Professionalization and the forgotten system: Observed practices and perceptions at the intersection of informal and formal faculty development

Abstract

Disciplinary professionalization often leads to greater formalization, including the evolution of structured training, newly created roles, and solidification of core knowledge and knowledge boundaries. During the formalization process, informal training and roles are often supplanted, but can continue to exist in subtle or unique ways. As in other fields, outcomes of the professionalization of faculty development include improved outcomes for faculty as well as markers of formalization - e.g., journals, certifications, and even organizational units specific to faculty development. However, little is known about how this formalization has impacted the informal roles and activities that previously served as faculty development in academia. This study derives from a workshop designed to document and share stories of ongoing efforts towards informal faculty development by engineering faculty. The study identified externalities that negatively impact efforts towards peer growth by non-professionalized faculty developers. The participants were unable to articulate a role in creating peer development independent of participation in and advocacy for formal systems of faculty development. Participants were unsure what they could do, what they were allowed to do, and whether such work could be named faculty development. They saw the importance of both informal faculty development work but seem to lack agency in naming such work as faculty development because it exists outside of the structured and professionalized sphere of modern faculty development. Implications of the findings for faculty developers and the ongoing evolution of faculty development are discussed.