Perceptions of Faculty With Respect to Change at a Western Canadian College: An Exploratory Study
Date
2021-05-15
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Publicly funded postsecondary education institutions are experiencing significant forces of change which have been acerbated by the global pandemic. The results of this project indicate that leaders of those institutions in North America should engage their faculty to help their respective colleges or universities survive, and perhaps even thrive in these evolving circumstances. In this exploratory case study, the research participants (faculty in a small central Alberta institution) contributed interesting insights with respect to their perceptions of change and the need and urgency for change in the sector. In addition, they shared interesting perspectives with respect to several topic areas, in particular provincial governance and technology. They especially identified that the influence of technology, with respect to curriculum, teaching and learning and other aspects of institutional operation, was pervasive. Furthermore, I discovered that faculty in general may not be naturally inclined to contribute to their institution’s change efforts, given their primary job responsibilities. However, it appeared that some members, generally those who had taken on leadership roles and/or additional education, demonstrated awareness of larger and far reaching aspects of the change forces impacting the sector. Thus, faculty members, when adequately prepared for discussions related to change, can enhance the welfare of their home institutions in these challenging environments. Thus, it may take some preparation by committed leaders to get larger portions of that constituency group to contribute to the larger organizational effort, but early indications are that the investment in those efforts are worthwhile.
Description
Keywords
publicly funded postsecondary education system, institutional survival, faculty perceptions, exploratory case study, change
Citation
Couture, L. J. G. (2021). Perceptions of Faculty With Respect to Change at a Western Canadian College: An Exploratory Study (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.