Centres for Teaching and Learning of the World’s Leading Universities: Best Practices Review

Abstract

Amid rapid digitalization, dynamic development of educational technologies, and changing demands to educator competencies, modern universities face the need to support the development of educational processes and teaching systematically. Special units, Centres for Teaching and Learning (CTL), are created for this purpose. The analysis of these Centres’ experience is valuable from the standpoint of organizational development of the universities in response to the challenges of modernity.The study examines the best practice cases of CTL in the world’s leading universities. Based on global rankings twenty CTLs were selected, and their goals, missions, directions, and the composition of the staff were analyzed. The authors applied thematic analysis, classification, and organizational growth in the teaching and learning framework. Three groups of CTL’s missions, related to the support and development of employees and students, of educational process and cooperation within and outside the university, have been allocated. Their activities include consulting, professional development, support of active learning, inclusive education, feedback, assessment, and partnership with students, as well as scientific research and analytical work. CTL’s activity is concentrated mainly at micro- and meso-levels, most intensively in the sphere of educational technologies and retraining programs. Leadership support in teaching and learning, building communities, and enhancement of microcultures are also important. CTL’s personnel consists of multi-level management, educational specialists, and others. As found, CTL’s personnel are enhanced with technicians. There is a variety of job names with similar functional responsibilities. CTL’s activity does not receive proper recognition in Russian-language research literature, so the results of this study can be used practically, in the foundation and development of such centers, as well as in further research of the universities’ organizational development in the sphere of teaching and learning support.