Dr Johann Hugo Prestige Academy CHE QEP Workshop for PHEIs Sept 2015 Cape Town Quality in Private Higher Education: Wake up or shake up?!

Quality #1.The Balancing Act Business Teaching & Learning Potential gap Conditions for Student Success: Alignment of institutional goals, intervention strategies and planning. Coordination across different institutional structures (CHE 2014:14)

Strategic priorities: Curriculum design Student selection and admission Teaching-learning methodologies Generic skills, eg academic literacy Management of teaching and learning Environ- Assessment practice ment (Scott et al 2007:42-67) #2. Improving Teaching and Learning ThroughputLearningInstruction

External Push and Pull factors Internal The PHET Environment Business strategy Customer & Market focu s Policies & Processes Enablers Output & Results Continuous Review and Improvement Service & Products Customer satisfaction

Infrastructure Processes Methodologies Assessment ICTs Materials Support services Library Student engagement Initiative Curriculum Policies Planning Preparation Organisation Management Psychosocial Funding Leadership The Learning Environment Behind the stage Visible

Make students desire to know or experience more Multiple ways of engagement and learning expression Promote active learning Utilise all available resources Be creative, adopt and adapt Match different learning styles as much as possible. Environment conducive to learning

CAT is a major challenge Avoid the vocational trap – narrowly defined technical training that limits employment opportunities Specify graduate attributes Transferable knowledge and skills make articulation easier #3. Equip Students for Life and Articulation

Reflective Practice Levels of Intellectual Development Contextual knowing Independent knowing Transitional knowing Absolute knowing

“The most challenging part was the communication barrier due to cultural differences. We had to consider all factors to ensure we weren’t offensive, disrespectful and misinterpreted.” (GvdW) “I was excited to see a smile on his face after we gave him the sleeping bag. I expected him to be really cross with us but he proved me wrong.” (GB) “The criteria applied in this case were cost-effectiveness of the product, environmentally friendly and using local knowledge.” (RB). Reflection report (Contextual InfoDesign CD21)

Integrating best available external evidence from research with own practices. #4. Evidence-based Practice Research Own practice Best practices Universities Other PHEIs Own champions Institutional National Global Apply and do better

Discussion time

Categories of questions Contact difficulty Contact conditions Contact consequences Improve practice Areas of observation 1. Instructor 2. Instructional materials & devices 3. Physical environment 4. Social environment 5. Policies, rules & procedures An Alternative: Developing Attitude toward Learning (Robert Mager 1968)

Contact difficulty Does the lecturer allow or encourage questions? Do the students “connect” with the subject? Contact conditions Is he interested in students’ growth or simply to get a salary? Does he put students to sleep with a boring teaching style? Contact consequences Does he give prompt and constructive assessment feedback? Are students with special learning needs left alone to fight their own battle? Examples of questions: Instruction