Approaches to the Enhancement of Tertiary Teaching

Recent research in the areas of cognitive psychology and student learning involves changed conceptions of the natures of learning and of teaching, with promising implications for the enhancement of tertiary teaching. A model of learning is presented, proposing that the teaching context, students' approaches to learning, and the outcomes of learning, form a system in a state of equilibrium. Three approaches to enhancing teaching follow from the model: additive, interactive, and contextual. Additive approaches ignore both students' approaches to learning and the institutional context, and are relatively ineffective. Genuine improvements in student learning involve interactive and contextual approaches to teaching, which can be activated through appropriate staff development.