Mentoring Processes in Higher Education: Perspectives of Junior Athletic Training Faculty Members

Time Faculty ◽

Purpose: Mentorship is a valuable mechanism of socializing faculty members to higher education, but understanding of how mentoring relationships develop is limited. The purpose of this study was to seek a more complete understanding of how mentoring relationships develop for junior faculty members, and how these effective mentoring relationships can be fostered. Method: A qualitative, phenomenological design was used to examine junior athletic training faculty members’ experiences with mentoring. Twenty athletic training faculty members: 14 women, 6 men, 32±3 years of age and averaged 2.4±2.1 years as a full-time faculty member in an accredited athletic training program participated in this study. Participants completed one telephone interview, which was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed with an inductive phenomenological approach. Data saturation was obtained Trustworthiness strategies included peer review and the use of multi-analyst triangulation. Results: Junior faculty participated in informal and formal mentoring relationships that evolved over time, which aided their transition from doctoral student to full-time faculty member. Additionally, mentoring relationships were strengthened when participants took initiative, engaged in the relationship, and set clear goals. Mentors who exhibit good communication skills, willingness to participate, and genuine interest in the mentee are particularly valuable. Conclusions: Both formal and informal mentoring experiences appear to be valuable for junior faculty members, particularly informal relationships. If institutional mentoring programs are lacking then junior faculty should seek out additional mentoring opportunities. These findings also confirm existing literature on effective mentoring characteristics.

Faculty Mentorship in Higher Education: The Value of Institutional and Professional Mentors

10.4085/1303259 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 259-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Sara L. Nottingham ◽

Kelly A. Coleman

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Professional Development ◽

Faculty Member ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Mentoring Relationships ◽

Junior Faculty Member ◽

Socialization Process ◽

Context: Mentorship has been identified as a key aspect to the transition into higher education for the junior faculty member, as it is an effective organizational socializing agent. The literature, however, often examines mentorship as a derivative of the socialization process, rather than as the primary focus of investigation. Objective: Explore the perceptions of mentorship for the athletic training faculty member on professional development and transition into a new faculty role, specifically looking at mentorship through a role transition and inductance lens for the junior faculty member. Design: Phenomenology. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty junior athletic training faculty members (14 women, 6 men) who met our inclusion criteria. All participants were in positions leading to promotion or tenure. Saturation was met with our 20 participants. Main Outcome Measure(s): Semistructured phone interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim afterward. Using a phenomenological approach, we analyzed the data. Credibility of the data was confirmed with peer review and researcher triangulation. Results: Mentoring relationships were determined to be internal and external to the athletic training faculty member's institutions. Relationships were classified as informal, regardless of the location of the mentor. Internal mentoring relationships were informal and navigated by the faculty member with individuals the faculty member believed to have valued experiences and knowledge regarding the institution's culture and expectations for role performance and promotion. External mentors, mostly doctoral advisors, were individuals who could continue to support professional development and the specific tenets of higher education independently of institutional expectations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that mentoring is done by a constellation of individuals, as each mentoring relationship fulfills a particular need of the junior faculty member and one mentor may not provide or possess all the necessary experiences to support the transition.

Examining the Factors that Facilitate Athletic Training Faculty Socialization into Higher Education

10.4085/1104208 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 208-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Jessica L. Barrett ◽

Sara Nottingham

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Faculty Member ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Doctoral Education ◽

Doctoral Training ◽

Full Time ◽

Socialization Process ◽

Roles And Responsibilities ◽

Context: Doctoral education is the mechanism whereby athletic trainers can develop an awareness of their future roles and responsibilities in higher education. Evidence suggests that doctoral education may provide an incomplete understanding of these roles and responsibilities, warranting further investigation. Objective: To gain a better understanding on how athletic training faculty members are socialized into their role. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-eight athletic training educators (14 men, 14 women) who had completed doctoral training. Participants' average age was 39 ± 6 years, with 11.6 ± 5.6 years of experience working in education. Main Outcome Measure(s): One-on-one interviews were completed with all participants following a semistructured framework. Data saturation drove sampling. Inductive analysis was used to evaluate the data. Member checks, peer review, and researcher triangulation established rigor. Results: The first theme, professional socialization, was defined by participants as those experiences in their doctoral training that provided role understanding. The second theme, organizational socialization, speaks to those experiences that occurred once the athletic training faculty member was employed full time in higher education. The category of mentorship was articulated, in both themes, as impactful in both professional preparations at the doctoral level and during the institutional socialization process once a novice faculty member is hired. Conclusions: Doctoral education provides the platform for role understanding, which allows the athletic trainer to be prepared to transition into the faculty member role. Specifically, engagement in the role and mentoring provided this role awareness, which is common within the socialization framework. Institutions also offer formalized orientation sessions as a means to assimilate, and mentoring is also available for support.

