Benchmarking learning and teaching: developing a method

• Published in: Quality assurance in education Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 143 - 155
• Main Authors: Henderson-Smart, Cheryl, Winning, Tracey, Gerzina, Tania, King, Shalinie, Hyde, Sarah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Group Publishing Limited 01-01-2006; Emerald
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic standards; Australia; Benchmarking; Business metrics; Collaboration; Colleges & universities; Curriculum Design; Dentistry; Design; Educational Indicators; Educational Quality; Foreign Countries; Higher education; Independent study; Learning; Learning Processes; Quality; Quality Control; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Universities; Australia; Learning; Benchmarking; Higher education; Quality; Teaching
• ISSN: 0968-4883; 1758-7662
• DOI: 10.1108/09684880610662024

Purpose - To develop a method for benchmarking teaching and learning in response to an institutional need to validate a new program in Dentistry at the University of Sydney, Australia.Design methodology approach - After a collaborative partner, University of Adelaide, was identified, the areas of teaching and learning to be benchmarked, PBL approach and assessment, were established. A list of quality indicators for these aspects of teaching and learning were first developed conceptually and then validated by the literature. Then, using a quality enhancement framework, levels of achievement for each indicator were developed.Findings - The findings are represented as a set of tables. These were mutually developed with the benchmarking partner and represent an agreed model for a benchmarking project to progress to the next stages of implementation and evaluation.Practical implications - This model can be adapted for any benchmarking project in all levels of education; primary, secondary, tertiary and continuing.Originality value - The issue of benchmarking is high on the educational agenda, especially in higher education. The literature reports on a number of projects but with no clear explanation of a method for benchmarking. The fact that this model is evidence-based in its approach and that it focuses on learning and teaching, also marks it as original and a significant development in this area.