Staff In Higher Education Research Articles

Academicians in Turkey: An Evaluation of Current Status of Academic Staff in Higher Education

The history of Turkish higher education dates back to Turkish nations of 1000 years ago. The beginning of higher education institutions are accepted as madrasahs that continue its existence during the Ottoman period. After the foundation of the Turkish republic, rapid changes and developments have been observed in the higher education like in all fields. Since this period of time, Turkish higher education institutions have been grouped in two categories, which are universities producing information-knowledge and vocational schools training people oriented with employment. Considering the both types of these institutions, the aim of Turkish higher education system is to sustain manpower considering the needs of the nation and the public; provide education and training facilities based on the secondary education; maintain the quality and quantity of scientific researches under the control of universities. In this context, the purpose of this study is to present the certain dimensions of Turkish higher education system, which are academicianship, current facts related to academicianship, the stages in academic career, achievements in academy and the status of women academicians in Turkey. Related documents have been analyzed and the current status of Turkish higher education system has been discussed by concluding the results.

Engaging With Liminalities and Combating Toxicity

The nascent compassionate turn in education demonstrates the importance of contesting market-driven narratives of Higher Education. A key way to position compassion at the centre of Higher Education is through academic development. Compassion is particularly relevant to the training needs of PhD students who teach; they inhabit a liminal position, as both students and teachers. This is one of many stressors and difficulties they are likely to encounter whilst developing their professional identities, and so they are likely to benefit from a focus on both self-compassion and compassion for their own students. This case study describes a new course for doctoral candidates, ‘Establishing a Teaching Persona’, at a UK university; the training focuses on both compassion and identity to better prepare PhD students for teaching in Higher Education. In doing so, it also offers a consideration of the utility of compassion and identity exploration in academic development for all teaching staff in Higher Education.

ПРЕКАРИАТИЗАЦИЯ НАУЧНЫХ СОТРУДНИКОВ И ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКИХ РАБОТНИКОВ ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ: ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ АКАДЕМИЧЕСКОГО ПРЕКАРИАТА

The article is devoted to the study of the specificity of making scientific and teaching staff in higher education a part of the precariat. It is shown that the reason for the precarization of the representatives of this social and professional group is the transfer of the principles of private business conducting to the public sector. Transformations, taking place in the system of higher education, in aggregate, lead to the inclusion of two social groups in the precariat: young educated individuals and academic workers. Particular attention is paid to the empirical study of the academic precariat formation by the example of the staff of higher education establishments in Tomsk.

Higher education staff and Brexit. Is the UK losing the youngest and brightest from other EU countries?

Since the Brexit referendum in 2016, and the formal act of triggering article 50 by Theresa May’s cabinet in 2017, the UK has entered a period of negotiations, the outcome of which, and also the terms of the post-exiting phase, are still uncertain. In this period of uncertainty, the mobility of people is one of the main issues at stake. The topic is important for the higher education sector where the percentage of (other) European Union staff in UK universities has grown at an impressive rate in recent years before the Brexit referendum. This paper draws from official Higher Education Statistic Agency (HESA) data to investigate if there is any inversion of this trend in the British system, arguing that some ‘Brexodus’ of academic staff - meaning a decrease in the percentage of other EU nationals - has already started for some academics, namely the youngest and the brightest.

Balancing privacy and openness, using a lens of contextual integrity

This paper describes a qualitative, empirical research study which explored the use of open educational practices (OEP) by academic staff in higher education, focusing particularly on the findings in relation to balancing privacy and openness. The study explored meaning-making and decision-making by university educators regarding whether, why, and how they used OEP. Open educational practices have been defined as “practices which support the (re)use and production of OER through institutional policies, promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co-producers on their lifelong learning paths” (Ehlers, 2011, p. 4). The purpose of this study was to understand how university educators conceive of, make sense of, and make use of OEP, and to try to learn more about, and from, the practices and values of educators from across a broad continuum of ‘closed’ to open practices. The study was conducted at one Irish university using constructivist grounded theory methodology; semi-structured interviews were carried out with educators across multiple disciplines. Balancing privacy and openness emerged as a key concern of academic staff in relation to their digital and networked practices. This balancing act was described by participants, overwhelmingly, as an individual decision and an ongoing challenge: “you’re negotiating all the time.” A model was developed to illustrate how individuals seek to balance privacy and openness at four levels: macro (global level), meso (community/network level), micro (individual level), and nano (interaction level). The main finding of the study was that openness is always complex, personal, contextual, and continually negotiated. These empirical results reinforce the utility of Nissenbaum’s (2004, 2010) framework of contextual integrity in constructing a full understanding of meaning-making and decision-making with regard to open practices, and thus can contribute to effective support of academic staff in relation to open education and networked learning.

