Collegial Environment Research Articles

The challenge of belonging: Exploring collegiality and incivility in the transition to academia for nurse clinicians

BackgroundRegistered nurses are ethically and professionally obligated to foster sustainable and respectful workplaces. However, when transitioning to academia, many nurses encounter unexpected challenges, including hierarchical and individualistic environments that contrast with the collaborative ethos of clinical practice. MethodThis qualitative study explored the experiences of 11 registered nurses from six Australian universities as they transitioned into academic roles. Participants highlighted a pervasive lack of collegiality and feelings of alienation within their institutions, impacting their integration and professional development. DiscussionThe findings reveal a significant disparity between participants' expectations of collegiality and their lived experiences. Participants reported isolation, limited mentorship, and insufficient support, which hindered their ability to navigate academic roles effectively. These outcomes underscore the need for academic institutions to adopt structured, supportive systems and cultivate a collegial culture that prioritises inclusivity and collaboration. ConclusionThis study emphasises the importance of collegiality in fostering a sense of belonging among novice nurse academics. Academic institutions must create supportive, collegial environments that nurture new staff, promote open communication, and cultivate a sense of value and belonging. Addressing these challenges will improve transition experiences, enhance retention, and contribute to more positive academic environments.

Negative Body Image and Limited Nutrition Knowledge among Collegiate Dancers Signals Need for Screening and Support.

Introduction: The collegiate environment may exacerbate body image issues and eating disorders (EDs) among dancers. This study seeks to evaluate the complex relationships between body image perceptions, risk of EDs, and nutrition knowledge among collegiate dancers. Methods: A convenience sample of collegiate dancers was recruited via announcements, flyers, and email to complete the Body Image Assessment Scale-Body Dimensions (BIAS-BD), anthropometrics, and an electronic survey evaluating ED risk (Eating Attitudes Test; EAT-26), nutrition knowledge, and dietary habits. Body distortion (perceived vs actual size) and dissatisfaction (perceived vs ideal size) were measured. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and t-tests for group and gender-specific data. Results: Thirty-eight collegiate dancers (82% female, 79% with a healthy BMI) participated in the body image assessment. Females (n = 31) exhibited body distortion (P = .006) with a mean BMI = 22.05, mean perceived BMI = 23.27, and a mean ideal BMI = 21.78. Body dissatisfaction was identified but not statistically significant. Males' perceptions of females' ideal BMI = 25.16 were significantly higher than the females' own perceptions (BMI = 21.78, P = .033). No significant body distortion or dissatisfaction was observed among males (n = 7). Female perceptions of the ideal male BMI = 23.96 aligned closely with males' self-views. On the EAT-26, females (n = 28) average score was 11.82, indicating higher risk than males (n = 4), whose average score was 7.75. High ED risk was identified in 18.75% of participants (EAT-26 scores ≥ 20). Nutrition knowledge was limited, with <50% correct responses. The majority sought dietary advice from peers (65.7%) or friends (57.1%), with 37.1% following restrictive diets (eg, vegan, pescatarian, lactose-free). Conclusion: Collegiate female dancers demonstrated body distortion and ED risk despite maintaining a healthy BMI. The limited nutrition knowledge, reliance on non-expert nutrition advice, and tendency towards restrictive eating patterns observed with increased ED risk is worrisome. Thereby necessitating educational interventions focused on nutrition and body image to maintain the dancers' health.

Middle Leadership in Educational Teams: Practices and Effects on the Development of Learning Communities

In a new context of management and teaching action, framed by the organisation of the school into educational teams, middle leaders can play a key role in promoting learning communities, teacher development and improving teaching. Therefore, it seems relevant to understand the practices of these leaders that make their leadership effective. To this end, we adopted a qualitative research paradigm, operationalised through a case study, combining a quantitative and qualitative approach. Thus, we articulated data analysis processes based on descriptive statistics, which we subjected to structural and semantic analysis and interpretation, with a qualitative approach, essentially based on content analysis, to delve into some unique contexts and the perspective of individual actors. After analysing the data, we conclude that educational team coordinators play a fundamental role in facilitating the interpersonal characteristics of learning communities, involving teachers in a more collaborative and collegial working environment. However, their role in facilitating teacher learning is weaker, which hinders their contribution to deepening teacher learning and changing classroom practices.

Middle Leadership in Educational Teams: Practices and Effects on the Development of Learning Communities

In a new context of management and teaching action, framed by the organisation of the school into educational teams, middle leaders can play a key role in promoting learning communities, teacher development and improving teaching. Therefore, it seems relevant to understand the practices of these leaders that make their leadership effective. To this end, we adopted a qualitative research paradigm, operationalised through a case study, combining a quantitative and qualitative approach. Thus, we articulated data analysis processes based on descriptive statistics, which we subjected to structural and semantic analysis and interpretation, with a qualitative approach, essentially based on content analysis, to delve into some unique contexts and the perspective of individual actors. After analysing the data, we conclude that educational team coordinators play a fundamental role in facilitating the interpersonal characteristics of learning communities, involving teachers in a more collaborative and collegial working environment. However, their role in facilitating teacher learning is weaker, which hinders their contribution to deepening teacher learning and changing classroom practices.

Reimagining a Pedagogy of Care Using ePortfolios as a scholarly, ‘visibility’ tool in Higher Education

Assigning ePortfolio tasks to students should not only focus on instruction and activities that connect to real world learning. Humanising the learning experience by constructing an environment and teaching approach that builds trust, respect and resilience will strengthen learning partnerships, resulting in enhanced achievement for students (Henriksen et al., 2022). The aim of this paper is to consider how embodying a pedagogy of care can humanise the learning experience of ePortfolio activities in an online environment. How could we institute a pedagogy of care when designing ePortfolio tasks with academic colleagues? What strategies do we use to develop a safe space to reflect on our experience? How would a pedagogy of care approach improve student outcomes and inform new ways of working and studying? Findings indicated that implementation of the Modelling and Dialogue phases to support student learning, based on Noddings’ 1988 framework, enabled the students to transform their learning due to scaffolding, building trust and the authors encouraging a collegial environment to share feedback.

In what environment can female college students excel? An analysis of gender differences in learning of Chinese college students

With the expansion of higher education in China, gender equity has been largely improved at the entrance to undergraduate education. Yet, whether male and female students developed equally during college is still under debate. Using data from a Chinese national college student survey in 2021, this study explores gender differences in learning behaviors and outcomes of college students and examines whether they are influenced differently by educational environmental factors. Employing multiple regression models, we find that though female students outperformed males on active learning behaviors and academic scores, they were less active in higher-order learning behaviors, resource-intensive high-impact educational practice, and student-faculty interactions and reported lower educational gains than their male counterparts. Environmental and educational factors, including institute type, gender composition, academic challenges, and student support, influence the gender gaps in different ways. Overall, most female college students behave under the gender expectations of society and are less responsive to educational factors than their male counterparts. Collectively, these findings underscore the need for heightened awareness of gender gaps in the learning process in different learning environments and advocate for a more tailored collegiate environment that optimally supports female students’ educational pursuits.

Spiritual preparation as a mediator in the relationship between daily activity and football knowledge among indonesian students

A lifestyle characterized by imbalance in daily activities can significantly detrimentally affect physical health and cognitive performance. Despite this, students often overlook the importance of maintaining balance, neglecting aspects such as quality sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. However, individuals' daily activities can impact both their spiritual preparedness and knowledge. This research aims to investigate the influence of daily activity on the spiritual preparedness and knowledge about football of Indonesian sports students. Hypothesis testing was conducted utilizing path analysis, involving 204 respondents. Bootstrapping techniques were applied to analyze 500 data points. The findings indicate that daily lifestyle, as measured by daily activity, significantly influences the spiritual preparedness and knowledge of sports students. Notably, spiritual preparedness emerges as a mediator in the relationship between daily activity and knowledge, highlighting its crucial role. The study underscores the importance of fostering healthy lifestyle habits, including spiritual dimensions, among sports students. Recommendations emphasize the need for interventions aimed at enhancing awareness of the interconnectedness between daily activities, spiritual preparedness, and knowledge, thus contributing positively to the well-being of sports students within the collegiate environment. Keywords: daily activity, football, knowledge, spiritual preparation, student

Brother, We Got You: A collective impact approach to addressing Black college men's mental health

AbstractHigher education administrators, faculty, and staff across diverse institutional contexts grapple with college students' persisting and increasing mental health concerns. Further, recent research has discussed mental health challenges Black collegians encounter, exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Mental health issues among Black college students vary based on several factors (e.g., institutional type, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality). Research has demonstrated the various mental health trepidations Black men navigate at institutional campuses. Informed by a collective impact framework, we explored how higher education institutional stakeholders can collaboratively labor to drive solutions for promoting Black college men's mental health and well‐being. This article begins by broadly reviewing the literature on Black men's mental health in and outside collegiate settings. Next, we discussed the collective impact framework and how it can aid in expanding and advancing transformative mental health programs and services for Black college men. This article concluded with implications for future practices and programmatic considerations within collegiate environments.

Supporting teachers through online professional development: a small-scale qualitative study with teachers in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The sudden transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled teachers worldwide to develop the skills necessary to contend with online education and execute effective teaching. Whereas several studies have investigated the professional development opportunities provided by educational institutions during this time, research on the effectiveness of engaging in such activities for higher education teachers in Bangladesh seems limited. This study explores Bangladeshi English teachers’ experiences of engaging in online professional development (OPD) and the impact it had on their teaching and professional learning during COVID-19. Data were collected using a qualitative survey distributed to twenty-five English teachers working at various public and private universities in Bangladesh. A thematic analysis demonstrated that teachers participated in both self-directed and institution-led professional development activities. While engaging in such activities was beneficial, teachers’ application of the knowledge in teaching and professional learning was hindered by an overload of online information, insufficient logistics facilities, and inadequate collegial support. The study recommended that designing cost-effective OPD and ensuring a collegial environment might inspire teachers to explore OPD opportunities. In addition, providing institutions with proper orientation and awareness would ensure better institutional support in executing OPD even in the post-covid-era.

Abstract WP50: Analyzing Post Discharge Follow-Up of a Disparate Population Utilizing Mobile Integrated Health

Introduction: Transition of care (TOC) to home for many stroke patients is suboptimal. Recent studies estimate 30-day all-cause readmission of stroke patients at 17.4%. The Wisconsin (WI) Coverdell Stroke Program partnered with the Milwaukee Fire Department- Mobile Integrated Health Program (MFD-MIH) and Milwaukee County hospitals three times since January 2019. The aim of our MIH focused partnership was to improve follow up care and care coordination after an acute stroke hospitalization to a vulnerable urban population. Methods: A charter, project algorithm, and referral forms were created to guide our work. Patient referral forms and MFD-MIH home visit summaries were sent via secure email. Upon receiving a home visit referral from the hospital MFD-MIH attempted to engage the patient within two business days. After a completed visit, MFD-MIH sent a summary form to the referring hospital mimicking post-discharge data metrics in Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG). Upon receiving the summary form, hospital abstractors entered the data into GWTG. The data was then analyzed by the Coverdell team. Results: As of May 2023, 73 stroke patients have received a home visit from MIH-MFD with data entry in GWTG. Analysis of the third iteration of the program will occur after it ends in April 2024. We compared our first two MIH projects to all Wisconsin hospitals entering into the GWTG Post-Discharge tab. Our results showed: • Coverdell MIH hospitals outperform WI hospitals in Blood Pressure Monitoring by Patient and Appointment Scheduled Prior to Discharge • Coverdell MIH hospitals underperform WI hospitals in ED Visits , Falls Reported by Patient , Medication Stoppage and Tobacco Use Conclusions: Many factors influenced our data. First, the population in the Coverdell MIH program was from an urban environment with more proximate post-discharge resources. All WI hospitals do not share this setting. Secondly, MIH data collection involves an in-person home visit. Conversely, WI hospitals data collection occurred via a phone call or chart review. The Coverdell MIH method facilitates a collegial environment where more truthful disclosures may result.

Constructed Pathways: How Multiply-Marginalized Students Navigate Food Insecurity at Selective Universities

Studies about collegiate food insecurity show its prevalence as a national issue that disproportionately affects students from marginalized groups. This study further contextualizes this work, examining the ways that multiply-marginalized students navigate systems of privilege and opportunity at selective, normatively affluent universities to meet food needs and pursue personal goals. Findings from this multi-institutional qualitative study highlight asset-based approaches by which students leverage institutional interest in their marginal identities as navigational strategies. Conclusions point to the value of “student pathways navigation” as a conceptual and analytic approach to understanding how students manage collegiate environments.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN WOMEN STEM FACULTY CAREER PROGRESSION AND SUCCESS

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of women faculty in STEM disciplines of the role of their department chair in their career progression and success. Of specific interest in the study were how they described the level of advocacy of department chair in their success and career progression, and how they described the knowledge and actions of their department chair relative to establishing and maintaining a collegial and equitable working environment. The study was framed by a conceptual framework that supports the role of the department chair responsibilities in faculty success. The study settings were two public, large, highest research-intensive universities located in the southern United States. Participants were 20 women STEM faculty. The findings indicated that many of the participants perceived that their department chair lacked sufficient training to advocate for them, did not always understand the differences in experiences between women and men faculty in STEM, nor their role and responsibility for ensuring collegial and equitable working environment. Some participants identified that their department chairs were committed to the work of equity and ensured department collegiality.

Construction of English Numerical Intelligence Text Translation Data Corpus in Colleges and Universities

Abstract Given the specialized nature of English text translation in academic settings and the frequent absence of reliable reference materials, translation processes often lack verifiable evidence, impacting both efficiency and quality. This paper addresses these challenges by first developing a basic syntactic error correction model that leverages the structural features of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks to establish a Seq2Seq syntactic error correction framework. To enhance this model, we incorporate an Attention mechanism into the Seq2Seq-based English grammar error correction model. This innovation enables the model to swiftly focus on segments most pertinent to the current context, thereby boosting operational efficiency. Subsequently, we create a college English text translation data corpus using Numerical Intelligence techniques to maintain grammatical accuracy within the corpus. Comparative analysis of the model training reveals that the Seq2Seq model with the Attention mechanism achieves an accuracy rate of 41.7%, which represents a 9.19% improvement over the basic model, underscoring its significant advantage. Furthermore, the average accuracy rate for grammatical error correction stands at 72.87%. A practical application analysis shows a minimal difference of only 0.05 points between the model’s grammar correction scores and those of human teachers. The corpus developed using this enhanced grammar error correction model scored 86 overall, outperforming other corpora. Therefore, the augmented Seq2Seq model with the Attention mechanism proves highly effective for developing English text translation corpora in collegiate environments.

Reconceptualising Intracareer Transitions as Coach-Becomings: A Rhizomatic Narrative Case Study of an American Basketball Coach

This paper offers a poststructuralist exploration of the career transitions of an American basketball coach into and within collegiate basketball. We draw on the theory of Deleuze and Guattari to reconceptualise coaching transitions as coach-becomings contrasted with humanist conceptions of outcome-centred, staged processes. Our nomadic analysis is based on longitudinal interviews and ethnographic data collected over a 4-year period. We adopt narrative rhizomatics and ventriloquism to examine the coaching and institutional assemblages engaged in the production of coaching beliefs and behaviours in specific transition contexts. We also attend to the dialogical and performative aspects of analysis in relation to the role of researchers. Our findings suggest that collegiate environments are conducive to disciplinary coaching practices framed within discourses of masculine militarism and dualist representationalism, thus adversely impacting learning, development, and adaptability in transition. We argue that an alternative conceptualisation of transitions as coach-becomings shifts the focus away from arborescent unitary logic to more creative, nonlinear pedagogies that embrace multiplicity and fluidity. Engaging with the Deleuzian ontology of difference also implies raising awareness of coaching as a social and political practice.

“Just holding that space”: Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy to Create Counterspaces for Black College Students in AANAPISI/HSI Classrooms

Black college students continue to face the specter of anti-Blackness which creates additional barriers to success and flourishing in higher education. This study investigates how instructors in higher education can provide racial equity to Black students in AANAPISI/HSI classrooms through counterspaces. We use culturally relevant pedagogy to investigate the experiences of 21 Black college students at an AANAPISI/HSI to understand better how higher education instructors can utilize counterspaces, places where Black college students can challenge dominant discourses and create a collegial learning environment. We identified three counterspace themes: (1) Mitigate Eurocentric Pedagogy, (2) Employ Black and Critical Scholarship, and (3) Foster Black Excellence Zones. Implications provide educators with ways to enact meaningful support both academically and socially to Black-identifying students in college classrooms.

Exploring the impact of organizational characteristics on research agendas across scientific fields

An increasing culture of performativity has led to changes in the organizational landscape of academic institutions. While the impact of these changes on outputs is well documented, their impact on academics’ strategic research agendas is still an emerging topic. This study expands upon previous research on this issue and focuses on comparing these dynamics across all fields of science using a global sample of academics. We found that most of the relationships between organizational features and research agendas were mostly consistent across disciplines, with variations mainly in the strength rather than the direction of effects. The perceived access to resources, autonomy, and collegiality was the key driver in promoting ambitious, collaborative, discovery-driven, and multidisciplinary agendas. Furthermore, our findings suggest a concerning trend in research institutions: academics that are more willing to stay in their institutions and are more aligned with its demands are less inclined to pursue trailblazing agendas. Although most of these effects were universal, some field-specific dynamics are also discussed, notably in what concerns the so-called “hard” sciences. This study highlights the importance of promoting a collegial environment with a high degree of autonomy to foster discovery-driven research and underscores the potential risks of the “publish or perish” culture prevalent in academia.

“You get tired of remaining in a state of fear“- professionals’ experiences of self-care facing suicidality in psychiatric wards

ABSTRACT Aim The aim of this study is to explore mental healthcare professionals (MHCPs) experiences related to own emotions when encountering patients at risk of suicide in psychiatric wards and their family members. Methodology and methods, participants and research context This study has a qualitative explorative design. Data consist of texts from twelve in-depth interviews with MHCPs belonging to six units in two psychiatric wards. Data were interpreted using a hermeneutical approach based on Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics. Findings Through an interpretation process, three themes emerged: Enduring own emotions, Balancing emotional engagement and the need to rest, and Being together in the community of colleagues. Conclusion This study shows the importance of being aware of own anxiety facing suicidality. MHCPs have to work emotionally and cognitively so that care is not guided by anxiety but by collaboration with the patient and his family members. The study highlights the need for a culture in the mental health service in which the MHCP can reflect on own emotional reactions and thoughts in a collegial environment characterized by openness, generosity and collaboration.

Social Media and College-Related Social Support Exchange for First-Generation, Low-Income Students: The Role of Identity Disclosures

First-generation, low-income (FGLI) students face barriers to college access and retention that reproduce socioeconomic inequities. These students turn to social media for college-related social support. However, while students can reap benefits from social media, it is crucial to investigate under what conditions social media interactions facilitate or hinder students' access to college-related social support. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 FGLI students in the United States who applied for college in the 2020-2021 application cycle. Our findings illustrate how FGLI identity disclosures on social media can facilitate access to college-related social support when met with supportive or neutral responses, while stigmatizing reactions can disrupt access to these benefits. We draw from the lenses of the "doubly disadvantaged'' and "privileged poor'' used to describe FGLI students in post-secondary education to argue that engaging in FGLI identity disclosures on social media can help students become academically and psychosocially prepared for collegiate environments. Finally, we discuss the implications of this work for theoretical frameworks centering social media and social support, consider when stigma might lead to support space abandonment, and describe the potential implications for social media design.

Insights From Informal Research Mentoring of Three University EFL Teachers

Abstract Research-practice nexus has been an ideal for higher education. However, research mentoring has been underexplored in both formal and informal formats. This study aimed to examine the effects of one-year-long informal research mentoring conducted by an experienced EFL teacher educator for three teaching-focused EFL teachers from three different universities. It found that the informal research mentoring generated three positive effects. It fueled the mentees’ research interest, raised their awareness of self-discipline and stress-coping strategies, and kindled their enthusiasm for constructing a collegial environment in their working contexts. Meanwhile, limitations also emerged associated with the mentees’ limited research engagement and productivity owing to personal and contextual factors as well as the problems with the informal mentoring relationships. Implications of the study are drawn to improve faculty research mentoring processes and outcomes.

Психоаналитический случай как нарратив и текстовая репрезентация пациента

In the article a special type (form) of clinical history – a psychoanalytic case is considered as a narrative genre that has developed in the discursive practice of psychoanalysis at the intersection of medicine and literature under the influence of S. Freud’s classical works. According to the narrative approach, author of the article discusses, how the narration is constructed within the framework of psychoanalytic cases; the functions of case-narratives are clarified. It is noted, that in practice these forms of narration serve as models for understanding and structuring the experience of dialogic interaction between the analyst and his patient (analysand). At the same time, a case narrative is a means of professional self-identification, self-presentation and positioning of a practicing specialist in his collegial environment, a way to maintain and strengthen a sense of belonging to the psychoanalytic community. Apart from this, a psychoanalytic theory also has a narrative basis, which is extremely heterogeneous. Behind any theoretical construct of classical psychoanalysis there are one key (basic) narrative and series of additional ones. These are not only clinical stories, but also myths, literary works, psychobiographies of outstanding personalities. In content, a psychoanalytic case is always an epistemological narrative, a story about self-knowledge and knowledge of each other; struc-turally, it is a double narrative that unites two stories correlated with each other: “raw” or primary, compiled from the words of the analysand and his / her relatives, and processed or secondary, formed as a result of the analysis and including the dynamics of the transformative psychotherapeutic relationships. It is also stressed, that a distinctive feature of the narration in the case is the use of embedded narratives, in particular, analysand’s dreams or fantasies. Two questions are discussed: what happens when analysand becomes the personage of his psychoanalyst, and how we can characterize the representation of patient’s personality in the text of a psychoanalytic case.