Organizational Socialization: Experiences of Junior Faculty in Athletic Training Education Programs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice ◽

10.46743/1540-580x/2019.1761 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie Mazerolle ◽

Sara Nottingham ◽

Kelly Coleman

Keyword(s):

Faculty Member ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Organizational Socialization ◽

Doctoral Student ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Role Transition ◽

Faculty Position ◽

Background: New faculty members become oriented to their new positions through numerous methods, such as institutional mechanisms as well as networking with various individuals. The process of acculturation is often complex, and best understood from a socialization framework. Role transition for the faculty member is often accomplished through professional socialization, or the experiences prior to beginning a faculty position. However, role transition also continues once the newly minted doctoral student is catapulted into employment. This dynamic, on-going process is often seen as organizational socialization. Objective: We sought to understand how Athletic Training faculty members navigate role transition, from doctoral student to faculty member during the pre-tenure years. Procedures: 19 junior Athletic Training faculty members completed semi-structured interviews to discuss their role transition and inductance into higher education. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was secured through triangulation, peer review, and interpretative member checks. Results: We found that several organizational mechanisms were in place to support this time of role transition: 1) interviews, 2) orientation, 3) professional development activities, and 4) role consistency. Also, internal motivation and individual inquisitiveness supported this transition, as the junior faculty often solicited feedback or advice from others in their department to evaluate what was expected of them and how to succeed while performing their roles.

Athletic Training Junior Faculty Experiences with Institutional Expectations for Tenure and Promotion

10.4085/11403198 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 198-207

Author(s):

Stephanie Mazerolle Singe ◽

Sara Nottingham ◽

Kelly A. Coleman

Keyword(s):

Faculty Member ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Phenomenological Approach ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Full Time ◽

Socialization Process ◽

Institutional Expectations ◽

Interpretative Phenomenological Approach ◽

Past Experiences

Context Tenure-earning faculty are evaluated in 3 primary areas including teaching, research and scholarship, and service. Struggles regarding earning tenure are not unique to the academe, but within the athletic training discipline concerns do exist. Objective We examined the organizational socialization process for junior athletic training faculty members as they learned about the tenure and promotion expectations at their institutions. Design Interpretative phenomenological approach. Setting Higher education institutions with an athletic training program. Patients or Other Participants Nineteen junior faculty members (13 women, 6 men) addressed their understanding of tenure guidelines. Our participants were 32 ± 3 years of age, averaged 2 ± 2 years as a full-time faculty member, and were all at the assistant rank. Main Outcome Measure(s) All participants completed one-on-one phone interviews. We followed a stepwise approach to evaluating the data, which is described by the interpretative phenomenological approach. To ensure credibility of the interview protocol and to bracket some of our possible biases, a peer review and pilot study were conducted. Results There were 3 findings regarding the faculty members' understanding of the tenure process at their institutions: (1) vague expectations, (2) change in leadership, and (3) differing expectations in departments and college levels. The faculty believe improving understanding of promotion and tenure should include (1) formal, ongoing annual feedback, (2) informal communication with administrators, (3) informal institutional mentorship, and (4) instructional scaffolding. Conclusions Athletic training junior faculty experience challenges with understanding tenure and promotion expectations at their institutions, mainly due to changes in leadership and a dichotomy between departmental and institutional expectations. The vagueness is often overcome when the faculty member receives support and guidance from colleagues and supervisors who not only share past experiences in knowledge but also provide feedback for understanding.

Exploring Work-Life Balance of Junior Athletic Training Faculty Members During Role Inductance

10.4085/130121 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 21-32

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Thomas G. Bowman ◽

Brianne F. Kilbourne

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Work Life ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Work Life Balance ◽

