Faculty Members Research Articles

Preface

We are excited to present the proceedings of the National Conference on Nanomaterials – 2024 (NCN-2024), organized by the Department of Physics from July 11-12, 2024 at L.R.G. Government Arts College for Women, Tirupur. This event brought together a diverse group of experts, and we are immensely grateful to the authors, speakers, and reviewers who contributed their time and expertise to making this conference a reality. The research papers showcased in this proceeding cover a wide range of topics, including nanomaterial synthesis, characterization methods, nanoelectronics, nanocomposites, and applications in fields such as energy and healthcare. These contributions, collected from experts across the nation, highlight the rapid advancements in nanotechnology and its transformative potential. We would like to take a moment to honour and appreciate the contributions of our esteemed colleagues, whose dedication and passion have played a pivotal role in the success of this conference. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all faculty members, researchers, and collaborators who played a crucial role in this journey. Our sincere gratitude goes to SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board) and CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research), India, for their generous sponsorship, which made this conference possible. We are also deeply appreciative of our institution, L.R.G. Government Arts College for Women, Tirupur, for its steadfast support in organizing the event. The contributions from our sponsors and partners were crucial in providing the resources needed to deliver an impactful and enriching conference. List of National Advisory Committee and Organizing Committee are available in this Pdf.

The gendered effects of parenthood on career outcomes: Do family gaps explain gender differences along the science pipeline?

This study, based on data from 2225 faculty members at a Portuguese research-intensive university, investigates the combined impact of gender and parental status on academic rank and salary. Parenthood significantly influences women's concentration at lower tenure-track ranks, leading to wage gaps that disadvantage mothers. However, the impact of family status on women's career progression shows that while having young children initially hinders their transition to the tenure track, it does not significantly reduce their chances of earning tenure or reaching higher academic ranks. Lower wages for mothers result from slower academic grade advancement, not within-rank disparities, which poses barriers to progression. The study illuminates the interplay of gender and parenthood, shifting the focus from individual factors to gendered institutional processes shaping career trajectories, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the persistent gender gap in academia.

The challenges of diversity in nursing faculty recruitment: the case of Finland

Diversity considerations in hiring faculty in higher education have garnered significant attention globally in recent years. However, analyses of faculty recruitment dynamics outside the United States, particularly in schools and colleges of nursing, have been limited. This paper explores how concepts related to racism apply to recruitment in nursing education, focusing on the specific context of Finland. Despite the increased admission of foreign students to English-language nursing programs, potential biases against the recruitment of nurse educators from foreign backgrounds persist in Finland. Local data, anecdotes, and an analysis of the broader literature suggest that robust diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and guidelines are necessary to enhance the experiences of both instructors and students. Additionally, training and support mechanisms may be needed to enable nursing faculty members from foreign backgrounds to thrive and fully participate in shared governance within academic institutions. By examining the challenges and proposing strategies for increasing diversity in Finnish nursing education, this paper aims to contribute to the broader discourse on diversity in nursing as a profession.

درجة امتلاك أعضاء هيئة التدريس للمهارات التكنولوجية التربوية المعرفية وفق إطار (TPACK) من وجهة نظر أعضاء وطالبات كلية التربية في جامعة حائل

The study aimed to identify the degree of acquisition of faculty members’ technological, educational and content knowledge according to the framework (TPACK) at the College of Education at University of Hail. The study used the quantitative method, and the questionnaire was a survey to achieve its goal. The population of study were 84 faculty members and 326 students. The results of the study revealed that there is a high degree of faculty members’ (TPACK) from their point of view with a mean of (4.177). The results also showed that there was a correlation between the responses of the faculty members and the responses of the students for the faculty members’ (TPACK) seven components. The study included a number of recommendations and suggestions.

Switching Trends in Medical Education: Faculty Perception

Objective: To determine the level of awareness among faculty members of Sindh Medical College regarding switching trends in medical education from traditional to integrated modular system. Study Design: Qualitative study (Phenomenology). Place and Duration of Study: Sindh Medical College, Karachi Pakistan, from Nov 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: The perception of 32 faculty members working in Sindh Medical College regarding Integrated Modular System (IMS) was explored through interviews, where participants were asked 12 open-ended questions, responses were coded, and theme and subthemes were drawn. Results: Based on the participant’s view, an integrated modular curriculum offers a more comprehensive approach to teaching. The majority of faculty believed that if only horizontal mode of IMS is implemented, it will be more effective and helpful for students to acquire in-depth knowledge. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that IMS is a better option for medical education with the majority of faculty favoring horizontal IMS.

