Faculty Perceptions of a Teaching Norm

Policy; Teacher Attitudes This study sought to identify a norm for teaching development at five different higher education institutions. Identifying institutional norms is important because much of individual behavior in an institution is governed by such norms. Faculty (N=145) at five institutions (a community college district, two liberal arts colleges, a comprehensive university, and a research university) completed a survey about the teaching expectations they perceive from their respective institutions. A perceived norm for teaching development existed at only one of the liberal arts colleges. Examination of the policies at the five institutions revealed that the one institution that exhibited a teaching development norm was also the institution with the strongest policies supportive of the teaching role. Analysis and scoring of institutions on their policies fn....nd that only the liberal arts colleges ha