Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
The IXth of EJER Congress, İzmir, Türkiye, 22 - 25 Haziran 2022
EJERCongress 2022 Bildiri Özetleri Kitabı / EJERCongress 2022 Abstracts
1446
The Importance of Learning and Teaching Centers in Achieving Quality Higher Educational Service (QHES)
Fahriye Hayırsever Ting Li Nurdan Kalayci
Düzce Üniversitesi The University of Toledo Gazi Üniversitesi
ÖZET
Problem Durumu
The functions of modern universities are to carry out the education-teaching process effectively, to do qualified scientific
research and to use the research results for social development. The main purpose of these functions is to ensure that
graduated individuals from modern universities would have the targeted knowledge, skills and competencies needed in
regional and global development. These individuals would also reflect on the learned knowledge and skills to make more
significant social and economic values. In order to achieve this goal, higher education institutions should prepare creative,
inclusive and equitable educational environments for students and faculty, and ensure the continuity of the learningteaching process in a qualified manner.
In many universities around the world, there are various units designed to develop education programs, to meet students’
academic, social and cultural needs, and to support the professional development of academic staff. One of these units is
the learning and teaching center. These centers are called by different names such as “excellence center in teaching”,
“learning, teaching, research and application center” and “innovation center in teaching”.
The main purposes of learning and teaching centers are to increase the quality of the learning and teaching practices
through the improvement of teaching pedagogies, the introduction to new learning-teaching approaches, instructional
design and technologies, measurement and evaluation approaches of the instructors, so that students reach the targeted
learning outcomes during their university education (Johnson et al. 2016).
Although there are multiple research in the international literature on this subject (Aebersold, 2019; Andurkar, Fjortoft,
Sincak, & Todd, 2010; Austin, Connolly & Colbeck, 2008; Beane-Katner, 2013; Bélanger, Bélisle, & Bernatchez, 2011;
Grupp, 2014), studies are limited in Turkey. Recent studies have focused on developing learning-teaching culture,
disseminating good practices, developing and evaluating curricula, and the management process of learning and teaching
centers in universities (Çolak-Sancı 2021; İşeri, 2019). Kalaycı (2008) stated in her study that a center should be
established in universities in order to increase the quality of education and teaching activities of the university and
associated this process with quality management. Learning-teaching centers have an important role in reaching the aimed
quality level of the education-teaching process of higher education. Universities' visions and missions should be in line
with their accepted approaches to quality (Harvey & Green, 1993). This relationship should determine the aims and
activities of learning and teaching centers. This situation is bidirectional. Qualified activities carried out in learning and
teaching centers positively affect the quality of the educational service of the university.
It is extremely important to clearly define the importance and power of learning and teaching centers for the quality higher
educational service (QHES). It has expected that this information will provide concrete data for the developing processes
of the centers opened or to be opened in universities
This research aims to discuss the learning and teaching centers established within the universities using the framework of
the following sub-titles.
• Their history, their situation in the world, in USA and in Turkey,
• Their aims and their relation to the university's aims,
• How they are structured within the university structure and their relationship with other units of the university,
• Their fields of activity,
• The importance of centers in reaching the quality standards of education and training services of the university.EJERCongress 2022 Bildiri Özetleri Kitabı / EJERCongress 2022 Abstracts
1447
This study is important since it will contribute to both the quality commissioners and the education-training units. This
study also contributes to the relationship between the educational service objectives of the universities and the
achievement of quality standards. The results of this research would be significant for the researchers, who will study the
issue.
Yöntem
The method of the research was designed as a theoretical research. In theoretical research, the information in the relevant
literature is searched, classified, analyzed and compared (Rowley & Slack, 2004).
The data sources of the research are: articles published in journals scanned in national and international indexes and data
centers related to learning and teaching centers, books, graduate theses and reports published by learning-teaching centers,
etc. It is important to proceed systematically in theoretical research which includes: finding sources, summarizing and
synthesizing information (Pautasso, 2013). The following ten steps suggested by Pautasso (2013) and will be applied in
this research:
1. Determination of the subject: The subject of this research is learning-teaching centers. These centers, which are located
in many universities especially in the USA, have started to be established in Turkey. In particular, the importance of these
centers in reaching higher education quality standards should be explained.
2. Literature review: The research topic has been reviewed in national and international literature.
3. Taking notes while reading: While reading the sources obtained, notes are taken in accordance with the purpose of the
research.
4. Deciding on the type of theoretical research to be written: Research is a theoretical study based on systematic review
of collected literature.