Recruiting, Training, and Co-creation with PGR student reviewers on an academic journal

Compass has, like most other academic journals, traditionally reflected the reviews and voices of staff in Higher Education, even though postgraduate researchers (PGRs) are encouraged to submit work to it. In the interests of creating a more inclusive journal, a behind-the-scenes effort to increase student interaction with it led to an email invitation to PGRs to act, in collaboration with staff, as student reviewers.An application process was implemented as part of the recruitment stage. PGRs had to select a published text from the Compass archives and review the piece, using a standard review form. Each application was peer reviewed and individuals were then informed of the decision. Three PGRs and an Intern eventually participated in a training session which introduced them more explicitly to the scope and aims of the journal. It has been found that being student reviewers for Compass has helped these PGRs to develop their professional identity. The role which PGR student reviewers now play in Compass also increases their evidence of impact and introduces them to a research publication context with which they were not previously familiar.

Academic Labor and Music Curricula

In this paper we parse recent initiatives rethinking music curricula—in particular, those critiquing the enduring centrality of the Western art music canon—in connection to questions of academic labor and service. Many of our interlocutors ask us: “Why are conservative curricula a problem now?” The short answer is that canon-driven music curricula have always been problematic, as reflected by historical initiatives for curricular reform. However, even if the present moment in US music departments is far from unique, it does stand out in particular institutional and disciplinary ways that offer new insights into how curricular design operates and resists change. Specifically, we argue that when it comes to matters of curricular design, students of music would merit from departments thinking differently about structures of labor and academic seniority. As we discuss, contingent faculty have recently become the majority of teaching staff in higher education. Even though this labor force has a much higher representation of minority and women scholars than tenured faculty, their control over curricula is minimal. While many of these scholars channel their desire for change into public-oriented initiatives and other forms of curriculum-adjacent academic service, this work is less valued than research and teaching, and thus contributes to a self-sustaining cycle of exclusion. Intimately entwined with the histories of music disciplines, the canon remains obstinate. In response to calls for reform, it is typically only adjusted by placing similar texts and objects in play (Natvig 2002, xi) or by mobilizing the language of “diversity” to justify and nominally amend a canon-driven curriculum. From our own positions as contingent faculty, we thus argue that the relative invisibility of academic service is a curricular issue in its own Aside from this shifting, increasingly vocal, but still largely disempowered labor force, the current political moment also animates the long and tense relationship between the humanities and social movements. Since at least the presidential campaigns of 2016 that polarized the country on the issue of immigration, if not the Black Lives Matter movement (2013–) that shone a light on the deadly repercussions of systemic racism, there has been increased pressure on academia to recognize its complicity in imperial, colonial, racist, sexist, and classist social formations, as current social movements influence initiatives variously calling for critical teaching, diversity, and decolonization. We propose that music departments recognize the performative properties of curricula, and we suggest entry points to redressing the influence of coloniality and empire that undergird the institutionalization of music.

Innovativeness of Staff in Higher Education - Do Implicit Theories and Goal Orientations Matter?

Innovativeness has been believed to be a significant psychological construct underlying individual differences in adopting novel ideas, experiences or approaches. Although few recent studies have contributed to identifying the factors that predict innovativeness, there is a lack of research showing the impacts of implicit theories and goal orientations on innovativeness. This study aimed to investigate this matter. A sample comprising 315 staff members working in three Finnish higher educational institutions completed self-reported questionnaires. The results showed that the mastery goal orientation fully mediated the effect of both the entity theory of ability and personality on innovativeness. However, both entity theories failed to predict the performance-avoidance goal orientation, while the performance-avoidance goal orientation showed to be a significant, negative predictor of innovativeness. This study presents a promising framework for examining innovativeness in the higher educational context where further research is suggested.

