Faculty Relationships Research Articles

Facilitation of Disorientating Events for the RPN to BScN Learner / Soutenir, par des occasions déconcertantes, les apprentissages de l’infirmière diplômée d’un programme collégial (RPN en Ontario) pour devenir infirmière bachelière (B.Sc.)

Jack Mezirow’s transformative learning theory provides a framework in which to explore learning experiences that facilitate the Registered Practical Nurses (RPN) who returns to school to upgrade their credentials to that of a Registered Nurse (RN). It is through self-exploration and critically reflection upon previous nursing knowledge that RPNs can begin to enhance their knowledge and transform their practice. Mezirow claims there are precursor steps that adult learners contemplate as they engage in the process of perspective transformation which is initiated by disorientating dilemmas. RPNs who return to school to upgrade their credentials to that of an RN need to critically reflect upon existing nursing knowledge to begin considering new ways of knowing as they transition to an RN. This article presents results from a mixed method study that examined the learning experiences of students in one RPN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program in Ontario. Through utilizing King’s learning activity survey and interviews, learning experiences that stimulated disorientating thoughts were identified. Seventy-seven RPN students completed the LAS and 31 students also took part in interviews. Specific learning activities that showed a higher chance of experiencing disorientating dilemmas were self and peer evaluation, written reflections, and scholarly writing. Faculty relationships also significantly influenced students’ comfort in exploring alternative ways of thinking. Courses that stimulated disorientating dilemmas were social determinants of health, and small group nursing courses that used case studies, and substantial collegial dialogue with RPN peers. Nursing faculty need to consider teaching learning modalities that stimulate disorientating dilemma to facilitate transformation in the RPN to BScN learner. Résumé La théorie de l’apprentissage transformationnel de Jack Mezirow constitue un cadre permettant d’explorer les expériences d’apprentissage qui facilitent le retour aux études des infirmières auxiliaires (IA), détentrices d’un diplôme collégial technique, désirant enrichir leur qualification par celui d’infirmières, dont l’exigence est le baccalauréat. C’est grâce à l’exploration de soi et à une réflexion critique sur ses connaissances infirmières préalables que les IA peuvent ainsi parfaire leurs connaissances et transformer leur pratique. Mezirow affirme qu’il y a des précurseurs à l’engagement des apprenants adultes dans le processus de modification de leur perspective, un processus déclenché par des dilemmes déconcertants. Les IA qui retournent aux études pour devenir infirmières ont besoin de réfléchir de façon critique aux connaissances acquises avant de commencer à envisager de nouveaux modes de connaissances lors de leur transition pour devenir infirmières. Cet article présente les résultats

The Importance of Feeling Cared for: Does a Student’s Perception of How Much a Professor Cares About Student Success Relate to Class Performance?

Research indicates that there are many key things a professor may do to contribute to the success of a college student. Teaching style, instructor enthusiasm for the subject, and knowledge of a professor all have impacts on the kind of experience a student has in the classroom. There is a strong body of research to pull from indicating effort on an instructor’s part to create a meaningful learning experience through classroom organization, encouraging active learning practices, and offering meaningful feedback are also contributing factors to student success. There has been a great amount of research dedicated to examining in- and out-of-class relationships between students and professors, and it is evident all of these things make a difference in the effort put into coursework, learning outcomes achieved, and success levels of students. This research attempts to further the existing body of research on student–faculty relationships by exploring the element of feeling cared for in a classroom. This research seeks to find a connection between a student’s perceptions of how much a professor cares about his or her success in a course and/or cares about that student in general and whether that perception relates to student effort and learning outcomes in a course.

