This week, IEN features the work of scholars focused on transforming education in higher education. This post is the fourth in a series sharing excerpts of interviews with presenters participating in the Educational Change Special Interest Group sessions at the upcoming Annual Conference of the American Educational Research Association in Philadelphia next week. This post includes presenters from the session titled: “Efforts and Impact of Educational Change in Higher Education.” For previous posts in this series, see: Practices, Programs and Policies for Instructional Coaching, Transforming Organizational Systems for Educational Equity, and Organizational Change and Equity in Professional Learning, Arts and Sports Programs, and Summer Camps. These interviews are part of the Lead the Change series produced by AERA’s Educational Change Special Interest Group. The full interviews can be found on the LtC website. The LtC series is currently produced by Alex Lamb (Outgoing Series Editor) and Liz Zumpe (Incoming Series Editor).
Interdisciplinary Funding and the Virtues of Professors: Evidence from a Survey on Curiosity, Intellectual Humility and Collaboration — Stylianos Syropoulos, Boston College; Liane Young, Boston College; Gregg Sparkman, Boston College; Gordon Kraft-Todd, Boston College; Kim Nelson Pryor, Southern Methodist University; Laura J. Steinberg, Boston College
Lead the Change: The 2024 AERA theme is Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action. How does your research respond to this call?
Stylianos Syropoulos, Liane Young, Gregg Sparkman, Gordon Kraft-Todd, Kim Nelson Pryor, and Laura J. Steinberg (SS, LY, GS, GKT, KNP & LJS): In its exploration of faculty views and “virtues,” the research our team will present at the 2024 AERA Annual Conference positions faculty as central actors in constructing the postsecondary campus climate. Indeed, past research reveals the extent to which faculty impact nearly every facet of campus life – including, but not limited to, students’ and diverse faculty’s sense of belonging as well as the cultivation (or not) of cultures of intellectual openness (Syropoulos et al., 2023). These facets of campus climate and culture tie fundamentally into the racialized and gendered nature of higher education organizations. As such, faculty are central to the endeavor of dismantling racial injustice across American higher education (Arday & Mirza, 2018).
Faculty are central to the endeavor of dismantling racial injustice across American higher education.
Thus, our exploration of “virtues” such as curiosity, intellectual humility and collaboration not only provides insight into how faculty may nourish these values to spur more creative and innovative interdisciplinary thinking. It also helps us consider how such virtues might connect to faculty’s openness of spirit and generosity of mind toward diverse and/or contravening perspectives and sources of information–vantages which are key to promoting a culturally inclusive learning and scholarly environment.
At its core, our work aims to probe the tie between faculty virtues and interdisciplinary engagement. Interdisciplinarity, too, is related to the notion of dismantling and constructing – most overtly in its foundational role for “critical studies” and “identity fields” – examples of which include Women’s and Gender Studies, African American and Africana Studies, Latinx and Hispanic Studies, Disability Studies, and others (Pryor, 2022). As critical lenses and social justice considerations continue to infuse existing disciplines and give rise to new fields (e.g., environmental justice), interdisciplinary pillars such as synergy and innovation light the way. In these ways and more, the study of interdisciplinarity, its precursors and its impact, represents a key site for dismantling the status quo and constructing the potential of a new knowledge ethos–one whose many vectors create more pathways for nontraditional scholarship, diverse scholars and work inflected by the call to dismantle racial injustice and right other social ills.
LtC: What are some of the ideas you hope the field of Educational Change and the audience at AERA can learn from your work related to practice, policy, and scholarship?
SS, LY, GS, GKT, KNP & LJS: Our work highlights the positive association between interdisciplinary engagement and a host of desirable intellectual “virtues” for faculty–curiosity, humility, and collaboration. In particular, one of our central findings is that receiving an internal grant for interdisciplinary and collaborative work significantly increases faculty’s identification with these values.
For practice and policy, then, this work suggests tangible benefits to increased funding for interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Prior work by two of our co-authors finds broad benefits of participating in interdisciplinary service, including increasing faculty’s joy, collegiality, and sense of belonging on campus (Pryor & Steinberg, 2023). Our findings add that more interdisciplinarity, spurred by multiple means at the institutional level, can help cultivate a campus culture of intellectual openness and collegiality.
For scholarship, the correlational analysis in our current work merely scratches the surface of potential positive associations between and effects of interdisciplinary engagement and/or grant funding on faculty qualities and campus climate. While significant prior literature explores the impact of interdisciplinary and collaborative engagement on metrics such as grant attainment, publication count, citation frequency, and others (e.g., Curran et al., 2020; Leahey et al., 2017), our work moves the discussion of the faculty-focused impacts of interdisciplinarity beyond productivity and prestige. Future research should continue to push these bounds—as some already has for the impact of interdisciplinary learning on students’ critical thinking, sense of curiosity, and “twenty-first century” knowledge attainment. We know some of what interdisciplinarity can do for advancing cutting-edge science (e.g., Okamura, 2019), and we know some of what it can do to spur student learning. What does it do for creating the kind of faculty we all aspire to be—creative, curious, open?
