Teacher-Scholar Academic Model

It appears that the Wake Forest University Schools of Business are emphasizing the importance of faculty who are teacher-scholars.  We consistently hear  how scholarship positively influences teaching, yet it is amazing how few university’s attempt to link the two.    Why are there so few attempts to link scholarship and teaching?  In my opinion it raises some issues that many faculty don’t like to discuss.  Is a peer-reviewed teaching case scholarship?  Is a well-received college textbook considered scholarship?  Are faculty members that lead undergraduate research projects contributing to their teaching?  Their scholarship?   Is a faculty member that focuses their research on theoretical topics not related to the curriculum performing ‘good’ scholarship?

WFU’s School of Businesses web site states:

Faculty members at Wake Forest’s Schools of Business are outstanding teacher-scholars dedicated to delivering a dynamic and rigorous business education. Many are veteran professionals, who have worked and conducted research internationally, so they can give you firsthand insight into their own business and management challenges in class.

Wake Forest professors are also contributing to the development of new business knowledge; they are active researchers who publish in leading scholarly journals. Many develop cases, textbooks and new research–cutting-edge information that they bring into the classroom.

Wake Forest’s scholar-teachers encourage an international outlook, innovation, teamwork and ethical behavior, pushing students to articulate and support their positions in writing and presentations.

– from the pen of Dr. Percy Trappe