Experienced Faculty Research Articles

A Phenomenological Study on the Positive Experiences of Chinese University Faculty in Doctoral Programs at Korean Graduate Schools

A Phenomenological Study on the Positive Experiences of Chinese University Faculty in Doctoral Programs at Korean Graduate Schools

Online and Face-to-Face Education Quality Evaluation in the repercussions of the "Covid-19" pandemic according to the point of view of the faculty of Education members at Kuwait University

This study targets the quality of online and face-to-face education in the repercussions of the (Covid-19) pandemic from the point of view of the faculty of Education members at Kuwait University. The descriptive analytical method was adopted. A total of 90 faculty members of Kuwait University were recruited. The results reveal that the quality of education was higher in face-to-face learning in comparison with online learning. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the online and face-to-face evaluation methods according to the perceptions of the faculty members. The study encapsulates recommendations to increase the number of courses to train the faculty members and enhance their skills related to online education, and to redesign the educational curricula and pedagogical strategies to achieve educational outcomes. The findings of the study are helpful to improvise the quality of online learning and teaching and learning experiences of faculty and students of Kuwait University.

Effect of Construction Management Instructors’ Degree and Industry Experience on Construction Management Graduate Job Readiness

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of faculty education and industry experience on the work readiness of Construction Management (CM) graduates within their first three years’ post-graduation. This research hypothesized that the educational background and industry experience of CM faculty significantly influence graduates’ preparedness for the construction industry. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study surveyed 465 full-time faculty members across 30 ACCE-accredited CM programs, evaluating their degrees and relevant industry experience. Recent graduates and industry leaders were surveyed to assess perceived readiness to work. The demographic findings revealed only 7% of faculty hold doctoral degrees in CM and 47% lack work experience in the field. The results also indicated that there is a linear relationship between programs with higher levels of industry experienced faculty and doctoral degrees in CM with enhanced career preparedness. The study proposes the Construction Faculty Qualifications (CFQ) Score, a metric combining academic and industry experience to evaluate and improve faculty qualifications comprehensively. The CFQ Score aims to drive accreditation requirements toward a more balanced combination of academic achievement and practical experience. This research underscores the necessity for CM-specific educational backgrounds and significant industry experience to enhance the quality and effectiveness of CM education.

Bringing back the core concepts of physiology in an advanced medical school senior elective.

Integrating physiology core concepts into the clinical years of medical education has been challenging despite efforts. This article describes a fourth-year medical school elective, Advanced Physiology in Critical Care Medicine, that focused on integrating physiology core concepts in a case-based learning approach. The elective used interdisciplinary faculty in a virtual forum. Senior students were asked to generate mechanism of disease (MOD) maps, highlight the physiology core concepts associated with paper cases of critically ill patients, and discuss with faculty the relevance of the underlying basic science. The weekly footprint consisted of a student-led session presenting MOD maps for three cases, which examined aspects of core physiology concepts, and, later in the same week, student presentation of order sets for the management of the cases. Students ended the 4-wk elective with a mini-grand rounds presentation on a topic of their choice incorporating the core concept paradigm. Student perception data and faculty reflections of the elective course are included. Student data and faculty observations suggest that students appreciate and can apply physiological core concepts to patient care. Faculty experience in the course suggests that this senior elective helped them better approach all preclinical teaching with the Core Concepts framework in mind.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article presents an innovative approach to integration of physiology core concepts with clinical management using cases of critically ill patients in an online senior elective for medical students. It uses a multidisciplinary faculty conducting a course primarily using case-based learning led by student presentations and discussions of concept maps and order sets.

Experiences of Disabled and Neurodivergent Faculty in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Internationally, disabled and neurodivergent faculty members’ experiences in higher education often differ from the experiences of neurotypical and nondisabled faculty. This literature review discusses key themes including the experiences of disabled faculty with inequity and stigma, and the various ways in which disabled and neurodivergent faculty respond to these barriers, including hiding, fighting, advocating, self-accommodating, and challenging norms. Further research is needed to bridge the gap between disabled and neurodivergent faculty members’ experiences and the changes that higher education institutions could make in order to improve inclusion of neurodivergent and disabled faculty.