On the ‘Innovative University’. A few Challenging Reflections

‘Progress is shaped by the ability to question, to criticize and to enquire. Ensuring progress is one of the responsibilities of Academia’. Could there be any future for non-conformist, heterodox, non-marketable knowledge, next to transforming truth value into the market truth value of knowledge, as was the tendency over the last decades? And what will be its impact upon criteria of excellence? The enjoyment of academic freedom requires the autonomy of the university. European countries have witnessed exciting developments in achieving a common space of convergence in higher education and research. But to encourage creativity there is definitely a need for more differentiation among universities, rather than uniformity. Autonomy is that degree of self-governance necessary for effective decision-making by universities in relation to their academic profile, work and standards. However, self-governance must be consistent with systems of public accountability. Universities must show that they are responding to the needs of society and they must perform according to standards of excellence and creativity in teaching and research. However, the balance, if there is any, has to be questioned. Should a shift of the role of the State be envisaged and should different types of governance be developed in order to counter the statement that academic freedom of higher education staff has decreased? Does a new relationship between government and university require the establishment of a modest set of ‘principles of good governance’ to reduce the overdetailed university regulations? And how to ensure that the search for creativity will also strengthen academic integrity? These questions are decisive for the future mission of the University.

Do non-academic professionals enhance universities’ performance? Reputation vs. organisation

ABSTRACTUniversities are increasingly engaging with non-academic professionals in facilitating performance outcomes, reaffirming themselves as purposive organisations, i.e. institutions with the ability to organise strategically in the pursuit of goals and standards. However, there is little empirical evidence for the impact of professional staff on university performance. Drawing on a sample of 100 British universities, the author assesses whether the changes in the ratio of professional staff to students (from 2003 to 2011) influence subsequent university performance. The author finds that universities that are moderately increasing their share of professional staff display higher levels of degree completion, but no significant differences can be observed in terms of research quality, good honours degrees and graduate employability. University performance is largely determined by reputation, prestigious universities performing higher in all dimensions. The findings contribute to the emerging empirical research assessing the impact of professional staff in higher education.

Atheism in Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study of Identity in the Workplace

Institutions of higher education are perceived to be welcoming to individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion. Is this true for those who identify as atheist as well? This phenomenological study explored how the atheist identity manifests for those who are employed as professional staff in higher education. The participants were employed at public, Midwestern universities in rural communities. Participants who identified with this particular religious minority reported that they were compelled to remain closeted for fear of stigmatization and the risk of discrimination as staff of educational institutions made up of highly Christian communities. The implication for practice is the need to include atheism as a form of religious diversity in order to reduce stigma associated with this identity.

Зарубіжний досвід формування національних ціннісних орієнтацій студентів закладів вищої освіти

Зарубіжний досвід формування національних ціннісних орієнтацій студентів закладів вищої освіти

Strategy research on improving the scientific technology development in hospitals: based on the survey analysis of internal and external factors affecting medical workers research development

Objective 600 questionnaires from hospital employee were collected and conducted statistical analysis to identify the internal and external factors that have influence on the staff development of scientific research level, which also aimed to figure out the way to raise employee awareness of scientific research, as well as enhancing the scientific and technological development in hospital. Methods Questionnaire survey was conducted to establish a database, SPSS18.0 survey data descriptive analysis applied, variance analysis using x2 test, P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Statistical analysis and comparative study were conducted to figure out the awareness of hospital scientific and technology development from employees from different positions with different education levels, the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Hospital staff have generally high level awareness of scientific research, obey the normal distribution basically, recognition rate is more than 93.5%, particularly, higher education staff have a better awareness and contribution to the development of the hospital. Conclusions According to the analysis, this paper proposed to build a platform for the establishment of performance evaluation and incentive system, to improve the management system and other measures to further enhancing the research and development of hospital staff awareness, thereby increasing the overall scientific research level of the hospital. Key words: Scientific development; The internal and external factors; Awareness; Statistical analysis

