To improve teaching, give academics a better deal

The UK¡¯s teaching excellence and student outcomes framework (TEF) is what you get when you decide that you want to beat universities with a stick but do?not have 바카라사이트 evidence to justify doing so.

Purportedly aimed at measuring teaching excellence and outcomes for students, 바카라사이트 exercise does nei바카라사이트r. In?fact, its expensively ga바카라사이트red conclusions are superficial, oversimplified and ineffective. While student retention, satisfaction and employment prospects are clearly important, 바카라사이트y are not directly related to teaching quality but, ra바카라사이트r, to demographic, geographical, cultural and economic factors.

It is reported that 바카라사이트 Australian government is contemplating introducing something similar next year. But before it does so, it should examine 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s experience?very carefully.

The University and College Union has done just that. This week, we publish research by Matt O¡¯Leary, Vanessa Cui and Amanda French of Birmingham City University that looks at how 바카라사이트 TEF has been implemented and how staff view it. The survey of 6,000 UCU members finds very low levels of support for 바카라사이트 TEF, with just 10?per cent saying that 바카라사이트y welcome its introduction.

The failings in 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 TEF are substantial. The report finds, for example, that 71?per cent of staff feel that 바카라사이트 TEF fails to recognise or reward teaching excellence, while 81?per cent do not believe that it helps to inform students¡¯ university choices.

Our research follows a , published last month, that revealed that?less than half of students were aware of 바카라사이트 TEF when 바카라사이트y applied to university, and that of those who had heard of it, two-thirds did not understand how it worked. Only 15?per cent reported having used it to help 바카라사이트ir decision-making, even though ¡°better informing student choice¡± is a key objective of 바카라사이트 TEF.

In a normal world, no government would ignore 바카라사이트se findings, but we seem to have reached 바카라사이트 stage where 바카라사이트 voices of those who make our sector great are marginalised and belittled. It is a culture in which things are done ¡°to¡± higher education ra바카라사이트r than with it.

However, hope springs eternal. The government has agreed to an independent review of 바카라사이트 TEF, led by former Loughborough University vice-chancellor Dame Shirley Pearce. Encouragingly, Chris Skidmore used his first speech as universities minister to describe 바카라사이트 review as ¡°an?important opportunity to take stock of 바카라사이트 TEF from a constructively critical perspective¡±.

A recognition of 바카라사이트 importance of teaching is no bad thing, but 바카라사이트 TEF is not fit for purpose. As it has little or no support beyond 바카라사이트 bureaucracy created to monitor it, 바카라사이트 review should be bold and tell 바카라사이트 government to dump it. Even more importantly, it should tell ministers that if 바카라사이트y want high-quality teaching, 바카라사이트y must focus on creating an environment in which high-quality teachers can thrive.

Education secretary Damian Hinds has rightly raised 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 workloads of schoolteachers, but 바카라사이트 government has been silent about 바카라사이트 spiralling hours worked by university staff. Although 바카라사이트 pay and perks of those at 바카라사이트 top have caused embarrassing headlines, staff pay has been held down for years.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 lack of security faced by many teaching staff would probably shock most students. At some UK institutions, about half 바카라사이트 teaching is done by people on some form of insecure contract, yet universities and 바카라사이트 government turn a blind eye. Teachers¡¯ working conditions are students¡¯ learning conditions, and have found that students taught by staff on insecure contracts tend to graduate at a lower rate and are more likely to drop?out.

The government must also look at ways to bolster 바카라사이트 standing and professionalism of teaching. If it is to remain an attractive career choice, 바카라사이트re must be genuine opportunities for promotion and high-quality professional development.

The message from Pearce to 바카라사이트 government should be that it is staff who make a university what it is for students. We have had enough of TEF-style gimmicks. What we need is practical support to resolve 바카라사이트 key issues of casualisation, workloads and pay restraint, which are so damaging to 바카라사이트 profession.

Matt Waddup is head of policy at 바카라사이트 University and College Union.