Full-time Academics Research Articles

Mujeres que marcan precedentes en Ingeniería. Su experiencia en la carrera académica en una universidad de investigación en Chile

Estudio de caso desarrollado en la Escuela de Ingeniería de una universidad de investigación en Chile, que buscó comprender la experiencia de académicas de jornada completa en un contexto de creciente participación institucional, mediante entrevistas a académicas y directivos. A pesar de haber sobrepasado estereotipos que identifican ciencia y éxito profesional con lo masculino, experimentan otros que asocian a la mujer con el cuidado familiar. Se evidencia la importancia de redes de apoyo entre pares y la existencia de iniciativas institucionales aún con aspectos por mejorar. Así, la experiencia de estas académicas va marcando precedentes, siendo también un ejemplo para otras instituciones.

Part-time academics’ perception of their role and academic development: a case study from Indonesia

ABSTRACTEmploying part-time and casual academics is now a widely accepted practice in higher education globally. We explored the issue of the identity of part-time academics in Indonesian higher education through interviews with 14 part-time and 11 full-time academics. Both groups identified more strongly with their teaching roles than with other roles. However, they differed in their perceptions of opportunities to enact their chosen academic roles and of the kind of academic development they needed. The current standardised model of academic development needs to be rethought to offer more flexibility and to invite departments’ participation in the development of their academics.

To be a first-class department in a first-class university: perceived effects of a world-class initiative in two departments in a Taiwanese university

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to investigate and compare the impact of pursuing top university status on the management and academic practices of two departments in a top-ranked institution in Taiwan. Qualitative interviews, official policy documents, website resources and relevant documents were the main sources of empirical data. Interview data were collected from 10 interviewees, the department heads and four full-time academics in both departments. This study found that departments and academics were required to plan and work in accordance with the university’s overall development plan and the two departments played different roles in contributing to various aspects of the university managers’ idea of what a world-class university is. This should be understood within the unique and complex academic tribes of different subject fields and the deeply rooted dimensions of Chinese culture in Taiwan.

Contribution of Italian nursing professors to international Literature: 2000 - 2016 review

BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to assess Italian nurse academics’ scientific activity by exploring their publications in international journals. BackgroundThe scientific production of a discipline's academics is a requisite for the university accreditation process and for employment in academic positions. It can also be used as an indicator of the maturity and importance of a given discipline in a country. Italian nurse academics’ scientific production has not been analyzed recently. MethodQuantitative descriptive study on an observation period of 16 years, from 2000 to 2016. MethodsAll Italian full-time academics in the sector of General, Clinical, and Pediatric Nursing Sciences were identified, based on selection criteria. All their publications in indexed international journals were systematically collected between November 2016 and February 2017. FindingsTwenty-five Italian nurse academics were identified, and 450 of their publications met all our inclusion criteria, with a mean of 18 publications per author (range 0–88). There was a steady growth in the number of publications over time. Sixty-five percent of articles were published in nursing journals. Eighty-six percent of the publications were on nursing topics, the most popular being clinical issues (53.8%). Eighty percent of the publications were “applied research articles” and most of them adopted a quantitative approach with a descriptive study design. Hospitals and clinics were the most common settings studied, while patients and caregivers were the participants most often involved. Foreign coauthors contributed to 30% of the articles. DiscussionItalian nursing academics contribute adequately to scientific production in the nursing sector.

Negotiating the doctorate as an academic professional: identity work and sensemaking through authoethnographic methods

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on identity flux and related negotiations that occur for doctoral students who start PhD programmes whilst already in post as full-time academics. Theoretically, we develop the concept of the learned and the learning academic as end points within a continuum used to explore academic identity negotiations. Autoethnography is here employed as a tool for reflexive engagement to illustrate how the identity sensemaking process for those who find themselves suspended in the student-lecturer ‘limbo’ is fostered by the recognition and engagement with critical incidents. Our findings contribute to studies on academic identities and to research on teaching and learning at the doctoral level by shedding light on the experience of learning and identity negotiation for a particular set of students.

