Academic Identity Research Articles

한국 경찰학의 학문적 정체성 검토 및 학문체계 정립을 위한 발전방향 탐색

한국 경찰학의 학문적 정체성 검토 및 학문체계 정립을 위한 발전방향 탐색

Commuting students before and during COVID-19: academic identity across home and campus spaces

Commuter students are believed to lack academic engagement because they do not `stick around´ on campus, but narratives of student belonging as tied to campus presence were challenged by emergency remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reports on a longitudinal project on geographical, cultural and emotional dimensions of student practices of learning in an English widening participation university. We use theories of student belonging and mobilities as thinking tools to understand the relationships between students, spaces and learning practices in constructing fluid understandings of academic identity for commuting and residential students. Between 2016 and 2021, 28 students were interviewed. Geographical and cultural distance from university, but closeness to family or the domestic duties of home, affected commuter student practices of learning differently before and during emergency remote learning. When distance was enforced, remote learning was not necessarily easier for commuters, who had complex responses to losing social interaction. By rethinking how the benefits of being physically on campus are conceptualised and communicated, and how commuter identity is shaped by continuing interactions across home, digital, travel and campus spaces, we argue that commuter students′ multiple experiences should inform the post-pandemic university.

Supervisory Relationships, Constructing Academic Identity, and Transition to the Researcher: An Interpretative Single-Case Study

The present interpretative case study aimed to explore constructing researcher identity through successful dyadic supervisory relationships. The only participant in the current single case study was Ako, a recently graduated doctoral student who published some papers with his supervisor and kept that intimate and fruitful relationship after graduation. The data were collected through in-depth interviews, journals, and narration. Thematic analyses (Braun & Clarke, 2006) were conducted to analyze the collected data. In line with Wisker’s (2012) framework, the findings generated four themes, including _supervisor's qualities, supervisor’s affective expectations, supervisee’s journey, _and _relationship enhancement. _The results revealed that a full-fledged and intimate supervisory relationship, in both formal and informal settings, contributed to developing researcher identity. The results have some implications for teacher educators, university managers, supervisors, and doctoral students.

Parents’ learning support and school attitudes in relation to adolescent academic identity and school performance in nine countries

Parents’ learning support and school attitudes in relation to adolescent academic identity and school performance in nine countries

The Relative Contribution of Future Orientation in Predicting Patterns of Academic Identity Among Secondary School Female Students in Makkah Al-Mukarramah

This study has aimed determine the contribution of the future orientation in predicting the patterns of the academic identity among secondary school female students. Moreover, it also used the scale of orientation towards the future, prepared by Abdullah and Al-Harbi (2022), and the scale of the patterns of the academic identity, prepared by Rahiminezhad et al., (2011) , translated by Abayna (2020) The study has been applied to a sample of (253) secondary female students. It has found the following: the deferred identity came in the first place with a high level, followed by the accomplished identity, then the closed one at a medium level, then the disordered identity at a low level. It has been also clear that, for the sample members, the level of the orientation towards the future with its orientations is higher that the medium level. Also, the results has showed that there is a positive relationship between the accomplished identity and all dimensions of the orientation towards the future, while there is a negative relationship between the disordered identity and both dimensions of planning and self-control, as well as between the deferred identity and the self-control dimension, The results revealed that there are no differences between the female students according to the grade in academic identity, as well as the orientation towards the future, except for the dimension of motivation as there were differences between the female students at the 1st and the 3rd grades as one of the dimensions towards the future for the 3rd grade. Regression analysis revealed the predictability of the patterns of the academic identity through the dimensions of the future orientation and the total score.

Chinese university faculty supervisors’ academic identity construction in online profiles

Faculty supervisor profiles on the graduate school webpages of universities offer an explicit assertion of self-representation regarding the author’s academic identity, from which potential graduates can gain official information about their future faculty supervisors. Though scholars’ identity construction on blogs or homepages has drawn sufficient attention, supervisors’ identity construction on graduate school webpages across authors’ status, gender, and disciplines in the Chinese context has not been sufficient. Based on the analysis of moves and processes, this study explores academic identity construction across authors’ status, gender, and disciplines. Professor/Ph.D. faculty supervisors (PPSs) generally tend to use more moves than associate professors/master supervisors (APMs); different relational and material processes are used most frequently for scholars of different statuses. For gender, male academics use more words than females for move and process items. For disciplinary differences, art scholars pay close attention to education, achievement and community service, presenting more relational processes, while history and telecommunications scholars concentrate on their research directions and main publications. The results are further discussed with reference to status advantage, women’s dilemma, and disciplinary culture in the Chinese academic community.

