Faculty Awareness Research Articles

Fostering SDG Content Integration in the Economics and Business Undergraduate Curriculum: A Faculty-Driven Mapping Approach

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UM) initiated a project to align its undergraduate study program with sustainable development principles. This involved mapping the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the curriculum, using recommended keywords and faculty assessments. The exercise aimed to objectively showcase current sustainability integration and to identify areas for enhanced sustainable practice infusion. The method entailed both the direct and indirect consideration of SDG content. This endeavor heightened faculty awareness and enthusiasm for incorporating the SDGs, highlighting the significance of aligning academic programs with global sustainability objectives. This study has offered a framework for similar institutions aiming to boost sustainability through curriculum mapping and active faculty engagement.

Assessing gaps in predoctoral dental curriculum for LGBTQ+ specific content.

Despite growing recognition of health disparities faced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning) (LGBTQ+) population, significant gaps remain for inclusion of LGBTQ+ content in health professions education, particularly dental curricula. This study aims to address these gaps by investigating the integration of LGBTQ+ content in a midwestern dental school curriculum. Curriculum mapping and focus group discussions were utilized to identify gaps and recommend integrating LGBTQ+ content into a predoctoral dental curriculum. The Doctor of Dental Surgery program was mapped to identify LGBTQ+ specific content relevant to cultural competency. A focus group of ninefaculty members provided insights and recommendations, with data transcribed and analyzed for themes. Out of 121 courses, 28 included or had potential for LGBTQ+ content, with 16 already inclusive and 12 involving direct patient interaction. Integration varied, highest in the first year (28.6%) and lowest in the fourth year (5%). Focus group themes included the need for broader awareness and education about LGBTQ+ health, integrating topics into basic and behavioral science courses, and addressing practical clinical skills (e.g., using pronouns). Barriers included personal discomfort, lack of formal training, and potential conflicts with personal or religious beliefs. This study highlighted the need for increased faculty awareness and enhanced inclusion of LGBTQ+ content throughout the predoctoral dental curriculum to prepare future practitioners for culturally competent care.

Transforming Higher Education: Empowering Learning through Artificial Intelligence

In the era of Industry 4.0, global businesses and the education sector are increasingly embracing digital tools and AI to drive personalized learning and equity. As universities expand their global reach, AI-based tools are transforming higher education, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. This study focuses on faculty awareness and the impact of AI on work engagement among educators, aiming to uncover how AI shapes the future of education and fosters innovation in teaching practices.

Implementing open educational resources: Lessons learned

BackgroundOpen educational resources (OER) are associated with several positive outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students, both financially and academically. Financial benefits include a reduction in student debt and costs of attending college. Academic benefits include improved academic success, especially for students from populations historically underserved by higher education. PurposeThis article reviews strategies and lessons learned from an academic multi-campus school of nursing (SON) initiative on implementing OER. ApproachA team representing undergraduate and graduate nursing faculty, the library, and the Teaching and Learning Center set forth to improve faculty awareness of and interest in adopting OER and develop resource sites for disseminating information about OER. The team collaborated with partners within the university and with external academic partners to achieve our goals. OutcomesPresentations to SON faculty on OER identified faculty interested in adopting these resources. Two Masters of Nursing Education (MNE) students identified and shared resources; completed a student textbook survey; and, reported results and recommendations to SON faculty. A university resource site was created on OER. Further collaboration with university librarians to identify and implement OER for specific courses is ongoing. ConclusionsStudents identified cost as one barrier for pursuing higher education. Efforts to reduce cost through utilizing OER may eliminate this barrier, thus enhancing student enrollment and persistence in higher education. Adopting OER is a social justice action that has the potential to address educational inequities by allowing students to attend to their basic human needs such as housing and food.

The Intersection of Student Assessment and Faculty Learning

The primary aim of institutional learning outcomes assessment is the creation of a culture of assessment where faculty use evidence-based data to validate and improve teaching and learning for the benefit of students. Faculty are key to these processes and yet, they are often woefully disengaged from them. This paper presents findings from an action research project that utilized a collaborative self-study approach to engage faculty in the strategic assessment of institutional learning (SAIL). SAIL is an immersive professional development opportunity that bridged quality assurance with meaningful improvements in the classroom. Findings indicated that cross-disciplinary dialogue about assessment increased faculty awareness of the (mis)alignment between course, program, and institutional learning aims while also identifying and informing potential gaps in curriculum and program design. SAIL is an excellent mechanism to engage faculty in an immersive assessment of student achievement that may then lead to meaningful improvement in teaching and learning.