Quantitative and Qualitative Factors Associated with Social Isolation Among Graduate and Professional Health Science Students

Objective. To determine the prevalence of social isolation and associated factors in graduate and professional health science students. Methods. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered via an online survey from graduate and professional students in the colleges of dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health at a Midwestern university. Questions assessed students' demographics, weekly activity hours, support systems, and financial concerns, and included the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Logistic regression was performed using the binary outcome of feeling socially isolated (yes/no) and examined program-related respondent comments using thematic analysis. Results. There were 427 survey respondents with 398 completing the full survey. Students answering the social isolation question (n=386) were included in the regression analysis. Nearly one-fifth (19.4%) of respondents indicated social isolation, with the highest percentage among nursing respondents (40.7%). Lacking a strong support, being a non-native English speaker, having caregiving responsibilities, and experiencing "lonely" items described in the UCLA Loneliness Scale were positively associated with social isolation. The ability to discuss feelings with friends in their professional program and experiencing "non-lonely" items were negatively associated with social isolation. Ninety-six comments revealed nine risk factor themes in four categories: individual (feeling different from peers, personality, employment), interpersonal (competition/exclusionary atmosphere, faculty relationship), organization (too busy with coursework, isolating program) and community (relocation reduces social support). Student-involvement in organizations (activities encouraging socialization) and community (support from outside the group) were protective factors. Conclusion. Understanding associated factors and designing strategies to reduce student social isolation may enhance the quality and well-being of future health professionals and scientists.

Using social network analysis to develop relational expertise for an instructional change initiative

BackgroundChange leaders (faculty, administrators, and/or external stakeholders) need to develop relational expertise, recognizing the perspectives of others, to enable emergent, systemic change. We describe how change leaders of a grant-funded instructional change initiative developed relational expertise by analyzing faculty relationships and social subgroups to identify who was involved in discussions about teaching and learning and what specific topics were discussed.ResultsFaculty discussions focused on daily classroom needs. Faculty who were in different departments or schools were mostly disconnected from each other, and faculty within these units often had subdivisions among them.ConclusionsFaculty lacked opportunities to discuss education, specifically, systems-level perspectives. The change leaders created organizational structures to catalyze communities, including an action research fellowship program, to support faculty in education discussions.

Supporting Preceptors and Strengthening Academic-Practice Partnerships: Preceptors’ Perceptions

Preceptors play a critical role in the education of nurse practitioner students. However, preceptors are in short supply. This descriptive study (n = 29) used an online survey to seek preceptors’ perceptions on motivators for precepting and how academic institutions can recruit and support preceptors and strengthen academic-practice partnerships. Resources for effective preceptor experiences included a better understanding of the curriculum, student learning objectives, contact with faculty, and formal preceptor training. Recruitment strategies focused on collaboration with practices and administrators. Access to free continuing education programs, faculty relationships, and adjunct faculty status were identified as top motivators to precept nurse practitioner students.

Faculty Perceptions of Community College Transfer Students: The Private University Experience

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study, using an ethnographic study design, examined small, private university faculty relationships, experiences, interactions, and perceptions of the community college transfer student. Sachs University faculty were interviewed to provide an insider view of the students’ relationships with faculty, as well as the faculty assessment of community college transfer students within the small private institutional context. The following findings emerged: (1) a balancing act: aligning faculty and student expectations; (2) students perceived by the faculty as complicated; (3) students not seeking faculty for help; (4) faculty and students being unaware of services and transfer processes. Each of the four themes pieced together developed an understanding of the faculty perception of community college transfer student experience, the faculty/student relationship, as well as barriers that exits between the students and the faculty that are described in detail in this paper.

Evaluating the Quality of Health Professions Learning Environments: Development and Validation of the Health Education Learning Environment Survey (HELES).

The learning environment can be broadly conceptualized as the physical, social, and psychological context in which learning and socialization takes place. While there is now an expectation that health professions education programs should monitor the quality of their learning environment, existing measures have been criticized for lacking a theoretical foundation and sufficient validity evidence. Guided by Moos's learning environment framework, this study developed and preliminarily validated a global measure of the learning environment. Three pilot tests, conducted on 1,040 undergraduate medical students, refined the measure into the 35-item Health Education Learning Environment Survey (HELES), which consists of six subscales: peer relationships, faculty relationships, work-life balance, clinical skills development, expectations, and educational setting and resources. A final validation study conducted on another sample of 347 medical students confirmed its factor structure and examined its reliability and relation of the HELES to the Medical School Learning Environment Survey (MSLES). Subscale reliabilities ranged from .78 to .89. The HELES correlated with the MSLES at .79. These results indicate that the HELES can provide a valid and reliable assessment of the learning environment of medical students and, as such, can be used to inform accreditation and program planning in health professions programs.