Exploring the Role of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the Context of the Professional Identities of Faculty, Graduate Students, and Staff in Higher Education

Developing an identity as a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) researcher is associated with tensions of expanding on one’s disciplinary identity and often traversing the liminal space between disciplines that result in a newfound perception of professional self. This study explores the differences that emerged in SoTL identity formation among three different groups of researchers. Focus groups of faculty, graduate students, and professional staff who identified as SoTL researchers were conducted at one comprehensive research institution. Using thematic analysis, the differences and similarities for each of these groups in terms of barriers to SoTL identity formation and motivations for developing a SoTL identity are shared. Reflecting on these barriers and opportunities, a variety of implications for practice for Educational Developers are suggested as they look to support the SoTL identity development of researchers at their institutions. Le développement d’une identité en tant que chercheur en avancement des connaissances en enseignement et en apprentissage (ACEA) est associé à des tensions d’expansion de l’identité disciplinaire et consiste souvent à traverser l’espace liminal entre les disciplines qui aboutit à une perception nouvelle de son soi professionnel. Cette étude explore les différences qui émergent lors de la formation de l’identité en ACEA parmi trois groupes différents de chercheurs. Des groupes de discussion de professeurs, d’étudiants de cycle supérieur et de personnel professionnel qui s’identifient comme chercheurs en ACEA ont été organisés dans un établissement de recherche complète. L’analyse thématique a permis de mettre à jour les différences et les similarités parmi chacun de ces groupes en termes d’entraves à la formation d’une identité en ACEA, ainsi que les motivations nécessaires au développement d’une identité en ACEA. La réflexion sur ces entraves et sur les opportunités permet de suggérer une variété d’implications pour la pratique des conseillers pédagogiques quand ceux-ci sont à la recherche de soutien pour le développement de l’identité en ACEA des chercheurs dans leurs établissements respectifs.

Job Satisfaction of Academic Staff in the Higher Education: Evidence from Private Universities in UAE

Job satisfaction in a work place is a feeling of contentment that a n employee derive from his role and responsibilities in the workplace and is dependent upon a number of factors, pertaining to personal, organizational and environmental factors. Considering the job profile and the demand for quality education among universities, the job satisfaction of academic staff in higher education is also affected. This paper aims to examine the job satisfaction of academic staff in higher education as well as private universities in UAE.This study adopts a quantitative research methodology using survey according to 5-point Likert scale instrument. The survey has been divided into ten internal and external factors to determine job satisfaction of academic staff. The data obtained from the survey has been analysed by using statistical and regression analysis.The study concludes that the academic staff of the private universities in UAE has been significantly satisfied with their jobs. It also found that only few factors have positively influenced job satisfaction, especially, supervisor support, promotion and support from colleagues. On the other hand, the study found that recognition and rewards for work done had a negative impact on job satisfaction of academic staff.This study has important implications for higher education management in the development of job satisfaction of academic staff in the UAE. The authors determined that the selected factors, with few exceptions, behaved accordingly to what was expected.

Workplace harassment among staff in higher education: a systematic review

Workplace harassment in higher education adversely impacts workforce productivity and has deleterious health effects on victims. The aim of this study was to review the literature pertaining to workplace harassment in higher education. This systematic literature search was conducted in December 2013 and completed in January 2014. Refereed journal publications from 1994 to 2013 inclusive were identified. The strategy was conducted on seven major databases. A total of 3278 articles were initially screened, and after review 51 refereed journal articles were included in the final analysis. A thematic analysis identified six themes: causation, types, employee roles, measurement, consequences and interventions. The published evidence, mainly from North America, suggests that workplace harassment is prevalent in higher education, such as gender harassment, workplace bullying, and mobbing. This review highlighted issues associated with: (1) confirming direct causation of harassment due to the high prevalence of correlational research in this area; (2) establishing and standardising measures of harassment that would have cross-cultural applicability and validity; (3) the demand for more comparative research to cater for the globally mobile workforce; (4) the requirement for greater monitoring and evaluation of the efficacy of policies and programmes purporting to be effective in dealing with harassment in the higher education workplace; and (5) the need for more contextually laden research to examine the unique nuances operating in countries, such as those in the Asia Pacific region, not well represented in the literature.

