The Concept of Educational Quality in Chilean Research on Education (2000 - 2008)

Abstract

This study aims to learn the concepts of educational quality that are handled in Chilean research on education between 2000 and 2008. To record the information about educational quality within the sampled research, an information-systematization form was used. Based on this, an overview of quality concepts found was developed, according to the nominal conceptualizations, components and quality indicators present in the analyzed studies. The main result is that these concepts display a high diversity in the level of conceptual design and approach, prescinding in half the cases from a nominal definition of the concept of educational quality, although that topic was addressed centrally. Second, a double entry table was constructed, to create groups that would lead to a typology of quality concepts. This analysis showed a sizable diversity of quality among such concepts, in that the groups differ in terms of theme-disciplinary approach and the depth and thoroughness of the conceptualizations of educational quality. Thereupon, an analysis of the theoretical and ontological presumptions on education and on the social phenomenon, contained in the research studied; found that the typology groups have common characteristics in this regard. Finally, the relationship between quality and equity, included in the studies analyzed, was described. The results showed the need for researchers to specify and define the concepts of quality used in their studies and not handle implicit concepts.