Leadership for quality university teaching

Abstract

This paper presents the leadership implications from a study that explored how to increase the quality of teaching in a university thereby presenting data from the bottom up – the academic perspective – to inform leadership, policies, and academic development which generally flows from the top down. We report academics’ perceptions of and motivations to engage with teaching and learning, as well as their opinions of the university’s recognition and rewards for quality teaching. Pedagogical professional development needs of academics were also examined. Tensions existed between teaching and research in this research-intensive university; even so, academics valued teaching, were committed to students, but were resentful that institutional values and rewards remained focused on research. A common perception was that having a doctorate was all that was required to be an effective teacher. Administrators were reported as privileging research-oriented professoriate activities over the work of teaching-focused lecturers. We present a model of leadership considerations that can inform leadership decision-making and priorities that findings indicated influence academic engagement.