Student Voices About Teaching in Higher Education: An Italian Perspective

• In Event: Faculty, Curriculum, and Teaching in an International Context

Abstract

In response to the European recommendations for innovating teaching in higher education this study, involving a consortium of universities, sought to understand the teaching at the Italian Universities, from the perspective of students. Framed theoretically from lens of learner-centered teaching, student voice and personalized learning, a survey was sent to 50,000 students. The findings, organized around five areas (course organizations, creation of a participatory learning environment, methods and resources for teaching and learning, feedback and assessment, and work-related learning and business dialogue) reveal a lack an appreciation for student interest, collaborative approaches to teaching, and an over-reliance on transmission model of teaching by Italian instructors. The implications reveal a strong need for faculty development and supportive faculty learning communities.

Authors

• Monica Fedeli, University of Padova

• Edward Woodbury Taylor, The Pennsylvania State University