O'Donoghue, P. J.

University of Queensland eSpace

Plenary session on Teaching Quality and Higher Education Reform 
Teaching Showcase, Central Queensland University, 16th Feb, 2004 
 
 
TEACHING QUALITY MATTERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: 
INSTIGATING CULTURAL CHANGE 
 
Associate Professor Peter O’DONOGHUE 
The University of Queensland, Brisbane Q4072 
 
Reprinted with permission from B-HERT News 18(2003):28-31. 
 
 Higher Education in Australia is once again facing a period of reform, this time addressing 
buzzword criteria of quality, equity, diversity and sustainability. Since winning a national teaching 
award in 2002, I have been asked to comment on various aspects of academic life. I have had to 
deliberate on my teaching practices and provide objective measures of their quality. In this paper, I 
make subjective comment on teaching quality from my experiences as a preclinical scientist teaching 
foundational biology and vocational microbiology. Obviously, my musings are biased and should not 
be taken as consensus opinion. 
 
 Both teachers and students yearn for quality educational experiences and outcomes. But what 
constitutes quality? How do we measure it? What criteria and standards apply?  Who measures it? What 
are the consequences for good or bad performance? Will good quality be rewarded? Will poor quality 
be punished or remediated? Addressing these concerns will be difficult because governments, unions, 
university management and academic staff have disparate views on many work issues, such as 
academic freedom, independence, money, resources, workloads, appraisal mechanisms, performance 
criteria, etc. 
 
 Most universities have been progressive in their pursuit of teaching and learning quality and 
have established annual award schemes recognizing individual and team performance.  Academics 
nominated by students and peers are asked to reflect on their teaching and learning activities in 
accordance with prescribed criteria. For example, the Australian Awards for University Teaching 
require nominees to address the following ten selection criteria. 
 
1. Interest and enthusiasm for teaching and promoting student learning 
2. Ability to arouse curiosity, stimulate independent learning and develop critical thought 
3. Ability to organize course material and to present it cogently and imaginatively 
4. Command of subject matter, including incorporation of recent developments 
5. Innovation in design and delivery of content and course materials 
6. Participation in effective and sympathetic guidance and advising of students 
7. Provision of appropriate assessment, including worthwhile feedback 
8. Ability to assist students from equity groups to participate and achieve success 
9. Professional and systematic approach to teaching development 
10. Participation in professional activities and research related to teaching 
 
 These criteria give an indication of the breadth of teaching and learning activities 
expected from modern academics. However, academics do more than just teach. Universities 
are professed to fulfill three main functions: to act as living repositories of accumulated 
knowledge; to pass on this knowledge to the younger generation; and to add to the sum total of 
knowledge through research.  
 


Teaching quality matters in higher education: Instigating cultural change

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Teaching quality matters in higher education: Instigating cultural change

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