University faculty: A theoretical perspective from the lens of social representations

Abstract

In current research, the Theory of Social Representations is highlighted as a key framework for understanding how university faculty constructs meaning around their educational role. While most existing research focuses on primary and secondary education, there is a noticeable gap in studies concerning the higher education context. The Theory of Social Representations is proposed as a tool to deeply explore the perceptions and meanings attributed by university educators to their professional functions. Originating in social psychology, the Theory of Social Representations offers a flexible and holistic framework that has been applied across various educational settings. It not only reveals a broad spectrum of perceptions but also underscores the need for transformation. The social identity of university faculty is marked by the duality between their disciplinary expertise and their role as an educator, an identity shaped through shared meaning-making processes involving intersubjectivity, discourse, and ideology.