
Introductions (purpose, procedures outcomes).
Leads and guides the interview sessions.
Coordinates the development of lines of enquiry and interview questions.
Permitted to ask questions and request further clarifications.
Presents the oral report at the end of the day.
Impartial and objective – refrains from rationalising, editorialising and moralising.
In consultation with the DQP member, may call off a site visit.

7. Directorate of Quality Promotion
Academic peers
Advises the panel on academic and scholarly developments in the field.
Provides critical expertise on curriculum design, teaching and learning and assessment and moderation practices.
Evaluates programme planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation
Examines the adequacy of programme documentation

8. Directorate of Quality Promotion
Academic peers
Analyses the programme leadership, management and oversight functions.
Guides the development of lines of enquiry and sequencing of questions on academic matters.
Makes judgements on the academic quality of the of the programme.
Provides benchmarking and comparative analysis.

9. Senior academics (post-graduate)
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Senior academics (post-graduate)
Critically evaluates post-graduate provisioning and management.
Evaluates post-graduate supervision practices.
Assesses the management of research:
Degree related research
Non-degree related research
Critiques quality and quantity of research outputs.

10. Industry/professional expert
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Industry/professional expert
Advises the panel on industry/professional practice and developments.
Provides critical industry/professional expertise on programme offering.
Assists in determining relevance, currency and alignment of curricula with professional practice.
Guides the development of lines of enquiry and sequencing of questions on professional matters.
Makes judgements on the quality of the industry/professional aspects of the programme.

11. Directorate of Quality Promotion
Assists and advises the chairperson and panel.
Guides the development of lines of enquiry.
Assists in the sequencing of questions.
Permitted to ask questions.
May recommend the calling of an interview session.
Resource person.
Report writer.

12. Interview decorum Panel members Questions are generally
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Interview decorum
Panel members
maintain professional distance.
thoroughly prepared and “on top” of the material.
clear roles and lines of enquiry.
Questions are generally
linked to quality and to the review manual.
direct, simple and asked one at a time.
less interrogating, more enquiring.
addressed to all interviewees.
used to triangulate claims.

13. Interview decorum HOD/Programme Leaders Staff Students
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Interview decorum
HOD/Programme Leaders
Introduces the programme, staff, students and facilities.
Makes available all relevant documentation and evidence.
Responds sincerely with upfront disclosures.
Staff
All staff (full-time, part-time and service providers)*
Responds sincerely and honestly.
Provides additional information and documentation.
Not an opportunity to trash the HOD, faculty, TUT.
Students
Representative (programme level, race, gender)
Not an opportunity to trash the lecturers.

14. Generic site visit schedule
Directorate of Quality Promotion
Generic site visit schedule
07:30: Arrival at interview site (tea and refreshments)
07:30 – 09:00 Discussions of the portfolio
Identification of lines of inquiry
Assign questions to panel members
09:00 – 10:00 Interview head of department/programme coordinator
10:00 – 10:15 Review team confer (working tea)
10:15 – 12:15 Interview Staff (representative)
12:15 – 13:00 Review team to confer
Document and facilities review
13:00 – 13:45 Lunch
13:45 – 15:00 Interview students
15:00 – 16:00 Review panel confers and prepares oral report
16:00 – 16:30 Presentation of oral report to programme group
16:30 Wrap-up and closure