Abstract
<p>Literature attests to limited systematic inquiry into students’ conceptions of good teaching in higher education. Resultantly, there have been calls for engaging students in construing what makes good university teaching and in developing a richer conception of teaching excellence. This interpretivist study that is based on views of final year university students from six academic disciplines investigated students’ conceptions of good teaching at Makerere University in Uganda. Students conceived good teaching as being student-centred, demonstrating strong subject and pedagogical knowledge, being approachable, being responsive, being organised, and being able to communicate well. Most of the conceptions of good teaching hinge on what the teacher does (the means) rather than affording high quality student learning (an end). It can therefore been concluded that good teaching is a multi-dimensional construct that defies a single definition and cannot be assured and assessed using a single indicator.</p>
Highlights
It is recognized that the most reliable indicator of good teaching is located at the level of the student (Yates, 2005), and measures to improve teaching should take students’ perceptions of good teaching into account
Su and Wood (2012) appealed for engaging students in construing what makes good university teaching and in developing a richer conception of teaching excellence. Such studies would inform a theoretical framework for assuring the quality of teaching. This is consistent with Barrie, Ginn, and Prosser’s (2005) assertion that “If the aim of quality assurance is to assure and improve teaching and learning a clear theoretical understanding of what constitutes quality teaching must inform all aspects of the evaluation and quality assurance (EQA) system” (p. 634)
Among the dimensions of good teaching, student-centered teaching was mentioned three times as a theme across the eight focus group discussions, and related adjectives were mentioned more than any other attribute of good teaching
Summary
It is recognized that the most reliable indicator of good teaching is located at the level of the student (Yates, 2005), and measures to improve teaching should take students’ perceptions of good teaching into account. Such studies would inform a theoretical framework for assuring the quality of teaching This is consistent with Barrie, Ginn, and Prosser’s (2005) assertion that “If the aim of quality assurance is to assure and improve teaching and learning a clear theoretical understanding of what constitutes quality teaching must inform all aspects of the evaluation and quality assurance (EQA) system” The study set out to answer the research question involving understanding how final-year undergraduate students at Makerere University perceive good teaching
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