Innovation in Teaching & Assessment: Towards Inquiry-Based Higher Education Learning Practices

What are some of the fundamental innovations required to ensure teaching and assessment become instruments of help within higher education institutions? This study is informed by the numerous calls for academic institutions, particularly those at higher education to produce critical thinkers who transcend mere knowledge accumulation and be ready to apply classroom knowledge to the real world. The call for a shift towards inquiry-based learning practices should be taken seriously by all educators, administrators and policy makers. Following a review of functions of higher education and the characteristics of higher education learners, the study affirms that innovation and implementation of inquiry-based pedagogy has the potential to transform the nature of higher education. The purpose of this article is to explore innovations that should support higher education teaching and assessment. The need for innovation in teaching and assessment of higher education requires fundamental shifts in analytical orthodoxy regarding tertiary education. Facilitating innovation and change in theory regarding teaching and assessments has the potential to lead to more faculty members using inquiry-based pedagogy. Through the decision theoretic model, this research-based article submits that those in higher education must fundamentally shift their perspectives, or theoretical lenses, regarding teaching and assessment. An abductive approach has been adopted in developing this research-based article. The research offers cumulative insights for professional development and learning among educators in higher education with recommendations for the transition to innovative and integrative teaching and assessment.