Title
Faculty ownership of the assurance of learning process: Determinants of faculty engagement and continuing challenges
Department/School
Ethics and Business Law
Date of this version
2014
Document Type
Article
Keywords
AACSB, assurance of learning, faculty engagement
Abstract
Faculty ownership of the assurance of learning (AOL) process is both expected and required by AACSB. However, from the beginning of the implementation of the AOL standards, problems with faculty engagement have been noted by schools and reported in the literature. This article reports the results of the first study to exclusively survey faculty (rather than deans, administrators or some combination) to determine faculty perceptions of the factors that enhance or ensure faculty ownership of the process, as well as the continuing challenges to such active faculty engagement. The article examines ownership of the AOL process from the perspective of both faculty engagement and faculty energy. Although this article provides further evidence of serious impediments to faculty ownership of assurance of learning, including inadequate and misaligned resources, the results indicate that faculty can be energized to become actively engaged in the AOL process, particularly when they believe that AOL results are useful and help students prepare for future business challenges. The article suggests strategies for building a more engaged faculty as well as highlighting ongoing challenges in that process.
Published in
Journal of Education for Business
Citation/Other Information
89(2), 84-89. DOI: 10.1080/08832323.2012.761171