Implementation of teaching excellence model and measuring teaching performance: Case of Department of Finance in University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Quality assurance models play major roles in improving quality of educational services including the teaching quality and final focus of quality assurance models is to identify the appropriate performance measurement indicators in different aspects. Yorke (1998) considered performance indicators as standard components of the language of accountability in higher education. Hence, monitoring and assessing teaching performance, moving towards greater accountability and thereby making improvements had become as key requirements for higher education (Maheu, 1995; Alexander, 2000; Behn, 2003). In a successful organization, performance is measured by the improvements of services quality experienced by the customers as well as by the results delivered to other stakeholders. Dunkin (1992, as cited in Richardson, 2005) highlighted the purposes of collecting students‟ evaluation of teaching to provide diagnostic feedback to teachers about the effectiveness of their teaching and feedback information can be used as a measurement of teaching effectiveness to be used in administrative decision making. But the usage of those information and lack of communication of feedback can be taken as weak points in this process. At the same time, excellence in teaching should evaluate from different aspects of integrated and coherent academic practice (Harland, 2016; Zou et al., 2020). In order find a better solution, Department of Finance, introduced and implemented the Teaching Excellence Model to measure the teaching performance of existing staff members. The main objectives of implementation of this award are to motivate the staff members, enhance the quality of the programmes offered by the Department of Finance, University of Kelaniya, to recognize and reward excellent teaching, to raise the esteem for teaching and to use the student feedback for administrative purposes.