Continuous Improvement in Education: Understanding the Effectiveness of our Business and Management Teaching.

Abstract

The Higher Education sector is under increasing pressure to respond to student demands relating to the ‘value for money’ of their courses. This perception of ‘value for money’ is inextricably linked to the quality of the teaching being provided, which is an inherently subjective issue, and therefore difficult to assess. Furthermore, there is no agreed definition of ‘excellence’ in respect of teaching. Consideration of student Learning Gain is a key dimension of this problem which this paper will consider. Once again, there is no agreed method for evaluating the Learning Gain of students, but this paper implements a model which considers students learning in terms of the change in both explicit knowledge (Distance Travelled), and tacit knowledge (Journey Travelled), that each student has experienced. Based upon a cohort of business studies students at a UK university, the research is a qualitative study that asks each student a series of reflective questions, and then analyses the data collected to determine where the students perceive that their own learning has been beneficial, and also where they consider that their own learning has been less valuable. This new understanding can then be used to inform the annual continuous improvement process to ensure that over time, from a student’s own perspective as a ‘consumer of education’, the quality and effectiveness of the teaching being delivered is improved incrementally. Whilst this improvement in teaching effectiveness does not fully answer the ‘value for money’ question, it does address some of the issues being raised in a constructive and progressive manner from which both staff and students can benefit.