The dimensions of approaches to teaching in higher education: a new analysis of teaching profiles

Abstract

<p>The exploration of higher education (HE) teachers’ approaches to teaching has mainly been done using quantitative instruments which have been criticised for being too narrow in examining the dimensions of teaching. <em>Higher education approaches to teaching</em> (HEAT) inventory is a recently developed instrument to capture the dimensions of HE teaching more broadly. Moreover, teacher self-efficacy has been shown to be an important element influencing approaches to teaching, but still, the research on it has been scarce. The aims of the study are thus (1) to validate the HEAT inventory and (2) to explore what kind of individual teaching profiles can be identified among higher education teachers and their relation to teachers’ self-efficacy. The results showed that HEAT is a valid instrument to measure various dimensions of approaches to teaching and that several profiles of approaches to teaching can emerge among HE teachers. These profiles also differ in terms of teachers’ self-efficacy.<br></p>