Academic Staff Members Research Articles

5. Quality Aspects of Product Design in Artistic Education

Abstract The University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina” is the biggest higher education institution in Kosovo, which ever since its foundation has held the main burden of education and the development of the Kosovar society. If in the past the University of Prishtina was not only a hearth of knowledge, but also an icon of Kosova’s high education, now its mission is to offer stable and qualitative education to the new generation, functioning as an asset for the development and the strengthening of the Kosovar society. Currently, the UP is the biggest higher education institution in the Kosovo, with 42.006 students, above 1.000 academic staff members and around 350 administrative staff members, accommodated in 14 Academic Units. The research conducted in this paper reflects quality aspects in artistic education for sustainable product design, especially in art, architecture, creativity and innovation in academia curricula. The research methods consist of empirical observation in academia, direct observation of teaching methods, and promoting contemporary interactive teaching methods. To perceive a clearer research data, exploring was made within: The department of Architecture, Department of Anthropology-Archeology, The faculty of Arts in the University of Prishtina, also with UBT - Higher Education Institution in Kosovo, in the context of the possibilities for the improvement of the curricula’s, within actual and accredited academic frameworks. Research concludes that new teaching strategies must involve a new closeness, a brand new and more refining holistic system, as a response to less functional academic curriculums.

Reasons of the gap between Outcome Characteristics of Private Higher Education, and Job Requirements in the Private Sector in Egypt (Reasons related to the community and the graduates)

This research is designed to measure the reasons of the gap (miss-fit) between the outcome characteristics of the private higher education and the job requirements in the private sector in Egypt. Specifically, the reasons related to the community and the graduates themselves are analysed, investigated and discussed. The exploratory research has shown that the reasons related to the Egyptian community are summarized in the Egyptian society's perspective towards private higher education. Where the reasons related to the graduates are summarized in the benefits of the private higher education to its graduates. For the reasons related to the community, the researchers found that the preference of some majors, the vision of the community as regards universities, and the vision of the community concerning scientific research are confirmed to be causes of the gap from the academic staff members’ and businessmen’s points of view. For the reasons related to the graduates, we found that the qualifications of the graduates for the practical life and the benefits from their study are confirmed to be causes of the gap. Consequently, the researchers can conclude that t he society’s perspective of the private higher education and the benefits of the private higher education to its graduates affect the gap between the outcome characteristics of the private higher education and job requirements in the private sector in Egypt. Keywords: private higher education, education outcome, private sector in Egypt DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/62-06 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Predicting Academic Staff Intention to Stay in Tanzanian Universities Using Job Embeddedness Model: Smart PLS Approach

Turnover is one of the reasons for the inadequacy of academic staff in Tanzanian universities as in many other African countries. This study examined the relationship between job embeddedness and academic staff Intention to Stay in Tanzanian Universities, as a key step towards combating the problem of turnover. A survey of 314 academic staff from selected public and private universities in Tanzania was conducted and Smart PLS Structural Equation Modeling was used in examining the relationship. Further, PLS-MGA was conducted to examine whether a significant difference exists in the influence of job embeddedness on the intention to stay among academic staff in Public and Private Universities. The findings indicated that Job Embeddedness sufficiently predicted academic staff Intention to Stay in Tanzania's universities, with organization fit and organization sacrifice exerting main influences. The relationships varied between public and private universities with stronger relationships in private than in public universities. It was concluded that job embeddedness is an important predictor of intention to stay, and its inclusion in retention models may improve retention of academic staff in Tanzania's universities. Private Universities in Tanzania may especially find more affirmative results in terms of retention, by improving the fit between their academic members of staff and their universities.Keywords: Job embeddedness, Academic staff, Intention to stay, Tanzania’s universities.Â

ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AND THE PERFORMANCE OF ACADEMIC STAFF OF HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN KOGI STATE

This study analyzed motivational factors and the academic staff performance of the higher institutions of learning in Kogi State, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling was used to select two hundred and seventy eight (278) respondents. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression and correlation matrix were used to analyze the data gathered. Findings show that regular pay, work conditions, achievement and job security have significant predicting power over the teaching quality of the academic staff of the selected higher institutions of learning in Kogi State. The study concluded that regular payment of full salary can facilitate better performance on the part of the academic staff members. The study recommended that the government and the management of the higher institutions of learning in Kogi State should pay more attention to regular pay, work conditions and achievement of their academic staff; and pay less attention on their job security.