Faculty consensus on competitiveness for the new competency-based emergency medicine standardized letter of evaluation.

Emergency medicine (EM) has introduced a new, competency-based standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE) template. While a previous version of the SLOE has been shown to promote a high degree of faculty consensus regarding competitiveness, this has not been shown for the new SLOE template. The objective was to evaluate faculty consensus on competitiveness for the new EM SLOE 2.0. Fifty mock SLOE 2.0 letters using the new template were drafted and sent to a group of experienced EM educators. The 50 letters were ranked by the experienced faculty as well as a point-based prediction model and a regression model and the results were compared. Faculty consensus on competitiveness remained strong when using the new SLOE 2.0 format. The points-based prediction model and regression model both demonstrated a high level of agreement with faculty consensus rankings for the SLOE 2.0. Introduction of the new, competency-based SLOE 2.0 format did not have a deleterious effect on faculty consensus rankings of competitiveness.

Preparing Early Education Leaders: An Analysis of UCEA Principal Preparation Programs

Purpose: Recently, a confluence of factors has focused elementary school leaders on early education. One factor is that nearly 60 percent of all public elementary schools in the U.S. today have a Pre-K program in the building. Yet, prior research reveals that leaders are often not prepared to effectively lead early education programs. This study assesses the current state of early education leadership preparation among UCEA-affiliated programs. Method: Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, our study draws on survey data from 232 principal preparation faculty members at UCEA-affiliated programs, follow-up interviews with 20 purposively sampled survey respondents, and content analysis of 113 program web pages. Findings: We found that preparation programs currently afford little attention to early education leadership coursework and content, despite faculty expressing it as an important goal. Only four percent of faculty from the survey reported that their program required a course focused on child development and/or early education—a finding corroborated by the website analysis. Last, our interviews reveal reasons for the limited engagement with early education leadership, including time constraints, limited faculty experience, and licensure and accreditation requirements. Implications: Policymakers aiming to improve early education leadership may revise principal certification requirements that could prompt revisions in principal preparation programs. Principal preparation programs, similarly, could revise their programming to intentionally expose principal candidates to key topics in early education leadership. A bi-directional and concerted reform effort is likely needed to meaningfully advance change in this area.

Experiences of Faculty in Nursing Colleges: A Descriptive Phenomenology Study

The future of patient care is being paved by nurse educators, who mentor, teach, and inspire the next generation of novice nurses. Without them, aspiring nurses wouldn't be prepared to handle the constantly shifting needs of the modern, dynamic healthcare system. Nursing faculty needs to be knowledgeable and competent in evidence-based practice, informatics, quality improvement, inter-professional teamwork, and patient-centred care that are delivered with a focus on a culture of safety. As nursing faculties perform multidimensional work with balancing their home environment can create chaos in their life. Hence this aspect lit a spark within us to conduct a qualitative study on Nursing facultiesof southern region of Tamilnadu to analyse their work experiences. Further the study was led by in-depth face to face interview by using semi structured questionnaires. The data saturation was attained with sixteen participants. Colaizzi’s method was incorporated to analyse the data from the nursing faculty. This qualitative study lead a hand for us to showcase various themes like daily routine, job satisfaction, work life balance, interpersonal relationship and difficulties and challenges. There were also various subthemes which gave us insight on work atmosphere of the staff. Hence this study gave us an in-depth knowledge and understanding of individual nursing faculty and improvement so that the work balance could be maintained.