5. The focus of the study on a subject that will attract people's attention: The study focused on the importance of learning
and teaching centers in achieving quality standards in higher education.
6. Having a critical and consistent attitude: Quality of the resources used is treated critically.
7. Establishing a logical structure: In line with the purpose of the research, a systematic structure is created including
four main titles: History, vision-mission, organizational structure, and functions of the centers for learning and teaching.
8. Consideration of feedback: Opinions have been received from two experts on curriculum development and quality in
higher education regarding the systematic structure created in the research.
9. Including the studies of the authors on the subject into the present study: The authors have publications on quality
in higher education, development and evaluation of higher education programs.
10. Include current studies as much as possible without ignoring old studies: Previous and current studies on learning
and teaching centers are all included, depending on their contributive value to the theoretical framework.
Beklenen/Geçici Sonuçlar
The percentage of learning and teaching centers which were first established in the USA in 1962 has increased to
approximately 75% by now. It was established for the first time in Turkey in 2006 at Akdeniz University under the name
of “Center of Excellence in Education and Teaching”. As of April 2022, the number of centers increased to 30 in Turkey.
Recently, an agreement was signed between the Turkish Higher Education Quality Board (YÖKAK) and the British
Council in October 2021. This strategic partnership aimed to provide training to academicians, especially on the changes
of educational training, in order to increase the number of teaching and learning centers in Turkey (YÖK, 2021).
The main purposes of the centers are to enable the university to reach the targeted learning outcomes of the students and
thus to reach the quality standards of the education services. The centers have four sub-purposes in terms of academic
staff, students, research and curriculum, and formal and informal activities are carried out.
Learning and teaching centers should be structured to cooperate with all units of universities. In addition, experts such as
curriculum and instruction, measurement and evaluation, instructional technology should take part in these centers.
Anahtar Kelimeler: "learning and teaching center", "excellence center in teaching", "quality in higher educatio"nEJERCongress 2022 Bildiri Özetleri Kitabı / EJERCongress 2022 Abstracts
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Kaynakça
Aebersold, A. (2019). The active learning institute: Design and implementation of an intensive faculty development
program. Journal on Centers for Teaching and Learning, 11, 24-38.
Andurkar, S., Fjortoft, N., Sincak, C. & Todd, T. (2010). Development of a center for teaching excellence. American
Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(7), 1-7.
Austin, A.E, Connolly, M.R & Colbeck, C.L. (2008). Strategies for preparing integrated faculty: The center for the
integration of research, teaching, and learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 113, 69-81.
Beane-Katner, L. (2013). Developing the next generation of faculty: Taking a learning community approach. Journal on
Centers for Teaching and Learning, 5, 91-106.
Bélanger, C., Bélisle, M. & Bernatchez, P. A. (2011). A study of the impact of services of a university teaching centre on
teaching practice: Changes and conditions. Journal on Centers for Teaching and Learning, 3, 131-165.
Çolak-Sancı, E. (2021). Amerika, Avrupa, Asya- Pasifik ve Türk üniversitelerinde bulunan öğrenme öğretme
merkezlerinin incelenmesi, değerlendirilmesi ve karşılaştırılması (Master's thesis), accessed from https://tez.yok.gov.tr.
Grupp, LL (2014). Faculty developer as change agent: A conceptual model for small institutions and beyond. Journal on
Centers for Teaching and Learning, 6, 45-58.
Harvey, L. & Green, D. (1993), ‘Defining quality’. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1), 9–34.
İşeri, E. (2019). Yükseköğretim kurumlarında öğrenme ve öğretme merkezleri: Yönetim yapısı, örgüt yapısı ve kullanılan
teknolojiler (Master's thesis), accessed from https://tez.yok.gov.tr
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A. & Hall, C. (2016). NMC Horizon Report: 2016
Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media, Consortium.
Kalaycı, N. (2008). Yükseköğretim toplam kalite yönetimi uygulamalarında ihmal edilen unsurlardan “TKY Merkezi” ve
“Eğitim Programları”. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 6(2), 163-188.
Pautasso, M. (2013). Ten simple rules for writing a literature review. PLoS Computational Biology, 9(7), 1-4,
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149.
Rowley, J. & Slack, F. (2004). Conducting a literature review. Management Research News, 27(6), 31-39,
https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170410784185
The Council of Turkish Higher Education [YÖK].(2021). Quality Assurance Management Information System,
https://www.yokak.gov.tr/a-memorandum-of-understanding-was-signed-between-turkish-higher-education-qualitycouncil-and-the-br