Exploring the relationship between academic administrators and teaching-related professional development activities and policies for new teaching faculty

Abstract

Teaching is a central focus for most Canadian postsecondary institutions. This study is focused on teaching-related professional development practices for new postsecondary faculty in Ontario colleges and universities. Using Bourdieu’s field theory, intersections of space, power, and people are discussed in relation to professional development practices and activities. Field theory is used to analyze the social relations within the field of postsecondary education as it recognizes that certain individuals, such as administrators, are afforded the ability to influence change (i.e., power) based on their positionality within the field. This study examines the role of senior postsecondary academic administrators (vice-presidents academic and provosts, centre for teaching and learning senior leaders) and their perceived influence on teaching-related professional development activities and policies for new teaching faculty. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected from 23 college (n = 10) and university academic administrators (n = 13), followed by individual semi-structured interviews with eight of the questionnaire respondents (college administrators n = 4 and university administrators n = 4). Findings indicate that current postsecondary teaching-related policies and practices are limited and while there is appetite to require upskilling, it is difficult to impose. Administrators speak to the value of teaching and learning within the postsecondary sector, their institutions, and the role of policy in advancing teaching practices. Recommendations are identified for the field of postsecondary education as well as at the institutional level. Recommendations relate to practices and policies and include normalizing faculty as teachers, teaching-related upskilling requirements, and the implementation of required professional development upskilling policy.