Lecturer passion: a pre-requisite for inspirational teaching

Abstract

With reference to the ever-changing landscape within higher education and the issue of marketplace differentiation, it has been suggested that universities need to prioritise the quality of the overall student experience including the quality of classroom teaching (Holbeche 2012). In the light of this, it is evident that institutions of higher education are attempting to address the upskilling of their lecturers through a blend of initiatives. This is important because research studies have shown that students value effective teaching and expect their lecturers to possess a range of key teaching qualities. However, results from student evaluations show that concerns over teaching quality persist. I would argue that the true catalyst for transformational change is the passion for teaching which an individual lecturer personally feels. A lecturer with a genuine passion for teaching will be motivated to continually fine-tune and hone their craft and to seek to perfect the art of teaching. Lecturers who are genuinely passionate for their teaching craft will be driven not only by the satisfaction they derive from their classroom ‘performance’, but also by the eventual learning outcomes for the student. It is the passion for teaching that drives teaching excellence. From the students’ perspective, the ability to inspire is the criterion against which lecturer performance will be measured. Keywords1. Teaching quality2. Inspirational teaching3. Lecturer self-development4. Learning enhancement