Factors That Affect Medical Students' Perception and Impression of a Plastic Surgery Program: The Role of Elective Rotations and Interviews.

Securing a residency training position in plastic surgery is highly competitive each year with a limited quota of positions and numerous qualified applicants. Although previous studies have highlighted the importance of residency programs and applicants seeking a "good fit," it remains poorly understood what influences a medical student's impression and desire to train at a certain program over others. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to identify which specific potentially modifiable factors during elective rotations and program interviews were most important to Canadian medical students when ranking plastic surgery programs. An electronic survey with 42 questions was administered to Canadian final year medical students who applied through the 2017 Canadian Residency Match Service to the plastic surgery training program at the University of Toronto. The survey consisted of 7-point Likert scale questions related to demographics, general factors affecting impression of a plastic surgery program, and specific factors related to the elective and interview experiences. Survey responses were collected anonymously for analysis. Twenty-three of 46 applicants completed the survey (50% response rate). The most important general factors affecting a medical student's impression and desire to train at a residency program were mentors at a specific program (weighted average, 6.39) and geographic location of a program (weighted average, 5.65). During elective rotations, the most important factors identified were overall impression of resident and staff collegiality (weighted average, 6.57), overall impression of resident happiness (weighted average, 6.52), and having a formal rotation-end debrief evaluation with the supervising staff (weighted average, 6.04). At program interviews, perceiving an atmosphere of collegiality (weighted average, 6.45) and opportunities to interact with residents and faculty at an organized social event (weighted average, 5.95) were considered of greatest importance. Current applicants to plastic surgery in Canada prioritize resident happiness, program collegiality, and meaningful faculty relationships, such as those with a mentor, when ranking residency programs. Although finding a mutually "good fit" between applicant and program will remain a major aim, these findings indicate the importance of certain tangible, potentially modifiable factors that affect how medical students ultimately perceive and rank plastic surgery programs.

Found my place: the importance of faculty relationships for seniors’ sense of belonging

ABSTRACTWhile previous literature documents the importance of sense of belonging for a positive educational experience, much of this research is focused on students early in their college careers and incorporates a single measure of sense of belonging. In contrast, the current study sought to explore whether senior students’ faculty-related engagement influences their sense of belonging, particularly their feelings of institutional acceptance as one aspect of sense of belonging. This study utilizes data from 8939 seniors in the 2014 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement to explore these relationships. Results suggest that increased student–faculty interaction, use of effective teaching practices, and participation in research with faculty have a positive impact on feelings of institutional acceptance for seniors. Furthermore, certain student demographics (first-generation, age, gender, race/ethnicity), college experiences (enrollment type, online learning, STEM major, college grades, living situation, Greek affiliation), and institutional characteristics (control type, minority-serving institution, selectivity, Carnegie type) also play a role in this aspect of belongingness. Institutions can use this information to increase programming and resources for improving student engagement with faculty.

The Power of a Mission: Transformations of a Department Culture through Social Constructionist Principles

This study analyzed the transformation of a departmental culture through a process of implementing a new mission statement. The revised departmental mission promoted positive practices and rituals that transformed faculty relationships and student learning. These positive and ethical practices were derived from social constructionist principles, which guided collaborative organizational communication behaviors consistent with the new departmental mission. The organizational culture that developed was intentionally tied to program planning and assessment. In this article we provide innovative practical and theoretically-driven implications for developing a transformative departmental culture, with relevance for high impact teaching and administrative practices, in the context of restructuring and institutional changes.

