Distance learning is now more prevalent in the developing world than ever before. This book reconsiders the suitability and success of established modes of distance learning for current contexts in the developing world. It examines what adaptations are necessary to suit shifting needs including:

• the move from elite to mass higher education
• increased emphasis on knowledge base economies
• greater demand for lifelong learning and professional development
• the effects of technical and societal changes
• demand for post-secondary education.

Drawing upon research into students conceptions of, and approaches to learning, this critical analysis of the state of open and flexible learning examines the characteristics, needs and learning approaches of students, considering whether or not current provision is successful, what changes are necessary, and, crucially, how student retention can be improved.

The book is a collective investigation of the structuring of theses in education, the social sciences and other disciplines that commonly do not follow the standard procedures of the scientific method. To help research students design a structure for their own thesis and liberate their investigations from the constraints associated with the use of the conventional structure, it explains how the structures adopted were designed to suit the topic, methodology and paradigm. It also provides a wide range of examples to draw upon, which suit a broad spectrum of theory, methodological approaches, research methods and paradigms. Additionally, by analyzing the methodologies and paradigms, and reviewing the methodological and paradigmatic spectrum, it offers a significant contribution to the way research is conceptualized. The book addresses a number of key questions faced by students, supervisors and examiners: *Why do examiners often find it difficult to read work in non-scientific disciplines when theses are structured in accordance with the conventional scientific method? *Why do students in non-scientific disciplines struggle to write up the outcomes of their research in the conventional structure? *What alternative thesis structures can be devised to better suit the wide range of methods? *Which theories and paradigms are commonly followed in education and the social sciences and how do these perspectives influence the research process? *What methods, theories and paradigms are commonly adopted by education and social science students and what problems do these pose when students write their theses?

This book is based upon three interrelated open naturalistic studies conducted to better characterise the motivational orientation of students in higher education. Open semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with undergraduates, students at community colleges and students in taught postgraduate courses in Hong Kong. The analysis used an exploratory grounded theory approach and resulted in a motivational orientation framework with six continua with positive and negative poles. On enrolment students had positions on the six facets of motivation, which shifted as they progressed through their degree according to their perceptions of the teaching and learning environment. The framework can, therefore, be used to explain both initial decisions to enrol and motivation to continue studying. The interviews included descriptions of teaching approaches and learning activities and their effects on motivation. This made it possible to describe a teaching and learning environment conducive to motivation, with eight supportive conditions. Each facet of the teaching and learning environment is illustrated with quotations from the three groups of students, resulting in a guide to configuring a teaching and learning environment conducive to motivating students. The emerging community-college sector in Hong Kong is used as a case study of the effects on student motivation of the expansion of the higher education sector through private colleges. Cultural issues are discussed, particularly the performance of Asian students relative to those in the West.

This volume sets out to provide experience-based tools for those needing to assess and improve teaching and learning quality. It presents a detailed framework explaining what action learning and research is with information on how to carry out an action learning project.

Every semester, colleges and universities ask students to complete innumerable course and teaching evaluation questionnaires to evaluate the learning and teaching in courses they have taken. For many universities it is a requirement that all courses be evaluated every semester. The laudable rationale is that the feedback provided will enable instructors to improve their teaching and the curriculum, thus enhancing the quality of student learning.

In spite of this there is little evidence that it does improve the quality of teaching and learning. Ratings only improve if the instruments and the presentation of results are sufficiently diagnostic to identify potential improvements and there is effective counselling. Evaluating Teaching and Learning explains how evaluation can be more effective in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and introduces broader and more diverse forms of evaluation.

This guide explains how to develop questionnaires and protocols which are valid, reliabile and diagnostic. It also contains proven instruments that have undergone appropriate testing procedures, together with a substantial item bank. The book looks at the specific national frameworks for the evaluation of teaching in use in the USA, UK and Australia.

It caters for diverse methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative and offers solutions that allow evaluation at a wide range of levels: from classrooms to programmes to departments and entire institutions. With detail on all aspects of the main evaluation techniques and instruments, the authors show how effective evaluation can make use of a variety of approaches and combine them into an effective project.

With a companion website which has listings of the questionnaires and item bank, this book will be of interest to those concerned with organising and conducting evaluation in a college, university, faculty or department. It will also appeal to those engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Written by experts in the field, this book aims to provide an alternative approach to quality teaching in higher education by deriving a model of good university teaching from the academics which universities have chosen as their best teachers. Award-winning teachers outline their beliefs and practices as a teacher, covering key topics including: assessment motivating students planning courses and lessons teaching large classes reflection and feedback managing discussion and group work. Illustrated with extracts from interviews with the award-winning teachers, and packed with activities and further reading, this textbook provides a set of principles for good teaching internationally.

