scholarly journals Induction of junior faculty members of higher education institutions in Eritrea

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-114
Author(s):  
Zecarias Zemichael
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Junior Faculty ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
Job Description ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how the graduate assistants (GAs) are inducted into the system and ethos of the institutions of higher education (IHE) in Eritrea. The paper serves in the purpose of creating more conducive and supportive work environment in IHE facilitating the socialization of junior faculty members to the culture, standards and system of the institutions. Design/methodology/approach The research adhered a combined approach of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Data were gathered through a Likert scale questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The study was conducted in seven IHE involving 165 participants. Findings The GAs’ knowledge of job description, access to institutional information, sharing of resources, the quality of guidance and support provided, supervised teaching and feedback are discussed in detail. Results revealed that the GAs shoulder vital responsibilities but they receive poor induction at individual and institutional levels. GAs complain for lack of job description clarity and lack of transparent institutional communication at work. Holding first degree, GAs teach senior courses without any prior induction, pedagogic trainings and unsupervised. The GAs are recruited on the basis of the colleges’ long-term staff development plan, but little is done. Practical implications Despite their academic rank, the GAs represent 64 percent of the national academic staff (ADF, 2010). Creating conducive work atmosphere for the junior faculty members in the institutions is a long-term investment on institutional capacity building and quality assurance of the institutions’ performance. Social implications Induction of the newly recruited junior faculty members to the social, professional and the institutional ethos is a socialization process that would minimize the professional isolation and inefficiency of new recruits.

Supporting faculty mentoring through the use of creative technologies

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra L. Franko ◽  
Jan Rinehart ◽  
Kathleen Kenney ◽  
Mary Loeffelholz ◽  
Barbara Guthrie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Department Chairs ◽  
Junior Faculty ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Junior Faculty Member ◽  
Senior Faculty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – Mentoring of junior faculty members (i.e. professors) in higher education has been documented to be critical to their academic success which most often takes the form of receiving tenure and/or promotion to higher academic ranks at universities in the USA. A “junior faculty member” would be defined as someone who has not yet been tenured or promoted and is usually within the first five years of their academic appointment. However, mentoring relationships can sometimes be difficult to build and momentum for continuous mentoring throughout the pre-tenure period can be a challenge to maintain. One of the concerns identified by mentees is the importance of regular meetings with mentors and the concomitant difficulty of knowing what to address in these meetings so as to make them productive and helpful. Mentors, most often senior faculty members, note that they do not always know the most relevant issues to discuss with junior faculty during mentoring meetings. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In an effort to address these issues, the authors describe here the development of using creative technology to support a new mentoring system that provides structured prompts and reminders to both mentors and mentees and uses tools to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the mentoring relationship. Findings – This paper highlights a pilot program, describing the rationale for and stages in the development of an e-mail-based and mobile-based program to improve the quality of mentoring for junior faculty at one higher education institution. Focus group data provided by stakeholders (e.g. faculty, department chairs, and associate deans) are provided. Originality/value – Professional development and academic success for junior faculty members may be strengthened by greater attention to formal mentoring strategies such as the one described here.

scholarly journals Internationalizing teacher education curricula: opportunities for academic staff development

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-169
Author(s):  
Mónica Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Global Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Staff Development ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of a collaborative workshop, aimed to support teacher educators in embedding a “global outlook” in the curriculum on their perceived professional development. Design/methodology/approach The workshop included working sessions, during a period of 13 months, and was structured as participatory action research, according to which volunteer academics designed, developed and evaluated global education projects in their course units. Data were gathered through a focus group session, conducted with the teacher educators at a final stage of the workshop, and analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis. Findings Results of the analysis suggest that the workshop presented a meaningful opportunity for teacher educators to reconstruct their knowledge and teaching practice to (re)discover the importance of collaborative work and to assume new commitments to themselves and to others. Originality/value The study addresses a gap in the existing literature on academic staff development in internationalization of the curriculum, focusing on the perceptions of teacher educators’, whose voices have been largely silent in research in the field. The study concludes with a set of recommendations for a professional development program in internationalization of the curriculum.

