Advancing Faculty Research in a “Bricolage” Environment"

Abstract

In the typical, academic career path, individuals enter faculty roles immediately after graduate school, commencing their academic careers with research skills and a fledgling research agenda.  Many faculty, however, take an indirect route to research.  They may work in the commercial or nonprofit sector for years before joining the academy, allowing their research skills to fade.  Some individuals who never completed research training are recruited as faculty due to their years of professional experience; this is especially true in business, engineering, and health care.  When institutional expectations and personal goals change, however, these individuals may suddenly face the need to conduct research.  They have the motivation but lack the necessary skills and confidence.  This is especially true when institutions decide to seek accreditation that requires research activity among faculty.  To help Bolivian faculty achieve research success, we developed a condensed workshop on qualitative, applied research and conducted it four times, in-person and online, following the action research model.  The condensed workshop proved effective in helping faculty boost their research productivity, though participants expressed a desire for more extended coaching and support.  Future workshops will include increased opportunity for collaboration.  The workshop can be adapted to other regions.