Teaching-Research Nexus - Perspectives and Impact on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Authors

  • Karen Ofuji Osiro
  • Lukas Hrachowina
  • Stefan Gunnarsson
  • Sudhakar Sivakumar
  • Sven Dorsch

Keywords:

Teaching-Research Nexus, synergy, mediating variables, partial teaching-research separation

Abstract

The traditional role of the university is the education through research according to the Humboldtian ideal. However, there is a continuous discussion among academics and society if a good researcher necessary implies being a good teacher and what is the nexus between these two important positions. The teaching-research nexus concerns the relation between teaching and research duties at the university regarding all aspects; as an individual academic or at a high level in the institution. Both teachers and students’ aspects will be taken into consideration for discussion; nonetheless, this project approach will focus more on the teachers and researchers perspectives. Within this project, we have found positive links (e.g. such as researchers benefit from skills obtained from teaching experience, students benefit from research), negative links (e.g. time commitment split between teaching and research, financial competition, stress), and even independent aspects, where it touches a blurred line in this relation. The overall analysis results in a complex interplay due to several variables leading to an inconclusive relation. Although we ended up in this inconclusive scenario, we suggest an approach to try to improve the quality of both teaching and research. A complete segregation of teaching and research into different institutions would remove any link between teaching and research; therefore, losing the positive aspects of this relationship as well. Along these lines, we suggest the introduction of teaching-only tracks for academics and corresponding teaching-only faculty positions, where teaching duties should be kept close to their research activities and the basic knowledge would be taught by teaching-only positions. This approach can greatly enhance the quality of teaching and research by giving to the academic more time to invest in this both activities, decreasing the high demand and competition that this professional is exposed.

Published

2018-03-31