Tenure Track ◽

Life Balance ◽

Individual Strategies

Context: Work-life balance has become a growing concern in athletic training, but little is known about the experiences of faculty and finding it. Challenges in finding work-life balance have been reported among faculty in higher education, and those who are new to a role are often susceptible to increased stress and overload. Objective: Examine junior athletic training faculty members' experiences with work-life balance during their role inductance. Design: Qualitative inquiry. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen junior faculty (7 male, 9 female) representing 7 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts participated. The average age of the junior faculty members was 32 ± 3.5 years. Twelve were in tenure track and 4 had non–tenure track positions. Main Outcome Measure(s): All participants completed phone interviews with one researcher following a semistructured interview protocol. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed following a phenomenological approach. We intentionally selected 3 primary measures of trustworthiness to establish the rigor of the study: (1) peer review, (2) multiple-analyst triangulation, and (3) researcher triangulation. Results: Three factors were identified as inhibitors of work-life balance for junior faculty: (1) role inductance, (2) research and teaching, and (3) upcoming deadlines. Two organizational strategies (flexibility and mentorship) and 2 individual strategies (time management and personal outlets) emerged as facilitators for work-life balance. Conclusions: Junior faculty in athletic training can experience conflict in balancing their roles as faculty members as well as their outside and own personal interests. The data support previous literature, and illustrates that organizational factors precipitate imbalance and a combination of organizational and individual strategies promote balance.

Work-Life Balance in Higher Education for Women: Perspectives of Athletic Training Faculty

10.4085/1303248 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 248-258 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Jessica L. Barrett

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Time Management ◽

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Support Networks ◽

Dominant Factor ◽

Context: Women are largely underrepresented in science fields in academe, and most often issues with motherhood and career-life balancing are identified as reasons. In athletic training, career-life balancing has become the dominant factor in women leaving the field, as they feel they cannot fulfill the roles of mother, spouse, and athletic trainer adequately. Objective: To better understand the perceptions of women athletic training faculty members regarding balancing their roles in higher education and those outside of the workplace. Design: Interpretative phenomenological analysis study, with semistructured interviews. Setting: Higher education institutions sponsoring Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen (8 with children, 8 without children) women athletic training faculty participated. Ten were married at the time of the interview, 3 were single, 2 were engaged, and 1 was in the process of getting a divorce. Main Outcome Measure(s): Each participant completed a one-on-one interview with a researcher and all data were coded following interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data saturation was attained. We completed member checks, peer review, and researcher triangulation for credibility. Results: We found that motherhood was perceived to be a challenge and balancing the role of motherhood created conflict. Despite concerns for motherhood and balancing faculty roles, higher education was perceived to provide flexibility. Support networks and individual strategies were common to manage the responsibilities of faculty as well as nonfaculty roles. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that higher education cultivates a climate of balance through flexible workplace arrangements and that support networks are necessary to create role balancing in and out of the workplace. Finally, time management and organization are necessary for women to establish balance, regardless of roles outside of the workplace (eg, spouse, mother, friend).

Perceptions of Employer Socialization Tactics During Junior Faculty Transition into Higher Education

10.4085/130142 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 42-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Thomas G. Bowman ◽

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Brianne F. Kilbourne

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Role Transition ◽

Full Time ◽

New Faculty ◽

Full Spectrum ◽

Essential Information ◽

Faculty Position ◽

Faculty Transition

Context: New faculty are expected to teach, be productive scholars, and provide service in order to earn tenure, but few experience the full spectrum of faculty responsibility during doctoral preparation. Recent evidence suggests mentorship and orientation are important during role transition. However, how employers facilitate role transition for new faculty remains unclear. Objective: Examine the perspectives of junior faculty members' organizational socialization into higher education, specifically focusing on mentorship and orientation sessions. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Fourteen higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen junior faculty (7 male, 9 female; age = 32 ± 3.5 years) representing 7 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts participated. At the time of the interview, all participants were within their first 3 years of a full-time faculty position. Main Outcome Measure(s): All participants completed a semistructured telephone interview. The interview guide was focused on the experiences of junior faculty and was developed based upon the literature and purpose of the study. We analyzed the transcribed interviews using a general inductive approach. Results: Mentors provided support to assist in the transition to faculty positions on a variety of topics, although formal mentoring programs are identified as helpful only if a relationship develops. Regarding the second theme, participants noted orientation sessions organized by the institution or department that provided a clear overview of the position. However, despite their use, many described the orientation sessions as not providing essential information that would have been helpful. Additionally, tenure and promotion processes often had purposefully vague criteria regardless of how thorough the explanation, leading to stress. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that higher education administrators help new athletic training faculty transition by providing mentors and orientation sessions. Findings also suggest that these experiences, at times, are not comprehensive and caused the transition to academe to be stressful.

