Author Description

Assuring quality for teaching in a time of rapid change is the major challenge facing UK universities. This practical book combines review chapters with case studies within a number of comparative perspectives. The book is organized around three themes. First there are descriptions of approaches to quality assurance. These include case studies from universities of TQM and BS5750, course validation and review, student evaluation and institutional research, together with reviews of relevant approaches from industry and health care. Quality assurance based on professionalism is also considered. Secondly, the characteristics of quality teaching are addressed, including summaries of research evidence, the results of a participant study, standards generated by quality circles of staff and students and a description of distinguished teaching awards in the UK and USA. Thirdly, approaches to the development of university teachers are covered including teaching training, staff development, appraisal and the enterprise initiative.