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Hampering teaching excellence? Academics making decisions in the face of contradictions

Bibliographic Data

ID4096983
AuthorsAlan Brew (0000-0002-2944-7098, Office of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia), David Boud (0000-0002-6883-2722, Deakin University), Luciane Lucas (0000-0001-7264-4276, University of Bristol), Karin Crawford (0000-0002-5543-0433, Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK)
Year2022
Volume47
Issue4
Pages941-952
Publication date2022-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueStudies in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0307-5079 • E-ISSN: 1470-174X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03075079.2020.1828327
OpenAlexW3090970426
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited33

Universities might aspire to teaching excellence, but do they enable academic teachers to make good teaching decisions? Using a critical realist perspective, a qualitative interview study in England and Australia explored academics’ experiences of teaching decisions and their responses to strategic, institutional and departmental teaching policy and planning. Complex and contradictory conditions that challenged academics’ experiences of teaching and prevented effective decision-making were found. The paper identifies aspects of university functioning that act to prevent the achievement of teaching excellence. It argues that excellence in teaching requires coherent and integrated approaches and commitment right across the institution. For this to happen, universities need to consider how stated strategic learning and teaching ambitions are communicated, implemented, supported and, importantly, how they are understood and enacted throughout all levels and areas of the organisation, including many that hitherto do not consider they have a role in learning and teaching

Economics · Excellence · Face (sociological concept · Higher education · Institution · Management · Pedagogy · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Public relations · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Strategic planning · Teaching and learning center · Teaching method · Computer Science · Critical Realism in Sociology · Evaluation of Teaching Practices · Higher Education Governance and Development · Law

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Unique citing works7
Citations per year2,33
Citation span2023 - 2026 (4)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 7
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