Developing a Model for Faculty Development Approach based on Grounded Theory

To modernize any society, particularly in developing countries, it is necessary to focus and to be concerned with educational institutions. The quality of these institutions and their anticipation to fulfill the present and future needs of the society throughout education, research and professional services are important. Hereof, faculty development is an organized, goal-directed process to achieve progression and growth of skills that enable one to contribute in a meaningful way to the advancement of field of interest, whether educational, operational or scientific. The purpose of this study was to design a conceptual model for faculty members’ development in City of Tehran universities. This research relied on qualitative research methods and was done based on the Grounded Theory approach. Research participants included 12 full time faculty members that some of them have administrative position in Ministry of Science, Research and Technology or in universities and 5 scholarship doctoral students. In this research type, data are generated through semi structured interviews. In validating the gathered data two methods of member checking and external audit were used. Data were analyzed using the content analysis approach. The core phenomenon of this study is faculty development that they were analyzed in three personal, professional and instructional dimensions. A final model was developed by considering causal, contextual and intervening conditions.