Satisfaction, Salaries, and Sustainability: Results of a National Survey of Pediatric Program Directors

ObjectiveDescribe the career and work environment of pediatric program directors (PDs) and associated factors, including salary disparities and long-term career plans. MethodsA national, anonymous, electronic survey was sent to all categorical residency PD members of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors. Surveys assessed PD demographics, characteristics of the residency program and PD positions (including salary), and measures of satisfaction. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze results. ResultsA total of 149 PDs (74%) responded. Significantly more men earned $250,000 or more annually (26.9% vs 6.1% of women), and gender remained a significant independent predictor of salary after controlling for age, academic rank, and subspecialty. Satisfaction was high for most measures, although 20% or more reported low satisfaction with pay (38.9%), administrative workload (32.1%), managing accreditation and expectations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (31.9%), resources (27.9%), work/life balance (24.1%), and being valued by administration (20.0%). Only 34.3% saw the PD position as an end goal, and 29.5% stated they would be in their current position in 5 years. Satisfaction with the PD career, with faculty relationships, with resident performance, and with administrative workload was associated with plans to remain. ConclusionsMost pediatric program directors did not view the position of PD as their long-term career goal, and many identified administrative duties and work/life balance as contributing to significant dissatisfaction. Without changes to address these issues, PD turnover may be high, with potential negative implications for the success of training programs.

First generation college students and non-first-generation college students: Perceptions of belonging

Background and objective: First generation college students (FGS), are emerging as an important demographic group for colleges and universities. Having a ‘sense of belonging’ or belonging is important to the success of all college students, especially for the retention of students who may be at risk of not completing their academic degree. The purpose of this study is to analyze differences between first generation and non-first-generation college students based on a mattering survey.Methods: Two hundred and thirty undergraduate students in one New England College participated in a study designed to uncover differences between FGS and non-first-generation college students based on responses to a mattering survey. The study utilized a questionnaire designed to capture students’ opinions on mattering. Open questions were included to inform and enrich the data.Results: First-generation student perceived a greater number of obstacles in their college experience than non-first-generation students. Obstacles to academic success for first generation students included lack of time to study due to work and family responsibilities, financial struggles, and unhelpful faculty relationships. Facilitators were helpful faculty and peer relationships. Lack of mental health support was cited as a barrier to both cohorts of students.Conclusions: Having a sense of belonging or mattering can help the student feel a connection to the college. This may aid the student in persisting towards graduation. Persistence toward graduation is important for all students including nursing students.

Relationships between public health faculty and decision makers at four governmental levels: a social network analysis

Background Relationships between academic faculty and decision makers have been documented as an important factor in the evidence-to-policy process. However, knowledge about the breadth, depth and dynamic quality of these relationships often remains unknown therefore rendering the potential for influence untapped, uncoordinated, redundant or inefficient. Methods We mapped the relationships between faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and decision makers at the city, state, federal and global levels. In 2016, 211 of 627 eligible full-time faculty participated in a sociometric survey. Common metrics for social network analysis were modified to provide reliable indicators of network characteristics. UCINet was used for network visualisation. ‘Highly connected’ individuals included: faculty with ≥5 contacts at any one government level; those appearing in the top 10% in total across all four levels; decision makers appearing in the top 2% of frequently mentioned people. Results Results revealed faculty relationships spanning >100 government departments, ~700 decision makers, and 45 country governments. The majority of respondents (72%) mentioned at least one decision maker; 49 faculty and 24 decision makers appeared as ‘highly connected’. While the School of Public Health (SPH) demonstrates a diversity of relationships within and across government agencies, there were also identifiable gaps. Conclusion This study provides further support for using Network Analysis to explore size, reach, diversity and density of relationships between academic faculty and decision makers, with network maps serving as a proxy for potential influence. Academic institutions and government agencies should nurture a variety of relationships in order to enhance engaged scholarship and further informed decision making.

A difference in priorities?

