Isabel Huet [[email protected]], Ana Baptista [[email protected]], Nilza Costa [[email protected]]
LAQE – Laboratory for the Evaluation of Education QualityResearch Centre for Didactics and Technology in Teacher Education University of Aveiro | Portugal
Promoting the quality of teaching in Higher Education:Initiatives undertaken at the University of Aveiro (Portugal)
Outline
Quality of Teaching: Initial remarks
Setting the scene
o The University of Aveiro (UA)
o Mechanisms to monitor and evaluate quality of teaching at the UA
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching
o Case 1: CPD courses
o Case 2: Project “From the Characterization of Academic (In)Success in HE Science and Engineering Courses to the Presentation of Proposals to Promote its Success”
o Case 3: Book about teaching best practices
Final considerations
Quality of Teaching: Initial remarks [1]
Relevance of quality issues at HE contexts, following the Bologna Process
Quality
o A multi-dimensional concept
o Teachers’ understanding about this concept
o Teachers’ involvement in the teaching activity
Quality of teaching
o Changes in the teaching and learning paradigm
o Implies student-centred approach
o Teachers : mediators of students’ learning process
Quality of Teaching: Initial remarks [2]
Quality of
Teaching
Student-centred focus
Pedagogical skills and
competen-ces
Reflective practice
Transforma-tion and re-definition of pedagogical
actions
Learning environment
Institutional culture and
environment
Searching for theoretical frameworks
Critically reflect
Collecting evidence, analysing and evaluating the results
Sharing experien-ces and discussing with peers
Dissemi-natingfindings among the academia
Quality of Teaching: Initial remarks [3]
Vice-rector responsible for the internal quality assurance (since 1997)
Office of Quality, Evaluation and Procedures (GAQAP) (since 1995)
New evaluation model (pilot study initiated in the academic year 2008-09) – “Quality assurance of the Teaching and Learning process at the UA”
Laboratory for the Evaluation of Educational Quality
Since 2008: sub-section - Laboratory for the Evaluation of Educational Quality in Higher Education (LAQE/ES)
Setting the scene [2]
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 1: CPD Courses [1]
UA/UNAVE - “Professional Training and Research Association of the University of Aveiro”
CPD Courses running since 2005
360 HE teachers have already participated
2 months; 50 hour-workload; 3 f2f meetings + internet supported distance activities
To help teachers improving essential skills and competences on pedagogical issues;
To promote academics’ reflection on teaching and learning;
To support HE teachers with tools for achieving high quality teaching.
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 1: CPD Courses [2]
Thematic subject of the Courses (Huet et al., 2006)
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 1: CPD Courses [3]
Initial and follow-up study (some Courses): Impact evaluation of the Course in pedagogical actions (Huet, Casanova, Ramos & Holmes, 2009; Huet, Oliveira, Costa & Estima de Oliveira, 2009)
Initial assessment (all the Courses):In the beginning – initial expectations and motivations;At the end – final expectations, general satisfaction for the Course and suggestions for further editions (Huet, Costa & Tavares, 2006)
Development of pedagogical skills
Development of the perception about the adequate role of ICT as an enhancement factor to improve HE teaching and learning practices
Some of these participants started the process designated as scholarship of teaching. This will result in:
o Poster presentation at the Institutional Workshop
o Writing of chapters to be published in a Portuguese book about teaching best practices
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 1: CPD Courses [4]
Coordinated by Professor Nilza Costa and conducted by theteam from LAQE
January 2007 – June 2008
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 2: Institutional Project [1]
To construct/adapt instruments which might be used by HE teachers to identify factors that might influence students’ academic failure/success;
To implement and evaluate pedagogical-didactical intervention strategies to overcome the identified problems.
• To diagnose their perceptions about the pedagogical dynamic
• To collect suggestions to improve academic success
Questionnaire to undergraduate students (CUs with high levels of academic
failure)
• To identify the main reasons of academic failure
• To share strategies used to overcome academic failure
• To share best teaching practices
Semi-structured interviews to teachers
(same CUs)
• To create a communication network
• To present auto and hetero-evaluation instruments
• To disseminate cases of successful teaching practices
Internal website and interactive platform
• To develop innovative skills, competences and attitudes
• To critically reflect about practices
• To improve pedagogical strategiesCPD Courses or Modules
• To discuss the concept of Scholarship of Teaching
• To discuss the importance of linking T & R
• To disseminate cases of best teaching practicesInstitutional Workshop
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 2: Institutional Project [2]
11 posters presented by HE teachers who had previously participated at the CPD Courses and others who had participated in the Project
Different academic domains
Main subjects:
o Collaborative teaching and learning;
o Problem-based learning;
o Other active teaching and learning strategies applied in large classes.
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 2: Institutional Project [3]
Evaluation of the Workshop:
o Engagement of researchers and teachers in collaborative work and in a process of critical reflection of their teaching practice;
o Engagement of teachers and researchers in the Scholarship of Teaching;
o Development of academic synergies, sharing experiences, anxieties, fears;
o Emergence of a need of developing academic spaces to discuss pedagogical issues.
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 2: Institutional Project [4]
Articles of teachers who had participated in CPD Courses, in the poster presentation at the Institutional Workshop and Project
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 3: Book [1]
To share and discuss experiences;
To open more spaces to debate pedagogical issues;
To engage more HE teachers in reflective thinking;
To encourage more HE teachers to change their pedagogical approach;
To engage teachers in the Scholarship of Teaching.
Strategies to promote the quality of teaching:
Case 3: Book [2]
Student-centred
approach strategies
Tutoring
Inquiry-based
learning & questio-
ning
Cooperative T&L
activities
Project-based
learning
Continuous assessment strategies
Other T&L strategies
in large classes
Thematic subjects of the articles
Final considerations
Scholarship of Teaching
Involvement in CPD
Courses
Sharing and discussing teaching practices
Disseminating of results
• Importance of institutional culture and collaborative work