Effect of Dark Personalities on Knowledge Hiding Behaviour at Higher Education Institutions

Journal of Information & Knowledge Management ◽

10.1142/s0219649220500318 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (04) ◽

pp. 2050031

Author(s):

Dewan Niamul Karim

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Knowledge Sharing ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Positive Association ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Full Time ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Knowledge Hiding ◽

Time Faculty

A key concern in the way of improving knowledge sharing practices is knowledge hiding behaviour. Literature shows that knowledge hiding is a prevalent phenomenon in organisations including higher education institutions (HEIs) and is largely determined by the personality of the knowledge holders. Thus, the present study attempts to examine the effect of dark personalities (undesirable personality traits comprising of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) on knowledge hiding behaviour of faculty members at HEIs. Based on 139 valid responses from the full-time faculty members serving in various private universities in Bangladesh, the study revealed that both Machiavellianism and psychopathy have significant positive association with knowledge hiding behaviour of the academics, whereas narcissism is insignificantly related with knowledge hiding behaviour. This study indicated that dark personalities play a key role in academics’ inclination to hide knowledge.

A Developmental Perspective on Behaviors of New Faculty Transition into Higher Education

National Athletic Trainers Association

10.4085/1304348 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 348-358

Author(s):

Brianne F. Kilbourne ◽

Thomas G. Bowman ◽

Stephanie M. Mazerolle

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Doctoral Students ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Junior Faculty ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Faculty Members ◽

New Faculty ◽

Personal Standards ◽

Context: The responsibilities of new faculty members can be stressful because of the expectations of research, teaching, service, and for some, administration. The strain from transition and role complexity can impact faculty members' perceptions of the experience and therefore professional development. Objective: To understand how individual characteristics and behaviors influenced development of new faculty during their transition from doctoral students to faculty members. Design: Qualitative phenomenology study. Setting: Higher education institutions with Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen junior faculty (7 males, 9 females, age = 32 ± 3.5 years) representing 7 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts and 14 different higher education institutions participated. Main Outcome Measure(s): A semistructured telephone interview protocol was used to examine the experiences of junior faculty within their first 3 years of a faculty role. Interviews were coded inductively using a psychosocial developmental interpretive lens. Credibility was established with saturation of the findings and researcher triangulation. Results: The data revealed 3 individual behavioral characteristics positively influenced the development of junior faculty through transition: (1) adaptive perfectionism, (2) competence gained through experience, and (3) the use of a mentor network. Our participants adapted personal expectations in light of outcomes that differed from personal standards; gained competence by seeking experience before, during, and after their doctoral studies; and used a mentor network to ease transition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that individuals who are able to reflect on their performance and self-adjust personal standards and/or behaviors have a positive perception related to their ability to be successful during transition. Competence gained through experience apart from doctoral assistantships appears to facilitate the transition into higher education. Also, the creation and maintenance of a mentor network that provides a variety of support from multiple sources appears to improve transition by providing comradery, security, and help.

Attributes of Effective Mentoring Relationships for Novice Faculty Members: Perspectives of Mentors and Mentees

10.4085/1202152 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 152-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jessica L. Barrett ◽

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Sara L. Nottingham

Keyword(s):

Faculty Member ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Time Constraints ◽

Mentoring Relationships ◽

Mentor Program ◽

New Faculty ◽

Novice Faculty ◽

National Athletic Trainers Association ◽

Research Mentor

Context: Although doctoral education provides ample opportunities for skill development, the new faculty member may still require further support and guidance. Mentorship is often the mechanism whereby continued encouragement is provided. Limited understanding exists of the mentoring relationships developed between a new faculty member and a seasoned one. Objective: To understand the mentoring relationship from the perspectives of new and seasoned faculty members who have engaged in mentoring relationships. Design: Qualitative study, phenomenology. Setting: Selected higher education institutions with Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited programs. Patients or Other Participants: From the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Foundation Research Mentor program we successfully recruited 7 mentors (5 male, 2 female) and 7 mentees (2 male, 5 female). We additionally recruited 7 mentors (5 male, 2 female) and 7 mentees (2 male, 5 female) who had not completed the NATA Foundation Research Mentor program. Main Outcomes Measure(s): We completed semistructured phone interviews following an interview script. Interviews were transcribed and saturation was obtained. Analysis was grounded by the general inductive approach. Peer review and researcher triangulation were completed for trustworthiness. Results: Two major themes materialized: (1) positive mentoring relationships and (2) challenges. Three primary attributes emerged as necessary for positive mentoring relationships between new and experienced faculty members: (1) active engagement from both mentor and mentee (this theme was furthered divided by the subthemes of reciprocity, motivation, and availability), (2) communication, and (3) similar interests. Mentees' resistance to mentoring and mentors' time constraints emerged as challenges. Conclusions: Mentoring relationships develop when there is shared interest, ongoing communication, and an investment made by both parties. New faculty members may be resistant to mentoring because of struggles receiving feedback, while experienced faculty may have competing time constraints that limit availability.