Dissect of the Components of Culture in the Field of Academic Teaching and Learning

The aim of this study was to dissect the components of culture in the field of academic education and learning. Academic culture is a fluid, multidimensional concept, the understanding of which requires a holistic approach. This qualitative research was developed using the meta-analysis technique in general, and Sandeloski and Barroso’ 7- step strategy in particular. The findings were extracted and categorized through content analysis technique. A total of 156 basic themes were extracted and then classified into 29 categories of second level organizing themes. In the next step, the 29 categories of second level organizing themes were combined into seven categories: 1) Symbolic components (values, customs, symbols); 2) Identification (giving identity to the university, giving identity to the academic community,academic socialization); 3) Existentialism (multidimensionality of academic culture, norms, plurality of academic culture, regularity, cultural reproduction); 4) Academy (system of teaching and learning, quality of education, autonomy and scientific freedom, coexistence with scientific ethics, academic governance); 5) Scientific-epistemology (scientific norms, development of science, innovation and value creation); 6) structure (structure of academic culture, interaction of subcultures, adaptation to environmental complexity); and 7) proactivity (participation of members, directing the work of members, extramural interactions, academic relations, sharing members' knowledge, academic trust, professional growth). Eventually, the network themes were extracted and drawn. Through the process of this exploratory study, it was found that academic culture relies on seven stable pillars. Although the authors' emphasis on each pillar is not equal, any cultural policy must simultaneously take all of these elements into account.