University Faculty, Professional Identity, and Teaching

• In Event: 61.071 - Sheraton Roundtable Session 10 - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 61.071-1 - Faculty Satisfaction and Motivation

Abstract

Through an exploration of university tenure-track faculty’s understandings of curriculum and undergraduate students, we uncover their perceptions of academic work and their roles in teaching. In this qualitative investigation, we compare and contrast faculty understandings of teaching and curriculum at a research university and a comprehensive university. In doing so, we explain faculty teaching identity through faculty’s self-ascribed professional roles and their responsibilities for teaching. Preliminary findings suggest that faculty members at the comprehensive university see themselves as teachers and educators; their primary instructional goals for undergraduate students are to develop critical thinkers and good citizens. Faculty at the research university, in some contrast, consider teaching a personal concern, with research as the dominant component of their professional identity.

Authors

• John S. Levin, University of California - Riverside

• Suki Wang, University of California - Riverside

• Junying Liu, Xiamen University

• Yi Zhou, University of California - Riverside