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Perceptions of quality and changes in teaching and learning by participants of university staff development courses
Barica Marentič Požarnik & Melita Puklek Levpušček
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Written in English. | Published: May 26, 2002
Abstract: Quality of university teaching is becoming a big word in university documents and debates, together with quality assessment and quality assurance. Teaching for quality requires substantial changes in conceptions of teacher's role, especially a shift from the teacher as transmitter of knowledge to the teacher as facilitator of student learning. This is a prerequisite for changes in teaching approaches and student learning (from a reproductive to more meaningful orientation). Such changes are not easy to achieve as university teachers still perceive themselves mainly as researchers, their thinking about and training for the teaching role being negligible or completely absent. The study, carried out among former participants of staff development courses at the University of Ljubljana, has shown a relatively modest impact of courses on conceptions and actions, limited to more motivated teachers. University teachers' perceptions of incentives and obstacles when introducing changes in teaching have shown that students were regarded mostly as "allies" whereas departmental climate and circumstances in broader academic environment as obstacles. A more systemic approach is needed, aimed at improvement of teaching quality at university level.
Keywords: conceptions of learning, university teaching, staff development, teaching quality, changes
