The Assesment of administrative practices of secondary school administrators in terms of total quality management (A case study in Gaziantep)

ABSTRACT THE ASSESMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN TERMS OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (A CASE STUDY IN GAZİANTEP) By Mehmet YAŞAR Ph.D. in Educational Sciences Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Tokay GEDİKO?LU December, 2003, 175 pages This study was conducted primarily to provide the administrators and teachers of the secondary schools and other relevant bodies and individuals located in Gaziantep with feedback as to what extent they find the administrative practices at their schools satisfactory from the point of view of Total Quality Management (TQM). In addition, the study aimed to provide them with some data regarding regulations to be made in the administrative practices at their schools. In this context, a questionnaire consisting of 29 items concerning the basic aspects of TQM and personal information was developed. After validity and reliability were insured, it was administered to 70 administrators and 228 teachers at secondary schools randomly selected from the secondary schools compromising thepopulation of the study in an effort to determine their views on the issue in the second half of the 2001-2002 academic year. Statistical data were collected in regard to sex, age, subject speciality, kind of schools they teach at education, positions held, length of service as teacher and administrator, courses taken in higher education, participation in in-service training, and the level of knowledge of TQM of the teachers and administrators at the schools forming the sample of the study. Moreover, tests were conducted to ascertain whether or not there were statistically significant differences among the levels of their assessments of the administrative practices at their schools according to TQM aspects and classifying factors included in the personal information section of the questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed that participants differed in the degree of finding administrative practices in their schools satisfactory in terms of selected TQM criteria. Administrative practices were found most satisfying in terms of "improvement of processes and development of human recourses" and least satisfying in terms of "customer delight". Besides, statistically significant differences were also observed in the subjects" views as to what degree they find the administrative practices at their school satisfactory in terms of TQM. Another important finding is that principals find the administrative practices at their schools more satisfactory than teachers do in all the aspects of TQM existing in the questionnaire. Similarly, statistically significant differences were found in the views of the subjects working at private high schools, state high schools and vocational high schools as to what degree they find the administrative practices at their school satisfactory in terms of selected TQM criteria. The subjects at private high schools find the administrative practices at their school more satisfactory in terms of TQM than those at state high schools and vocational high schools. Science Code: ES 699 Key Words: Total Quality Management, Total Quality Management in Education, Administrative Practices at Secondary Schools, School Management. VI