Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become of paramount importance for higher education institutions; however, a lack of a transparent, transferrable approach to identifying and quantifying the extent of SDG contributions hinders the ability to benchmark against past performance or other institutions. In this study, a…

Authentic assessments are seen as a promising response to many of the challenges currently facing Higher Education. Studies have identified shared characteristics of authentic assessments, but it is also argued that the term is vague and subjective. Drawing on existing frameworks we have established a standardised measure to evaluate authenticity…

The ability to communicate science effectively is a key attribute for science graduates, and considerable work has been done to establish the techniques and skills associated with effective communication. What is less clear however, is the learning progression students traverse as they develop proficiency in science communication. In this study we…

This paper outlines the strategies employed by the Graduate Programmes Department of the University of the West Indies Open Campus to build capacity among academic staff to facilitate their transition to online teaching and learning. The strategies covered relate to course development and delivery, including activities that emerge at the interface…

Describes a survey that examined the perceived importance of key competencies by professionals in the field of instructional and performance technology. The discussion covers differences in responses between training managers, staff trainers and professors, and the need to incorporate corporate priorities into the academic curriculum of…

The authors focus on the use of portfolios as a pedagogical strategy to encourage students to reflect on and assess their learning experience. The rationale for the use of student portfolios in social work education includes their capacity to foster self-reflection, integrate the learning experience, prepare students for job searches and…

This paper's thesis declares that more direct, comprehensive, and adequate measures of teaching skill will necessarily encompass, though not directly measure, certain attitudes, values, and commitments presummed to correlate positively with teaching. (JD)

A program of course evaluation by faculty peers at the University of Birmingham (England) between 1974 and 1978 is described that used reciprocating partnerships of teacher and evaluator and a flexible combination of evaluation procedures. Implications for evaluation methodology, staff development, and course development are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Discusses the traditional academic award system in which faculty productivity is measured by the quantifiable criterion of published research and suggests alternative, teaching-oriented considerations, such as contributions to curriculum and instructional materials development, problem-solving capacity, and the ability to nurture good…

The curricular content and objectives of each department of the Chicago Medical School were reviewed by interdisciplinary faculty task forces to increase faculty awareness of each department's objectives and to provide a more objective basis for assigning class hours in the new expanded curriculum. (JMD)

Discussion of rewards given to higher education teachers for excellence lists criteria in the following areas: demonstrates outstanding achievement; demonstrates various competencies; is committed to the integrity of his/her subject; appreciates stakeholders' concerns; is committed to continuous improvement; and constructively contributes to…

Fifteen women's studies programs across the U.S. were examined in this review commissioned by the National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs. All of the programs were in phase two of women's studies, defined as having a line budget, a paid administrator, and a curriculum that moves through committees and is recognized in an official…

Development of community outreach partnership centers (COPCs) requires adaptations in the university environment. Institutions must reexamine and reinterpret the roles and responsibilities of faculty, design of the undergraduate curriculum, structures of the university that create the capacity to support and sustain different working relationships…

This study identifies 24 benchmarks considered essential to ensuring excellence in Internet-based distance learning, as used by the following six institutions which are leaders in distance education: Brevard Community College (Florida); Regents College (New York); University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; University of Maryland University…

A survey was undertaken in 1976 to follow an American Civil Liberties Union survey of 1970-71 on policies and practices relating to academic freedom and university governance. A questionnaire was used to determine what, if any, changes had occurred in the intervening years. Responses were received from 109 schools. Sharp increases were noted in…