Homophily in co-autorship networks

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to measure the impact that homophily, structural characteristics of the networks, number of citations of the alters and their Hirsch score have on the number of citations of an ego. I have chosen co-authorship networks as a subject of research because they have a great influence on knowledge and on the diffusion of ideas. The studied populations are represented by full-time academics affiliated to sociology departments in Romania, Poland and Slovenia. Ego-network analysis was used as research design. The data was analyzed using linear hierarchical regression. For all three populations the average number of citations of the alter has a considerable positive impact on the number of citations of the ego. Conversely, the Hirsch score of the alter has a negative impact on the number of citations of the ego. The data analyzed in this article claims that the assumptions about the positive impact of alter citations, network size and the betweenness score on the number of the authors citations are supported empirically.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Practice Patterns Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

The purpose of this investigation is to assess the current clinical practices by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) in the United States regarding diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We implemented a cross-sectional survey of academic OMSs in the United States via an electronic survey. The survey included respondent demographic data, patient volumes, diagnostic methods, and management practices for children with JIA and TMJ involvement. The results of the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study respondents were composed of 52 surgeons. Most respondents were men (n=43, 87.8%), were aged 51 to 60years (n=20, 39.2%), were in full-time academics (n=42, 84%), had more than 20years of experience (n=26, 50%), and were seeing 1 to 5 patients with JIA per month (n=21, 46.7%). Most patients were aged 11 to 15years (n=22, 61.1%) and were managed with 1 to 2 systemic medications (n=30, 81.1%). All OMSs reported evaluating TMJ involvement by reviewing patient history, clinical examination, and imaging. The most commonly used imaging modality was panoramic radiographs (n=24, 63.2%) and magnetic resonance imaging (n=22, 57.9%). OMSs decided to inject intra-articular medication based on history and symptoms (n=36, 94.7%). Once in remission, patients were followed up at yearly (n=12, 36.4%) or 6-month (n=10, 30.3%) intervals. Our study shows that, in general, there is consensus among US OMSs regarding diagnosis of TMJ involvement in children with JIA. There is less concordance among the respondents regarding treatment. Currently, management of TMJ involvement in children with JIA is mostly based on expert opinions and retrospective studies. This study further highlights the need for randomized clinical trials and multi-institution collaboration to allow for evidence-based diagnosis and treatment.

Does the H Index Correlate With Academic Rank Among Full-Time Academic Craniofacial Surgeons?

To assess the relationship between the H index and the academic rank among full-time academic craniofacial surgeons. This was a cross-sectional study of full-time academic craniofacial surgeons. Data were compiled and analyzed at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital. The study sample included 127 full-time academic craniofacial surgeons. Overall, 89% were men, the mean number of years since completion of training was 16.2 ± 11.2 years. Most surgeons had a background in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Approximately 75% had completed formal fellowship training. The mean H index for the sample was 12.4 ± 9.9. The H index was strongly correlated with academic rank (rs = 0.62, p < 0.001). In a multiple linear regression model, adjusting for multiple confounders/effect modifiers, including number of years since training and total number of publications, the H index was significantly associated with academic rank (coefficient = 0.33, p = 0.04). Among full-time academic craniofacial surgeons, the H index is strongly correlated with the academic rank.

The Effect of Self-Citations on the Hirsch Index Among Full-Time Academic Hand Surgeons

To assess the magnitude of self-citation among a cohort of academic hand surgeons and estimate the effect of self-citation on the Hirsch index (h-index). Cross-sectional study. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Division of Hand Surgery. The study sample comprised 364 full-time academic hand surgeons. Study subjects had an average of 45 ± 73 publications. The mean total number of citations was 800 ± 1738, the median number of self-citations was 2.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0-14.8), and the average frequency of self-citation was 2.2% ± 3.7%. Older surgeons were slightly less likely to self-cite (coefficient = 0.07; p = 0.001). Furthermore, as the total number of publications increased, the frequency of self-citation increased (coefficient = 0.03; p < 0.001). The h-index increased because of self-citation in 57 surgeons (15.7%). After adjusting for American Society for Surgery of the Hand status and academic rank, increasing rates of self-citation were associated with an increase in the h-index. Surgeons with 7 or more self-citations were more likely to have their h-index influenced by self-citation. The rate of self-citation among full-time academic hand surgeons affiliated with fellowship programs is fairly low. For most of the surgeons, self-citation did not affect the h-index.

Why Do Women Choose to Enter Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

