Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

For centuries, a commitment to teaching and learning has been a hallmark of the academic profession throughout the world. The intrinsic motivation for teaching can be a powerful one—there are arguably few greater personal achievements than helping another human being understand the complex world around them in ways that lead to new discovery and the advancement of social or scientific knowledge. The contribution a teacher can make in the life of another is truly remarkable; the difference between an educated person and an ignorant one is manifest in everything from employment opportunities to interpersonal relationships to child-rearing. Teaching effectively—that is, enhancing and nurturing student learning—is thus justifiably seen as the core function of higher education, one for which there is a large body of scholarship. In fact, most of the world’s universities are mainly teaching institutions, and in developing countries virtually all are in this category (Altbach, 2004).