PurposeThis study aims to focus on survey reports of doctoral students’ experiences in the USA, providing a look at factors influencing “in the moment” decisions students make about persistence. Specifically, the authors investigate the reasons doctoral students consider leaving their programs, and how these reasons may differ for international and domestic students. The authors also examine international–domestic patterns by sex and by program of study.Design/methodology/approachAs part of a campus-wide doctoral program assessment, doctoral students and recent graduates at a large, public, Research I institution in the Midwest region of the USA are asked to complete a program satisfaction survey. Content analysis of open-ended survey responses is the basis of the analysis. Next, a code by committee approach is used whereby two members of the research team coded all open-ended responses and discussed discrepancies to reach consensus on all codes assigned, and to reduce individual biases. Each open-ended response is assigned at least one of 16 codes, with more than one code used as necessary.FindingsThe results suggest that, although both academic and social factors are important influences of doctoral departure in general, academic concerns – specifically, alignment with goals, career preparation and program structure – may be particularly important for international students, whereas social aspects – faculty relationships and program climate – may be more important for domestic US students.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers should consider conducting larger, multi-institutional studies in the USA, which would reflect a diversity of perspectives and experiences within the American context. Parallel studies of doctoral programs in other countries may be useful in identifying whether similar factors are found for international and domestic students attending those programs. Follow-up interviews could be used to further delve into and understand the emergent patterns from the surveys. The findings of such future studies have the power to inform programs and policies designed to increase the retention of both domestic and international doctoral students.Practical implicationsGiven that faculty/advising is one of the most important factors cited by both domestic and international students, our findings suggest that US faculty members may need to give more attention to nurturing supportive relationships with their advisees. Furthermore, American university administrators might consider changing tenure requirements and reward systems for professors to place more emphasis on cultivating positive relationships with advisees, publishing, presenting and writing grants with advisees, and providing high-quality mentoring for doctoral students. Doctoral-granting institutions should consider implementing regular program reviews that include surveys from doctoral students to help programs identify and meet their students’ needs.Originality/valueLikewise, while other research on international students’ doctoral experiences has been conducted, such as the relationship with their faculty advisor (Kim, 2007; Rice et al., 2009), single studies that focus on factors affecting the attrition of domestic versus that of international students’ remain limited. The purpose of this study is to address the following research questions: What factors contribute to doctoral students’ considerations of departure in the USA? How might these factors differ between domestic and international students? We seek to expand understandings of doctoral attrition by using larger-scale qualitative data to address limitations of existing studies that focus on the experiences of only a few students.

Professional Identity Development of International Counselor Education Doctoral Students

ABSTRACTThe current study examined perceptions of professional identity among international counselor education (CE) doctoral students. A Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) design was used to explore the experiences of 13 international CE doctoral students. All participants had a clear understanding of the emerging nature of their professional identities, cited the impact of engaging in professional development opportunities, and described the importance of faculty relationships to their professional identity development. Many participants also described how their values resonated with the CE field and perceived other support systems (e.g., peer, family, community) as important to their professional identities. Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Voices Carry: The Perceptions and Implications of the Faculty Climate Relationship

Over the last 20 years the length of tenure of those who serve as presidents of universities has diminished. Most higher education administrators serve in their positions less than 6 years and this frequent turnover rate affects those in secondary leadership roles significantly. With each new president and provost, trust must be established. This study is important because it seeks to understand the elements that ensure a healthy faculty relationship with administrators. A qualitative case study method will be utilized to interview 5 faculty members within one college within a university in the Northwest region of the United States. The question that will shape this study is: What are the things that build trust between faculty and administrators that create a healthy mutually respective academic environment? It is the goal of this project to identify the elements of a positive faculty climate. The study results will be helpful to administrators and faculty who have an interest in faculty-administrator relations.

