This paper presents empirical evidence on the adoption, implementation and the perceived effectiveness of quality management in teaching and learning in German higher education institutions. Theoretically, the article combines two new institutionalist approaches: institutional isomorphism and institutional entrepreneurship. Empirically, the study…

Acting as a reviewer is considered a substantial part of the role-bundle of the academic profession (quality assurance (QA) and quality enhancement (QE) role). Research literature about peer review, for example, for journals and grants, shows that acting as a peer reviewer adds to an academic's reputation. However, little is known about academics'…

Following decades of quality management featuring in higher education settings, questions regarding its implementation, impact and outcomes remain. Indeed, leaving aside anecdotal case studies and value-laden documentaries of best practice, current research still knows very little about the implementation of quality management in teaching and…

Purpose: This study aims to reflect how German business schools respond to the diffusion of the triple accreditation: AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), and AMBA (Association of MBAs). Design/methodology/approach: This study applies a multiple case study to conduct a…

This article presents experiences and conclusions of an audit approach that focuses on the thesis that universities can gain most from external impulses when actively acquired and adapted by participants. This approach dubbed 'collegial audit' refers to the idea of autopoietic systems according to Luhmann and the consideration that systems do not…

The relevance of the school context to creating a successful learning environment and promoting teachers' instructional quality is not yet clear. In the current study, we examine whether schools differ in aspects of instructional quality (i.e., classroom management and task feedback) and whether differences between schools can be explained by…

In this paper, we argue that classroom management, student support, and cognitive activation are generic aspects of classroom teaching, forming Three Basic Dimensions of teaching quality. The conceptual framework was developed in research on mathematics instruction but it is supposed to generalize across subjects. It is based on general theories…

The present article offers a mixed-method perspective on the investigation of determinants of effectiveness in quality assurance at higher education institutions. We collected survey data from German higher education institutions to analyse the degree to which quality managers perceive their approaches to quality assurance as effective. Based on…

Instructional research in German-speaking countries has conceptualized teaching quality recently according to three generic dimensions, namely, classroom management, student support and cognitive activation. However, as these dimensions are mainly regarded as generic, subject-specific aspects of mathematics instruction, e.g., the mathematical…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to link two modes of governance (transactional and transformational) to organizational learning by examining the example of academic teaching. Consequently, the "transformational" strategies of best practices that have been used by German universities to achieve teaching excellence are interpreted as…

Purpose: School leadership is considered a central agent in the implementation of "New Governance" concepts which have been introduced in Germany by means of accountability measures, decentralization and a growth of autonomy and competition. With the adjustment of policies, rights and duties of school leaders have changed considerably.…

In this longitudinal study, we examined teachers' self-efficacy as a long-term predictor of their mastery goal orientation and three dimensions of instructional quality: supportive classroom climate, effective classroom management, and cognitive activation. Mastery goal orientation was also analyzed as a predictor of instructional quality.…

The authors of this article begin with an introduction to the holistic concept of family literacy and learning and its implementation in various international contexts, paying special attention to the key role played by the notions of lifelong learning and intergenerational learning. The international trends and experiences they outline inspired…

Online (language) teaching has been found to be as effective as face-to-face (F2F) learning (Moneypenny & Aldrich 2016, "J. Educators Online," 13, 105-174; Goertler & Gacs, 2018, "Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German," 51, 156-174). Online language teaching has different affordances and challenges than F2F teaching,…

Background: In order for teaching to be successful, students need to be actively involved in learning. However, research on teaching effectiveness often neglects students' learning activities. Although it is assumed that effective teaching promotes the use of beneficial learning activities, empirical evidence for this connection is still limited.…