Internal evaluation as an appropriate approach to improve higher education system; a case study

Internal evaluation is a kind of self-evaluation that is applied by educational units in order to determine the educational and research situation of the department. The purpose of this study was the application of internal evaluation model in the education technology department of Tarbiat-Moallem University considering the aims and expectations, in order to offer needed suggestions for its quality improvement. This descriptive applied research was carried out in 2008 & 2009. All faculty members, students, librarians and the head of the department were studied due to the limitation of statistical society. Available sampling method was used for evaluating the alumni and their direct employers. To conduct the internal evaluation, at first, the goals of the department were determined in three categories: input, process and output. Bearing national and international experiences in mind, 7 factors, 40 criteria and 124 indicators along with judgment criteria was determined. Data collection tools including questionnaires and checklists were prepared and distributed among the research samples. Data analysis was carried out by descriptive statistical methods using SPSS 16 software. The current status of the education technology department of Tarbiat-Moallem University in terms of input, process and output was quite desirable leading to a satisfactory level in general. The education technology department of Tarbiat-Moallem University is in a quite desirable level in terms of input, process and output factors. Internal evaluation results in faculty members’ well comprehension of the current situation and this will be used as a basis for the department’s further decisions.