Privatization, Marketization and the Epistemological Implications in Universities: The Current Outlook in Uganda — Pascal Pax Andebo & Wuqi Yu, University of Maryland
Lead the Change: The 2024 AERA theme is Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action. How does your research respond to this call?
Pascal Pax Andebo & Wuqi Yu (PPA & WY): Our research hinges on the concept of Ubuntu, which is about human relations, emphasizing the ‘shared humanity’ beyond ethnic and racial boundaries. The term from Southern Africa signifies the essence of being a person (Eze 2008: 107), or human (Ramose, 1999; 2014; Samkange & Samkange,1980), among other humans, upon whom one’s existence is attributed: umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, meaning – a person is a person through other persons, or a person is made a person by other persons. Mbiti (1969) stated it this way: “I am because we are; since we are, therefore, I am” (Mbiti, 1969: 215). Ubuntu is also expressed by: Cognatus ergo sum -I am related (to others) therefore I exist(Pobee, 1979: 49)in contrast to cogito, ergo sum, “I think, therefore I am” (Rene Descartes). A person’s humanity is dependent on the appreciation, preservation, and affirmation of other persons’ humanity. Thus, human existence becomes a relationship of dialogue with other persons in the wider social world (Eze, 2008: 107). Community or societal interests supersede those of the individual. The “us” or “we” is more emphasized by dealing in the context of “the communion of persons” as opposed to the “I”. Consequently, in Ubuntu human values of compassion, solidarity, harmony, consensus, hospitality, sympathy (Mupedziswa et al, 2019), dignity, wholeness, social responsibility, generosity, compassion, stewardship-sustainability, altruism, peace, social, and emotional intelligence (Méle, 2016; Peterson & Seligman, 2004) are upheld.
Despite its Southern Africa etymology, the Ubuntu principles have existed beyond the region of Southern Africa. Its epistemological components and orientation attribute knowledge to the community, which passes it to the individual (Battle, 2009: 135) through shared experiences, stories, or proverbs to provide life’s lessons for its members. This forms a basis of education in many societies globally. Therefore, many communities in different parts of the globe have been living according to the principles of Ubuntu, in their intra-community interactions, and with neighbors and foreigners. In examining the relations between humans and non-humans through Ubuntu lens, our research also highlights the awareness that several ways exist for addressing the current global challenge of climate change, by critically reassessing the racialized and class or socioeconomic human relations which manifest in the problem. Human activities like large scale industrialization, market-based agricultural practices have led to devastating effects (Marx, 1963) such as toxic carbon, and other toxic gaseous emissions with limited or no absorption base. Similarly, unsustainable subsistence livelihoods of the growing population, have also compounded the problem, leading to environmental degradation, species extinction, and overall destabilization of ecological cycles in the ecosystem. These call for anthropogenic solutions, partly through a reformed education system that also re-examines the inter-racial human relations critically. In a way, addressing climate change requires the disruption of the constructed human systems that have entrenched hegemonies within human societies, especially through capitalism. On the contrary, Ubuntu holds individuals and communities to responsibilities by imposing on them moral obligations emphasizing the close connections humans and nature share, enforced through the common moral position (CMP) as a basic principle of ethics. The common moral position therefore impresses upon individual members of society ideas sustainability and stewardship for nature, the realization that human existence depends on sustaining nature, and placing injunctions through taboos and totems because “we are because nature is” (Tutu, 2007). Any misuse of nature is a violation in the spirit of Ubuntu, because all are interconnected in the web of life (LenkaBula, 2008).
LtC: What are some of the ideas you hope the field of Educational Change and the audience at AERA can learn from your work related to practice, policy, and scholarship?
PPA & WY: Increasingly, policies that more openly and genuinely promote ‘enhanced diversity’ in the broad educational endeavors are becoming necessary to guide the process of educational change. This recognizes the need for uniqueness and differences that produce a tapestry of alternatives that enrich education theory and practice. That also means, policies should promote the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and epistemologies that are more globalized and universalized in the way they address the interracial human relations and human-nature relations. Governments policies of countries like Bolivia and Ecuador, among others, have constitutionally enshrined rights for some of nature’s endowments such as “wild rivers” and prohibiting the construction of hydroelectric dams on them. A tribunal has been formed to protect various natural habitats from predatory human behavior (Falk, 2021). Humans should learn from these acts and policies and radically reconfigure the ways humans perceive and learn about nature through a complete paradigm shift, becoming part of the world around them (Haraway, 2016; Tsing, et als., 2017) by abandoning the comforts of human hegemony (Silova, 2021). Through more critical reflections and interpretations of education principles, there is a growing consciousness that is beginning to guide practices in the field of education to focus on decolonizing and revolutionizing the curriculum/syllabus and pedagogy.
