Motivation to teach

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-203
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Leech ◽  
Kara Mitchell Viesca ◽  
Carolyn A. Haug

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate higher education faculty’s motivation to teach and to validate the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) survey with this population. Design/methodology/approach Confirmatory factor analysis and t-tests on data from 101 higher education faculty and data from K-12 teachers show that the two samples fit the model similarly. Findings Results show that the similarities between the two groups are important to note as it suggests both the value of the FIT-Choice instrument as a research tool in higher education as well as the similarities in motivating factors between higher education faculty and in-service K-12 teachers. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to use the FIT-Choice scale with university education faculty.

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Leech ◽  
Jessica Schnittka ◽  
Carolyn A. Haug

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate motivation to teach for higher education faculty within schools of education. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized survey research methods to collect data from higher education faculty at nine universities identified from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching website. Findings The predictor variables of gender, years of teaching in higher education, percent of overall workload devoted to teaching and two dummy variables for type of institution (i.e. doctoral granting and research II institution) when considered together did not statistically significantly predict whether or not a faculty person achieved tenure with outstanding teaching. In total, 14 of the factors influencing teaching (FIT)-choice scale components statistically significantly predicted whether or not a faculty person achieved tenure with outstanding teaching, only social dissuasion statistically significantly added to the model. Originality/value This is the first study to use the FIT-choice scale with university education faculty, and the findings suggest that higher education faculty may be motivated to produce high-quality instruction based on different factors than K-12 teachers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-162
Author(s):  
Daniel A. DeCino ◽  
Molly M. Strear

Purpose New faculty often encounters myriad professional and personal challenges during their first year of employment. In order to foster connection, support and critical dialogue throughout this potentially taxing transition, the authors utilized duoethnography to establish a peer mentorship relationship. The purpose of this paper is to describe how duoethnography can cultivate peer mentorship and further understand the experiences of first-year faculty. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used duoethnography as a mechanism for peer mentoring for two first-year faculty located within the Midwest and Western regions of the USA. Data sources included an online journal with multiple author entries and e-mail correspondence. Findings The analysis revealed that duoethnography was helpful for maintaining peer mentorship for two counselor education faculty, as they critically evaluated their experiences transitioning into higher education through an online journal. Several key moments of mentoring emerged from the data including navigating tenure, holding hope, balancing and finding place. Research limitations/implications In this study, the authors found the use of duoethnography to be helpful for peer mentorship as the authors navigated unfamiliar settings and established the professional identities as educators. Future studies utilizing duoethnography for peer mentorship may provide insight into experiences in higher education to support faculty professional development. Originality/value Although prior research has examined the experiences of faculty and traditional mentorship, the authors are unaware of research examining the use of duoethnography to establish peer mentorship for new, tenure-track faculty. This manuscript provides higher education faculty a tool for promoting mentorship, critical dialogue, collaboration and transformation through duoethnography.


Eos ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany Adamec ◽  
Pranoti M. Asher

The American Geophysical Union hosted more than 30 events at the 2014 Fall Meeting for K–12 teachers, higher education faculty, early-career scientists, and the public.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.M. Wong

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the teaching innovations that have been implemented in higher education institutions in Asia and the perspectives of educators on them. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 educators who were affiliated with 23 higher education institutions in ten Asian countries/regions. The interviews covered information about the teaching innovations of the participants’ institutions, the characteristics of the innovative practices and the participants’ views on them. The relationships between the characteristics of institutions and their teaching innovations were also examined. Findings The results showed that the teaching innovations included two main categories, namely, those which involved the use of advanced technologies and those which did not. The innovations that involved the use of advanced technologies were mainly from larger institutions, while the other category was mainly from smaller ones and had been practised for less than 1.5 years. Differences were also identified between the two categories in terms of the aims and importance of innovations, innovative features, the evaluation of innovations and improvements needed for them. Originality/value The results highlighted that technology is only one of the many aspects of teaching innovations, which is different from the view prevailing in the literature. They also suggested that differences in the scale of institutions (in terms of number of students) possibly influences the kind of teaching innovations adopted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-328
Author(s):  
Ian Pepper ◽  
Ruth McGrath

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of an employability module, the College of Policing Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP), on students’ career aspirations, their confidence and wish to join the police along with the appropriateness of the module. This will inform the implementation of employability as part of the College of Policing-managed Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). Design/methodology/approach A three-year longitudinal research study used mixed methods across four points in time to evaluate the impact on students studying the employability module. Findings The research suggests that the employability-focussed CKP was useful as an introduction to policing, it developed interest in the police and enhanced the confidence of learners applying to join. Lessons learnt from the CKP should be considered during the implementation of the PEQF. Research limitations/implications The ability to generalise findings across different groups is limited as other influences may impact on a learner’s confidence and employability. However, the implications for the PEQF curriculum are worthy of consideration. Practical implications As the police service moves towards standardised higher educational provision and evolution of policing as a profession, lessons can be learnt from the CKP with regards to the future employability of graduates. Originality/value Enhancing the employability evidence base, focussing on policing, the research identified aspects which may impact on graduates completing a degree mapped to the PEQF. The research is therefore of value to higher education and the professional body for policing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Bayart ◽  
Sandra Bertezene ◽  
David Vallat ◽  
Jacques Martin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the use of “serious games” with students can improve their knowledge acquisition and their academic performance. Design/methodology/approach – The research is an exploratory investigation resorting to the use of a serious game to evaluate the evolution of the students’ competencies in project management, through questionnaires processed using a structural “learning model.” Findings – This research shows indeed that the use of “serious games” improves the knowledge acquisition and management competencies of the students with the evidencing of significant factors contributing to this improvement. Practical implications – The findings of this research show that serious games can be an effective tool to be used in teaching students particularly as traditional methods are less and less accepted by today's students. Originality/value – Although the use of games is not something new in education, it is still limited in teaching practices in higher education. This experiment can help lecturers and trainers to resort to them in their pedagogy and to conceive them according to variables that can enhance their effectiveness.


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