Is teaching rewarding?

Beyond the contract of employment which spells out teaching obligations, what are the incentives for staff to put in the effort required to achieve excellent standards in teaching? What messages do universities send to their staff about what they reward and therefore value?

A commitment to high quality teaching is evidenced in UWA’s promotion guidelines, which clearly indicate that an applicant can be promoted on the basis of their teaching, providing that their research performance is adequate. It is also the case that promotion on the basis of research may be withheld if teaching performance is inadequate. The requirement that applicants for a teaching post at UWA provide a teaching portfolio further emphasises the level of professionalism and commitment which this university expects of its teaching staff.

Not all universities provide a clear message to their staff that teaching is highly valued. The USA National Center for Postsecondary Improvement (2000) reports a study in which staff across 19 colleges and universities were asked about the extrinsic rewards they received and the professional climate that these rewards engendered. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed identified tenure and promotion as an important goal, with a further seventy-five percent identifying salary and merit increases. Other key rewards that the majority of faculty identified as important related to research - sabbatical and release time, start-up funds for research, and facilities and equipment. Those rewards related to teaching received lower ratings - working with students, curricula freedom and professional autonomy. Interestingly, when staff were asked what they would do if they had more discretionary time free of departmental requirements, eighty-three percent said they would do more research. The authors speculate that, even taking into account the effects of departmental emphasis on research, it may be that staff want to do research, or see that to advance in their career they require a good research record.

In some circles, there may be a lingering perception that teaching is not rewarded. However, the importance attached to teaching by UWA is further emphasised by the awards which are offered. There are University awards for teaching excellence at the individual and departmental level. Some faculties and departments offer local rewards and project grants for excellent teaching. Lastly, the Australian Awards for University Teaching acknowledge the outstanding teachers across the nation.

These awards, the promotions guidelines and teaching portfolios send a clear message about the importance of striving for teaching excellence. As academics accept that teaching is highly valued and can also help them to move ahead in their careers, perhaps more time will be devoted to striving for teaching excellence. If you had a minute more in your day would you put it toward your teaching?

• The National Centre for Postsecondary Improvement, (2000, March/April). Why is research the rule? The impact of incentive iystems on faculty behavior. Change 53-56.