Research and scholarship has now highlighted that it is time for the education of humans to look ‘beyond the Western horizon’ (Silova, Rappleye, & Auld, 2020), through ‘pluriversal’ frameworks (Escobar, 2018; Kothari, et al., 2019) appreciate the ‘epistemologies of the South’ (Santos, 2014) and other non-Western thought traditions. These are in the aspects like interpreting the infinite human and more-than-human worlds within worlds. This is challenging the idea of human hierarchies and creating a need to dismantle the hierarchies (LeGrange, 2018; Tallbear, 2019). By promoting education based on the principles of pluriversality, a multiplicity of ways and wisdom of knowing and being, are creating opportunities for humans to expand their notion of concepts (UNESCO, 2020) beyond the confines of the individuals, ethnicity, gender, race, culture, etc.
Another aspect of reflection we learned from our research is the importance of envisioning new models of practice for environmental education in local contexts through the lens of the Indigenous community. Our research explored the question of how Ubuntu reflects aspects of human-nature relations and creates opportunities for visualizing things in nature as partners on equal terms with humans. Our findings reveal that the age-old practices of Ubuntu affirm the rightful place of things existing in nature, and urges a re-evaluation of the relationship humans have with nature, where humans need to humbly recognize their position of dependence on nature, instead of dominance. Therefore environmental education in this era should incorporate this re-ordering of perspectives in advancing solutions to the problems of environmental degradation and climate change.
Our findings reveal that the age-old practices of Ubuntu affirm the rightful place of things existing in nature.
Enhancing education is a complex and pricy agenda in which various interests and priorities compete, and those of functionalism constantly take precedence. Hence, the agenda for promoting environmental justice in education must find its allies in local and Indigenous cultures. This means an effort to connect what is needed to enhance the consciousness and knowledge for educating ecologically minded persons and what is deeply rooted in the local cultural values and ethics that align with the characteristics of environmental education. In the case of Ubuntu, for example, this culturally relevant idea for the African Indigenous community provides an epistemology and the language for environmental education and literacy to recalibrate its objectives and pedagogy towards community needs and values in a culturally responsive way. It is the variance of compatibility that environmental education develops with Indigenous communities that empower the vitality and sustainability of environmental education in different parts of the world.
Teaching-focused Faculty in Research-Intensive Universities: Balancing the Dual Missions of R1-Institutions — Alex Paine & Brian Sato, University of California, Irvine
Lead the Change: The 2024 AERA theme is Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action. How does your research respond to this call?
Alex Paine & Brian Sato (AP & BS): The research on Teaching Professors or Professors of Teaching (TP/PoT) within the University of California (UC) system directly addresses the 2024 AERA theme of “Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action.” This work sheds light on the background characteristics, roles, and perceptions of teaching-focused faculty, who are potentially key contributors to creating more inclusive STEM undergraduate programs. The research provides valuable insights into the professional experiences of teaching-focused faculty in a research-intensive institution. By examining the unique position of TP/PoTs within the UC system, the study contributes to the broader conversation on educational possibilities and racial justice by exploring the diversity and inclusivity within academic roles.
Here are several ways in which the research responds to the call to action:
1. Diversity and Inclusion: The study explores whether there are disparities in the experiences of TP/PoTs from diverse racial backgrounds. Understanding the unique challenges faced by faculty members from minoritized groups can contribute to dismantling racial injustice in academia.
Understanding the unique challenges faced by faculty members from minoritized groups can contribute to dismantling racial injustice in academia.
2. Equitable Resource Allocation: The research highlights the potential misalignment between the training and institutional resources provided to pre-tenure TP/PoTs and the expectations for scholarly activities. Addressing these discrepancies can contribute to creating a more equitable academic environment.
3. Professional Advancement: By analyzing how pre-tenure TP/PoTs place greater emphasis on scholarly activities, the research may shed light on how these faculty members navigate the challenges of integrating research into their teaching-focused roles. This information can inform policies that promote the professional advancement of teaching-focused faculty.
4. Impact of Research on Teaching: The finding that TP/PoTs who engage in research perceive a more significant impact on their colleagues’ teaching underscores the value of research even for teaching-focused faculty. This insight challenges stereotypes and emphasizes the interconnectedness of research and teaching in higher education.