Academic identities in today’s university: a visual study

ABSTRACT Recent years have seen the development of accountability processes to monitor the quality, autonomy, and performance of universities. These include the evaluation of university academics based on a quality quantification system that prioritizes research over other roles. For Spanish academics, their professional trajectories hinge entirely on successfully navigating evaluation procedures of this type. This study analyzes the impact of these processes on the academic identity of university teaching staff through an alternative and complementary perspective using visual methodologies. To this end, we employed collaborative image creation processes and engaged in reflective analysis, applying both narrative (vertical) and paradigmatic (horizontal) approaches. The results reveal the particular impact of evaluation processes on the identity of university academics. Additionally, we observed the influence of other elements that further amplify this impact, including job insecurity, the quest for employment stability, autonomy to fulfill the work role, as well as the prevalence of inequalities and competitiveness within access procedures. Consequently, we have identified the development of identities with distinct nuances, all underpinned by a common thread: subservience to the demands of evaluation processes, which have emotional and health consequences. This article concludes by proposing lines of action to enable the optimal development of academics.

Navigating challenges in social science research: the impact of halo effect and inadequate academic socialization on Chinese young researchers

ABSTRACT While there exists an extensive body of literature on Early Career Researchers (ECRs), there has been a notable lack of focus on the hurdles encountered by ECRs in social sciences at local universities when it comes to academic publishing. This study addresses this gap by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 Chinese university academics to explore the hindering factors affecting ECRs’ scholarly publishing in CSSCI-indexed journals. The research is grounded in the conceptual frameworks of the halo effect and academic socialization. The findings reveal a myriad of hindering factors operating at different levels, including macro-level factors such as the dilemma of growing demand and shrinking supply in CSSCI-listed journals, the halo effect’s impact on journal gatekeeping, and the insufficiency of constructive review feedback. Meso-level factors encompass the lack of academic mentorship and support, and the burden of teaching and administrative responsibilities. Micro-level factors involve inadequate speculative research skills, unfamiliarity with journal norms, diminishing confidence in research endeavors, and a shift in academic identity. To address these problems, academia, institutions, policymakers as well as academics need to take collective efforts to foster an environment that supports the growth and success of young social science researchers at local Chinese universities.

Structural modeling of Chinese students’ academic achievement identity and basic psychological needs: do academic self-efficacy, and mindfulness play a mediating role?

BackgroundMindfulness and academic self-efficacy were proposed as mediating variables, with successful academic identity as an exogenous variable. The backdrop for this research centers on the significance of psychological factors in shaping academic identity among college students.ObjectivesThe primary aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between fundamental psychological needs, mindfulness, academic self-efficacy, and successful academic identity. Specifically, the study explored the direct and indirect impacts of basic psychological needs on successful academic identity mediated by mindfulness and academic self-efficacy.MethodThe research employed a descriptive method, utilizing correlational studies and structural equation modeling. A sample of 355 college students at Henan Judicial Police Vocational College, Henan, China, was randomly selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using established scales, including the Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Baer Mindfulness Scale, Jenkins and Morgan Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and Vas and Isakson Successful Academic Identity Scale. The data analysis was conducted using AMOS 22 software.FindingsThe research findings revealed that fundamental psychological needs directly and indirectly significantly impact successful academic identity. Mindfulness played a mediating role in this relationship. However, academic self-efficacy did not considerably mediate the influence of fundamental psychological needs on successful academic identity (p > 0.05). These results highlight the complex dynamics between psychological needs, mindfulness, academic self-efficacy, and successful academic identity among college students in the specified academic year.ConclusionsThe findings suggest targeted interventions, such as workshops for families and teachers to address basic needs and psychologist and school counselor interventions to increase mindfulness. Additionally, organizing educational classes is imperative for fostering a supportive environment conducive to successful academic identity among college students.

Development and Establishment of Professional Identity during Academic Education; a Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences of Pharmacy Students

Some educationally important themes like Professional performance, academic motivation, etc. could be explained in relation to "professional identity". Nevertheless, 'identity' is somewhat vague but could be described based on special considerations related to the context, major, personal and environmental characteristics. This study aims to explore how pharmacy students contribute to the formation and development of their professional identity. 12 pharmacy students were interviewed by purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis methodology. Five main categories were extracted to explain how pharmacy students' professional identity develop and establish from the beginning to graduation: 1) Basic (primary) establishments in the path of choosing the field of study, 2) Intra- and extra-professional conflicts in the way of stabilizing the primary professional identity, 3) Becoming empowered in the chosen future professional path, 4) The consolidation of professional identity structures by heartening yourself and relying on your own abilities and, 5) The dynamics of students' satisfaction with studying pharmacy. The central category, "To Search for and acquire yourself; flourishing in the path of your chosen professional destiny," could describe the data and establish relationship between the main categories. Academic educators could pave the way for every student according to his/her specific goals, personal abilities and limitations. Nevertheless, Availability of general academic advising from the first stages of education could help development of professional growth and excellence. Defining and then strengthening the hidden and overt roles of professors could facilitate this process properly and promptly. Keywords: Pharmacy students, Professional identity, Qualitative research, Academic motivation, Academic identity.

