Abstract
The purpose of this article is to explore how Early Career Academics (ECAs) cope with their complex and multiple transitions when starting their new role. By focussing on the participants’ lived experiences in a professional development (PD) training programme to discuss and share practice, we explored how ECAs developed and maintained social network relations. Using social network analysis (SNA) with web crawling of public websites, data was analysed for 114 participants to determine with whom they shared practice outside PD (i.e., external connectors), the seniority of these connectors, and similarity to their job area. The results highlight that ECA networks were hierarchically flat, whereby their sharing practice network of 238 external connectors composed of their (spousal) partner and (male) colleagues at the same hierarchical level. The persons whom ECAs were least likely to discuss their practice with were people in senior management roles. The results of this study highlight that the creation of a community of practice for discussing and sharing of practice from PD programmes appear to be insular. Activities within the organisation and the formation of learning communities from PD may become lost as most of the sharing of practice/support comes from participants’ partners. Organisations may have to create spaces for sharing practice beyond the PD classroom to further organisational learning.
Highlights
Career Academics (ECAs) go through many transitions in their early stages of their career
Beyond the formal networks arranged within a professional development (PD) program as well as the formal networks within a particular school or department, informal network relations outside the boundaries of these formal networks could have a substantial impact on transitions of Early Career Academics (ECAs). In this quantitative study we aimed to explore how 114 ECAs developed relations with external connectors to help them transition into a role as an academic, or perhaps consider to work in a professional context
In total 114 (41%) of the external connectors did not work at the same institute at the PD participants, indicating potential “weak” ties and bridge building opportunities
Summary
Career Academics (ECAs) go through many transitions in their early stages of their career. As highlighted by a recent report by the Wellcome Trust (2020), of the 4,267 surveyed academics 70% of respondents indicated to be stressed at work, and to experience mental health issues. Less than a third of ECAs felt secure in pursuing a research career, and a substantial. Complex Transitions of ECRs number of ECAs indicated a desire to leave academia. When ECAs are uncertain about their own roles, identities, and careers, this could have substantial negative impacts on supporting the transitions of students and pre-service teachers as well
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