To determine why women choose to enter an academic career in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS). An online questionnaire was developed and e-mailed to female OMS surgeons to assess the reasons women choose to pursue an academic career, the perceived positive and negative features of academia for women, and proposed measures to increase the percentage of women choosing to specialize in OMS and pursue an academic career. Thirty-one female OMS surgeons completed the questionnaire; 1 additional participant accessed the survey but did not respond to any of the questions. There were 25 full-time academics and 6 part-time academics (≥50% time commitment). Of the responders, 72% were married, and of these, 72% were married before entering academics. Forty-seven percent of the women had children, all during their academic tenure. Among the full-time academicians with children, only 2 (7.7%) reported moderate difficulty finding the time for childbirth and maternity leave, whereas 3 of the 5 part-time academics with children reported moderate or significant difficulty with childbirth and maternity leave. Factors associated with choosing and enjoying an academic career are involvement in resident-student teaching (78%), followed by colleague camaraderie and collaboration (65.6%), research potential (50%), time flexibility, and not having to deal with excessive "business" practice issues (33%). The main reason for considering leaving an academic OMS career and/or among the least enjoyable aspects of being in academics was the potential for a higher income in private practice (56%). Less significant reasons for considering leaving an academic OMS career were a more flexible work schedule in the private sector and less institutional red tape (37.5%), as well as independence/being in control and more family time (22%). Engaging residents and students by female OMS surgeons, better mentorship from academic OMS surgeons, and increasing the number of women serving in leadership positions in organized OMS were identified as the most important measures to increase female involvement in academic OMS. This study shows that among the major motivating factors for choosing an academic career are involvement in resident-student teaching and colleague camaraderie and collaboration. Additional important factors for making this career choice are the research potential in academia, time flexibility, and not having to deal with excessive business practice issues. The reasons that deter women from entering OMS as a specialty and choosing a full-time academic OMS career are not significantly related to childbirth and family life. The main reason for potentially considering leaving an academic OMS career and/or among the least enjoyable aspects of being in academics is the potential for a higher income in private practice. Other reasons for potentially considering leaving an academic OMS career indicated by this study are independence/being in control and more family time, as well as the lack of institutional red tape. It appears that engaging female residents and students by female OMS surgeons, better mentorship by (both male and female) academic OMS surgeons, and increasing the number of female surgeons who can serve as role models may be beneficial in increasing the number of female OMS surgeons interested in an academic career.

Ethnographic research through a liberationist lens: Ethical reflections on fieldwork

The article deals with four research-related ethical questions that stem from the author's experiences in fieldwork. The author employs the liberationist tradition as a sounding board in her reflection. This tradition gives rise to the ethical questions that she deals with, among other influences, and also works as a lens through which she navigates the ethical dilemmas. She argues that such ethical reflection is timely because of the increasing interest in ethnographic methods in theology and theological ethics. The liberationist lens - which is consciously biased in its choice of socially marginalised people and groups as interlocutors and is geared towards just social transformation - offers a useful approach to interrogating fieldwork ethics, also for scholars operating outside of the field of (liberation) theology. Besides the key contribution of the article, that is, reflecting on the relevant ethical questions related to the research, the author suggests that a wider and more systematic usage of ethnographic tools could benefit the liberationist tradition, which indeed emphasises the importance of lived experience, at this point in time, when many of those writing in the liberationist tradition are full-time academics.

Getting noticed is half the battle.

The hiring game starts early. Well before a faculty position even opens, department members and administrators tend to observe the available pool of candidates and shortlist the ones they consider most promising. Savvy candidates work this preselection process to their advantage. Some ways of doing this are obvious: Be an excellent scholar. Publish well. Work hard. Communicate with the public and your peers. But a well-planned, long-range effort to ensure your visibility among those who have hiring responsibilities can be the deciding factor. Here's how it worked for me. I arrived at the University of Toronto in 1982 as a postdoctoral diploma candidate in clinical biochemistry. Coming from a rather poor country—Greece—was a disadvantage, so I did all I could to adapt to the new environment, fill in my knowledge gaps, and make a good impression with hard work and dedication. When I finished the diploma training in 1984, the chair of the department showed interest in finding a job for me. But I had to go back to Greece first to complete my medical degree. I finished it in 1986. ![Figure][1] “I made myself visible by participating in every research seminar.” ILLUSTRATION: ROBERT NEUBECKER When I returned to Toronto, I was hired as the director of research and development at a small biotechnology company spun off from the university; I also had an adjunct position in clinical biochemistry at the University of Toronto. I had no special training or experience in business management, but I found myself directing eight Ph.D. scientists, working together to develop a commercial product. Working at a company was not my first choice, but I gave it everything I had, and the work I did there laid a cornerstone for my future success. I learned to appreciate the difficulties associated with developing and commercializing a system, which we succeeded in doing toward the end of my time there. I learned how to manage people and how to keep them focused on a single task. I met with potential customers and investors and learned how to negotiate and promote products and ideas. The job was good and challenging, but it was not what I was aiming for in the long term. Meanwhile, a new chair had taken over in the department, and I set out to persuade him to hire me as an academic clinician-scientist. I worked 16 to 17 hours a day, not just to make progress on the technology but also to publish our results in high-impact journals. How did I manage it? My wife—also a Ph.D. scientist—worked far less than I did; she took on the bulk of the domestic responsibilities. Our children spent many Saturdays and some Sundays playing in the company lobby. We made lunch in the break room microwave. My colleagues and I managed to publish numerous papers, and I was invited repeatedly to present at national and international conferences. I was able to demonstrate, in the department's annual report, scientific productivity comparable in quantity and quality to the full-time academics in the department. I made sure these activities were noticed. I made myself visible by participating in every research seminar—not easy, considering the hour-long drive and how busy I was at the company. Each time I entered the lecture room, I made a point of passing in front of the department chair before sitting down. At the end of every seminar, I made sure to ask a carefully crafted question or two. After 18 months of this, the chair paid me an unexpected visit at the company and invited me to become his deputy in the department and at the teaching hospital. Ten years later, I succeeded him. Our daughter, by the way, is now a Ph.D. scientist working as a clinical chemist, and our son is in training to become an M.D.-Ph.D. neuropathologist. My wife is a senior scientist at a major teaching hospital. Making sure you are noticed can give you the edge you need over your silent competition. [1]: pending:yes