Exploring The Essence of Web-Based Interactive Learning to Enhance Higher Order Thinking Skills in Nursing Students: A Focus Group Study

This study aims to explore the essence of web-based interactive learning to enhance HOTS-analyzing, evaluating and creating in nursing students. This study implemented a qualitative research approach based on two focus group interviews on a sample of 20 resource participants including nursing students and faculty members from bachelor nursing program and information technology program at Universitas Advent Indonesia. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed for thematic contents using the standard to a consensus on thematic coding, the investigators finally convened to examine, classify, and arrange themes and categories. A thematic content analysis yielded three core themes: Gaps in Current Learning Methods, Potential Benefits of Web-Based Interactive Tools, Perceived Challenges. Categories were consented as variability in learning paces, engagement with teaching material, adaptability in learning approaches, feedback timeliness, interactive learning, resource and scalability limitations, enhanced flexibility, increased engagement through interactive features, personalized learning experiences, improved access to resources, support for collaborative learning, efficiency and scalability, technical issues, digital divide, reduced face-to-face interaction, equity and inclusivity, potential over-reliance on technology, privacy and security. This study highlights the multifaceted nature of the essence of web-based interactive learning to enhance higher order thinking nursing students. Implications are seen as valuable for enhancing higher order thinking skills to teaching, learning and academic support resources.

Cost management analysis of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): guide to the universities of medical sciences

BackgroundThe Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a crucial assessment tool for evaluating learners’ ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practical clinical situations. It is widely accepted by both students and educators, and the costs associated with conducting OSCE assessments vary depending on the field of study, how it is implemented, staffing needs, standardized patients, and duration of the examination. This study examines the expenses related to administering OSCEs in medical universities.MethodConducted from June to September 2023; this mixed-method study elucidated the cost intricacies of executing a two-day OSCE with 14 eight-minute stations for 100 nursing students. This process unfolds in two phases: a qualitative segment comprising text reviews and 45-minute in-depth interviews with faculty members and OSCE experts, leading to the development of a validated checklist, followed by a quantitative phase in which the tool was distributed to 25 faculty members and 5 specialists for completion.ResultThe examination costs were delineated into three primary components: time, human resources, equipment, consumables, and necessary supplies. In 2023, the total implementation cost of the OSCE for 100 students across 14 clinical stations was $1028.07, with an estimated per-learner cost of $37.50. Human resources incurred the highest expenditure ($1649.37); while supply costs were relatively lower ($1072.17). Educational infrastructure expenses were excluded because the study focused on the Nursing and Midwifery Faculty’s Clinical Skills Center.ConclusionVarious factors influence OSCE costs, including national production capabilities of medical supplies, institutional credibility, governance status, examination frequency, student demographics, assessor composition, station count, course content, and examinee volume. The insights derived from this comprehensive examination are significant as entry benchmarks for healthcare systems and higher-level academic evaluations. Understanding OSCE cost dynamics facilitates resource optimization and assessment strategy refinement, thereby improving medical education efficacy.

Exploring the factors affecting career progression in informal faculty mentoring sessions within mentor and mentee relationships: a qualitative study

BackgroundMentoring plays a pivotal role in mentees’ professional advancement. However, the factors that affect career progression in informal mentoring relationships, especially with respect to faculty members, have not been extensively explored. This study aimed to explore the factors that affect career progression in informal faculty mentorings within mentor and mentee relationships.MethodologyA Qualitative Exploratory Study was designed and conducted from May to October 2023. Faculty members with informal mentoring relationships were recruited through purposive sampling. Seven faculty mentors and eight faculty mentees from various institutions participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which were audio-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The transcripts were then analysed using NVivo Software and coded. Braun and Clark’s framework was used for the thematic analysis. The study adhered to the COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of the qualitative research process.ResultsA total of 76 codes emerged which were classified into six themes: (1) an ideal mentee, (2) an ideal mentor, (3) factors promoting the relationship, (4) the role of gender, (5) factors deteriorating the relationship, (6) overcoming barriers / trust-building strategies. Within each theme, mentor–mentee needs and behaviours were identified, which could lead to positive or deteriorating outcomes.ConclusionFactors affecting career progression in informal faculty mentoring sessions include mentees' positive mindset, internal motivation and clarity of vision, mentors' skills, reputation, and role modelling. Effective communication, trust, respect, and clear goals are also essential. Challenges, such as busy schedules, cross-gender mentoring, and societal biases, affect these relationships. Overcoming these barriers involves sharing experiences, psychosocial support, empathy, active listening, and feedback.

Psychological factors and retirement planning behavior among Chinese university faculty members: The mediating effects of retirement planning intention

ABSTRACT Informed retirement planning impacts the wellbeing of individuals and broader society. However, the current related literature contains a limited understanding of the challenges faced by Chinese university faculty members concerning retirement planning. This study developed a model that combines social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate the effect of attitude toward retirement planning, social group support, perceived financial knowledge, and future time perspective on retirement planning intention, as well as the mediating influence of retirement planning intention. Data collection was conducted from 514 faculty members of public universities in China through an online questionnaire survey. The findings indicated that perceived financial knowledge demonstrated the strongest positive influence on retirement planning intention, followed by future time perspective and social group support, with retirement planning intention as a mediator. This research offers implications for policymakers, retirement benefits consultants, and financial institution practitioners. It suggests that implementing financial education workshops and personalized planning services could promote retirement planning behavior.

Analysis of University Students Liberal Arts Curriculum Perception and Needs

This purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions and needs of students at University C regarding ‘liberal arts education’ and to draw implications for the reorganization and operation of the liberal arts curriculum. To this end, a survey was conducted on the perceptions and needs of the monitoring group of University C, and in-depth interviews and data analysis were conducted. A total of 91 students participated in the survey, responding to their perceptions of liberal arts education in general and their needs, and the researchers reviewed and analyzed 40 final reports submitted by the liberal arts education monitoring group. Five students, three from the humanities/social sciences and two from the natural sciences/ engineering, who were excellent members of the Liberal Arts Monitoring Group, were interviewed in-depth, focusing on information that could not be found in the survey and final reports nor could be confirmed through interviews. The analysis revealed the following perceptions and needs for liberal arts education.</br>First, students at College C perceived that liberal arts education was necessary overall, but tended to perceive it as less important than education involving their majors. Second, students perceived that the liberal arts curriculum at College C was below average in reflecting their needs. Third, while the survey showed a strong preference for lecture-style classes, the data analysis and in-depth interviews showed that the curriculum should be improved with more interactive teaching and learning methods. Fourth, students at University C felt burdened and fatigued by the relative evaluation method centered on memorization and written evaluation, and demanded a change to an evaluation system that focuses more on the meaning of learning.</br>Based on these findings, the university's dedicated organization for liberal arts education needs to make efforts to change the students' perceptions of the importance and value of liberal arts education and key information for academic guidance. In addition, efforts should be made to reflect student needs in the reorganization and operation of the liberal arts curriculum by establishing and operating student organizations such as student liberal arts curriculum committees and student liberal arts education monitoring groups, or even through competitions. In addition, the dedicated organization for liberal arts education should support liberal arts instructors and share teaching and learning methods that are more in line with liberal arts education through regular seminars for dedicated faculty members. Finally, it is necessary for educators to improve the evaluation system that focuses on students' learning activities in the student evaluation process, and to increase the satisfaction level of liberal arts courses through ‘clarity of evaluation criteria’ and ‘instructor feedback on grades’, and to improve instructors' awareness of student evaluations and to foster their evaluation expertise.

Barriers to Bedside Teaching: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Survey of Students and Faculty

Objective: To identify the barriers to bedside teaching among students and clinical faculty. Study Design: Cross sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Dec 2019 to Jun 2020. Methodology: The study participants included undergraduate students, postgraduate students and clinical faculty members. A self-designed questionnaire listing 25 common barriers to bedside teaching was distributed after pilot testing. Results: The total number of participants was 160, out of which 78(48.75%) were males, and 82(51.25%) were females. There were 40 respondents in each of the categories of consultants, postgraduate trainees and 80 in the undergraduate student category. Twenty consultants (50%) were from Medicine and Allied specialties, 10(25%) from Surgical and Allied specialties while 10(25%) did not mention their specialty. Majority of postgraduate trainees 33(82.5%) were from Medicine and Allied specialties. Significant difference (p-value=0.004) was revealed among students and faculty regarding barriers to bedside teaching. Bedside teaching was accorded more value by faculty (p-value=0.026). Faculty deemed ambiguity in curriculum as a more important barrier as compared to the students (p-value=0.037). Common barriers identified by students were inadequate time allocation (p-value<0.001), large student groups (p-value<0.001), performance pressure on faculty (p-value=0.004), lack of problem solving skill teaching (p-value=0.028) and insufficient feedback (p-value=0.044). Conclusion: Students as well as faculty value the role of bedside teaching in medical education but are cognizant of significant barriers in its execution. There are a number of common impediments that are narrated by both groups but students accord more importance to larger gro

