Faculty Perceptions of Social and Economic Rewards as Motivating Factors in Educational Development Programs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

This concurrent, mixed-methods case study explores faculty valuation of economic and social rewards after participating in at least one of four educational development programs offered by our Center of Teaching and Learning (CTL) at a large, public, R1 institution. We wanted to know if the effectiveness of such programs might vary depending on the availability of economic or social rewards. To find out, we used factor analysis, t-tests, and thematic analysis on quantitative and qualitative responses from 108 faculty in an 11-item survey. Faculty reported that the value of community and importance of a stipend were important for collaborative pedagogical growth and motivation for sharing results, respectively. Both are essential for implementing change in pedagogical knowledge and practice. The findings underscore the importance of integrating both economic and social rewards because each works differently to engage faculty participants. Study implications include considerations for program design and suggestions for future research.