The Impact of an Instructional Development Program on College of Agriculture Faculty Members’ Teaching-focused Social Capital: A Mixed Methods Approach

Abstract

The social aspect of faculty instructional development programs is increasingly recognized because the programs' impact is greatly influenced by social interactions among faculty participants. These interactions allow faculty members to reflect on and improve their teaching practices. Although the literature has shown that effective instructional development programs help develop faculty’s educational knowledge, attitudes, and teaching practices, little research has investigated how instructional development programs help faculty develop their teaching-focused social capital. To address this knowledge gap, this study examined the impact of an instructional development program, Teacher’s College, on faculty participants’ teaching-focused social capital development. The findings from the mixed-methods study indicated that Teacher’s College positively affected faculty participants’ teaching-focused social capital by promoting connections with individuals across the college and providing a supportive learning community. This study also found that online and socially distant meetings due to the pandemic and geographic distances diminished faculty participants’ opportunities to develop their social network and social capital. Based on the findings, we propose recommendations for Teacher’s College and future research in the evaluation of faculty instructional development programs.