Building higher education. The tension between espoused educational values and physical infrastructure.

Autor/in	Loughlin, Colin
Titel	Building higher education. The tension between espoused educational values and physical infrastructure.
Quelle	In: Higher education, 91 (2026) 1, S. 369-386Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; gedruckt; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0018-1560; 1573-174X
DOI	10.1007/s10734-025-01421-3
Schlagwörter	Lehre; Forschung; Studium; Hochschullehrer; Hochschule; Student; Ausland; Großbritannien
Abstract	Through interviews with senior academic management representing 16 UK higher education institutions (HEIs), this study explores the relationship between the espoused pedagogical values focusing on student-centred learning, and the construction of large-class, fixed-seat lecture theatres. Despite the widespread promotion of student-centred, collaborative, and active learning approaches in university policy, educational strategies, and corporate literature, the physical infrastructure reflects a different set of priorities, often driven by logistical and financial considerations rather than pedagogical intent. The conceptual basis for the article is Argyris and Schön's theory of action: a theoretical framework that distinguishes between organisational espoused theory (what organisations say they do) and theory-in-use (what they actually do). The framework was designed to better understand how organisations produce behaviour sometimes at odds with their own values. The results of the study reveal a remarkable lack of pedagogical intentionality behind the investment in large-class auditoria. This study contributes to the discourse on the alignment between HEIs' physical infrastructure and their educational policies, highlighting a significant gap between pedagogical ideals and the realities of the physical teaching spaces created. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).
Erfasst von	Hochschulrektorenkonferenz, Bonn
Update	2026/4