Researcher development models and library research support

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fathima Azra Fazal ◽  
Rupak Chakravarty
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Development Models ◽  
Researcher Development ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Library Research

Purpose This paper aims to discuss with an introductory narrative on the models and its role in the context of librarianship. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores the relationship between researcher development and library research support. The authors observed the interconnectedness of the two concepts and how this should be studied more with respect to librarianship. Five major higher education and researcher development–related models are examined to assess which would be more suited for library’s research support activities. Accordingly, Prof Linda Evans’ conceptual researcher development model, the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), the Research Skill Development Framework, Society of College, National and University Libraries Seven Pillars of Information Literacy model and Association of College and Research Libraries’ Standards for Libraries in Higher Education were reviewed. Review and examination of the frameworks, along with relevant literature on the topic, were examined. Findings The authors found that the Vitae RDF seemed most ideal, as it was comprehensive and detailed in presentation and could be used not just by the academic staff but also by librarians and researchers to their benefit. Research limitations/implications Further studies and thorough review of recent educational and library-related frameworks and models are required from the lens of library research support. Practical implications Application of frameworks needs to be actively adopted by librarians. Originality/value There are few studies that have examined researcher development and research support in librarianship in conjunction. The present study has aimed to bridge this gap.

Staff and students’ perception of implementing flexible working arrangements in institution of higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam M. Mwando ◽  
Amin Issa ◽  
Verinjaerako Kangotue
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
University Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Space Efficiency ◽  
Flexible Working

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the perception of university staff and students in implementing flexible working arrangements (FWA) to increase space efficiency, lower overheads and improve productivity at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews and document searches. A total of 253 university staff (academic and support) and students were surveyed to solicit their perceptions on the extent to which FWA could be implemented to ensure space optimisation, minimise property related costs and improve employee productivity. Findings The study confirms that the successful implementation of FWA needs coordinated institutional policy to effectively support and cater to university staff’s different needs while meeting those of the university. Implementing FWA may reduce demand on utilities resulting in lower overheads for the institution. Based on the findings, the study is inconclusive on whether FWA improves or reduces staff productivity. Practical implications In the era of austerity measures in institutions of higher education (IHE), with rapid advances in communication information technologies, FWA are not only a possibility but inevitable to ensure optimal use of space, lower operating costs and improved work productivity. This study provides a cursory understanding of the possibility to implementing FWA in higher education. Originality/value This study contributes to the FWA body of knowledge from the perspective of both academic, non-academic staff and students in IHE.

Problems and perspectives of state regulation of system of education in the context of provision of Russia’s national security

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 462-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin V. Vodenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Policy ◽  
National Security ◽  
Educational System ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Modern State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Central Trend

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current problems and the main perspectives of the development of state regulation of the Russian system of higher education in the context of the provision of Russia’s national security. Design/methodology/approach The research of formation of the system of national security in Russia and the problems of the development of education is based on the methods of Russian and foreign Institutionalists (D. North, S.G. Kirdina, R.M. Nureev, Y.V. Latov, etc.). The research is also based on the theory of inequality in the system of education (D.L. Konstantinovsky), the idea of cultural aspects of social inequality (Pierre Bourdieu) and the theory that connects the problem of the development of the educational system with the system of national security and social inequalities (A.V. Vereshchagina, S.I. Samygina, etc.). Findings The modern state and perspectives of state regulation of higher education in the modern Russian conditions are analyzed in this paper. A complex analysis of risks of the modern state of Russia’s educational system is performed, and educational inequality as a risk to national security is studied in this paper. Perspectives of state regulation of higher education in view of the national model of socio-economic activities and principles of national security are viewed in this paper. The main directions of improving the educational system in the context of the provision of national security of the state are given in this paper. Research limitations/implications The results of the research could be used for correcting the main directions of Russia’s socio-economic policy in the long term. The central trend of this policy is the reformation of the development of the sphere of education as a factor of the formation of the system of Russia’s national security. Practical implications The results of the research could be used for correcting the main directions of Russia’s socio-economic policy in the long term. The central trend of this policy is the reformation of the development of the sphere of education as a factor of formation of the system of Russia’s national security. Social implications The ideas of the research could stimulate the reconsideration and harmonization of perspectives of the development of social policy of the state, which includes the interaction of the development of higher education and system of national security. Originality/value Originality of this paper consists in setting the problem of the implementation of social senses of the development of state policy in the sphere of higher education into the discourse of theoretical and practical consideration of the problems of national security.