Diagnosis of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder by Developmental Pediatricians in Academic Centers: A DBPNet Study

ObjectiveTo describe the developmental-behavioral pediatricians (DBPs), patients, and clinical practices used in the diagnostic assessments of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within all 12 academic medical centers comprising Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Network (DBPNet). MethodsBetween December 2011 and June 2012, all DBPs who evaluated children with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders were asked to complete a diagnostic encounter survey form for up to 10 consecutive new cases that resulted in the diagnosis of ADHD or autism spectrum disorder. Fifty-two clinicians returned one or more forms for children diagnosed with ADHD (n = 211). ResultsDBPs were generally experienced full-time academics. Children were 76.3% male, 62.3% white, 24.5% African American, and 20.7% Hispanic. Mean child age was 8.0 + 3.1 years. DBPs reviewed parent ratings of behavior in 84.4% and teacher ratings in 69.2% of cases. They reviewed or completed at least one developmental assessment in 79.2% of cases: intelligence (60.2%), academic (57.8%), fine motor or visual motor (39.3%), speech/language (34.6%), or adaptive skills (28.9%). They made the diagnosis of coexisting conditions in 82.7% of cases, including learning disabilities (31.8%), speech/language disorders (31.8%), anxiety (14.2%), externalizing disorders (10.9%), and sleep disorders (9.5%). Among 146 children not medicated before the visit, stimulant medications were initiated in 15 children (10.2%). ConclusionsWithin DBPNet, DBPs were highly likely to complete comprehensive assessments of ADHD that went beyond the requirements of primary care practice guidelines. They typically identified coexisting developmental and learning conditions. They did not typically prescribe medication at the end of diagnostic encounters.

Current findings from research on structured abstracts: an update.

Ten years ago, I published a paper with virtually the same title as the one above in which I reviewed the findings of over thirty studies on structured abstracts 1. Here, I comment on developments in the research since that time and the use of structured abstracts over the last ten years. The phrase “structured abstracts” has now become commonplace, and there is now no real need to define what is meant by the term. Such abstracts typically contain subheadings and sections, such as “Background,” “Aim(s),” “Method(s),” “Results,” and “Conclusions.” Occasionally, there are more subheadings—such as “Sample” and “Limitations”—and occasionally there are fewer. Beller et al. provide useful descriptions of what might be included under each main heading 2. Structured abstracts were introduced in medical journals in the mid-1980s 1, 2, and since then, their growth has been phenomenal, and they can now be found in several science and social science journals as well as medical ones. Furthermore, conference abstracts are now often submitted, distributed, and published in a structured form. In my 2004 paper 1, I summarised the published findings as I found them at that time. I reported that, compared with traditional ones, structured abstracts: ▪ were longer, ▪ contained more information, ▪ were easier to read, ▪ were easier to search, ▪ facilitated peer review for conference submissions, and ▪ were generally welcomed by readers and authors. However, I went on to point out that there were limitations to the research carried out up to that time. The two most important of these were that many of the studies: ▪ used abstracts that were written or revised by the investigators to form structured and traditional versions (and could thus have an inherent bias), and ▪ employed undergraduates as judges of the clarity of traditional and structured abstracts (rather than full-time academics and researchers). Today, because so many more structured abstracts are available, it is now possible to make more refined comparisons. And this is what is done in this comment and opinion piece.

