Mexican Education Quality Standards in private schools: Perspectives from Students, Teachers and Administrators

Ramirez, Yazmin (2023) Mexican Education Quality Standards in private schools: Perspectives from Students, Teachers and Administrators. Doctor of Education thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

Abstract Even though the education sector has established several successful strategies for boosting the comprehension of Mexican students, little advancement has been achieved in quality assurance processes and international accreditation at a high-school level to contribute to higher education standards. Mexican educational institutions are looking for innovative and creative ways to improve quality standards while implementing different methods and frameworks to assure they are able to compete in the 21st century. This is in response to students graduating from high school without skills required to be contributors to society's advancement at the technological, economic, social and human levels. In an effort to achieve excellence, private high schools across the country are pursuing international accreditation which endorses excellence in education through robust quality assurance and accountability. The process of an international accreditation involves rigorous procedures, including self-evaluation by all stakeholders and members of the education community, including students, teachers, alumni, parents, and administration to evaluate their vision and mission. One could question if the use of international quality standards are appropriate in a developing country. The purpose was to critically examine and analyse the perspectives of students, teachers and administrators on quality standards and the accreditation process. This study was examined through an Appreciative Inquiry lensed using a mixed method approach. Semi-structured interviews and surveys were used as data collection tools with students, teachers and administrators from a prestigious group of 4 private Mexican high schools, across 4 states in Mexico. A total of 385 students, 74 teachers, and administrators answered a survey about their perceptions of quality and academic excellence in their institutions. For this purpose, 4 senior teachers/administrators and 15 students were interviewed. The study concludes with a conceptualization of academic quality from a local perspective of students, teachers and administrators infused with a bottom-up approach to give a voice and promote agency among stakeholders to complement a national and international accreditation process. The contribution to the field suggests having more contextualised quality standards to foster deeper understanding and avoid the one-fits-all paradigm of standardisation of academic quality. Keywords: international accreditation, quality standards, private high schools, academic excellence, creativity, and innovation.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctor of Education)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	17 Aug 2023 14:12
Last Modified:	17 Aug 2023 14:12
DOI:	10.17638/03170524
Supervisors:	Kop, Rita
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3170524