Abstract

Increasing need for accountability combined with competition for educational resources necessitates movement toward a culture of scholarship at institutes of higher education Transitioning toward such a culture particularly for smaller institutions or those focused primarily on teaching can be challenging due to changing expectations on issues such as workload and productivity As part of a broader effort to build infrastructure at a single academic institution we describe a case study to inform a process of cultural change to promote scholarship We reviewed existing literature on scholarship and productivity and we interviewed 30 faculty and doctoral students at a transitioning college of social work regarding their scholarship Analyses were conducted using provisional axial and selective coding and MaxQDA software We identified five key themes for promoting a culture of scholarship including protecting time for research building staff supports engaging students developing research resources and cultivating professional growth and discourse Specific recommendations in the five areas and a checklist of strategies can be used to implement change at other institutions The suggested strategies are derived from faculty and student perspectives thereby allowing those held to expectations to take a lead role in building infrastructure within an evolving academic context