Attributes of quality teaching in higher education: a systematic review

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review is to analyse the attributes that constitute high quality teaching in higher education by extracting data on the characteristics of ‘excellent’ teachers. A literature search was conducted through the triangulation of multiple sources, identifying 25 articles. Through a thematic analysis, two authors independently reviewed and coded the attributes of quality teaching classifying them into three categories: generic competencies (personal, attitudinal, and communicational characteristics); pedagogical competencies (teaching and learning strategies, and planning and management); and disciplinary competencies. Further implications of each attribute with their specific indicators are described. The characteristics identified, in general, are feasible to be trained, modified, and learned. Students and faculty emphasised the critical need for university teachers to be professionally prepared to teach and for them to consider the relevance of generic, pedagogical, and disciplinary variables as determinants of a good teacher-student interaction and for the facilitation of learning.