The Significance of Interpersonal Skills and Tutor Behaviour in Determining Quality of Teaching and Learning in Adult Education

Abstract

Over the last six years, the UK government has focused on inspection as a means to drive improvement in the adult education sector. This article examines how far the quality assumptions behind the Common Inspection Framework are adequate and whether it requires further development. The purpose of this study is twofold: first to give a voice to adult education learners; and secondly, to examine whether the interpersonal skills and behaviour of the adult education tutor are a significant factor in determining the quality of teaching and learning, and therefore whether the effectiveness of the Common Inspection Framework as a quality improvement tool is limited by the omission of this factor. This is a qualitative research study using a case study from a local authority adult education service. The study concludes that a tutor's interpersonal skills and behaviour are significant to learners in determining quality and that the voice of learners can make a meaningful contribution towards quality improvement. It further concludes that, if quality is to improve significantly, the interpersonal skills and behaviour required need to be included in teacher-training programmes, classroom observations and the Common Inspection Framework.