Case six respondent revealed that research in this faculty is only slightly developed. There are not many lecturers who are willing to do research and recognize the importance of research. In the main, academic lecturers in the Faculty carry out research because they are looking for personal development and academic promotion. The respondent added that lecturers who do research are
people who love this task and are eager to explore ideas about creative knowledge, which is especially characteristic of the senior lecturers. Further, it seems that, generally, lecturers who evidence research productivity have low teaching workloads. It should be appreciated that research productivity in the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts includes creative work such as producing a masterpiece work. Case six emphasized that the impetus for creative work usually comes from research, saying that:
We call it ‘Creative Work for Research.
The respondent continued this idea by adding that:
Good research should be explained and supported with theory and then can be applied into lessons.
This faculty has a policy of offering a research funding every year. Case six noted that:
We give them an opening. We offer research funding for two types of research, and consists of two creative researches and two general researches. We also have funding for writing academic works.
The Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts supports staff to achieve publication by providing a research journal that is distributed two times a year. The faculty has a policy to invite outsiders to act as peer reviewers and as a research committee to set quality standards.
Generally, research in the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts uses field study to collect data. For example, one lecturer carried out research into the patterns of local architecture. They carried out the field study by collecting data with villagers, taking photos and finding literature. The result of his study was published in architecture journal which described the local architecture in specific tribal style.
Providing a small amount to a research funding of around 30,000 baht per project in order to allow new lecturers to practice doing research… We show them (new lecturers) examples of research projects. After they finish the projects, they must present them in an exhibition. They must learn basic skills and continue developing step by step.
Although the faculty tries to encourage lecturers to do research, there are many factors that cause low research productivity. As this faculty is a small unit, which has only 26 lecturers, there are not many people available to assist the research productivity, and there are not many lecturers who see the value of research. The respondent also disclosed that new lecturers often do not dare to do research because they think that research is a difficult task and it will consume a lot of time, adding that:
We try to convince lecturers to do research. They should not fear the work. New lecturers sometimes misunderstand and think that research must be a huge project.
These explanations appear to demonstrate that lecturers in this faculty have insufficient knowledge about the nature of research, and the faculty is thereby hampered in its attempt to increase research productivity.
The Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts has no specific policy for monetary motivation for research output. Our respondent noted that:
Although money is one of the motivation techniques, our lecturers normally ask for a limited amount of money for buying equipment and raw materials.
Although each year this faculty provides ten percent of faculty’s income for research related matters, this fund is usually left unused, and, in the words of the respondent:
Within this research funding, the faculty has no salary provision or extra funds to support a researcher.
In addition, it was clear that the faculty faces a severe language problem. Case six revealed that lack of facility with the English language was a particular obstacle when publishing research, especially when lecturers attempted to write abstracts. Indeed, in some cases they were forced to hire a translator. Case six observed that:
English is an obstacle. Generally they (lecturers) have problems when writing abstract because the translator sometimes does not understand art language. We need to recheck the work, and we need experts to help us.
Finally, the most important factor that contributed to low productivity is the high teaching workload. This faculty does not have many lecturers, and the nature of the subjects means that lecturers are required to teach students in a personal setting because this faculty emphasizes learning by operating and practicing. In addition, some senior lecturers have to perform a considerable amount of administrative work. This excludes the time that lecturers have for family duties. In this regard, Case six commented that:
We may need to stop working on administrative jobs because it takes time, we have less time to concentrate on research works…I sometimes have to attend two meeting a day, I have no time to do anything else.
In summary, it appears that research activities in the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts are only slightly developed at this time, and there are few lecturers who recognize the essential nature and place of research in the university. There are, nevertheless, some lecturers who perform research tasks, but they are generally senior lecturers who have low teaching workloads.
Even with this relatively underdeveloped research basis, the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts continues to support lecturers to do research by providing research funding every year. In this faculty, the form of research outcomes are
outcomes in public exhibitions. In addition, this faculty also provides a research journal that publishes research articles at least two times each year.
Although the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts is a small unit with only 26 lecturers and minimal development of research productivity, it continues to encourage lecturers to do research by providing supporting facilities and a suitable environment. As with other areas, lecturers also face constraints of time from high teaching workloads and, in some cases, having to perform administrative tasks. Moreover, language is a problem. Lecturers in Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts lack English language skill.