Faculty Survey 2007-2008
Teaching Faculty Activities

Prepared by Mary Ann Weaver and Max Shannon
April 20, 2009

The HERI Faculty Survey included questions about activities of undergraduate teaching faculty. Below are tables showing the responses of the Earlham teaching faculty.

Table 1: General Activities Table 7: Hours per week spent on research
Table 2: Hours per week spent on scheduled teaching Table 8: Articles in professional journals
Table 3: Hours per week spent preparing for teaching Table 9: Do You "To a Great Extent"...
Table 4: Hours per week spent advising students Table 10: Remedial and developmental teaching
Table 5: Hours per week at meetings Table 11: Teaching Methods
Table 6: Hours per week spent on various activities  

 

Table 1: General Activities

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer Group
 
% yes
% yes
% yes
During last two years, have you      
Developed a new course
78.5
66.5
80.1
Placed or collected assignments on the internet
70.8
74.4
68.2
Worked with undergraduates on a research project
67.7
57.3
75.3
Taught an interdisciplinary course
67.7
41.0
60.6
Engaged in public service/professional consulting without pay
56.9
59.4
43.4
Participated in a faculty development program
56.9
56.5
53
Collaborated with the local community in research/teaching
46.2
46.2
36.3
Taught a first-year seminar
44.6
23.6
36.4
Advised student groups involved in service/volunteer work
43.1
42.4
36.3
Team-taught a course
36.9
32.7
40.2
Received funding for work from Foundations
24.6
19.7
27.6
Engaged in paid consulting outside of your institution
24.6
37.6
27.9
Taught an ethnic studies course
21.5
10.4
13.8
Taught an honors course
15.4
19.9
19.2
Taught a women's studies course
12.3
7.3
14.6
Taught a service learning course
12.3
19.7
16.1
Received funding for work from state or fed govt
10.8
27.1
20.6
Taught a course exclusively on the internet
4.6
13.3
.9
Received funding for work from business/industry
3.1
13.5
6.4
Requested/sought an early promotion
1.5
7.3
5.5
Are you currently teaching courses at more than one institution?
0
4.7
2.3
 
Conducted research or writing focused on

international/global issues
36.9
28.4
32.5

racial or ethnic issues
29.2
20.6
26.7

women and gender issues
20
19.1
26.2
       
Have you ever...
received an award for outstanding teaching
26.2
42.5
33.9

Though Earlham professors are very similar to all college faculty in many respects, they differ considerably from the norm in the percentage teaching an interdisciplinary course and teaching a first-year seminar. While 67.7% of Earlham professors have taught an interdisciplinary course, only 41.0% of faculty from all institutions have done the same. 44.6% of Earlham faculty taught a first-year seminar compared to 23.6% of faculty nationwide and 36.4% of the peer school respondents.   Teaching an ethnic studies course is more common practice among Earlham faculty compared to other faculty. And it is less likely that Earlham faculty have received funding for work from the state or federal government.

Table 2: Hours per Week Spent on Scheduled Teaching

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer Group

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

 

 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
2.6
7.7
4.6
0.6
0.7
0.6
-

1-4
20.5
11.5
16.9
14.5
11.8
13.4
8.8

5-8
23.1
19.2
21.5
32.0
30.1
31.2
40.9

9-12
41
42.3
41.5
35.0
35.4
35.1
35.8

13-16
12.8
19.2
15.4
11.1
13.6
12.1
8.5

17-20
0
0
0
4.4
5.2
4.7
3.5

21-34
0
0
0
2.0
2.8
2.3
2.3

35-44
0
0
0
0.3
0.3
0.3
.2

45 or more
0
0
0
0.1
0.2
0.2
-

The greatest amount (41.5%) of Earlham teaching faculty respondents reported spending between 9 and 12 hours teaching each week. At our peer schools, a higher percentage of faculty (40.9%) reported spending 5-8 hours teaching compared to 21.5% at Earlham and 31.2% nationwide.

Table 3: Hours per Week Spent on Preparing for Teaching  

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer Group

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

 

 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
2.6
7.7
4.6
0.3
0.3
0.3
-

1-4
17.9
7.7
13.8
11.9
7.9
10.3
6.4

5-8
10.3
15.4
12.3
25.1
21.9
23.9
16.6

9-12
25.6
15.4
21.5
25.3
23.4
24.5
23.2

13-16
5.1
11.5
7.7
15.6
16.0
15.8
18.2

17-20
15.4
7.7
12.3
12.3
16.0
13.8
18.2

21-34
23.1
23.1
23.1
7.3
10.9
8.7
12.2

35-44
0
7.7
3.1
1.7
2.6
2.1
4.5

45 or more
0
3.8
1.5
0.5
1.0
0.7
.7

As can be expected, Earlham teachers spend more time preparing for teaching than they do actually instructing a class. 47.7% spend over 13 hours per week preparing for teaching.