Mentorship of Junior Surgical Faculty Across Academic Programs in Surgery

Because mentorship is critical for professional development and career advancement, it is essential to examine the status of mentorship and identify challenges that junior surgical faculty (assistant and associate professors) face obtaining effective mentorship. To evaluate the mentorship experience for junior surgical faculty and highlight areas for improvement. This qualitative study was an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study including an anonymous survey on mentorship followed by semistructured interviews to expand on survey findings. Junior surgical faculty from 18 US academic surgery programs were included in the anonymous survey and interviews. Survey responses between "formal" (assigned by the department) vs "informal" (sought out by the faculty) mentors and male vs female junior faculty were compared using χ2 tests. Interview responses were analyzed for themes until thematic saturation was achieved. Survey responses were collected from November 2022 to August 2023, and interviews conducted from July to December 2023. Mentorship from formal and/or informal mentors. Survey gauged the availability and satisfaction with formal and informal mentorship; interviews assessed broad themes regarding mentorship. Of 825 survey recipients, 333 (40.4%) responded; 155 (51.7%) were male and 134 (44.6%) female. Nearly all respondents (319 [95.8%]) agreed or strongly agreed that mentorship is important to their surgical career, especially for professional networking (309 respondents [92.8%]), career advancement (301 [90.4%]), and research (294 [88.3%]). However, only 58 respondents (18.3%) had a formal mentor. More female than male faculty had informal mentors (123 [91.8%] vs 123 [79.4%]; P = .003). Overall satisfaction was higher with informal mentorship than formal mentorship (221 [85.0%] vs 40 [69.0%]; P = .01). Most male and female faculty reported no preferences in gender or race and ethnicity for their mentors. When asked if they had good mentor options if they wanted to change mentors, 141 (47.8%) responded no. From the interviews (n = 20), 6 themes were identified, including absence of mentorship infrastructure, preferred mentor characteristics, and optimizing mentorship. Academic junior surgical faculty agree mentorship is vital to their careers. However, this study found that few had formal mentors and almost half need more satisfactory options if they want to change mentors. Academic surgical programs should adopt a framework for facilitating mentorship and optimize mentor-mentee relationships through alignment of mentor-mentee goals and needs.

Mentors and sponsors: Making a difference for racially and culturally minoritised academics in Australian universities

AbstractMentorship and sponsorships play a significant role in faculty experiences, career trajectories, well‐being and academic success in higher education. In this study, 23 racially and culturally minoritised (RACM) academics were interviewed about their experiences working in Australian universities, and all spoke about the key importance of their mentoring experiences. Mentorship was understood as both enabling and constricting, with unspoken rules of conduct and an embedded hierarchical relationship that could perpetuate the exclusion of both marginalised scholars and scholarship. In this paper, the theory of practice architectures, part of a wider ‘practice turn’ within education and the social sciences, was used to conceptualise the qualitative analysis of how mentoring arrangements are experienced by RACM academics in Australian universities. Here, we view academic mentoring as a social architectural practice whose power is articulated in discursive, material‐economic and social‐political arrangements and enacted through language (sayings), actions (doings) and relationships (relatings). This study offers insight not only into the structural and experiential landscape of mentoring for RACM academics but also provides an opportunity to envision pathways for its transformation.

Developing and Implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum Self-reflection Process at a School of Public Health.

We critically reviewed the motivations, processes, and implementation methods underlying a faculty-driven diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) curriculum self-reflection project in the Rutgers School of Public Health. This case study offers guidance on a curriculum self-reflection tool that was developed through the school's Curriculum Committee to promote DEI throughout the school's curricula. We review the key steps in this process and the unique aspects of developing and implementing such evaluations within higher education. The study draws on faculty experience, was informed by students and staff within the Curriculum Committee, and builds on existing knowledge and tools. A flexible 6-step framework-including guiding principles and strategic approaches to planning, developing, and implementing a DEI curriculum self-assessment-is provided to assist instructors, curriculum committees, DEI groups, and academic leaders at schools of public health interested in refining their courses and curricula. Academic units experience contextual challenges, and while each is at a different stage in curriculum reform, our findings provide lessons about integrating the assessment of DEI in school curriculum in a systematic and iterative way. Our approach can be applied to diverse academic settings, including those experiencing similar implementation challenges.

