Striving for quality: learning, teaching and scholarship

This paper looks at a range of issues with respect to maintaining and improving the quality of teaching and learning in Australian higher education institutions. The higher education context has been changing with the shift from an elite system to a mass higher education system and student participation has also changed. Higher education is charged with producing graduates who possess the skills and knowledge to continue their individual development as well as contribute to the nation's economic, social and cultural development. Dialogue between institutions and stakeholders, including...  [+] Show more

This paper looks at a range of issues with respect to maintaining and improving the quality of teaching and learning in Australian higher education institutions. The higher education context has been changing with the shift from an elite system to a mass higher education system and student participation has also changed. Higher education is charged with producing graduates who possess the skills and knowledge to continue their individual development as well as contribute to the nation's economic, social and cultural development. Dialogue between institutions and stakeholders, including employers and professional associations, will ensure appropriate student outcomes for the needs of the future. This paper looks at the maintenance of appropriate academic standards and increased consistency in the method of assessment. It is suggested that there needs to be a renewed focus on scholarship in teaching and a professionalisation of teaching practice.