The University of Sheffield
The School of Education

Teaching Excellence in Higher Education

Summary

Since 2001 I have undertaken a systematic programme of research exploring teaching excellence in higher education and how it is being conceptualized in policy and practice. My work has produced impacts at different levels – informing policy development, institutional strategies and pedagogical practice. The research offered the first critical exploration of teaching excellence in higher education in the UK and has contributed to a growing engagement with excellence debates in many other countries, particularly the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The research has informed my teaching at the University of Sheffield where I direct a Masters’ course for University staff on teaching and learning, and it has informed pedagogical policy and practice at the ‘local’ level.

Beneficiaries

These include:

Types of impact

My research has informed national, disciplinary and institutional level teaching excellence schemes and policy development. It has had an impact upon learning and teaching strategy formation. My work has played a leading role in the development of critical scholarship about teaching excellence in higher education and supported individual practitioners in developing their own pedagogical practices.

Underpinning research

Supported by a grant from the ESRC, the research initially involved a critical evaluation of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. The findings identify how teaching excellence was conceptualized in the scheme, what impact fellowships had on the individuals that were recognized and rewarded and what approach to educational change was adopted within the scheme to ensure it had an impact across the higher education sector. Two subsequent book contracts with Routledge broadened the focus of the research, enabling the findings from the NTFS evaluation to be located within wider theoretical debates about teaching excellence in higher education and developments in other countries around the world.

Reports and publications

Research reports

Skelton, A. (2002) Understanding ‘teaching excellence’ in higher education: a critical
evaluation of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. Final Report to the Economic and Social Research Council, July (award no: R000 22 3509)

Books

Skelton, A. (2007) (Ed) International Perspectives on Teaching Excellence in Higher
Education, Abingdon: Routledge.

Skelton, A. (2005) Understanding Teaching Excellence in Higher Education: towards a
critical approach, Abingdon: Routledge.

Journal articles

Skelton, A. (2009) A ‘teaching excellence’ for the times we live in? Teaching in Higher
Education, 14: 1; 107-112.

Skelton, A. (2004) Understanding ‘teaching excellence’ in higher education: a critical
evaluation of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. Studies in Higher Education, 29: 451-468.

Skelton, A. (2003) Promoting teaching excellence through fellowship schemes: three
important issues to consider. Medical Education, 37: 188-189.

Educational press and professional body articles

Skelton, A. (2007) Excellent idea in theory. Times Higher Education Supplement, 16 November.

Skelton, A. (2007) Mr Brown, please balance our cultural capital. Times Higher Education Supplement, 13 July.

Skelton, A. (2007) Democratising excellence. Academy Exchange, 7: 17-19.

Contact

Dr Alan Skelton