Grounded Theory Research in Faculty Development: The Basics, a Live Example, and Practical Tips for Faculty Developers

Authors

Michael Sweet, University of Texas at Austin
Rochelle Roberts, University of Texas at Austin
Joshua Walker, University of Texas at Austin
Stephen Walls, University of Texas at Austin
John Kuscera, University of Texas at Austin
Shana Shaw, University of Texas at Austin
Janet Riekenberg, University of Texas at Austin
Marilla Svinicki, University of Texas at Austin

Date of this Version

2008

Document Type

Article

Citation

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development (2008) 26

doi: 10.3998/tia.17063888.0026.010

Comments

License: CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

While autobiographical narratives and case study reflections remain vital to faculty development research, we must also make substantive efforts to build theory in our field. Researchers making claims about collective meanings of observed behaviors and the mechanisms that underlie them (i.e., theoretical claims about social behavior) must be disciplined in how they identify and organize the evidence they use to support those claims. Such systematic, inductive theory-building in the social sciences is called “grounded theory” research. This chapter presents the basics of grounded theory research, describes a grounded theory research program currently being executed by faculty developers, and offers practical tips especially for faculty developers.