Table 4: Hours per Week Spent on Advising/Counseling of Students

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Group
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
10.3
0
6.2
4.1
3.5
3.9
1.2

1-4
53.8
34.6
46.2
58.6
51.4
55.8
54.9

5-8
28.2
42.3
33.8
26.4
31.4
28.4
33.7

9-12
7.7
15.4
10.8
7.6
8.6
8.0
8.1

13-16
0
3.8
1.5
1.9
2.9
2.3
1.2

17-20
0
0
0
0.9
1.4
1.1
.6

21-34
0
3.8
1.5
0.4
0.4
0.4
.2

35-44
0
0
0
0.1
0.3
0.2
-

45 or more
0
0
0
0
0.2
0.1
-

  Just less than half (47.6%) of the Earlham teachers reported spending more than 5 hours a week counseling students.  40.5% of the nationwide sample and 43.8% of the peer group faculty indicated that they spend that much time advising and counseling students.

Table 5: Hours per Week Spent on Committee Work and Meetings

 

Earlham

All institutions

Peer

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Group
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
10.3
0
6.2
5.7
4.1
5.0
4.5

1-4
61.5
34.6
50.8
58.5
55.2
57.2
65.9

5-8
17.9
50
30.8
25.4
28.2
26.5
22.9

9-12
2.6
3.8
3.1
7.0
8.3
7.5
4.6

13-16
5.1
7.7
6.2
2.1
2.6
2.3
1.2

17-20
0
3.8
1.5
0.9
1.1
1.0
.5

21-34
2.6
0
1.5
0.3
0.4
0.3
.3

35-44
0
0
0
0.1
0.1
0.1
.1

45 or more
0
0
0
0
0.1
0
-

A greater percentage (43%) of Earlham teachers reported spending 5 or more hours per week on committee work compared to 29.6% of the teaching faculty at our peer institutions and the national sample (37.7%). Gender differences appear in the percentage of Earlham faculty who spent 8 or fewer hours per week on committee work and meetings.

Table 6: Hours per Week Spent on Other Administration

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Group
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
17.9
15.4
16.9
30.4
29.3
30.0
27.7

1-4
46.2
46.2
46.2
39.4
38.6
39.0
45.5

5-8
12.8
11.5
12.3
14.0
15.4
14.6
16.3

9-12
5.1
7.7
6.2
6.9
7.7
7.2
4.8

13-16
7.2
3.8
6.2
3.4
3.2
3.3
2.5

17-20
2.6
11.5
6.2
3.0
3.2
3.1
1.5

21-34
2.6
0
1.5
2.2
1.8
2.1
1.2

35-44
2.6
3.8
3.1
0.7
0.5
0.6
.3

45 or more
2.6
0
1.5
0.2
0.3
0.2
-

  Earlham professors are less likely than professors at other private colleges to spend no time at all in administrative work. Also, 24.7% of Earlham teaching faculty spend more than 9 hours on other administration compared to 10.3% of the peer group sample and the 16.5% of the national sample.   The greatest gender difference among the Earlham faculty is in the percentage of faculty who spent 17-20 hours on other administrative work. Females are more likely to spend this much time on administrative duties.

Table 7: Hours per Week Spent on Research and Scholarly Writing

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer Group

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
23.1
34.6
27.7
13.2
19.1
15.5
8.5

1-4
41
46.2
43.1
29.3
36.9
32.3
39.5

5-8
20.5
15.4
18.5
20.8
19.1
20.2
23.9

9-12
7.7
0
4.6
13.5
11.1
12.5
14.6

13-16
7.7
3.8
6.2
7.5
5.1
6.6
5.4

17-20
0
0
0
7.4
4.4
6.2
5.2

21-34
0
0
0
5.3
2.6
4.2
2.3

35-44
0
0
0
1.9
1.1
1.6
.3

45 or more
0
0
0
1.0
0.6
0.8
.2

  Overall, Earlham professors spend less time on research and scholarly writing than their counterparts at other institutions.  In fact 27.7% spend no time at all on research and/or scholarly writing compared to 8.5% of faculty at our peer institutions.

