Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The material in this section provides information designed to help you develop, improve, and advance your teaching practices.

Links

THE MODERNISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

A report to the European Commission on new modes of learning and teaching in higher education.

THE FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING

The Framework for Teaching identifies those aspects of a teacher’s responsibilities that have been documented through empirical studies and theoretical research as promoting improved student learning. While the Framework is not the only possible description of practice, these responsibilities seek to define what teachers should know and be able to do in the exercise of their profession.

LEARNING OUR LESSON:REVIEW OF QUALITY TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Higher education is becoming a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. The imperative for countries to improve employment skills calls for quality teaching within educational institutions. National and transnational debates like the Bologna Process, direct state regulations or incentives, competition among private and state-owned institutions all prompt institutions to put quality teaching on their agenda. Moreover, national quality assurance agencies push for reflection on the subject, even if their influence is controversial.

A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ENHANCING ACADEMIC PRACTICE

This is a handbook which offers higher education professionals both sage advice on the essentials of effective teaching and research-based reflection on emerging trends. It is a precious collection of core chapters on lecturing to large groups, teaching and learning in small groups, teaching and learning for employability, assessment, and supervision of research theses. At the same time, there are chapters on e-learning, effective student support, and ways of providing evidence for accredited teaching certificates and promotion, including the expanding use of teaching portfolios. Specialists from the creative and performing arts and humanities through business and law to the physical and health sciences will benefit from discipline-specific reflections on challenges in teaching, learning and assessing. Specific case studies, actual examples of successful practice, and links to helpful websites add to the Handbook’s usefulness.

TEACHING NUGGETS

The modules in this publication contain basic information about teaching in all of its multiple aspects. You will find them helpful as you teach this year.

BEST PRACTICES FOR TEACHING FIRST-YEAR UNDERGRADUATES

Carnegie Mellon recognizes that first-year undergraduate students’ experience includes tremendous intellectual, social, emotional and cultural adaptation and development, and that faculty and TAs play an important role in these processes. Because each of these dimensions impacts the others, members of the university community need to work closely with each other and recognize that our collected expertise and wisdom is necessary to improve the acculturation of our first year students. 

FORMS AND METHODS OF TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Basic forms of teaching:  Lecture, seminar, laboratory training and practical training; Field study; Course paper/project; Bachelor's, Master’s, and Doctoral Theses; Consultation.

THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The forces of change in higher education are diverse and significant. Experts believe these forces range from technology and globalization to shifting student and employer expectations. The impact of any one of these drivers is significant and in total is transformative.

PREPARING AND PRESENTING A TEACHING PORTFOLIO

A teaching portfolio is becoming the accepted form in which you are expected to demonstrate your commitment to learning and teaching, document your teaching responsibilities, practices and expertise, and provide evidence of your performance as a teacher.

IMPROVING STUDENT RETENTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

As a key performance indicator in university quality assurance processes, the retention of students in their studies is an issue of concern world-wide. Implicit in the process of quality assurance is quality improvement. In this article, we examine student retention from a teaching and learning perspective, in terms of teaching and learning approaches that have an impact on students’ decisions to continue with or withdraw from their studies. The major need is to engage students in their studies, and in this article we discuss ways that student engagement can be facilitated through the teaching and learning programme in higher education currently.

CONPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: GLOBALISED CONCEPT?

Ever demanding forces of globalization have introduced new discourses into curriculum planning in the higher education. In order to sustain in the knowledge based economy and deal with demand of job market, incorporation of competency based curriculum is emerging as a necessity in higher education sector.

DEFINING AND SUPPORTING THE SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (SoTL): A SECTOR--WIDE STUDY

A project was carried out in the context of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) ‘Staff Transitions’ stream of work, with a view to investigating the extent to which activities undertaken under the banner of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) might inform a sector-wide reflection on ways of identifying and recognizing excellence in teaching. 

FACULTY FOCUS

Blog-like entries on a wide range of topics in higher education teaching, including: asynchronous learning, blended and flipped learning, assessment, classroom management, faculty evaluation, instructional design, and teaching with technology. A free site (and e-newsletter sign up) that is part of the family of Magna Public.

 

Journals

Dosch, M. & Zidon, M. (2014). “The Course Fit Us”: Differentiated Instruction in the College Classroom. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26. 343 – 357. PDF

Hhubball, H., Collins, J. & Pratt, D. (2005). Enhancing Reflective Teaching Practices: Implications for Faculty Development Programs. The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, XXXV, 57 – 81. PDF

Lumpkin, A. (2015). Enhancing Undergraduate Students’ Research and Writing. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 27, 130 – 142. PDF

Chang, Y. J. & Park, S. W. (2014). Exploring Students’ Perspectives of College STEM: An Analysis of Course Rating Websites. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26, 90 – 101. PDF

Engin, M. & Atkinson,, F. (2015). Faculty Learning Communities: A Model for Supporting Curriculum Changes in Higher Education. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education,  27, 164-174. PDF

Patel, F. & Lynch H. (2013). Glocalization as an Alternative to Internationalization in Higher Education: Embedding Positive Glocal Learning Perspectives. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 25, 223 - 230. PDF

Tulbure, C. (2012). Investigating the relationships between teaching strategies and learning Styles in higher education. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 5, 65 – 74. PDF

Hofmeyer, A., Sheingold, B.H., Klopper, H. C. & Warland, J. (2015). Leadership In Learning And Teaching In Higher Education: Perspectives Of Academics In Non-Formal Leadership Roles. Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2015, 8, 182 – 192. PDF

Smith, K. (2012). Lessons learnt from literature on the diffusion of innovative learning and teaching practices in higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 49, 173–182. PDF

Burns, H. (2013). Meaningful Sustainability Learning: A Study of Sustainability Pedagogy in Two University Courses. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 25, 166-175. PDF

Preston, S. S. & Boswell, S. S. (2015). Predicting Academic Entitlement in Undergraduates. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 27, 183-193. PDF

Geertshuis, S. Jung, M. & Thomas, C. H. (2014) Preparing Students for Higher Education: The Role of Proactivity. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26, 157-169. PDF