Continuous Improvement Of Teaching To Promote Student Learning

The Cape Technikon is an institution offering educational programmes up to the doctorate level.The engineering programmes offered are characterised by a system of co-operative education, i.e. work-integrated learning.The Cape Technikon is committed to providing and facilitating quality career and technology education.To fulfill its mission the Technikon introduced a comprehensive quality assurance model some years ago whereby the outcomes of its programmes are regularly reviewed and evaluated in consultation with the industries and communities which it serves.The paper briefly outlines this review process with reference to various performance indicators and questionnaires completed by freshmen, graduates, alumni and employer organisations and the assessment by quality assurance panels specially appointed for every programme offered.The paper focuses on the strategies followed to ensure continuous improvement of the teaching in the institution to promote student learning.These measures inter alia are the -selection of suitable faculty, -induction and development of faculty on an on-going basis, -proper curriculum design to reflect the specific and critical educational outcomes as required by the working environment, -student selection practices to determine potential for success, -paradigm shift in teaching to promote student learning , -introduction of a variety of student assessment methods, notably integrated assessment.Reference is also made to the "Alternative Teaching Week" introduced during 1998, the role of the South African Qualifications Authority in developing a National Qualifications Framework and the important facilitating role of the Engineering Council of South Africa in promoting quality outcomes-based education.1.