Arab World English Journal
AWEJ Volume.3 Number.3, 2012 pp. 138 – 153
The Importance of Participatory Evaluation in Achieving Quality and Accreditation
Dr. Abdullah Al Fraidan
English Language Department
King Faisal University,
Hofuf, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Almost all academic institutions around the world – and in Saudi Arabia in particular – are looking to accredit both themselves and their academic programmes, and in accordance with this, The Department of English Language (DEL) at King Faisal University (KFU) is seeking to accredit its programme in English Language. One step towards achieving this goal would be to survey and review key aspects, notions, and systems in programme evaluation, especially those employed by others locally, regionally, and internationally. Therefore, this paper will shed some light on different methods of evaluation, and stress the importance of participatory evaluation in the quest to assure quality and achieve accreditation.
Keywords: Programme; evaluation; participatory; quality; accreditation; quantitative; qualitative.