"Why Don't They Train?": Perceived Barriers to Faculty Professional Development

Despite widespread acknowledgment among faculty of the need for professional development in digital teaching, participation in institutional training programs remains persistently low. This qualitative pilot study investigates the underlying causes of this “training gap,” moving beyond explanations based on digital illiteracy or fixed mindsets. Drawing on thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses from a purposive sample of five university professors across Southern Europe, the study examines the alignment between how faculty define digital competence and the structural realities of their work environments. Findings indicate that resistance to training is not driven by lack of motivation, but by perceived misalignment between tool-centric workshops and the pedagogically complex, time-constrained reality of academic work. Faculty report that meaningful digital competence requires pedagogical design skills that substantially increase workload, while institutional training rarely addresses efficiency, workload recognition, or disciplinary context. Interpreted through diffusion of innovation theory, the results suggest that faculty rationally disengage from training perceived as adding effort without offering clear relative advantage. The study argues for a strategic shift toward discipline-sensitive, efficiency-oriented professional development models that integrate pedagogical depth with realistic workload considerations. While exploratory, the findings illuminate structural barriers to sustainable faculty development in post-pandemic higher education.