| Abstract: | Higher education is becoming a major driver of economic competitiveness in
an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. The imperative for Ethiopia to
improve employment skills calls for quality and relevance teaching-learning
practices within educational private higher institutions. The importance of
educating people to ensure a country’s continuous competitiveness and sustainable
development is unquestionable. This paper examines the learners’ purpose of
acquiring private higher education, the basis for effective teaching-learning
practices, the assessment of the quality and relevance of private higher education,
the challenges faced by learners and instructors, as well as suggestions for
improvement. Effective teaching-learning practices in private HEIs have a positive
effect on students’ learning by active and collaborative methods and development
through a combination of content mastery, command of a broad set of pedagogies
and communications skills. The quality of instructors’ characteristics are depend on
the abilities and the skills to transfer knowledge of their subject matter and
enhancing the learning process through good communication, diagnostic skills,
understanding of different learning styles and cultural influences, knowledge about
learner development, and the ability to marshal a broad array of techniques to meet
student needs. In this study a mixed-method approach using a descriptive survey
design was used. The three experienced private HEIs (St.Mary's/ Kidist Mariam,
Unity and Rift Valley) were selected as a sample. It also systematic and random
sampling technique were used. The method of enquiry made use of both interviews
and questionnaires. Data gathered from two groups (students & instructors) and 25
item Likert scale questionnaires were completed by a sample of 69 students and 24
instructors. The paper concludes that the quality of higher education in developing
countries like Ethiopia is influenced by complex challenges that have their roots in
commercialization, general funding, and human population growth. Appropriate
policies and homebred professionals (both academic and administrative) are
necessary for improving the quality and relevance of HEIs. Both instructors and
students in this study conducted in the selected private HEIs of Ethiopia depicted
the effective university instructor as someone who: (1) is respectful, (2) makes
classes interesting, (3) is fair in evaluating, (4) cares about students’ success, (5)shows a love for their subject, (6) is friendly, (7) encourages questions and
discussion, (8) is always well prepared and organized, and (9) makes difficult
subjects easy to learn. Findings of students’ and instructors’ suggest that effective
teaching is the blending of both personality and ability factors. The key factor,
however, remains the instructors’ personality. The study has implications for
instructors to prefer innovative instructional strategies as cooperative learning
while teaching. It was also forwarded that the techniques used in the approach
should be diversified rather than using only group discussion and group assignment
in and out-sides of the classroom. It was also suggested that the private HEIs
should have to prepare detail and clear guidelines used for implementation of
effective teaching-learning practices. |
