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students be fully prepared for their transitions
beyond university graduation,” she said.
Shifting
gears
Insights and contradictions:
Productivity Commission report
on universities dissected.
By Kirstie Chlopicki
E
ducation experts have responded to
the recent Productivity Commission
report, which makes a case for
shifting the focus of universities towards
improving teaching and student outcomes.
Professor Penny Jane Burke, director
of the Centre of Excellence for Equity in
Higher Education, said the Shifting the
Dial report contained some important
insights for the sector, but also included
contradictions.
“One of the key insights from the
productivity report is the emphasis it
places on high quality teaching across
the full spectrum of education, from
early childhood education to university
education,” she said.
“Education has transformative powers but
only when all students have access to high
quality provision. The quality of teaching
has a profound effect on the quality of
learning, and positive learning experiences
lead to a society in which all members are
able to fully participate, and are enabled to
lead healthy, productive and happy lives.
“In order to address some of the key
issues raised by the report, we need high
quality teaching, which will produce
equality of student outcomes across diverse
groups and communities. This is key to
increased productivity.”
REPORT CONTRADICTIONS
AND THE ROLE OF RESEARCH
“The report also generates some
contradictions that could lead us in the
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
wrong direction; for example, the report
erroneously poses research and teaching
as competing and separate domains, when
these should be understood as deeply
related and interdependent,” Professor
Burke said.
“Achieving the aspiration of high-quality
teaching across the higher education
sector depends on teaching being
research-informed.
“An ongoing issue for teaching in higher
education is that it often relies solely
on subject-area expertise rather than a
combination of this with pedagogical
knowledge – both require the insights
of research.
“Indeed, research-informed teaching
is urgently needed as higher education
is facing a range of dynamic, shifting
and complex contemporary challenges,
including the changing landscape of
education and work, new and emerging
technologies and the urgency for greater
equity in and beyond higher education.
“Universities must be prepared
themselves to engage students with 21st
century issues, problems and contexts
through cutting-edge research and
teaching frameworks.
“This raises curricular challenges for
universities as well. As part of a high quality
experience, university students should
have access to a vibrant research and
educational environment.
“Increasingly this requires interdisciplinary
perspectives and collaboration, and
technological innovation working in
harmony with greater pedagogical
expertise to fully engage with the problems
and issues of our times.
“Only throug h high quality educational
engagement with up-to-date research will
“The findings argue for a high quality
teacher workforce across the spectrum
of education. However, this can only
come through carefully designed teacher
education programs developed by those
with the expertise to do so.
“A connected finding is the relationship
between student outcomes and
productivity. This raises some key points
about what might happen next.
“The first is that teaching as a professional
field must be fully recognised and valued for
its complexity and its significant contribution
to our shared futures in an increasingly inter-
connected, globalised world.
“Australia’s future depends on the quality
of its schooling and higher education
institutions, and providing access to high
quality university study for all social groups.
“Australia requires teachers both with
strong subject knowledge and pedagogical
knowledge, who are able to engage
students with the complex challenges
of our times and support learners from a
diverse range of backgrounds and histories.
This means that teacher education must be
of the highest quality, comprehensive and
have both breadth and depth.
“Fast track training pathways might seem
attractive in the short term but will never be
able to support the kind of long-term vision
the report aspires to.
“Teachers must be fully valued and
supported in terms of public and fiscal
investment, receiving a salary that reflects
the importance of their contribution,
having access to high quality education and
training and being socially recognised in
relation to their significant contribution to
ensuring life chances, an equitable and fair
society and our shared future.
“Finally, the link made in the report
between student outcomes and increasing
productivity is important. However,
productivity will only be enriched through
connecting economic forms of productivity
to all other dimensions of students’ lives. It is
crucial therefore to approach this problem
in relation to all of the multidimensional
contexts that help generate productivity.
“This requires high level analysis and
understanding of the complex relationship
between productivity, equity, parity of
participation and wellbeing at individual and
social levels,” Professor Burke said. ■
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