The Pandemic Classroom and Supportive Relationships: Antidote to Neoliberalism in Higher Education? 2023 Hans O. Mauksch Address for Distinguished Contributions to Undergraduate Teaching

Research reviewed here reinforces earlier findings about the importance to higher education students of having supportive faculty. A 2022 faculty survey at a public Midwestern university demonstrates faculty awareness of student struggles during the pandemic coupled with a changing, more flexible and caring pedagogy to address student needs. Qualitative interviews in 2023 with students in the “pandemic cohort” suggest a desire for classrooms and student-faculty relationships that are at odds with the bureaucratic model of impersonality, rules and regulations, specialization, and a hierarchy of authority. What may be emerging from the pandemic is a kind of antidote to neoliberalism with an other-regarding rather than individualistic focus and a desire for connection rather than competition. Recommendations, implied by these data, for building these classrooms and supportive relationships and a discussion of the downsides of the “new normal” are presented.

Evaluation of Internal Quality Assurance System in Defence Services Medical Academy: Moving Toward Quality Culture

The escalating number of higher education institutions globally has heightened the demand for credible education policies and quality assurance mechanisms. The establishment of organizations for quality assurance providers and accreditors has become widespread to meet this demand. The Myanmar Medical Council Accreditation Committee (MMCAC) was established in 2016 to ensure the quality and standard of medical practice in Myanmar. Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA), one of Myanmar’s medical universities, transitioned to an outcome-based integrated program in line with the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Basic Medical Education Standards. To evaluate the effectiveness of DSMA’s internal quality assurance system and its progression towards a quality culture, this study explores faculty perceptions and practices regarding the internal quality assurance process. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was adopted, comprising quantitative surveys followed by qualitative in-depth interviews. Pre- and post-test surveys were administered to DSMA faculty members before and after an IQA training workshop. The surveys assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the internal quality assurance system. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews with selected faculty members to delve deeper into their experiences and perceptions regarding the IQA process. Quantitative analysis revealed an improvement in faculty awareness and attitudes towards the IQA system post-training. However, challenges such as confusion about the functional place of the QA unit and concerns about disturbing academic freedom persisted. Qualitative findings highlighted varying levels of experience and awareness among faculty members, with unanimous recognition of the need to strengthen the IQA framework by adhering to international guidelines and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Faculty attitudes towards the IQA process varied, with some viewing it as an extra burden and others recognizing its necessity for document organization and quality control. Faculty involvement in the IQA process varied, with departmental leadership playing a crucial role in promoting participation. While progress has been made in raising awareness and improving attitudes towards the IQA system at DSMA, challenges remain, indicating the need for ongoing efforts in awareness-building and perception management. Structural improvements, regular training programs, and ongoing evaluation are essential to strengthening the IQA framework and fostering a quality culture at DSMA. The successful implementation of quality assurance program depends on teamwork amongst leadership, academics, and all stakeholders.

Secondary Agriculture: cognizance of faculty and students of University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Secondary Agriculture in recent days has alluring the concentration of all the stakeholders in Agriculture. Even though, word secondary agriculture looks familiar, the meaning of that word is vague. The present study was to analyse the awareness and attitude of Faculty and Students about secondary agriculture in university of Agricultural sciences, Bangalore during 2023-24. The structured questionaries’ was used to collect the primary data; ninety samples were considered for the study consisting of thirty faculty, thirty post graduate students and thirty undergraduate students. It was evident that more than half of the respondents possessed medium awareness (55.55 %) about secondary agriculture followed by low (28.88%) and high (15.55 %) awareness. But less number of respondents were had correct knowledge (20.00 %) regarding secondary agriculture. About 37.78 per cent of respondents belonged to high attitude category followed by medium (34.44 %) and low (27.78 %) attitude towards secondary agriculture. Attitude statement Secondary agriculture helps in employment generation across India ranked first with mean score of 4.23 and Rural industrialization helps in creating linkage between primary and secondary agriculture (Rank II = 4.12). The major constraints expressed in promoting secondary agriculture were Inconsistent supply of raw materials (Relative Importance Index = 0.853), Lack of farmer’s awareness regarding secondary agriculture and requires technical expertise (Relative Importance Index = 0.820). But according to findings of study, more than half of the respondents had awareness about secondary agriculture whereas only twenty per cent of the respondents possessed correct knowledge regarding secondary agriculture. In under graduation a course can be included for undergraduate students and HRD programmes can be acquainted to faculties of Agricultural sciences. In under graduation a course can be included for undergraduate students and HRD programmes can be acquainted to faculties of Agricultural sciences.

Statement of Partnership and Humility: A Structural Intervention to Improve Equity and Justice in Medical Education.

