Trends in Faculty Teaching Goals: A Longitudinal Study of Change.

This longitudinal study examined changes in teaching goals over the past 2 decades. It reviewed data on trends in teaching goals obtained from national surveys of faculty conducted in 1968 by Platt, Parsons, and Kirschstein (3,045 respondents), in 1972 by the American Council on Education (42,000 respondents), in 1984 and 1989 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (5,000 respondents each), and in 1989 and 1992 by the Higher Education Research Institute (approximately 30,000 respondents each). It was found that the goals "develop the ability to think clearly," "prepare students for employment after college," "prepare students for graduate studies," and "provide for students' emotional development" were fairly stable over the 24 years covered by the surveys. Goals were also stable over time when compared by institutional type, although support for preparing students for employment after college grew at liberal arts and comprehensive institutions in the late 1980s and fell at research and two-year institutions. The results indicate a growing divergence between the relatively stable goals of faculty and the changing goals of students, who are placing more emphasis on practical training and job preparation. (Contains 24 references.) (MDM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Trends in faculty teaching goals: A longitudinal study of change Andrea G. Trice, Doctoral Student Eric L. Dey, Assistant Professor Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education The University of Michigan