Attitudes toward teaching and research among biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher education

This study investigated the attitudes toward teaching and research among biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher learning. The purposes of the study were to: (1) determine what the attitudes of Texas biology faculty were toward teaching; (2) to determine the attitudes of Texas biology faculty toward research; (3) to determine if biology faculty attitudes toward teaching vary according to faculty rank; (4) to determine if biology faculty attitudes toward research vary according to faculty rank; (5) to determine if attitudes of biology faculty in Texas toward teaching vary according to institutional type; and (6) to determine if attitudes of biology faculty in Texas toward research vary according to institutional type.; Instruments were developed to assess the attitudes toward teaching and research among biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher education. Seven-hundred-and-forty biology faculty from all Texas institutions of higher learning participated in the study.; Major findings of this study were: (1) Over three-fourths of the biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher learning showed positive attitudes toward teaching. (2) More than half of the biology faculty of all ranks in Texas reported that outstanding teaching is not rewarded at their institutions. (3) Over 70 percent of the biology faculty from all institutions in Texas reported that teaching offers few opportunities for advancement. (4) More than half of the biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher learning showed positive attitudes toward research. (5) Approximately 40 percent of the biology faculty of all ranks in Texas reported that publications used for tenure and promotion at their institutions are counted, but not qualitatively evaluated. (6) More than 56 percent of the biology faculty of all ranks in Texas institutions believed that it is difficult in their departments to achieve tenure if one does not publish.