Pedagogical Practices in Higher Education

Abstract

The demand for teaching excellence in higher education requires a renewed focus on the pedagogical practices (PPs) that shape student learning outcomes. This study investigated instructional strategies (IS), assessment literacy (AL), and reflective teaching (RT) among lecturers in a Nigerian Faculty of Education and examined the role of professional development (PD) and sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional survey of seventy-nine lecturers was conducted using a validated questionnaire. While IS had eight items, AL and RT had four and five items, respectively. Data were collected over a four-week period. The authors obtained approval (ethical clearance number: SEM 2-2025-145) from their university. Data collected were analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, and regression. Results showed lecturers reported moderately high engagement across all domains, with IS rated the highest and AL the lowest. Although descriptive differences emerged across gender, rank, and teaching experience, none were statistically significant. PD participation exhibited a strong positive correlation with PPs (r = .776, p < .001) and was the only significant predictor, explaining 59% of the variance. Findings highlight PD as the decisive driver of pedagogical proficiency.