5. Institutional Support: The study offers recommendations on how research-intensive universities can better support teaching-focused faculty, contributing to the call to action by proposing actionable steps for creating a more inclusive and supportive academic environment. In summary, the research directly aligns with the AERA theme by addressing issues of racial injustice, educational possibilities, and institutional support within the context of teaching-focused faculty in research-intensive universities, particularly in STEM disciplines.
LtC: What are some of the ideas you hope the field of Educational Change and the audience at AERA can learn from your work related to practice, policy, and scholarship?
AP & BS: This study on Teaching Professors within the University of California system offers crucial insights for the field of Educational Change. Notably, pre-tenure TP/PoTs exhibit a pronounced emphasis on scholarly activities, prompting discussions about the alignment of training and resources with research expectations for teaching-focused faculty in research-intensive institutions. Despite their primary focus on teaching, TP/PoTs engaged in research perceive a substantial impact on their colleagues’ teaching, underscoring the valuable role of research even within a teaching-oriented faculty position. These findings illuminate the need for a nuanced approach to supporting teaching-focused faculty, guiding institutions in tailoring support systems and resources to their specific requirements. Furthermore, the existence of tenure-eligible positions for teaching-focused faculty challenges traditional norms, prompting exploration into the implications for faculty satisfaction and the overall quality of education. Policymakers can use these insights to develop institutional strategies that adapt to the evolving higher education landscape and effectively support teaching-focused faculty in research-intensive settings.
References:
Interdisciplinary Funding and the Virtues of Professors: Evidence from a Survey on Curiosity, Intellectual Humility and Collaboration:
Arday, J., & Mirza, H. S. (2018). Dismantling race in higher education racism, Whiteness and decolonising the academy. Palgrave MacMilan
Curran, M., Bloom, Q., & Brint, S. (2020). Does cluster hiring enhance faculty research output, collaborations, and impact? Results from a national study of US research universities. Minerva, 58, 585-605.
Leahey, E., Beckman, C. M., & Stanko, T. L. (2017). Prominent but less productive: The impact of interdisciplinarity on scientists’ research. Administrative Science Quarterly, 62(1), 105-139. Okamura, K. (2019). Interdisciplinarity revisited: evidence for research impact and dynamism.
Privatization, Marketization and the Epistemological Implications in Universities: The Current Outlook in Uganda:
Battle, M. 2009. Ubuntu: I in you and you in me. New York: Seasbury Publishing.
Escobar, A. (2018). Designs for the pluriverse: Radical interdependence, autonomy, and the making of worlds, . Durham & London: Duke University Press.
Eze, M.O. 2008. “What is African communitarianism? Against consensus as a regulative ideal.” South African Journal of Philosophy. 27 (4), pp. 106-119
Falk, D. (2021, August). Global solidarity: Toward a politics of impossibility. Retrieved from Great Transition Initiative: Toward a Transformative Vision and Praxis: https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/global-solidarity-falk
Haraway, D. (2016). Staying with the trouble: Making kin in the chthulucene. Durham: Duke University Press.
Kothari, A., Salleh, A., Escobar, A., Demaria, F., & Acosta, A. (2019). Pluriverse: A post-development dictionary, . New York: Columbia University Press.
LeGrange, L. (2018). The notion of Ubuntu and the (post)humanist condition. In J. P. Mitchell, Indigenous philosophies of education around the world (pp. 40-60). New York: Routledge.
LenkaBula, P. (2008). Beyond anthropocentricity – Botho/Ubuntu and the quest for economic and ecological justice in Africa. Religion and Theology, (15) 3-4. 375-394
Mbiti, J.S. 1969. African religions and philosophy. London: Heinemann
Méle, D. (2016). Understanding humanistic management. . Humanistic Management Journal, 1, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-016-0011-5., 33-55.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and Classification. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; Oxford University Press.
Pobee, J.S. 1979. Towards an African theology. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Ramose, M.B. 1999. AfricanpPhilosophy through ubuntu. Harare: Mond Books.
Samkange, S and Samkange, T.M. 1980. Hunhuism or ubuntuism: A Zimbabwean Indigenous political philosophy. Salisbury: Graham Publishing.
Santos, B. (2014). Epistemologies of the South. Justice against epistemicide. . Boulder: Paradigm Publishers.
Silova, I. (2021). Facing the anthropocence: Comparative education as sympoiesis. Comparative and International Education Society (CIES). Comparative and International Education Society (CIES): Presidential Address forthcoming in the Comparative Education Review.
Tallbear, K. (2019). Caretaking relations not American dreaming. Kalfou: A Journal of Comparative and Relational Ethnic Studies, 6 (1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15367/kf.v6i1.
Tsing, A., Bubandt, N., Gan, E., & Swanson, A. (2017). Arts of living on a damaged planet: Ghosts and monsters of the anthropocene. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
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