Orientations to teaching, induction experiences and background characteristics of university lecturers

Abstract

This study of the orientations to teaching of academic staff used a sample of 32 new Lecturers matched in pairs on sex, initial tenure status, and discipline type. Interviews were conducted to obtain data on their early experiences in the university and on their orientations to teaching, including their conceptual repertoires, self-efficacy and attitudes to receiving and using student evaluations of their teaching. Findings were that orientations to teaching and early experiences were similar to those reported in an earlier study, though there was a greater participation in professional development activities in this later group. Induction experiences were found to be associated with the entering differences in background characteristics among the Lecturers. In particular, special consideration in workload varied according to sex, initial tenure status and discipline type, while participation in development activities varied according to discipline type. Induction experiences and background characteristics were found to be associated with self-efficacy measures.