A Culture of Teaching: Policy, Perception, and Practice in Higher Education

• Published in: Research in higher education Vol. 52; no. 8; pp. 808 - 829
• Main Authors: Cox, Bradley E., McIntosh, Kadian L., Reason, Robert D., Terenzini, Patrick T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-12-2011; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic learning; Classification; College Faculty; College instruction; Colleges; Cultural institutions; Cultural policy; Culture; Data; Education; Educational administration; Higher Education; Institutional Characteristics; Institutions; Instruction; Learning; Perception; Perceptual learning; Statistical variance; Student Experience; Teaching; Teaching methods; Instructional practices; College faculty; Culture; Institutional policy
• ISSN: 0361-0365; 1573-188X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11162-011-9223-6

In an effort to identify policies that foster an institutional "culture of teaching," or encourage use of effective pedagogies, this study uses data from 5,612 faculty members at 45 institutions to examine connections between institutional policies and faculty members' perceptions and practices related to teaching and learning. A series of multilevel models suggests that academic policy variables have small and generally insignificant relationships to such faculty perceptions or practices. Instead, conventional institutional characteristics, such as selectivity and Carnegie classification, appear to be more influential factors.