The Examination of the Factors Influencing Faculty Climate at a Northwest Region University: A Case Study

The extent of tenure of higher education administrators may seem to be the topic of discussion at many universities in American society. The corporatized structure of universities across America has turned their institutions’ focus. This business-like approach has transformed university presidents into CEOs, threatening the integrity of key educational and research functions of faculty and staff. This redirection of instruction and reorienting of curriculum affects the climate on many campuses. This study is important because it seeks to understand the elements that ensure a healthy faculty relationship with administrators. A qualitative case study method was utilized to interview 5 faculty within one college within a university in the Northwest region of the United States. The question sought in this study is: What are the things that build trust between faculty and administrators that create a healthy collegial academic environment? It is the goal of this project to identify the elements of a positive faculty climate. The study results will be helpful to administrators and faculty who have an interest in faculty-administrator relations.

Relationship quality time: the validation of a relationship quality scale in higher education

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the overall quality of the interpersonal relationship students have with faculty and staff, that is, relationship quality (RQ). In relationship management research, RQ is paramount for the creation of bonds with customers, which in turn is necessary for the sustainability of organizations, that is, continuity and growth. In higher education, it is not only recent changes in funding of education that urge us to further investigate RQ, as students having relational bonds with their teachers and faculty/staff is important as well. These relationships are expected to positively influence students’ college experiences. Although educational literature addresses the importance of student–faculty relationships, little is known about students’ perceptions of the quality of their relationship with their program. The aim of this study was therefore to get a more in-depth understanding of the concept and measurement of RQ within a higher education context. To that end, an existing RQ scale was used measuring five dimensions: trust in honesty, trust in benevolence, satisfaction, affective commitment, and affective conflict. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on survey responses of 551 students from a Dutch university of applied sciences. Next to the CFA, a small-scale focus group discussion was held to validate the quantitative findings of students’ perceptions on RQ. The findings confirm that the RQ instrument is an adequate instrument to investigate RQ in a higher education context. Additional qualitative findings also suggest that students acknowledge the relevance of RQ and the need for having a good relationship with their faculty and staff.

Depression, anxiety and stress in dental students.

ObjectivesTo measure the occurrence and levels of depression, anxiety and stress in undergraduate dental students using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in November and December of 2014. A total of 289 dental students were invited to participate, and 277 responded, resulting in a response rate of 96%. The final sample included 247 participants. Eligible participants were surveyed via a self-reported questionnaire that included the validated DASS-21 scale as the assessment tool and questions about demographic characteristics and methods for managing stress. ResultsAbnormal levels of depression, anxiety and stress were identified in 55.9%, 66.8% and 54.7% of the study participants, respectively. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed multiple predictors: gender (for anxiety b=-3.589, p=.016 and stress b=-4.099, p=.008), satisfaction with faculty relationships (for depression b=-2.318, p=.007; anxiety b=-2.213, p=.004; and stress b=-2.854, p<.001), satisfaction with peer relationships (for depression b=-3.527, p<.001; anxiety b=-2.213, p=.004; and stress b=-2.854, p<.001), and dentistry as the first choice for field of study (for stress b=-2.648, p=.045). The standardized coefficients demonstrated the relationship and strength of the predictors for each subscale. To cope with stress, students engaged in various activities such as reading, watching television and seeking emotional support from others. ConclusionsThe high occurrence of depression, anxiety and stress among dental students highlights the importance of providing support programs and implementing preventive measures to help students, particularly those who are most susceptible to higher levels of these psychological conditions.

Benefiting from Bertram Kinzey's legacy

In 1991, when I rolled into Gainesville, FL, to begin doctoral studies at the University of Florida's Department of Architecture, I did not know who Bertram Kinzey was. I did not realize that he was actually the reason that I, and a first wave of doctoral students, could study architectural acoustics in the United States. I entered an academic environment that had a solid and broad foundation in architectural acoustics ~ scale models, instrumentation, custom acquisition software, room acoustic measurement and subjective survey databases and faculty relationships throughout the university. This platform was part of Bertram Kinzey's legacy. I will review how I, and many others, benefited from it during our studies at the University of Florida and since then in our careers.