scholarly journals Stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting in higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero ◽  
María Ángeles Fernández-Izquierdo ◽  
María Jesús Muñoz-Torres ◽  
Lucía Bellés-Colomer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Quality Of Reporting ◽  
Stakeholder Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
Internal Stakeholders

Purpose The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of stakeholder engagement in the context of sustainability reporting (SR) for higher education institutions (HEIs), together with the materiality principle and stakeholder expectations. Design/methodology/approach This research uses an exploratory approach based on content analysis, a case study and descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings Three key findings come out of this research. First, the results indicate that HEIs use diverse criteria for grouping stakeholders and that stakeholder engagement is a heterogeneous process. Second, the expectations of internal stakeholders align with the material aspects of SR. Finally, among internal stakeholders, students and academics disagree on the prioritisation of some sustainability aspects, with non-academic staff adopting an intermediate position. Practical implications This analysis improves our knowledge of stakeholder engagement in HEIs. It helps to identify the relevant impacts of stakeholder engagement, enhances the quality of reporting and encourages a real dialogue with stakeholders. Originality/value The study examines stakeholder engagement and how the materiality principle is adopted by HEIs through SR. Furthermore, it compares these results with stakeholder expectations, considering the discrepancies between stakeholders. The results open the way to future research to explore the potential conflicts and collaborations between and within stakeholders to advance towards more sustainable institutions in the higher education sector.

scholarly journals Teacher Fellow accreditation – a madrigal of voices! But is it the right tune? Tensions of standardisation, engagement and neoliberalism

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel Kershaw-Solomon ◽  
Nick Beech ◽  
Jeff Gold ◽  
Julia Claxton ◽  
Tricia Auty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Professional Status ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Competency Frameworks ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact competency frameworks as standardisation can have on the employee engagement of academic staff within higher education (HE) through their employment as managerial tools. Design/methodology/approach A literature review is conducted from which the conditions for effective competency frameworks are evaluated and the influence of changes in the HE environment in the form of political agendas and tight resources are explored. Findings This paper provides insights into the dynamics of public service modernisation and the tensions between the dominant discourse of managerialism and the degree of agency afforded to professional academics. It highlights the relevance of informal peer relationships in setting the climate to generate collegial bonding and professional engagement that underpin successful teacher fellowship accreditations. It further highlights the key role managers play in this process and provides a conceptual framework highlighting the dynamics and combined effect of employee engagement and competency frameworks set within complex HE environment. Practical implications This paper brings together the prerequisites for effective implementation of competency frameworks to implement successful employee engagement strategies set within the complexities of the HE context, which has not been studied to date. Armed with such insights, Human Resource Development (HRD) departments and universities can implement competency assessments that generate greater staff engagement. Originality/value The paper provides a critical approach in reviewing the impact of Continued Professional Development and its link to professional status and thus helps British Universities and others to understand how the mechanisms at work affect engagement levels of academic staff. Armed with this depth of understanding of how the change initiative works, with whom and under what circumstances, universities will be better able to meet target UK Professional Standards Framework membership levels required by the higher education academy (HEA) and, subsequently, the HEA to meet their targets for the government.

scholarly journals Enabling learning through technology: some institutional imperatives

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey McCartan ◽  
Barbara Watson ◽  
Janet Lewins ◽  
Margaret Hodgson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Higher Education Funding ◽  
Institutional Practice ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Technology Programme

The imminent completion of many Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP) projects means that a considerable number of courseware deliverables will soon be available to Higher-Education (HE) institutions. The Higher Education Funding Council's intention in funding the Programme (HEFCE Circulars, 8/92, 13/93) was to ensure their integration into academic curricula by providing institutions with an opportunity to review their 'teaching and learning culture' with regard to the embedding of learning technology within their institutional practice. Two recent workshops, conducted with a representative sample of newly appointed academic staff in connection with the evaluation of materials to be included in a staff development pack whose purpose is to encourage the use of IT in teaching and learning (TLTP Project 7), strongly suggested that the availability of courseware alone was insufficient to ensure its integration into educational practice. The establishment of enabling mechanisms at the institutional level, as well as within departments, was crucial to ensure the effective use of learning technology.DOI:10.1080/0968776950030115

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document