Policies that enhance learning and teaching

Abstract—Educational institutions often implement policies with; the intention of influencing how learning and teaching occur.; Generally, such policies are not as effective as their makers would; like; changing the behavior of third-level teachers proves difficult.; Nevertheless, a policy instituted in 2006 at the Dublin Institute of; Technology has met with success: each newly hired faculty member; must have a post-graduate qualification in “Learning and Teaching”; or successfully complete one within the first two years of; employment. The intention is to build teachers’ knowledge about; student-centered pedagogies and their capacity to implement them.; As a result of this policy (and associated programs that support it),; positive outcomes are readily apparent. Individual teachers who have; completed the programs have implemented significant change at the; course and program levels. This paper introduces the policy,; identifies outcomes in relation to existing theory, describes research; underway, and pinpoints areas where organizational learning has; occurred.