Due to generational exposure to the Black Lives Matter movement, other anti-bias social movements, and diverse peer advocacy groups, health professions students are often more knowledgeable than their teachers about ways in which systemic racism and bias have led to scientific inaccuracies that contribute to health inequities. However, traditional hierarchies and concerns about retaliation may limit educational communities from benefiting maximally from students' contributions. In spring 2021, faculty and students at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, designed a structural innovation to engage faculty and students in partnership toward decreasing bias in medical education. This article discusses development and implementation of a Statement of Partnership and Humility (SPH) disclosure slide on which faculty acknowledge consideration of potential teaching biases and invite student feedback. The initial primary goal of the SPH slide was to increase faculty awareness and engagement in anti-bias topics; however, the unexpected dividends of decreasing faculty anxiety about receiving student feedback and promoting student engagement have proven equally powerful in promoting a healthy, inclusive learning environment. Next steps include gathering qualitative and quantitative data to elicit both faculty and student perspectives on the use of the SPH slide, particularly with regard to psychological safety and openness to feedback.

Facilitating inclusive education: Assessing faculty awareness and attitudes towards students with special educational needs at Qatar university

IntroductionAn increasing number of students with special educational needs (SEN) are attending higher education institutions. Faculty members are key players in the implementation of inclusive policies, the success of which depends on their attitudes and awareness to help students with SEN. PurposeThe aim of this study was to assess faculty attitudes toward SEN students and awareness of the support provided by the university for SEN students. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of Qatar University (QU) faculty conducted via an online survey. Demographic data such as gender, years of experience, and academic discipline were collected and associated with previous exposure to SEN students and survey responses using SPSS. ResultsThree hundred and thirty-one QU faculty responded out of 1107 registered faculty in 2022, a 30 % response rate. About a third of respondents did not know about available support services for SEN students, and only half of those with awareness of the services attended. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, previous contact with SEN students had a significant effect on attitudes, such that faculty with no previous contact with SEN students (M = 1.47, SD = 0.62) had higher positive attitudes towards SEN students relative to faculty with previous contact with SEN students (M = 1.31, SD = 0.47). However, faculty with contact with SEN students were more likely to report awareness of the availability of workshops and were more likely to be aware of assistive technology compared to being unsure, while those with no previous contact with SEN students were more uncertain about the availability of workshops and assistive technology. ConclusionThe findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve faculty awareness of support services and attitudes towards students with SEN in higher education, highlighting the importance of professional development and training initiatives to promote inclusivity in the classroom. Faculty members need to be aware of existing support services for SEN students.

Traumatic Dental Injuries and their Association with Demographics and Other Predisposing Risk Factors in School Children Aged between 8-13 Years: A Descriptive, Cross-Sectional Study.

Traumatic dental injuries are most commonly seen in school age children. This not only affects physical, but, also, the psychological and social well-being of a child. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in school children aged between 8 and 13 years and their association with the demographics and other predisposing risk factors. The present study was conducted as a cross-sectional study design on 1500 school children aged between 8 and 13 years. Apart from clinical examination, all the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire related to the injuries sustained. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 (IBM, Chicago). Pearson's Chi-square (Χ²) test was used for categorical data analysis and distribution to determine the association between categorical variables, while P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in the present study was calculated at 9.7%. Also, the occurrence of such injuries was found to be higher in the age group of 8-11 years with 10 years being the peak age of incidence for sustaining such injuries. Again, crown fracture involving enamel was found to be the most common type of injury sustained, while proclination observed in relation to upper anterior teeth, and incompetent lips were found to be the independent, significant risk predictors associated with the frequency and severity of such injuries. The results obtained in the present study suggested a high prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in school children aged between 8 and 13 years highlighting the need for conducting educational programs, for increasing knowledge and awareness of parents, school children and school faculty in this regard to save the affected child patients from the more dreaded sequelae including complete loss of tooth structure, and social and emotional trauma.

The influence of educators' first impression of learners on nursing education in Jordan: Students' and faculties' perspectives

ObjectiveThis study investigated the impacts of first impressions on nursing education from the perspective of the educator and the student. MethodA qualitative descriptive approach design was adopted. The study included faculty members and nursing students who were in their second, third, or fourth years. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were performed for data collection. FindingsNineteen individual interviews were conducted with fifteen nursing students and four faculty members, and three focus groups were performed with nursing students. The data analysis revealed the following themes: (1) the effects of first impression, both positive and negative; (2) the consequences of these impressions, including their effects on student grades and stereotyping; and (3) exaggerators to first impression, wherein the same instructor teaches different classes. ConclusionThere is a need to raise the faculty's awareness about the influence of stereotyping and the impressions that they develop about their students and how it affects them.

