Learning about tertiary teaching: placing the lecturer at the centre of the learning experience

The attributes of effective university teachers are well documented (Ramsden, 1992). If universities wish to improve learning and teaching they need to provide academic staff with programs through which these attributes can be developed. A wide variety of courses now exist in Australian Universities that aim to develop academic staff as effective teachers (Martin & Ramsden, 1994). Some focus on developing skills through workshops and study packages, others on developing conceptions of teaching at a theoretical level or through reflective practice.