Navigating Academic Identity: Autoethnography of Otherness and Embarrassment Among First-Generation College Students

As a first-generation college student (FGCS), I have never felt entirely comfortable with this label, both in academic spaces and in various personal family situations. The notion of being a FGCS has evoked internal embarrassment, a sense of academic otherness, and external micro-aggressions. Through an autoethnographic analysis of my participation in the FGCS annual workshop, I explore the strengths and weaknesses of this category. The workshop provided insights into the diverse experiences of FGCSs, revealing it to be a fluid academic construct with multiple voices and narratives. However, when intersecting with other identities, the fragility of the FGCS category emerged, leading to conflicting conversations and resistance among participants. A rigid definition of FGCS overlooks its historical context of social exclusions and disregards the unique sensitivities and differences among ethnic and national groups within it. This approach weakens the struggle of marginalized groups and perpetuates their exclusion, both on and off campus. Acknowledging the complexity and diversity within the FGCS category can foster a more inclusive environment that respects the unique experiences of each individual. This approach paves the way for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by FGCSs and empowers them to navigate their academic journeys with confidence.

How boundaries work in higher education: an ethnographic account of Ph.D. students’ identity formation

ABSTRACT In this article, I argue that Ph.D. students’ construction of academic identity depends on the boundary-making process in academia. The presented ethnographic account of Ph.D. students at one of the research-intensive universities in Turkey is based on 15 months of fieldwork, including observations and 21 in-depth interviews with PhD students. This ethnographic study employs a two-headed approach: institution-based boundary-formation and Ph.D. students’ socialisation into academic habitus. The findings reveal that, first, the identity building process in doctoral education is constituted by the practices of institution-based boundaries, which enable Ph.D. students to accumulate symbolic and social capital; second, the practices of distinction through socialisation into academic life are developed, embodied, habituated, and integrated to academic identity and academic life as part of a habitus of doctoral education; third, identity formation is a social space of relational positions characterised by the supervisor-enforced social order, rooted in both authority and domination.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students’ Needs and Expectations of Digital Scholarship Spaces in a Comprehensive University Library: A Survey

Abstract The development of digital and mobile technology has led to the emergence of digital scholarship, which is a challenge but also an opportunity for higher education institutions to improve their space and relevant services to support students’ success. The purpose of this study is to explore university students’ needs and expectations on digital scholarship spaces and relevant services in an academic library, as well as the differences in this based on gender, academic identity, and subject being studied. We conducted a survey at Shipai campus of Jinan University in Guangzhou to collect and analyze users’ needs and expectations. Among the digital scholarship service, the demand scores of the top three services are text recognition and full-text processing with 7.00, academic paper writing, submission, publication, and dissemination consulting services with 6.86, and digitization of printed documents with 6.72. Elsewhere, the demand score of the top three spaces are the online digital scholarship space with 6.57, the research project application and exchange space with 6.43, and the text analysis, data analysis, Big Data, and visualization service center with 6.27. With the improvement of academic identity, the demand for digital scholarship services is higher. Gender has led to differences in a small number of space needs, while the differences brought about by the subject being studied are more significant. This research contributes to the understanding of how the digital technology, the students’ spaces needs, and relevant management practice merge in academic libraries for students’ learning and research purposes. These have implications for universities to improve their libraries’ space services oriented to the diverse users’ digital scholarship needs in the current digital learning environment.

Are we there (yet?): An analysis of SoTL institutionalization at University College Cork

AbstractThis chapter provides an analysis of the institutionalization of SoTL at University College Cork in Ireland, offers some guiding questions to help individuals or groups reflect critically on their own SoTL institutionalization journeys, and suggests implications for further research on how institutionalization processes inform academic identity formation and career development of higher education professionals working in a SoTL institution.