Table 8: Articles in Professional Journals

 

Earlham

All Institutions

Peer Group

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

None
20.5
42.3
29.2
15.0
24.5
18.8
12.4

1 to 2
15.4
19.2
16.9
14.1
23.0
17.6
14.9

3 to 4
30.8
3.8
20.0
12.9
16.8
14.5
18.7
5 to 10
15.4
23.1
18.5
18.7
17.8
18.4
26.5
11 to 20
12.8
7.7
10.8
14.9
9.4
12.7
17.2
21 to 50
2.6
3.8
3.1
14.7
6.2
11.4
8.1
51+
2.6
0.0
1.5
9.7
2.3
6.7
2.2

When asked about their professional writings, 70.8% of Earlham teaching faculty respondents had written at least one article for an academic or professional journal compared to 87.6% of faculty from our peer institutions and 81.2% of the national sample. There is a strong gender difference in the percentage of Earlham teaching faculty who have not had articles published.

Table 9: Do you "to a great extent"...

 
Earlham
All Institutions
Peer Group
 
%
%
%
Experience close alignment between your work and your personal values
80
65.3
62.7
Engage in academic work that spans multiple disciplines
55.4
38.7
47.2
Achieve a healthy balance between your personal life and your professional life
33.8
34.2
24.9
Feel that the training you received in graduate school prepared you well for your role as a faculty mentor
28.1
39.1
29.9
Feel that you have to work harder than your colleagues to be perceived as a legitimate scholar
16.9
26.7
22.2

A higher percentage of Earlham faculty experience close alignment between work and their personal values compared to faculty from the peer institutions and faculty nationwide.

Table 10: Do you teach remedial/developmental skills in any of the following areas?

% indicating YES

Earlham

All institutions

Peer

 

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Group
 
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Writing
25.6
26.9
26.2
8.6
13.0
10.3
15
Reading
20.5
19.2
20
3.5
5.3
4.2
5.8
General academic skills
15.4
23.1
18.5
7.5
10.0
8.5
9.5
Mathematics
7.7
3.8
6.2
4.3
3.8
4.1
3.4
Other subject areas
5.1
7.7
6.234
5.1
6.4
5.6
5.3
ESL
0
3.8
1.5
0.6
1.6
1.0
.2

A much higher percentage of Earlham teaching faculty reported teaching remedial/developmental skills in reading, writing and general academics compared to faculty nationwide and faculty at our peer institutions.

Table 11: In how many of the courses that you teach
do you use these teaching methods?

 
Earlham
Peer Group
1=None 2=Some 3=Most 4=All
Mean Scores
Class discussion
3.3
3.5
Cooperative learning (small groups)
3.1
2.9
Student presentations
2.8
2.7
Group projects
2.6
2.2
Term/research papers
2.5
2.6
Essay mid-term and/or final exams
2.4
2.7
Readings on women and gender issues
2.3
2.0
Short-answer mid-term and/or final exams
2.3
2.6
Multiple drafts of written work
2.2
2.2
Readings on racial and ethnic issues
2.2
2
Extensive lecturing
2.1
2.2
Recitals/Demonstrations
2.1
1.7
Student evaluations of each others' work
2.1
2
Student-selected topics for course content
2.1
1.8
Reflective writing/journaling
2.0
1.7
Teaching assistants
2.0
1.5
Multiple-choice mid-term and/or final exams
1.5
1.5
Community service as part of coursework
1.3
1.2
Grading on a curve
1.3
1.5

The percentage of faculty using various teaching methods at Earlham and at our peer schools are similar in most cases. However, a higher percentage of Earlham faculty use group projects, readings on gender issues, recitals/demonstrations compared to our peer schools and a slightly lower percentage use essay and/or short answer mid-terms. The use of teaching assistants is more common among Earlham faculty than faculty at our peer institutions.

Additional Faculty Survey reports

Teaching faculty demographics

 Characteristics of the teaching faculty respondents and their sources of stress. Includes national and peer group comparison data.

Teaching faculty goals and opinions

 Includes prior year comparisons as well as current year national and peer group comparison data for teaching and personal goals, attributes of the institution, and job satisfaction

Administrative faculty

 Responses from administrative faculty regarding personal goals, institutional attributes, and job satisfaction. Includes comparison data from private 4-year colleges.

Administrative/teaching faculty comparisons

 Compares responses of Earlham teaching faculty with Earlham administrative faculty.

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Created by Mary Ann Weaver and Max Shannon
April 30, 2009