Biglan's four-dimension model for classifying academic departments¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

Biglan's empirically derived model classifies academic departments on dimensions of hard versus soft (paradigm existence), pure versus applied (concern with application), non-life versus life (involvement with living objects), and empirical versus creative (approach to liberal arts subject matter). The paper extends this model to the small liberal arts college setting, finding faculty perceptions strikingly consistent.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Faculty ratings of departments on each dimension using multidimensional scaling procedures

Constraints¶

• The fourth dimension (empirical versus creative) was found only in Biglan's more limited work at the college level

Target Learners¶

• college faculty and administrators

Target Learning Objectives¶

• understanding disciplinary differences in subject matter characteristics

Claims¶

• Student subject matter orientation differs significantly from faculty perceptions of departmental characteristics [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Biglan classification of academic disciplines as a framework for analyzing disciplinary variation in faculty work

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Bue, T. W. (1979). Teaching and Learning Styles in Higher Education: Match or Mismatch? https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED172635