Enhancing university-industry collaboration in the United Arab Emirates

This study examines the nature of University-Industry collaborations (UI collaboration) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and proposes policy recommendations to enhance the collaboration process. Despite the importance of UI collaborations for nations to improve education, foster economic growth, and innovation, there is limited research on UI collaboration development and management in the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The study uses qualitative research methods to explore the perspectives and experiences of university faculty and industry practitioners involved in UI collaborations. The findings identify drivers of effective collaborations, such as institutional policies, funding opportunities, and research interests, as well as barriers including organizational culture, limited development of collaboration culture, and trust issues. To improve outcomes, institutions must change mindsets, seek partnerships, and prioritise relationship-building based on trust and the exchange of ideas.

Optimizing Biopsy Training Experience for Trainees and Faculty: Utilizing 5S Methodology with A Focus On Safety

This manuscript explores the application of the 5S methodology in optimizing workplace safety and efficiency within the context of biopsy training equipment. Drawing from a Quality Improvement Report presented at the 2023 RSNA annual meeting, our manuscript focuses on implementing 5S principles with a dedicated emphasis on safety (the 6th S). We demonstrate how the systematic application of 5S principles can revolutionize the functionality of biopsy training equipment, mitigate safety risks, and enhance overall workplace productivity. This manuscript offers valuable insights and practical strategies for improving healthcare training environments, with broader implications for quality improvement initiatives in the healthcare sector.

Navigating Cross-Cultural Challenges: A Phenomenological Study on Strategies for International Faculty in Higher Education to Support Local Students

Dealing with local challenges and providing effective support for students as an international faculty member can be both challenging and rewarding. This phenomenological study delved into the intricate dynamics of cross-cultural encounters within higher education settings, focusing on the experiences of international faculty in supporting local students. Using semi-structured focus group meetings, the researchers explored how their lived experiences as full‐time international faculty working in institutions of higher learning in the United States could be applied in providing support for students. This process required intricate navigation to acquire some level of cultural understanding of the local culture and traditions and build relationships with native faculty, staff, and students. The study was based on firsthand experiences of how the authors, international scholars from various parts of the world, navigated through these hurdles to become effective educators. The researchers constructed generalizations, noting that the institutions whose policies include embracing cultural diversity, fostering inclusivity, and providing targeted support are better positioned to enable their international faculty members to address local challenges and empower students to succeed effectively.

Seeking inclusion while navigating exclusion: Theorizing the experiences of disabled nursing faculty in academe.

Despite repeated calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion in nursing education and the significance of disability for the vocation of nursing, the voices and experiences of nursing faculty with disabilities are largely absent from our literature. In this paper, we present a critical grounded theory of the experiences of disabled nursing faculty in academe to begin to amend this gap. Using critical disability studies as a sensitizing framework and building on prior work on racism and other systems of oppression in nursing, we theorize that nursing academe is a normalized space produced by White, able-mindbodied, and cis-heteropatriarchal discourses that regulate the boundaries of inclusion via exclusionary social norms. Further, we describe the operations of normalcy in nursing academe, discuss implications for education and health care, and consider avenues for change.

Jacks of all Hats: Role Complexity, Ambiguity, and the Experiences of Short-Term Study Abroad Faculty

Jacks of all Hats: Role Complexity, Ambiguity, and the Experiences of Short-Term Study Abroad Faculty

What Are the Experiences of Patient & Family Faculty Participating in a Patient and Family Engaged Care Interprofessional Education Experience?

Abstract Date Presented 03/21/24 This phenomenological study looked at the experiences of patient and family faculty participating in patient and family engaged care interprofessional education. The benefits of including patient and family faculty in OT education are discussed. Primary Author and Speaker: Elise M Bloch Additional Authors and Speakers: Anna Denslow, Jennifer Hanson, Nancy Le, Priya Patel, Mallory Gruender, Mackenzie Zinkil, Taylor Martin

Mentoring Experiences of New Nontenured Faculty in Undergraduate Nursing: A Qualitative Study.