Written by experts in the field, this book aims to provide an alternative approach to quality teaching in higher education by deriving a model of good university teaching from the academics which universities have chosen as their best teachers. Award-winning teachers outline their beliefs and practices as a teacher, covering key topics including: assessment motivating students planning courses and lessons teaching large classes reflection and feedback managing discussion and group work. Illustrated with extracts from interviews with the award-winning teachers, and packed with activities and further reading, this textbook provides a set of principles for good teaching internationally.

This volume sets out to provide experience-based tools for those needing to assess and improve teaching and learning quality. It presents a detailed framework explaining what action learning and research is, and how they compare with other schemes available for assuring quality of learning, and provides information for those needing to carry out their own action learning project.

The book is a collective investigation of the structuring of theses in education, the social sciences and other disciplines that commonly do not follow the standard procedures of the scientific method. To help research students design a structure for their own thesis and liberate their investigations from the constraints associated with the use of the conventional structure, it explains how the structures adopted were designed to suit the topic, methodology and paradigm. It also provides a wide range of examples to draw upon, which suit a broad spectrum of theory, methodological approaches, research methods and paradigms. Additionally, by analyzing the methodologies and paradigms, and reviewing the methodological and paradigmatic spectrum, it offers a significant contribution to the way research is conceptualized. The book addresses a number of key questions faced by students, supervisors and examiners: *Why do examiners often find it difficult to read work in non-scientific disciplines when theses are structured in accordance with the conventional scientific method? *Why do students in non-scientific disciplines struggle to write up the outcomes of their research in the conventional structure? *What alternative thesis structures can be devised to better suit the wide range of methods? *Which theories and paradigms are commonly followed in education and the social sciences and how do these perspectives influence the research process? *What methods, theories and paradigms are commonly adopted by education and social science students and what problems do these pose when students write their theses?

This book is based upon three interrelated open naturalistic studies conducted to better characterise the motivational orientation of students in higher education. Open semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with undergraduates, students at community colleges and students in taught postgraduate courses in Hong Kong. The analysis used an exploratory grounded theory approach and resulted in a motivational orientation framework with six continua with positive and negative poles. On enrolment students had positions on the six facets of motivation, which shifted as they progressed through their degree according to their perceptions of the teaching and learning environment. The framework can, therefore, be used to explain both initial decisions to enrol and motivation to continue studying. The interviews included descriptions of teaching approaches and learning activities and their effects on motivation. This made it possible to describe a teaching and learning environment conducive to motivation, with eight supportive conditions. Each facet of the teaching and learning environment is illustrated with quotations from the three groups of students, resulting in a guide to configuring a teaching and learning environment conducive to motivating students. The emerging community-college sector in Hong Kong is used as a case study of the effects on student motivation of the expansion of the higher education sector through private colleges. Cultural issues are discussed, particularly the performance of Asian students relative to those in the West.

Distance learning is now more prevalent in the developing world than ever before. This book reconsiders the suitability and success of established modes of distance learning for current contexts in the developing world. It examines what adaptations are necessary to suit shifting needs including:

• the move from elite to mass higher education
• increased emphasis on knowledge base economies
• greater demand for lifelong learning and professional development
• the effects of technical and societal changes
• demand for post-secondary education.

Drawing upon research into students' conceptions of, and approaches to learning, this critical analysis of the state of open and flexible learning examines the characteristics, needs and learning approaches of students, considering whether or not current provision is successful, what changes are necessary, and, crucially, how student retention can be improved.

Every semester, colleges and universities ask students to complete innumerable course and teaching evaluation questionnaires to evaluate the learning and teaching in courses they have taken. For many universities it is a requirement that all courses be evaluated every semester. The laudable rationale is that the feedback provided will enable instructors to improve their teaching and the curriculum, thus enhancing the quality of student learning.

In spite of this there is little evidence that it does improve the quality of teaching and learning. Ratings only improve if the instruments and the presentation of results are sufficiently diagnostic to identify potential improvements and there is effective counselling. Evaluating Teaching and Learning explains how evaluation can be more effective in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and introduces broader and more diverse forms of evaluation.

This guide explains how to develop questionnaires and protocols which are valid, reliabile and diagnostic. It also contains proven instruments that have undergone appropriate testing procedures, together with a substantial item bank. The book looks at the specific national frameworks for the evaluation of teaching in use in the USA, UK and Australia.

It caters for diverse methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative and offers solutions that allow evaluation at a wide range of levels: from classrooms to programmes to departments and entire institutions. With detail on all aspects of the main evaluation techniques and instruments, the authors show how effective evaluation can make use of a variety of approaches and combine them into an effective project.

With a companion website which has listings of the questionnaires and item bank, this book will be of interest to those concerned with organising and conducting evaluation in a college, university, faculty or department. It will also appeal to those engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning.