Critical Faculty Research Articles

Reisen als ein pädagogisch-anthropologischer Weg zur Bildung der Kritikfähigkeit

Abstract Traveling as a Pedagogical-Anthropological Method for Cultivating the Critical Faculty Taking up current criticism of the understanding of critique in pedagogy, the paper develops a pedagogical-anthropological perspective on the cultivation of the critical faculty. The focus is on Rousseau’s theory of travel. The paper shows how important bodily-sensual experiences, intercultural encounters and cosmopolitan reflections are for the cultivation of critical awareness. It thereby counters views that tie critique to a disembodied and universalistic rationality.

تداعيات الاختلاف بين المدارس الحديثية

When the disagreement occurred among the Fiqh schools in methodology and deduction, particularly between the school of Ahl Al-Hadith and the school of Ahl Al-Ra’y, it was important to examine and extrapolate the approach of each school in order to identify the points of agreement and disagreement between them. This research aims to identify Ahl Al-Hadith and the concept of Ahl Al-Hadith’s school, clarify the meaning of Ahl Al-Ra’y and the concept of Ahl Al-Ra’y’s school, deduce the methodology that each school adhered to and elucidate their contributions to the Sunnah and its sciences, and conduct a comparison between the two schools to highlight the points of agreement and disagreement between them. To this regard, I combine the inductive, analytical, and comparative approaches. The research is arranged into an introduction, three treatises, a conclusion, a list of bibliography and references. Then the research ends with several findings, including: Ahl Al-Hadith refers to those who have a close connection with the traditions (Athar) through seeking, collecting, understanding, memorizing, narrating, following, and acting accordingly, both outwardly and inwardly, and they possess the critical faculty and the fine discernment to distinguish between authentic and unauthentic narrations of the Prophet (PBUH). Meanwhile, Ahl Al-Ra’y refers to those who consider issues and engage in Ijtihad (Shariah-based-reasoning), and use analogical deduction (Qiyas) in matters of creed and Fiqh, whether their Ijtihad is reprehensible or praiseworthy. As for the recommendations, the most significant among them is the need to understand that disagreement among the four schools of Fiqh pertains to subsidiary matters, while they agree on the fundamental principles of issues.

Higher education students' perceptions on their barriers to critical thinking

AbstractThis study aimed at identifying undergraduate students' barriers to critical thinking. This descriptive study adopted a cross‐sectional research method. Data were collected from 3rd and 4th grade students in a state university in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. Data were collected via the critical thinking barriers scale. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using SPSS 22. The mean scores, t‐test, and analysis of variance were employed in data analysis. The results of the study revealed that students slightly agree that they are unable to reason, are egocentric, overconfident, and rely on authority. Also, students slightly agree that they have some barriers to critical thinking. The study also demonstrated that grade slightly affects students' barriers to critical thinking, whereas gender and faculty have relatively deeper effects. This study concluded that students don't have significant barriers to critical thinking.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Grand Rounds Attendance: Comparison of In-Person and Remote Conferences.

Many academic medical centers transitioned from in-person to remote conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the impact on faculty attendance is unknown. This study aims to evaluate changes in attendance at medical grand rounds (MGR) following the transition from an in-person to remote format and as a function of the COVID-19 census at Vanderbilt Medical Center. We obtained the faculty attendee characteristics from Department of Medicine records. Attendance was recorded using a SMS text message-based system. The daily COVID-19 census was recorded independently by hospital administration. The main attendance metric was the proportion of eligible faculty that attended each MGR. Comparisons were made for the entire cohort and for individual faculty. The observation period was from March 2019 to June 2021 and included 101 MGR conferences with more than 600 eligible faculty. Overall attendance was unchanged during the in-person and remote formats (12,536/25,808, 48.6% vs 16,727/32,680, 51.2%; P=.44) and did not change significantly during a surge in the COVID-19 census. Individual faculty members attendance rates varied widely. Absolute differences between formats were less than -20% or greater than 20% for one-third (160/476, 33.6%) of faculty. Pulmonary or critical care faculty attendance increased during the remote format compared to in person (1450/2616, 55.4% vs 1004/2045, 49.1%; P<.001). A cloud-based digital archive of MGR lectures was accessed by <1% of faculty per conference. Overall faculty attendance at MGR did not change following the transition to a remote format, regardless of the COVID-19 census, but individual attendance habits fluctuated in a bidirectional manner. Incentivizing the use of a digital archive may represent an opportunity to increase faculty consumption of MGR.

Better Together: Development and Implementation of Fellow Group Evaluationsof Faculty.

High-quality trainee evaluations of faculty are essential for meaningful faculty development and for improving the clinical learning environment. However, concerns about anonymity can limit usefulness of trainee evaluations, particularly in smaller programs, such as subspecialty fellowships. To develop and implement a fellow-driven group evaluation process to enhance trainee confidentiality and generate high-quality feedback for pulmonary and critical care medicine faculty. A novel process was developed for faculty evaluation and feedback consisting of quarterly, structured, fellow-led group evaluation sessions focused on collecting confidential, behaviorally oriented, actionable feedback for faculty. Upper-year fellow moderators utilized a standard format to structure discussion, generating strengths and areas for growth for each faculty member while explicitly asking for input from fellows with divergent perspectives. Moderators compiled anonymized session notes for the program director, who delivered feedback to individual faculty. After the first six sessions, an electronic survey was distributed to assess fellow perceptions of the group evaluation model. Thirty-seven faculty members were evaluated in 11 group sessions over 42 months. Fellows rated group-generated feedback as more confidential, more specific, more accurate, more efficient, more actionable, and less biased when compared with individual written evaluations (P < 0.01 for all categories). The authors successfully developed and implemented a process for fellow-led group evaluation of faculty, designed to facilitate fellow confidentiality and enrich the quality of feedback. Fellows preferred the group evaluation process and perceived group-generated feedback more favorably compared with individual written evaluations.

포스트 팬데믹 시대의 상실

This essay aims to explicate the psychological loss in the post-pandemic era in terms of Judith Butler’s melancholia, mourning, and mania. Melancholia is explained in Gender Trouble (1990) as a mechanism in which the abandoned love object constructs a gendered ego of a subject. Later, in The Psychic Life of Power (1997), it is discussed as a social phenomenon of public anger and public resistance to emphasize the performativity of rage and militancy in queer rallies and die in demonstrations against denied public mourning. Since her ethical turn in Undoing Gender (2004) and Precarious Life (2004), Butler focuses more on ‘grievability’ as the equal recognition of loss to resist inequalities in public mourning, as prohibited mourning by dominant prohibitions leads to social and cultural melancholia. The Power of Nonviolence (2020) pays particular attention to mania and critical faculty as the protest against destructive actions directed the world and the self. The equal livability of life and the equal grievability of loss based on radical egalitarianism is a possibility of non-violent political struggle to resist social inequality, through public mourning and solidarity in mania, going towards a universal sensibility for a livable life against violence.

A Theoretical Review of Developing Faculty Leadership to Enhance Classroom Setting Using the “Boyer Model of Scholarship”

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the position of faculty leadership in promoting the four components of Boyer's Model of Scholarship are discovery, integration, application, and instruction, and its impact on educational establishments. Theoretical framework: The study emphasizes the significance of faculty leadership in promoting a culture of learning and advancement in educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Using a content analysis method, a descriptive research approach is used to identify common themes and patterns related to faculty leadership and the four components of Boyer's model. Findings: The results reveal that faculty leadership is critical in promoting the four components of Boyer's model and can positively affect educational institutions' overall effectiveness. The findings also emphasize the need for professional development programs and recognition of faculty leadership to enhance educational outcomes. Research, Practical and Social Implications: The study's findings have implications for educational leaders and policymakers, accentuating the essence of investing in faculty leadership development to boost a culture of learning and advancement in educational institutions. Originality/value: This study contributes to the existing literature on faculty leadership and Boyer's Model of Scholarship by highlighting the critical role faculty leadership plays in promoting a culture of learning and advancement in educational institutions. It also provides practical solutions for improving faculty leadership efficacy and overall educational outcomes.

An exploration of the ideological becoming of online educators

AbstractAs online education continues to proliferate that there is a need to understand how institutions can better support faculty in the transition to online education. Building on work that has suggested the importance of learning spaces for faculty to engage in discussion and reflection on their move to online education, this paper employs Bakhtin's notion of ideological becoming to provide a theoretically grounded understanding of how the design of such spaces can better facilitate this move. The paper reveals how learning spaces designed to develop critical awareness empower faculty to navigate discourses of online education, enabling them to build on their existing knowledge and skills as educators. The findings reveal how engaging faculty in critical dialogue can enable a cumulative shift in thinking from discussions dominated by authoritative discourses of online education that create an initial confusion between performance and pedagogy to the development of critical awareness that enables them to challenge dominant discourses and reconnect with the self as an experienced educator. The paper provides an important insight into an approach that might enable institutions to better support faculty buy‐in and acceptance of online education. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Institutions struggle to understand how best to engage faculty in the transition to online education. A number of frameworks and models have been proposed to facilitate the transition, but these mostly take a managerial perspective. The transition to online teaching is most effective when supported by opportunities for faculty to engage in critical reflection and discussion. Less is known about how opportunities for critical reflection support the transition process and there is a need to theoretically ground such understanding. What this paper adds The paper draws on Bakhtin's notion of ideological becoming to explore how learning spaces for educator discussion and reflection can be used to facilitate the transition process. The findings show how learning spaces can be designed to enable faculty to develop the skills to navigate and challenge dominant discourses of online learning. The development of critical awareness among educators can also facilitate the development of educational practices for both classroom and online teaching. Implications for practice and/or policy The transition to online education is not an individual activity, but a collaborative and dialogical process. Faculty need time and space to critically challenge dominant discourses of online education and to re‐establish their existing skills and experience within an online context. This should not be a one‐off event but an ongoing process and conversation in a constantly changing and evolving higher education context. At the policy level, we should not expect online educational practice to be based on one approach or model, but to celebrate individuality and innovation.

United States of State Universities Share Leadership Theory and the Strategies Engaging Online Accounting Faculties During Cov19 in Higher Education

Contingent workforce, such as online adjunct faculty, is a crucial component interwoven in the fabric of higher education. The accessibility of technology has assisted in the expansion of online learning education in higher institutions. To support the expansion of the online platform, academic leadership hires remote, part-time faculty to fill instructional positions. Comprehending the critical role online adjunct faculty play in higher education, academic leaders must embrace the changes occurring in higher education and learn how to support online, part-time faculty. There appears to be a particular gap in the literature that rests on not knowing specific leadership strategies to aid with the participation of online adjunct faculty.

9. The Anti-Racist Liberatory Pedagogy Academy: Critical Race Faculty Development

Abstract This paper explores a critical professional development project at a public university called the Anti-Racist Liberatory Pedagogy Academy (ARLPA). As a faculty-teaching-faculty project, this work focuses on the facilitators of the program rather than the participants. The gaze on the facilitators helps to explore how their consciousness raising process was influenced by critical race theory. To attend to that process, generative autoethnography as critical race methodology was used to explore these questions. How did we as facilitators of ARLPA engage in praxis to further our own work with anti-racism? How might critical race theory help to make sense of our experiences within ARLPA? From the examination of the counter-stories, this paper ends by offering a future exploration by posing the question; how might praxis nurture political and pedagogical clarity through racial analyses?

A point-of-care ultrasound education curriculum for pediatric critical care medicine

BackgroundDiagnostic and procedural point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) change patient management with the potential to improve outcomes. Pediatric critical care medicine trainees have limited access to education and training opportunities in diagnostic POCUS in the pediatric ICU. A dearth of published pediatric ICU curricular resources restricts these educational opportunities.MethodsA 7-week longitudinal curriculum including lectures, practical skills sessions, and knowledge assessment covering core modules including (1) machine operation, (2) vascular access, (3) non-vascular procedures, (4) cardiac imaging, (5) hemodynamic assessment, (6) pulmonary imaging, and (7) abdominal imaging, was disseminated to pediatric critical care trainees and faculty at a single tertiary care pediatric hospital.ResultsThe knowledge of trainees and participating faculty in procedural and diagnostic POCUS improved after implementing the curriculum. Pre-test scores mean and standard deviation (59.30% ± 14.15%) improved significantly (75.60% ± 9.43%) for all learners (p < 0.001). The overall self-reported comfort in diagnostic and procedural ultrasound improved for all learners. 100% of the learners reported utilizing diagnostic POCUS in their clinical practice four months after disseminating the curriculum.DiscussionWe describe a single center’s approach to POCUS education with improvement in knowledge, self-reported comfort, and attitudes towards procedural and diagnostic POCUS. The curricular resources for adaptation in a similar educational context are provided.

Evaluation of an advanced critical care echocardiography program: a mixed methods study.

Limited data exist on advanced critical care echocardiography (CCE) training programs for intensivists. We sought to describe a longitudinal echocardiography program and investigate the effect of distributed conditional supervision vs predefined en-bloc supervision, as well as the effect of an optional echocardiography laboratory rotation, on learners' engagement. In this mixed methods study, we enrolled critical care fellows and faculty from five University of Toronto-affiliated intensive care units (ICU) between July 2015 and July 2018 in an advanced training program, comprising theoretical lectures and practical sessions. After the first year, the program was modified with changes to supervision model and inclusion of a rotation in the echo laboratory. We conducted semistructured interviews and investigated the effects of curricular changes on progress toward portfolio completion (150 transthoracic echocardiograms) using a Bayesian framework. Sixty-five learners were enrolled and 18 were interviewed. Four (9%) learners completed the portfolio. Learners reported lack of time and supervision, and skill complexity as the main barriers to practicing independently. Conditional supervision was associated with a higher rate of submitting unsupervised echocardiograms than unconditional supervision (rate ratio, 1.11, 95% credible interval, 1.08 to 1.14). After rotation in the echocardiography laboratory, submission of unsupervised echocardiograms decreased. Trainees perceived lack of time and limited access to supervision as major barriers to course completion. Nevertheless, successful portfolio completion was related to factors other than protected time in the echocardiography laboratory or unconditional direct supervision in ICU. Further research is needed to better understand the factors promoting success of CCE training programs.

Defining Objective Measures of Physician Stress in Simulated Critical Communication Encounters.

OBJECTIVES:This study had three aims: 1) quantify the difference in stress levels between low and high stress roles during simulated critical communication encounters using objective physiologic data (heart rate variability [HRV]) and subjective measures (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), 2) define the relationship between subjective and objective measures of stress, and 3) define the impact of trainee preparedness and reported self-efficacy on stress levels.DESIGN:Mixed methods simulation-based study.SETTING:Single center.PATIENTS:Pediatric critical care fellows and faculty (n = 12).INTERVENTIONS:Subjects participated in six simulated scenarios in both high stress “hot seat” and low stress “observer” roles.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Subjective stress was measured using the STAI at baseline and after each scenario. Objective stress was measured continuously using a wearable biometric device measuring HRV. Previous residency communication training and self-confidence surrounding various communication topics were collected via questionnaire. Significant changes in subjective (STAI) and objective stress (HRV) measurements in the low- versus high-stress roles were observed. STAI scores increased 8 points during low stress and 12 points during high stress role (p = 0.021) compared with baseline. Two specific HRV markers, root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, a marker of parasympathetic tone, and the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio, a marker of sympathetic activation, were significantly correlated with STAI levels (–0.032, p = 0.001; 1.030, p = 0.002, respectively). Participants who reported increased confidence in discussing code status had a significant decrease in stress response (measured via LF/HF ratio) during both the observer (p = 0.033) and hot seat roles (p = <0.001).CONCLUSIONS:Communicating life-altering news in a simulated environment is a stressful experience. This stress results in physiologic changes that can be measured continuously using HRV. HRV measurement may serve as a novel method in evaluating the effectiveness of communication training programs and measuring future stress-reduction interventions.

Critical Faculty and Peer Instructor Development: Core Components for Building Inclusive STEM Programs in Higher Education.

First-generation college students and those from ethnic groups such as African Americans, Latinx, Native Americans, or Indigenous Peoples in the United States are less likely to pursue STEM-related professions. How might we develop conceptual and methodological approaches to understand instructional differences between various undergraduate STEM programs that contribute to racial and social class disparities in psychological indicators of academic success such as learning orientations and engagement? Within social psychology, research has focused mainly on student-level mechanisms surrounding threat, motivation, and identity. A largely parallel literature in sociology, meanwhile, has taken a more institutional and critical approach to inequalities in STEM education, pointing to the macro level historical, cultural, and structural roots of those inequalities. In this paper, we bridge these two perspectives by focusing on critical faculty and peer instructor development as targets for inclusive STEM education. These practices, especially when deployed together, have the potential to disrupt the unseen but powerful historical forces that perpetuate STEM inequalities, while also positively affecting student-level proximate factors, especially for historically marginalized students.

Close Reading: Making Sense in Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Close reading opens the way to comprehend a text critically, which provides surface and underlying meanings. It systematises a thoughtful reading with social interaction based on textual evidences and concludes to a proposition and argumentation. It enables the reader to observe the text and contextualize the meanings and ideas derived from it in the practical sphere of life as well. College students study to learn reading strategies and skills. The purpose of this paper is to present a sample of close reading in Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” This paper has used qualitative descriptive method to qualify the essence of close reading in the poem. This research paper has described the stages of close reading to unravel the general understanding and underlying pattern of Frost’s poem. This paper becomes more useful to teachers and advanced readers to read literary and non-literary texts effectively. The activities discussed in this paper stimulate them to read other texts closely. It broadens the horizon of understanding after dealing with very careful and precise details that evoke the insights of knowledge. This dynamics of reading, in this way, enriches the critical faculty of readers.

Experiences of Preservice Music Teachers at Minority Serving Institutions

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of preservice minority music teachers at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Six undergraduate music education majors at two MSIs classified as Historically Black Colleges &amp; Universities (HBCUs) completed field observations as a part of their music education requirements. I conducted individual interviews with each participant to uncover how preservice music teachers who attend MSIs describe their experiences as they matriculate through a music education program. Data were analyzed and coded to generate three themes: (a) stressful demands of the music education major, (b) immersion in school settings develops confidence, and (c) critical faculty mentoring and peer support. The experiences of preservice music teachers at MSIs are shared along with implications and recommendations for future research.

365. Assessing Provider Utilization of COVID-19 Inflammatory Marker Trends in Hospitalized Patients and Implications in Optimizing Value-Based Care During a Pandemic

BackgroundNumerous inflammatory markers may serve a role in prognostication of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, our health system created an admission order set which included daily d-dimer, c-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and ferritin. Given more available outcomes data, limiting standing order of studies that do not affect daily management could result in significant cost savings to the health system without adverse patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine ordering and utilization patterns of inflammatory markers by physicians caring for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infections. MethodsAn anonymous 10-question survey was distributed to 125 physicians (Infectious Diseases, Hospitalist, Pulmonary and Critical Care faculty). Responses were tallied and values greater than 50% were identified as the majority of the surveyed group. ResultsOf the 125 physicians surveyed, 77 (62%) responded. A total of 57.1% (44/77) of physicians reported ordering daily inflammatory markers for 3-10 days from admission. Another 31.2% (24/77) ordered markers until clinical improvement or hospital discharge. D-dimer was used for care decisions by 83.1% (64/77) of respondents; 93.8% (60/64) of those reported utilizing it in determining anticoagulation dose. CRP was used by 61% (47/77) of physicians to help identify a secondary infection or determine steroid dose or duration. LDH and ferritin were not used for management decisions by the majority of physicians. Inflammatory markers were not used routinely after isolation precautions had been discontinued, even when ongoing care required mechanical ventilation. ConclusionOf the markers studied, both d-dimer and CRP were considered useful by most respondents. LDH and ferritin were used less frequently and were not considered as useful in guiding medical decision making. Discontinuation of standing daily LDH and ferritin orders is believed to have potential to result in cost savings to the health care system with no adverse patient outcomes.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Areas of satisfaction and challenges to success of mid-career nurse scientists in academia

BackgroundMid-career nurse scientists in academia face many challenges that can lead to burnout and exiting the profession. Finding ways to increase satisfaction and support will help retain these critical faculty in research positions. PurposeDescribe areas of satisfaction and challenges to success in the faculty role for mid-career nurse scientists in academia. MethodCross-sectional, descriptive. A total of 65 self-identified mid-career nurse scientists completed an online survey. FindingsMid-career nurse scientists were most satisfied with their role at their organization, least satisfied with time for research and opportunities to receive mentoring. They felt moderately supported by colleagues and deans, least supported by their ADR. Differences in satisfaction among nurse scientists in different levels of research institutions were noted. DiscussionChallenges to success in mid-career nurse scientists exist. Loss of nurse scientists at mid-career threatens to undermine the knowledge base of the individuals who mentor the next generation of scientists. The discipline must support mid-career scientists in their efforts to be successful in research.

Gender Distribution of Current Surgical Critical Care Fellows, Faculty, and Program Directors.

As women surgeons continue to represent a minority within the surgical field while also holding lower ranked positions, gaining a sub-specialized set of clinical skills through surgical fellowships, like surgical critical care (SCC), is one approach to advance within the surgical field. A cross-sectional analysis was performed investigating the websites of all 106 US-based SCC fellowships. A total of 116 SCC fellows were included in this analysis, comprising 67 (59.3%) men and 46 (40.7%) women. There were 977 SCC fellowship faculty were evaluated, comprising 619 (67.9%) men and 292 (32.1%) women. Additionally, 103 SCC fellowship program directors were analyzed, consisting of 77 (74.8%) men and 26 (25.2%) women. There is a significantly lower proportion of women fellows and faculty members (P < .001) compared to men. SCC programs with female program directors on average have higher proportions of female fellows and faculty compared to programs with male program directors (52% and 36% vs 31% and 29%, respectively). There is a stable yet unbalanced gender distribution throughout all positions in SCC fellowship programs. Actively supporting women surgeons pursuing SCC fellowship and removing barriers to their advancement through effective interventions can disrupt the persistently low prevalence of women SCC fellows, faculty, and program directors.

Critical Reading: What Do Faculty Think Students Should Do?

ABSTRACT Critical reading requires a deep and active engagement with the text. The goal of this study was to empirically determine what critical reading skills faculty believe students should develop. We asked faculty to rate how useful they consider several critical reading behaviors and how often they model those behaviors in their classes. Faculty considered more complex skills (e.g., Applying) as more useful, while simpler skills (e.g., Skimming) were considered less useful. Importantly, faculty spent more time teaching the critical reading skills they identified as most useful. A better understanding of what critical reading means for faculty, and to what extent these opinions influence what is taught in the classroom, can help intervention efforts to improve critical reading skills in university settings.