Antagonistic identity discourses in career transitions: an autoethnographic study in higher education

ABSTRACT Using an analytical-interpretative autoethnographic account of my move from a professional staff manager to an academic manager in a university, I highlight how career transitions can result in othering due to the academic’ professional divide, the strength of academic identity in disciplines and the continued role of women being in positions of power. This othering may lead to imposter syndrome and antagonistic identity discourses, which may have negative psychological effects on individuals. Second, I argue that this othering impacts on meritocratic leadership appointments, as a whole cohort of highly effective professional ‘non-academic’ leaders are effectively excluded from the most senior roles in a university; women are also clearly lacking in proportional representation at the highest levels in universities. I also argue that academic leadership development is immature and not currently adequately preparing academic staff for leading large teams, in terms of budget and staff, and highly complex institutions with real-world political and economic pressures. In conclusion, I show how an autoethnographic study has helped my own career identity transition by working out these tensions to develop insights and negotiate in-between identities.

Group-based journal review: opportunities for researcher development and enjoyment

ABSTRACT The availability of expert reviewers, essential for academic publishing, is increasingly under threat, due to workload pressures and lack of development pathways. This inquiry, undertaken by the editors of an emergent higher education journal, draws on reviewers’ experiences as articulated in ‘reviewer stories’ and examines key questions around reviewer experiences and development pathways as well as the role of reviewing in the development of research skills and academic identity formation. This article shines a light on the elusive practice of journal reviewing and confirms group-based review as a successful approach for supporting researcher development and bringing enjoyment into academic practice.

Academic identities in the contemporary university: seeking new ways of being a university teacher

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes academic identities and academic agency in the context of knowledge management and production that permeate the contemporary university. A practical argumentation on the meaning of teaching activity seeks to propose, in contrast to traditional approaches, that identity and meaning are constitutive dimensions of present activity. Furthermore, as analyzed, the present action of the teacher, students, and things produces meaning and identity. I argue that, even while immersed in the functional environment of the university, teacher identities are not entirely bound to determination. Instead, it is contended that teaching events often provoke moments of ‘professional desubjectivation’ resulting from the teacher’s response to present situations that demand a different attitude and disposition. The result of this argument presents, through teaching activities, the possibility of enacting educational gestures, such as those shown during study activities.

‘Playing the same game differently’: constituting academic identities in four disciplines

AbstractWhilst many studies have explored academic identity construction, very few take a comparative perspective to examine the various ways of constructing academic identities within and across different disciplines. This paper analyses a key policy document used for evaluating academics’ performance along with semi-structured interviews with 37 academics from Chemical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Nursing and Education working in a research-intensive New Zealand university. The use of Foucault’s theoretical construct of games of truth provides a novel perspective to investigate the ways in which academics in different disciplines play the academic ‘game’ and how this might affect their construction of an academic identity. Our analysis suggests that the path into academia is a key factor in their trajectory of academic formation. The study suggests three types of ‘valid’ academics. It problematises the standardised definition and evaluation of academics and offers contextualised, multiple, dynamic and agential understandings of being and becoming set up through the interplay of forces arising from disciplinary, institutional, professional and personal spheres.

‘How do you want to do this?’: table-top role-playing games and academic identity

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the intersection of academia and Table-Top Role-Playing Games (TTRPG) with the development of identity through both character creation and maps; these two features are key features within TTRPG games, adding depth and richness to the world of play. The author suggests that TTRPGs provide a unique space for introspective academic inquiry and potential personal growth, as players are able to explore and experiment with different identities and roles within a collaborative storytelling framework. Used as a reflective process, academics can explore how their academic working lives look, and their experience of living them, and consider the impact on their actions including areas which they may need to develop or how to best utilise their academic identity for the varying aspects of their work. This may include a deeper undertanding of both who they are and how they interact with others they meet in their professional lives. Through an autoethnographic reflection on both TTRPGs and academic identity, the author proposes that the two worlds have much to offer each other in terms of personal development. Specifically, how the creation of a character based on the academic’s identity can be ‘played’ within a map representing the reality of their academic working life to enhance their personal and professional development.

Academic identities and socio-spatial exclusions of academics with disabilities: a capabilities approach

Research on the experiences of academics with disabilities regarding access to higher education spaces is vast, but not much has been done to assess if such research goes beyond analysing physical spaces. This paper follows the capabilities approach to contribute knowledge in this regard, drawing from research conducted in one South African University. Ten academics with disabilities were interviewed, and data were analysed thematically. Findings suggest that it is not enough for academics with disabilities to be employed at the University. Denial of social and physical access to various spaces has epistemic and professional advancement implications. The possibilities for alternative spaces and freedom of choice to function optimally for academic identity advancement can still be enhanced. The paper makes recommendations that can be explored for policy and practice to advance human development of academics with disabilities.