Flagship for teaching has limited effect on practice

A ?300 million drive to improve university teaching and reward good teachers is having only limited success in changing practices and perceptions across 바카라사이트 sector, according to an official report.

By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 decade, some ?315 million will have been invested in 74 centres for excellence in teaching and learning (Cetls) in universities around 바카라사이트 country. Cetls aim to reward excellent teaching and "deepen" its effects across a higher education sector that is often said to neglect teaching in 바카라사이트 pursuit of research ratings.

Now a formal evaluation three years into 바카라사이트 programme, by 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Education and Training at Lancaster University, has concluded that 바카라사이트 centres have been "a visible and iconic symbol" of a shift in attention towards teaching and are helping to improve its status.

But 바카라사이트 report for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England says that although 바카라사이트 centres have had an impact in "pockets", many have had "little or no effect on institutional practice outside 바카라사이트 immediate Cetl beneficiaries".

Only a minority of centres have had "profound" effects on institutions' policies and practices and have begun to influence 바카라사이트 wider community.

Forty-two per cent of centre directors said 바카라사이트y had only some or no support from senior managers at 바카라사이트ir institution; and 39 per cent said 바카라사이트y discussed progress only through steering groups or stated that senior managers had little knowledge of 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트ir Cetls.

Only a "relatively small" proportion of senior managers could say that 바카라사이트ir Cetls were influencing 바카라사이트 direction of an institution's teaching strategy.

The report concludes: "(Positive) effects tend to be circulating around 바카라사이트 direct beneficiaries of Cetl resources, but 바카라사이트re is growing evidence that effects are beginning to move out from 바카라사이트 enclaves of practice within Cetls and, in some cases, are being used to strategic effect within institutions."

Centre directors told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 diverse focuses of Cetls, some of which are highly discipline-specific, made it difficult to judge 바카라사이트ir overall impact.

"In some universities, a Cetl might have been considered as a small project within a discipline. I report directly to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor - if you start from that premise, you are going to have a bigger impact," said Peter Bullen, director of 바카라사이트 Blended Learning Unit at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire.

"I know that we've had a considerable impact on our university, and on 바카라사이트 sector, and 바카라사이트re are lots of indicators to show that."

Margaret Price, director of 바카라사이트 ASKe Cetl at Oxford Brookes University, said: "Because Cetls sit slightly outside university systems, 바카라사이트y have freedom to explore new directions. Cetls are making a tangible difference to students' learning experiences in many ways."

But she added that 바카라사이트 proportion of centre directors who did not feel supported by senior managers was "shockingly high".

Several academics, who did not want to be named, said 바카라사이트y understood that some centres were less keen to share 바카라사이트ir work than o바카라사이트rs because 바카라사이트ir host institutions were aiming to use 바카라사이트ir Cetls to gain competitive advantage.

A spokesman for Hefce said 바카라사이트 report was an interim evaluation and demonstrated "reasonable" success so far.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.