29A-1 |
An in-class total quality management (TQM) assignment |
L. J. MAUER, Dept. of Food Science, Purdue Univ., 745 Agriculture Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2009 and J. M. La Lopa, Dept. of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Purdue Univ., 103 Stone Hall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1266. The benefit of implementing TQM into university classrooms has been demonstrated. This poster presents a case study of how total quality methods and a TQM assignment were used in the development, delivery, and re-design of a statistical process control (SPC) course to facilitate both student learning of quality concepts and continuous improvement of the course itself. The poster is presented to help food science educators develop a total quality management approach for the first time or to enhance quality efforts already in place. The concept of TQM is especially important as food science programs move toward implementing the educational outcomes recommended by the Institute of Food Technologists. Our objective was to develop a TQM project to use as a teaching tool for TQM and SPC concepts, an assessment tool for the course, and as a means for involving students in improving the course. A project (shown in poster) was developed to meet the objectives and distributed the second week of the five-week SPC course (FS 444), Spring 2002, at Purdue University. The students were randomly assigned into groups to work together on this plan-do-study-act (PDSA) assignment to improve the course in three areas: student performance, instructor performance, and student satisfaction. Tools used included: histograms, cause-effect diagrams, brainstorming, surveys, Pareto charts, and statistical analysis. Student recommendations, based on analysis of the first half of the course, were implemented. Student groups then analyzed the effects of this implementation. The implementation of recommendations developed as part of the PDSA project significantly (p<0.05) improved student performance on quizzes, student satisfaction with the course, student perception of instructor performance, as well as instructor satisfaction with the course. The PDSA project was successful at meeting the stated objectives.
Session 29A, Education: General
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