Learning to mark: exemplars, dialogue and participation in assessment communities

The problems of shifting from norm-referenced assessment to criterion-referenced assessment have been identified by several scholars in recent years. These important critiques touch on a number of areas, but neglect a key question about how assessors learn to accomplish what Shay calls a ‘socially situated interpretive act'. Research that does exist tends to focus on salaried, full-time academics. This overlooks the heterogeneity of the academic labour force in higher education and the substantial contribution made by contract (hourly-paid) lecturers, particularly in applied disciplines such as Business and Management. This study explores how nine newcomers to a UK Business School – including salaried and contract staff – attempt to understand local assessment practice. We use a situated learning lens to analyse their diary entries and interviews about their experiences of learning to mark. Drawing on scholars such as Sadler, we examine the suggestion that exemplars are important for newcomers coming to understand local assessment practice. We argue for the fundamental importance of dialogue about exemplars and other aspects of practice, both to develop inter-subject understandings of assessment ‘anchor points' and also to foster among newcomers (and especially contract lecturers) a greater sense of participating in, and being valued by, the local assessment community.

Total Quality Management Role in Organizational Change and Development - Case Study: Taif University

The study aimed to examine the TQM role in the organizational change and development of Taif University; to answer the following questions: What is TQM role in organizational change and development of Taif University? Are there any statistical significant differences due to the age, gender, degree, level of scientific experience, nature of work and programs? Therefore a questionnaire was designed and launched to collect the required data, once data was obtained, the statistical analysis process using SPSS program started to reach to the paper findings (The study population consisted of all full-time academics at Taif University (328). A random sample was selected of (159). The study showed the following results: the TQM role in organizational change and development of Taif University was highly significant due to the positive correlation between the TQM practicing organizational change and development, there were no statistical significant differences for age, gender, degree, level of scientific experience, nature of work and programs. Based on the study results, the researcher recommended to emphasis on increasing awareness in practicing TQM due to the significant impact on improving performance.

Casual Academic Staff in an Australian University: Marginalised and excluded

Over the past 25 years, the Australian workforce has become more casualised, with approximately one-quarter of the workforce in casual employment today. One of the highest users of casual employees is the higher education sector, where casual academics (referred to as sessionals in the Australian context) are estimated to account for 50% of the overall teaching load. The purpose of this article is to investigate the processes associated with the management of sessional academic staff. The study focuses on a single university, utilising a survey questionnaire and interviews with the sessional academics and their managers. The results depict a bifurcated system of maximum labour regulation for full-time academics alongside minimum regulation for sessional staff. The findings stress the urgency for improvement in both the employment conditions and management of sessional academic staff, both for their own benefit and the universities that employ them.

A faculty development strategy among academics to promote the scholarship of research

Background. Identifying strategies to promote the scholarship of research among health professionals is essential. The published evidence on which to ground this advice is weak. Aim. This paper presents an argument for using participatory action research as a powerful methodology for academic development strategies that focus on writing for publication, a key component of research capacity development. Method. Participatory action research was used and participants were all full-time academics in a department in a Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. Various strategies were adopted to promote the scholarship of research in this department, depending on the experience of the academic and at which stage they were in their academic careers. Results. Following the intervention strategies the participants were able to use the skills obtained in various activities relating to academia, and most of them were successful in publishing their work. Conclusion. It is evident that through the process of participatory action research, participants are able to identify their needs, design an action plan, implement the action plan and reflect on the progress made during the process. Creating a conducive environment with resource and human support assisted in creating an environment that promoted the scholarship of research.

Counsellors becoming counsellor educators: a New Zealand example

ABSTRACT The international literature on adjunct faculty in higher education, including professional education, does not yet cover counsellor education in particular, although many programmes rely on the teaching services of experienced practitioners in adjunct faculty positions. This article reports on a small, exploratory study conducted with adjunct faculty members appointed to one-year, full time fellowships in the counsellor education programme in which the authors are full time academics. The study identifies the mutual benefits of this practice, to the practitioners who teach as adjunct faculty and to the counsellor education programme. It also identifies areas that are problematic. In view both of the identified benefits and the difficulties experienced, the authors discuss their responsibilities as permanent academic staff to the practitioners who teach as adjunct faculty. The authors suggest that programmes benefit from the ethic of hospitality that adjunct faculty can offer and invite academic staff to bring (un)conditional hospitality to the collegial relationship in counsellor education.

New Year message from His Holiness

As discovered by intrepid researcher and archivist Dr Richard Hil. The Spiritual leader of Australia's 50,000 full-time and fractional full-time academics and 67,000 casuals, His Holiness, Professo...