Flexibility Within Structure: Factors contributing to Faculty Perceptions of Autonomy and Standardization in Course Design and Delivery

Abstract

At times, universities’ structures for quality assurance can impede professors’ sense of autonomy. This descriptive qualitative study examines factors that contribute to stakeholders’ perceptions regarding standardization and autonomy in the realm of course design and delivery. The central understanding of this study is that stakeholders are keen to adopt standardization when they perceive those structures to be advantageous for faculty, students, and degree programs. Yet stakeholders imagine the borders of these structures to be flexible, thus creating a space for autonomy. As administrators explain quality assurance structures to professors, they should leverage the perceived advantages and demonstrate to faculty how they will retain the required flexibility.