An Exploration of Factors Influencing Faculty Engagement With Open Practices at the School of Education: A Pilot Study

Background: Open practices in academia are emerging as affordable tools in widening research access by removing many barriers in the scholarly research and learning process. While faculty engagement with open practices is increasing, there remain some barriers to widespread participation. Though research to date suggests faculty perceptions about promotion and tenure (P&T) policies influence faculty engagement with open practices, many studies limit their focus on a few influencing factors. Answering calls for more research, this pilot study aims to explore the influence of various factors on faculty engagement with open practices, with a focus on promotion and tenure (P&T) policies based and their unique influence on faculty decisions through the lens of Social Exchange Theory. Methods: During the first phase, 15 faculty members completed the survey about their perceptions, engagement in open practices, and demographic data such as faculty classification. To better understand the quantitative data, we will conduct focus groups and individual interviews. Results: Most faculty members felt the importance and benefits of open practices. However, beliefs about the valuing of open practices in P&T and professional reputation did not show consensus. This implies group uncertainty about support for engaging in open practices in general. Conclusion: The quantitative results support the previous research (Lwoga & Questier 2014, Kim 2010, Kirschner, 2019). While refining the survey measures could be the next step for research, the preliminary implication for higher learning institutions could be increasing faculty awareness about the availability of resources for open practices faculty engagement.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1170/thumbnail.jp