Qualitative assessment of the long-term impact of a faculty development programme in teaching skills

Abstract

The long-term impact of faculty development programmes (FDPs) is poorly understood, and most assessments of them have been quantitative in nature. This study aimed to use qualitative methods to better understand the long-term impact of an FDP in teaching skills (FDP/TS). A survey was carried out in July 2002 of the 242 faculty members and fellows who had participated in a 9-month FDP/TS at any time from 1987 through 2000. The survey included 2 quantitative questions and an open-ended qualitative question about the impact of the programme on the participants' professional and personal lives. A total of 200 past participants (83%) responded to the survey. Participants from early and recent cohorts were similarly represented. In all, 82% of respondents said programme participation had had 'a moderate' or 'a lot' of impact on their professional life, and 49% said their personal life had been affected to this degree. Four major domains, each containing at least 3 subcategories, emerged from qualitative analysis. The domain intrapersonal development included changes participants reported in themselves and in their approach to self-management. Interpersonal development contained subcategories relating to how participants interact with others. Subcategories in the domain development as a teacher related to increased teaching ability and enjoyment. The domain career development included professional growth and career opportunities attributed to programme participation. Longitudinal FDPs can have broad and sustained positive effects on the professional and personal lives of participants. Qualitative evaluation methods may result in a richer and deeper understanding of the impact of these programmes.