High-impact teaching practices in higher education: a best evidence review
Studies in Higher Education, 46 (8):
1696-1713 (2021)Abstract
In this paper, we report on an attempt to systematically discover reliable
and high-quality evidence on teaching practices that have an impact on
student learning. We adopted an innovative approach that was
modelled on some of the practices of a systematic review. Papers that
met certain quality criteria (population generalisability, ecological
validity, measurement validity, logical clarity and design justification)
were examined and a weighted-average score for each paper was
calculated. These were then ranked to derive lists of best-evidenced
and most impactful teaching and curriculum strategies. The results
reveal that this method provides a reasonable approach to distilling
the available literature into a concise representation of the most
effective practices that are backed by good research design attributes.
The results will be useful for curriculum designers, university leaders
and policy makers, and have already informed policy at one Australian
university.