The Impostor Phenomenon Among Female Faculty Members of Korean Four-Year Universities: Developing A Grounded Theory

The Impostor Phenomenon Among Female Faculty Members of Korean Four-Year Universities: Developing A Grounded Theory

Exploring the Link between ABO Blood Groups and Obesity among Young Adults

Objective: To explore the link between the ABO blood groups and obesity among young adults of Hyderabad district, Sind, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to January 2022, and included 582 randomly selected participants, including 301 males and 281 females, aged between 18 to 40 years, from various institutions of district Hyderabad, including students, faculty members, and employee of universities, colleges, hospitals. A simple random sampling technique was used for the collection of data. Before induction, verbal consent was taken from all the participants. Data was collected by a self-structured questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics. A brief history was taken relevant to the parameters of the study followed by measuring Body Mass Index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio. BMI was categorized with South Asian standards. Data collected through structured questionnaires and anthropometric parameters were analyzed by SPSS version 20.0. Results: In this study, the data of 582 participants were included out of 600 participants, as the remaining 18 could not provide complete data. The mean age in male participants was 27.83 ± 5.478 and in females was 22.27 ± 4.730. The average BMI in male participants was 25.81 ± 5.08 and in females was 24.00 ±4.90. Overall, 205 B blood group participants were found obese, which included 111 male participants and 94 female participants, followed by blood 197 group O participants, 130 A blood group participants, and 50 AB group individuals. In total, there were 536 Rh positives, and only 42 Rh negatives. Individuals with blood group B and Rh-positive status were identified at being greater risk of developing higher BMI, waist-hip ratio, and waist circumference. Conclusion: The evidence found in this study proved a positive association of the types of blood groups with BMI, waist-hip ratio, and waist circumference.

Using Artificial Intelligence tools to create a smart university to employ digital transformation in the sustainability of higher education development Applied study, White Nile University - Sudan, 2023

The study aimed to introduce artificial intelligence and design a smart technology educational environment that works to develop digital capabilities and smart digitization in universities by using artificial intelligence methods to achieve the maximum level of education according to different capabilities and skills, raise the value of higher education and improve the quality of education. The problem of the study lies in the presence of real challenges in The field of education, due to the lack of interest in developing innovative tools to meet the needs of society. The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach to define and analyze the conceptual framework for building a smart university that has all the elements of development and electronic renaissance. The study reached the most important results, including the impact of digital transformations on smart universities, and digital transformation achieves many goals. For students and faculty members, digital transformation helps faculty members cope with the increasing number of students, provides thousands of educational sites, and the most important recommendations of the study are preparing an integrated vision between the components of digital transformation and applying it to the smart university, providing the necessary insurance and security of information in the smart digital environment.

Limitations and Future Directions in Studying Organisational Justice in Academia: A Call for Longitudinal and Multivariate Approaches

This study delves into the complex dynamics of organizational justice within academic settings, acknowledging its significant role in shaping faculty perceptions and institutional effectiveness. Despite offering valuable insights, the study is constrained by its cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to infer causality. To address this limitation, future research should employ longitudinal designs, enabling the exploration of how perceptions of organisational justice evolve over time. Additionally, investigating other potential modifiers, such as organisational subcultures and individual differences, could provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding. Emphasizing these approaches will enhance the depth of knowledge regarding organisational justice, facilitating more effective strategies to foster fair and equitable academic environments. Through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis of data from 276 MBA faculty members, the research identifies leadership behavior, organisational policies and procedures, and interpersonal relationships as key antecedents of organisational justice. The study further explores how these antecedents, through organizational justice, affect job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and how academic rank moderates these relationships.

"Mission-Aligned Funds Flow": Effect on Clinical Departments.

