Quality: What Should Make Higher Education ‘Higher'?

Abstract

This article addresses what ‘quality’ in education is, and should be. Findings published previously in this journal and elsewhere are drawn together to consider the notion of quality and conditions for its improvement. It is argued that quality in education relates to development of intellectual independence. Both a focus (enhanced metacognition) and a method (Collaborative Action Research) for improving quality are presented. It is argued further that secondary and tertiary education should differ only in the extent of students’ development towards the desired goal. Accordingly, institutions of higher education must take the lead in fostering improvement in quality of education at all levels.