Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.21860/medflum2023_309615
Student-Centred Learning in the Context of External Quality Assurance
Irena Petrušić
; Agencija za znanost i visoko obrazovanje, Zagreb, Hrvatska
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* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Aim: Quality assurance and management of higher education institutions and programs is in the centre of attention of various policies at the European and national level. The paradigm focusing solely on the quality of teacher and teaching process is transforming into one aiming at student learning. According to this approach, students have an active role which enables the effective learning process and taking responsibility for one’s own learning. Methods: Moreover, the concept of student-centred approach embeds the conception of meaningful and inclusive learning, which, in order to be fully realized, must include all other prerequisites such as: inclusive curriculum and pedagogy; flexible learning pathways; technology-enhanced learning; learning and teaching support; inclusive learning spaces and libraries; community engagement and partnerships. Results: Within the quality assurance framework, the learning-centred approach was emphasized throughout the 2015 version of European Standards for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and translated into the national quality assurance context through external institutional evaluation standards. The aim of the analysis of the elements related to student-centred learning deriving out of institutional accreditation reports is to indicate institutional practices and obstacles related to the implementation and improvement thereof. Conclusions: As the review teams’ findings indicate, SCL is present at Croatian universities in various forms, however, a systematic approach to its implementation and evaluation is still lacking. Institutional quality mechanisms aimed at encouraging the autonomy and responsibility of student learning ultimately leads to the improvement of institutional and program quality so higher education institutions as well as evaluation methodologies should consider implementing this approach in a more harmonized and systematic manner.
Keywords
accreditation standards; quality assurance; quality assurance of teaching; student-centred learning
Hrčak ID:
309615
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2023.
Visits: 287 *