Academic medical centers struggle with the high cost of care, reduced reimbursement, intense competition, and low profit margins. Many factors, including a high proportion of publicly insured patients, a model rewarding procedural specialties, and research and educational support burden, led to faculty salary inequities, physician disengagement, and difficulty recruiting. UC Davis Health implemented an aligned funds flow model in July 2021 to create a mission-aligned model in which all departments had financial margins to optimize recruitment, retention, research, and teaching. The 3-year experience (academic years 2021-2024) with this model at UC Davis Health was characterized by physician compensation, physician recruitment, and profit increases. Total collections for departments increased by 4% in the first year, 0.2% in the second year, and 11.3% in the third year of funds flow. Total productivity increased by 4.9% during the first year, 3.6% during the second year, and 8.4% during the third year. Salaries increased in all departmental categories in year 3. Productivity and collections per faculty member increased during the first year and were stable during the second and third years. Parity among procedural, primary care, and hospital-based service lines was improved because departmental revenue was agnostic to payer mix and hospital agreements were more formulaic. The hospital contribution to funds flow increased from $67 million in 2022 to $101 million in 2024. Regular communication and transparency are critical to ongoing trust and success with implementation of sustaining funds flow. The new model resulted in improved physician compensation and increased hiring. However, the implementation of funds flow had a negative fiscal effect on the academic medical center, and sustainability may require fine-tuning to balance affordability. The authors plan to convert outpatient primary care to productivity-based models and decrease time-limited support for new faculty from 2 years to 1 year.

Social Work Education Leadership

Social work education-specific leadership models are necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the profession’s role in addressing societal issues that impact individuals, families, and communities and promote feminist leadership within the profession and academy. A cross-sectional electronic survey design gathered information from faculty and staff members at accredited social work programs within the United States. Study participants included 88 full- and part-time faculty and staff. 50 of the 88 participants (57%) answered the open-ended question from which data for this study were analyzed and triangulated with responses to other questions. The data analysis process resulted in identification of three main themes: conceptualization of leadership, support for leadership, and barriers to leadership. Participants expressed the need for more thoughtful succession planning, leadership specific training, and support in removing barriers to leadership. Many of the problems raised could be addressed through systemic change in higher education, including the proposed model of social work education leadership praxis.

Enhancing nurse faculty resilience through self-leadership: guidelines for resource mobilization in dynamic academic environments.

The purpose of the study was to develop guidelines for the facilitation of self-leadership in nurse faculty. Of the 12 guidelines developed, this paper discusses the two related to resilience through self-leadership practices, namely: encouraging reliance on internal sources for self-preservation; and strengthening the positive self-image of nurse faculty through management and peer support. An exploratory, sequential mixed-methods design was used to guide the development of guidelines. Enhancing nurse faculty resilience can be achieved by promoting engagement in self-leadership activities. These activities contribute to faculty members' profound satisfaction, confidence in their knowledge, and overall competence. Resilience is enriched through practicing self-leadership in a supportive work environment and plays a crucial role in adapting to significant changes in the work environment. It has been identified as a key factor that facilitates the ability to persist against struggles and challenges in the workplace. The implementation of higher education reforms in South Africa has brought about increased workload, stress, and uncertainties to an already overwhelmed nurse faculty workforce, consisting of mainly female faculty. It is prudent that a supportive environment that empowers nurse faculty well-being and resilience be facilitated to ensure adaptation to a dynamic and competitive nursing education environment.

SIFT-ing Through Misinformation

Background: The COVID-19 infodemic revealed nurses are not immune from disseminating health misinformation. Furthermore, the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials require competency in social media literacy. Nurse educators need to prepare students to identify credible information online for safe and ethical practice. Problem: Vertical reading, a traditional evaluation strategy used in nursing education, is insufficient for identifying online health misinformation. Approach: A librarian and nursing faculty member developed an innovative reflection notebook assignment to teach lateral reading—a professional fact-checking technique—and facilitate critical self-reflection among RN-to-BSN students. Outcomes: Reflection notebook responses demonstrated that students use online information in various ways; online information habits require active, ongoing professional development; and lateral reading can promote a more compassionate approach to patient education. Conclusions: The reflection notebooks equip students with critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice safely and ethically while demonstrating some of the AACN Essentials requirements.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Fostering Job Engagement

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and job engagement among dental faculty members of Kerala, India, as well as to examine whether this relationship varied based on certain demographic variables and general particulars. Data was collected from 353 dental faculties (226 from Private colleges and 127 from Government colleges) using a validated questionnaire. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and job engagement, indicating that higher levels of emotional intelligence were associated with higher levels of job engagement. Furthermore, the relationship between emotional intelligence and job engagement was found to be moderated by the provision of the respondents for getting time bound cadre promotions. The study provides important insights into the factors that contribute to job engagement among dental faculties in Kerala, India, and highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Further research is needed to explore these findings in more detail and to address the limitations of the study.