Mentoring is crucial for professional development and retention of newly hired nurse faculty, yet little is known about the actual mentoring experiences of clinical nurses in their first few years following transition into academic teaching. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 23 full-time nontenure-track faculty from 10 higher education institutions in seven states in the United States. All of the faculty were in the first 3 years of teaching in 4-year undergraduate nursing programs. Five themes emerged: (1) chaotic work environments characterized by unpredictable workloads, absence of reliable support, and inconsistent access to information; (2) a de facto do-it-yourself system in which nurses pieced together their own support; (3) reliance on personal social networks; (4) yearning for real mentorship; and (5) future plans about staying in the role. A gap exists between widely touted recommendations about mentoring and the reality of mentoring for newly hired nontenure-track faculty. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(8):525-532.].

Let's Take a Look at the Tape: The Impact of ERAS Video Prompts on Interview Offerings for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicants: A Prospective Observational Study.

Matching into an orthopaedic surgery residency consistently reinforces a competitive landscape, challenging the applicants and programs. A group of orthopaedic surgery residency programs implemented video prompts asking applicants to respond to a standardized question by video recording. Assessing the impact of this video on the decision to offer an interview can help guide programs and applicants through the interview process. Twenty residency applications to one institution requiring video prompts were randomly selected and deidentified. Thirteen experienced faculty from various orthopaedic surgery programs served as applicant reviewers. The reviewers evaluated the electronic residency application service (ERAS) application and determined whether they would grant the applicant an interview ("no," "maybe," or "yes") before and after watching the video prompt. The reviewer also scored the impact of the applicant's dress, facial presentation, and video background distractions on their evaluation of the video. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted using a group of applicants where interview status was not impacted by the video compared with the group of applicants where the interview status changed after video review. An alpha value of 0.05 was used to define significance. The video prompt impacted the decision to offer an interview 29.3% of the time; 15.8% were switched from "yes" or "maybe" to "no" and 13.5% were switched from "no" or "maybe" to "yes." For the positively impacted applicants, facial presentation score was significantly higher ( P = 0.005). No recorded variables were associated with decreased chance of interview. Video prompts impacted the decision to offer interviews to orthopaedic surgery applicants approximately one-third of the time, with a similar number of applicants being positively and negatively impacted. Facial presentation score was associated with increased chance of interview, and no variables were associated with decreased chance of interview. Thus, the answer to the videos presumably negatively impacted applicants.

“I don’t believe that I have been wanted”: Processes of Overinclusion and Exclusion in Racialized and Gendered Organizations

Abstract Many studies document that faculty of color, and particularly women of color, find the academy unwelcoming. Yet research that centers intersectional understanding of the mechanisms leading to these inequalities is underdeveloped. We identify three context-dependent mechanisms of racial and gender disadvantage among faculty: active exclusion, overinclusion, and passive exclusion. Taking an explicitly intersectional approach that builds on relational inequality theory, our study focuses on 32 faculty of color, including 18 women and 14 men, comparing their experiences to 30 same-rank white departmental colleagues. Comparing the experiences of faculty who share the same rank and department but differ by race and gender provides a deeper understanding of how race and gender inequalities intersect and are shaped by organizational processes. Active exclusion involves the devaluation of BIPOC faculty’s research, as well the barring of access to resources and positions. Overinclusion is characterized by the overreliance of the university on the labor of faculty of color, particularly women of color, without appropriate compensation. Finally, we conceptualize a more passive kind of exclusion, where BIPOC faculty are left out of collaborations, mentoring, and decision-making relative to white colleagues. Moving beyond rhetoric to disrupting racism in the academy requires addressing overinclusion, and both active and passive forms of exclusion.