Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Policy Discourses and the Illusion of Best Practice

This book explores the discourses in learning and teaching policy in UK higher education, traces how these ideas are recontextualised at institutional level and reveals the differences between policy discourses and lecturers’ and students’ experiences.

“A timely and compelling contribution bridging “teaching and learning” and “policy” in higher education, this book offers a well-designed, original study with insightful findings. It successfully connects the various reforms and policies in the UK to the day-to-day work of university teachers. Drawing on a clear and systematic analytical framework, the book enriches the ongoing debates on higher education reforms and shows possible ways to conduct further research on the nexus policy-teaching.”

--Professor Tatiana Fumasoli, Institute of Education, University College London, UK

This book explores the discourses in learning and teaching policy in UK higher education, traces how these ideas are recontextualised at institutional level and reveals the differences between policy discourses and lecturers’ and students’ experiences. The author argues that policy ideas around learning and teaching are not simply value-free ‘best practice’ but reflect the socio-political context of higher education. The study uses an innovative conceptual framework of critical discourse studies (CDS) and Bernstein’s sociology of pedagogy to provide critical lenses to uncover the underlying messages of policy. The book will interest a wide academic audience including anyone involved in higher education globally.

Sarah Horrod is Assistant Professor in TESOL at the University of Nottingham, UK. She has extensive experience in TESOL, applied linguistics and academic literacies in UK higher education. Her research interests include higher education policy, practices and identities using a critical discourse studies’ approach.