단위학교 소방안전교육 인식도 분석 및 개선방안 연구

This study analyzed the perception of fire safety education methods, satisfaction, consciousness, and behavior as the risk of fire increases due to the high-rise nature, complexity, and undergroundization of new schools and the aging of older school buildings. Based on the analysis, this study proposes improvement measures such as effective fire safety education methods, support measures, and curriculum organization. Differences in perception and needs between faculty and staff were first analyzed based on data of selfawareness of fire safety education conducted for school faculty and staff in the Sejong City Office of Education. As a result, remote training was the highest in the fire safety education method, and satisfaction was in the order of teachers, administrative staff, and educational assistants. In addition, the degree of change in fire safety awareness of faculty and staff was found in the order of teachers, administrative staff, and educational assistants. The degree of change in fire safety behavior was also in the order of teachers, administrative staff, and educational assistants, and an overall low awareness was found. By analyzing these needs, the following improvement measures are suggested. First, fire safety education should be conducted based on practice and experience from the perspective of an activist curriculum to enhance the ability to respond to actual incidents involving fire safety. Second, by linking fire safety education with the seven areas of school safety education, self-directed response ability can be enhanced from the perspective of a constructivist curriculum. Third, a plan is proposed to design and operate a fire safety curriculum by specializing in fire safety education according to the role of faculty members such as teachers and administrative staff.

Artificial Intelligence Readiness Status of Medical Faculty Students

Objective: This research aims to examine the knowledge level and awareness of Faculty of Medicine students about medical artificial intelligence technologies.&#x0D; Methods: In this study involving students studying at Medical Faculties in Turkey, descriptive questionnaire, and the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale for Medical Students (MAIRS-MS) were used. The suitability of continuous variables for normal distribution was tested with the Shapiro-Wilk test. Descriptive statistics for continuous variables are presented as mean and standard deviation or median (Q1-Q3). Descriptive statistics for categorical variables are reported as frequencies and percentages. Homogeneity of variances was evaluated with the Levene test. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the scale subdimension and total scores according to two independent groups; One-way Analysis of Variance or Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare the scale subdimensions and total scores according to more than two independent groups. Dunn-Bonferroni test was used for multiple comparisons if there was a significant difference between the groups. The relationship between MAIRS-MS subdimensions and MAIRS-MS score was evaluated with the Spearman correlation coefficient. MAIRS-MS reliability was determined by Cronbach alpha value. The value of p

Educators’ understandings of digital classroom tools and datafication: perceptions from higher education faculty

Research has shown that critical data literacies development for educators is seldom a core component of most campus conversations about datafication, even as extractive, datafied systems become pervasive throughout the higher education sector. This article outlines findings from an international, qualitative, Comparative Case Study (CCS) of university professionals teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic. It overviews beliefs and barriers shaping educators’ responses to datafication and focuses specifically on their perceptions of faculty development opportunities related to digital classroom tools and to datafication more broadly. The article presents insights into how faculty understands higher education’s contemporary datafied infrastructure and highlights participants’ voices about faculty professional development and critical data literacies. Based on our findings, we recommend formal faculty development and broader professional learning conversations as a means of enhancing faculty awareness and agency within the higher education sector.

Latina/x Faculty Awareness of Culturally Responsive Curricula Needed at a US Hispanic-Serving Institution

Latina/x faculty underrepresentation constitutes a challenge at higher education institutions, as they become aware that a diversified student body requires better teaching approaches. Latina/x faculty participants are determined to diversify the curriculum and pedagogy that represents and reflects the diversity within the student body at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in the United States (U.S.). In doing so, Latina/x faculty are the critical piece that instills empowerment and leadership within their disciplines. This case study addresses the experiences of six Latina/x – five self-identified as women and one as a non-binary person – professors in different disciplines at an HSI at the southern U.S. border, who integrate culturally responsive curricula through values, attitudes, and beliefs. This curriculum approach makes the student learning process better situated in their personal, cultural, and social experiences. The findings reveal the necessity of innovating the curricula centered on social justice by integrating a wider variety of authors in course readings and activities. Also, implementing culturally connected and human-centered approaches in their courses was critical. The decolonization of the mainstream euro-centric patriarchal curriculum could be a step forward for HSIs to make more sense of their purpose and identity in better serving and informing students.

