Reconciling Faculty Members' and Academic Administrators' Differing Perceptions of Institutional Support to Promote Instructional Change

• In Event: 60.084 - Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: 60.084-5 - Curriculum Development and Program Evaluation in Postsecondary Education

Abstract

In this paper we address an apparent discrepancy between administrators’ and faculty members’ perceptions regarding institutional support for instructional innovation. Our analysis is based on 49 interviews of college of engineering faculty and administrators at a large, research-intensive, public university in the Mid-Atlantic region. We examine the differing replies from administrators and faculty regarding the extent of support available to faculty pursuing instructional innovation. In short, departmental administrators across the college report that they provide a high level of support to faculty members, while faculty members indicate dissatisfaction with the institutional support that is available to them. We propose explanation of and suggestions for reconciling this incongruity so that administrators may be able to support faculty members’ teaching more effectively.

Authors

• Dan Merson

• Lindsey Schrott, The Pennsylvania State University

• Sarah E. Zappe, The Pennsylvania State University

• Kirsten Susan Hochstedt, The Pennsylvania State University

• Thomas Litzinger, Pennsylvania State University