Professional development for sessional staff in higher education: a review of current evidence

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to provide an integrated review of evidence published in the past decade around professional development for sessional staff in higher education. Using the Integrating Theory, Evidence and Action method, the review analysed recent evidence using the three principles of the Benchmarking Leadership and Advancement of Standards for Sessional Teaching project – Quality Learning and Teaching, Sessional Staff Support and Sustainability. Quality Learning and Teaching refers to issues affecting the quality of sessional staff teaching and learning, while Sessional Staff Support refers to the provision of consistent support and inclusive infrastructure for sessional staff. The Sustainability principle refers to practices that encourage the retention of good sessional staff and the pursuit of quality teaching. Clear themes emerge from the evidence that suggest long-standing structural issues that are yet to be effectively addressed. However, several examples of effective strategies were also identified, particularly around peer observation and mentorship.

Supporting collaborative and continuing professional development in education for sustainability through a communities of practice approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider an expanded vision of professional development for embedding education for sustainability (EfS) in a higher education institution. Through an exploration of a community of practice at the University of Tasmania, this paper examines how collaborative peer learning can sustain and promote continued professional development for staff in higher education who are committed to EfS as an educational paradigm.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted through a mixed methods investigation that involved participant observation and semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Data were analysed and grouped into themes that are discussed in the paper.FindingsThis research reveals that personal values and professional identity were the two driving factors for continued engagement in a collaborative peer learning initiative. Despite institutional challenges and a lack of success of growing membership in the community of practice, participants found a level of job satisfaction and personal connection to the initiative and to each other that has sustained action and impact for this group.Originality/valueThis work contributes an alternative voice to the professional development discussion around EfS. While most professional development activities are aimed at transferring knowledge to individuals and groups that are identified to lack awareness or capacity in a topic, this work highlights the need to include and foster safe learning spaces for continued professional learning. Particular attention is paid to the value of peer learning to support the professional development of sessional staff engaged in EfS.

Stochastic analysis of the main macro-economic indicators characterizing higher education in Romania during 2001-2016

Abstract The education system in Romania will have to take into account the need to give people the skills and abilities needed to adapt quickly to changing labor markets. In the current context the study is based on comparative statistical analyses and correlations in the field of human resources in the higher educational system, analyses based on secondary data or information provided by the Romanian Statistical Yearbook published by the National Statistics Institute and other publications by public institutions in Romania such as: The National Bank, The Ministry of National Education, etc. The paper presents the major trends and shift in macroeconomic indicators specific to higher education and proposes a model to better understand the relationship between these indicators. In conclusion without continuous training and mobile resource salary comparable to those of EU countries, along with an infusion of capital proper, cannot achieve highly educated people well integrated, civilized, cultivated so as to reach sustainable growth on the long term. In this regard the Ministry of National Education and RQAAHE launched nationwide research projects involving both teaching staff in higher education, and the alumni and students. In order to decrease unemployment among young people (24-30 years) were involved in these projects and employers so that there is a better relationship between skills acquired in the continuous education and labor market; projects that are underway or to be implemented.

Moving beyond silos: professional learning networks in higher education

Many faculty and staff in higher education have turned to digitally-enhanced professional learning networks (PLNs) as a means for situated learning that can help them grow in their various professional responsibilities. However, there is scant research on what these PLNs mean to the professional lives of higher educators. We report findings of a qualitative study that investigated participants' perspectives on their PLN experiences through analysis of survey data from 151 higher education faculty and professionals. Data analysis suggested that the anytime, anywhere availability of expansive PLNs, and their capacity to respond to educators' diverse interests and needs, fostered new learning experiences. Participants reported that their PLNs supported professional growth, specifically in the areas of teaching and learning. These findings have implications for defining the present and future of faculty learning and development in a digital age.