Faculty Awareness and Attitudes towards ChatGPT Integration in Higher Education

This study explores the awareness and utilization of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, among educators in university settings. It examines their perceptions of the benefits, ethical considerations, and how demographic factors influence their familiarity with these technologies. While faculty members are generally aware of ChatGPT, its use in teaching remains limited. Educators recognize its potential for customizing learning materials, providing feedback, and enhancing student engagement, but they express concerns about biases, academic integrity, and their own readiness to adopt AI tools. The findings indicate a correlation between familiarity with AI tools and factors such as age, educational attainment, ethical concerns, and prior AI training. These results highlight a growing interest in AI education, underscoring the importance of comprehensive training and ethical guidelines to support educators in the responsible integration of AI technologies. Statistical analyses, including descriptive measures and inferential tests like chi-square and ANOVA, were employed to discern these patterns and their significance. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the necessity for educational institutions to equip educators with the essential resources for the effective and responsible incorporation of AI into learning environments. Keywords: ChatGPT, AI-driven tools, education, faculty members, perceived benefits, ethical considerations

Awareness and Utilization of E-Resources to Support Academic and Research Activities

In the 21st century, the widespread adoption of ICT had a profound influence on every aspect of human life. The impact of modern technology has compelled libraries such as public, academic, research, and special to actively embrace the integration of new technologies for cost savings in operations and management of collections. In this era, Libraries are frequently using electronic resources to give teachers and students worldwide improved services for their research and educational activities. Basically, resources are electronic representations of information that are accessible through electronic systems and computer networks. Therefore, the current study needs to examine both students and faculty awareness and utilization towards E-resources. The quantitative research method was used, while using a closed-ended questionnaire. Moreover, for the collection of data a probability sampling method (random sampling method) was used. The data was examined using descriptive and inferential statistics to calculate frequencies and percentages and to discover correlations between variables. The findings revealed that the majority of the faculty demonstrated familiarity with E-resources, somehow, students’ familiarity level is low. Several obstacles were also highlighted in this study that prevent teachers and students from effectively using E-resources. Such obstacles included energy crises, slow speed of internet, and lack of trainings /orientations while accessing and utilizing E-resources. Based on the findings, it is recommended that improvements should be made in the provision of internet facilities, proper power supply and provide trainings in the institutions, to aware about the use of E-resources. This will encourage the utilization of E-resources in the institutions.

Artificial Intelligence in Education: Awareness, Readiness and Practice of Using Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Professional Activities by University Faculty

Daily artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being implemented deeper and deeper in all spheres of human life, including education. At the same time, the degree of integration of AI tools into the pedagogical process largely depends on the awareness, readiness and practice of using the entire AI arsenal by teachers in their professional activities. The purpose of this study is to identify the awareness of university faculty in the use of AI tools in teaching activities, as well as to determine the degree of their readiness and practice of using AI technology in the educational process. The survey participants were 426 teachers from 18 universities of the Russian Federation. The results of the survey showed that the integration of AI tools in education is currently at an early stage. In general, university faculty lack a systematic understanding of the organizational, teaching and learning potential of AI tools. Many educators have segmental knowledge, related to a greater extent directly to their professional activities in teaching specific disciplines, and are not able to create a complete picture of the possibilities of AI in education. At the same time, most university professors express a neutral attitude or readiness to use AI tools in teaching activities. The experience of practical application of AI tools in the pedagogical process is limited to a few cases of using specific technologies in teaching specific aspects of disciplines.

Investigating Bandura’s Processes of Observational Learning Implementations from EFL Faculty Perspective at Umm Al-Qura University English Language Centre

The present study attempts to investigate the implementations of Bandura’s processes of observational learning from an EFL faculty perspective at Umm Al-Qura University English Language Centre. As a prominent skill-learning theory in psychology and education, Bandura’s social learning theory introduced elemental cognitive stages known as observational learning processes that are necessary for acquiring any skill. Knowledge of these processes provides EFL/ESL teachers with theoretical principles to facilitate teaching and learning the complex skills of the English language. The study aims to identify the EFL faculty awareness level of Bandura’s observational learning processes and assess the extent to which their teaching practices endorse observational learning. Also, to examine the relationship between EFL faculty awareness and practices. The study participants consisted of (41) EFL faculty members during the academic year 2021-2022. The researchers developed a web-based survey to collect the information and used descriptive statistics for analysis. The findings revealed that the faculty members’ overall awareness and practices levels of Bandura’s observational learning are high. However, the results indicated the existence of a misconception regarding the concept of modeling and observation held by some of the faculty members. Also, results indicated a significant relationship at (0.05) level between EFL faculty awareness and practices suggesting the applicability of Bandura’s observational learning in the EFL context. The study provides substantial insights for EFL/ESL teachers and researchers regarding the importance of observational learning in teaching and developing language skills. The research concludes with the need for raising awareness procedures and suggestions for future research.