Beyond numbers: valuing quality teaching in business education. Volume 1

Abstract

The Beyond numbers: valuing quality teaching in business education project addressed the issue of how to identify, assess, support, recognise and value quality teaching within business faculties in a manner that is educationally meaningful and professionally relevant.The intention of this project was to take a strategic approach to enhancing the value of teaching in business education by implementing systems and processes that support and value quality teaching in business faculties. An action research methodology was adopted in which participative processes, sharing reflective practice, and an orientation towards learning in action characterised the modus operandi of the project team. Preliminary focus groups facilitated exploration of the importance of quality teaching and how it is perceived by staff and students as measured, recognised and valued in participating universities. While the student responses presented relatively consistent perspectives, the staff groups highlighted the need for staff experiences of valuing teaching to be contextualised within institutional cultures, policies and practices. These groups assisted in raising awareness at participating universities of quality teaching and the various issues and possibilities in terms of mechanisms for recognition. The project provided an opportunity to begin to embed strategic, systemic approaches to enhancing the value of teaching in the participating business faculties; in particular to develop systems and processes that would support quality teaching and increase academic recognition of the need for and benefits from developing teaching capacity and leadership. Outcomes of the project (aligned with the project objectives) included: indicators of quality teaching that go beyond the metrics; processes and procedures for greater recognition of quality teaching; seeding measures (key success factors including leadership approaches which foster success as well as enablers) that could be used to help gain momentum for the project outcomes beyond the teaching and learning enthusiasts; and ‘tools’ (including mid-session survey forms; student feedback focus group and peer observation guidelines and protocols; as well as awards criteria) which are available to other individuals and institutions to facilitate implementation of the successful strategies identified in this project.