Collegial and departmental support matters: An exploration of teaching cultures and practice

Abstract

Even though many colleges and universities are increasingly supporting teaching and learning centers, SoTL, faculty learning communities, and other evidence-based teaching practices, uncertainty still remains regarding the impact of these practices and programs on quality student learning. Often colleges and universities simply give “lip service to the idea” of good teaching, and yet lack organizational commitments and structures to truly support teaching. Using a large-scale, multi-institutional study of teaching cultures, this study explores faculty perceptions of commitment to quality teaching and faculty perceptions of departmental and institutional support for teaching. The results carry implications for departmental and institutional initiatives in support of teaching and the improvement of pedagogical practice towards equitable college student learning.