Telling Half the Story: A Critical Review of Research on the Teaching Beliefs and Practices of University Academics

Abstract

A critical review of research on teaching beliefs and practices of university academics revealed that the espoused theories of action of academics have not been distinguished from their theories-in-use in some studies. It is our contention that research that examines only what university teachers say about their practice and does not directly observe what they do is at risk of telling half the story. Our review revealed several unsupported claims about university academics’ teaching practice, raised concerns about data gathering and analysis methods, and found that research on primary and secondary teachers’ beliefs has been used infrequently to inform research in tertiary settings. The review identifies implications for understanding university academics’ development as teachers and provides direction for further research.