ABSTRACT
It is three decades since the first books on the evaluation of university and college teaching began to appear in the UK. At first the topic was highly controversial. It dumbfounded many academics while leaving some aghast at what they saw as an affront to their academic autonomy and an unwarranted deference to student opinion. Nowadays evaluation raises very few eyebrows. It has come to be seen not only as a necessary adjunct to accountability, but also as an integral part of good professional practice. And from this contemporary standpoint, expertise in teaching is viewed not simply as the product of experience: it also depends on the regular monitoring of teaching performance to pinpoint achievements and strengths, and to identify areas where there is scope for improvement.