Digital design implications: a comparative study of architecture education curriculum and practices in leading architecture firms

Leading architectural firms in professional practice are expanding their range of design possibilities using digital design strategies. A digital design strategy enables architects to make informed decisions and better handle the interdisciplinary nature of the discipline, while dealing with various complexities, uncertainties and an infinite number of the potential solutions. One of the main responsibilities of architectural education is to educate students on the breadth of professional opportunities and career paths. Therefore, it is highly important to examine the sufficiency of available digital design courses in the architectural education curriculum. To achieve this, the study examines the curriculum of two architectural programs in the Middle East and compares the findings with award-winning architectural firms in international professional practice from a digital design perspective. In the first step, various cutting-edge technology-driven firms were investigated, then three award-winning firms were subsequently selected and studied using a deliberate review. Secondly, the curriculum of each architecture school was reviewed and the responsible instructors were interviewed through a qualitative method of in-depth interviews; the perceptions and suggestions of eight academic staff members from both schools (four each) were recorded to facilitate an assessment of the status of the integrated digital design methodologies in the architecture education of the intended schools. The findings indicate that the current structures of architecture education curricula cannot match the innovative challenges and social demands of architecture in the digital age. The importance of curriculum review, as well as different incorporation alternatives of the digital design applications, are also suggested.

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases among academic staff members in rural university, SA

AbstractBackgroundGlobally non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain unacceptably high amongst adult population and its prevalence increases yearly.AimThe aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of non-communicable diseasesMethodsThe study design used was cross-sectional. The study population was academic staff members, whereas the targeted population was UNIVEN academic staff members. Convenience sampling was used to select participants. Data was collected using a questionnaire. Anthropometric, clinical and biochemical measurements were also taken. Descriptive data statistics were used to interpret data. Percentage and tables were used to present data.ResultsAlmost all participants (93%) were Africans while very few were from other race such as European and Asian. More than one third (39.2%) of the participants had no family history of diseases, 23.8% had family history of hypertension and diabetes. The majority of the participants (82.3%) did not suffer from any chronic diseases of lifestyle. About 7.7% had SBP between 140–159mmHg, while very few participants (5.4%) had > / = 160mmHg. About 13.8% had DBP between 90–99mmHg, while very few participants (5.4%) had > / = 100mmHg. About 43.8% of the participants were pre-diabetic. Nearly two thirds (66.2%) of the participants fell within high borderline of cholesterol, while 13.8% of participants had normal total cholesterol. About 40% of the participants were overweight, 20.7% were obese class I, about 43.8% of the participants had low waist circumference, more than one thirds (35.4%) had high waist circumference.ConclusionThe study revealed that majority of academic staff members are at risk of developing NCDs. Nearly half of participants (49.3%) their systolic blood pressure was above normal and the diastolic blood pressure was 48.4%. The blood glucose levels showed that 43.8% of participants were pre-diabetic and 13.1% were diabetic. Furthermore, majority of participants (83.1%) showed that the cholesterol level was above borderline and had high cholesterol. Majority of participants (80.8%) were overweight and obese.

Academics’ Perceived Work Environment and Job Satisfaction in Tanzanian Higher Education

This study was pioneered to examine the predictive power of academics’ perceived work environment on their job satisfaction as measured by Minnesota satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The study involved 116 academics from two higher educational institutions in the Republic of Tanzania. Results indicated that academics’ work environment as measured by a self-designed academics’ perceived work environment inventory (PWEI) statistically significantly predicted their job satisfaction over and above their marital status, gender, age, academic rank, and institutional type. Implications of these findings, both practical and theoretical are offered for both academic members of staff and senior university management officials.

Gender Inequality in Academia: A Spatial Analysis of Selected Tertiary Institutions in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Gender inequality is a situation whereby females do not have equal rights, opportunities, responsibilities and access to services as males. This paper presents reasons for gender imbalance among academic members of staff in three selected tertiary institutions in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified the number of males as against females in academia; examined the perception of respondents on the causes of gender inequality in academia; assessed the various way to encourage young women academics; evaluated the challenges facing females in academia; and the benefits derived from female participation in academia. A total number of 194 respondents comprising 101 male and 93 female academic members of staff were purposively sampled in three tertiary institutions in Ilorin. These institutions represent 50% of government tertiary institutions at different levels in Ilorin. The institutions included Kwara State College of Education, Kwara State Polytechnic and University of Ilorin. Percentages, mean, Likert scale and chi-square were employed to analyse the gathered data. The results revealed that there are more male (76.1%) than female (23.9%) academic staff in the sampled institutions. The major perceived factor that causes imbalance is inadequate qualification by females due to tradition and poverty with a mean value of 4.30. The hypothesis tested confirmed that there is gender imbalance in academia. Also, 48.4% women listed family responsibilities as the most pressing challenge facing them as academia. Hence, proper education through seminars and workshops among communities to educate people on the benefits of female gender education and employment in academia is necessary.DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v05i02.03

The Need for Pre-retirement Vocational Education Training for Workers in Tertiary Institutions in Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study examined the need for pre-retirement vocational education training for workers in tertiary institutions in Ekiti State. Descriptive research design was used for this study. The population of the study was 9,523, made up of academic and non-academic members of staff in the four public tertiary institutions in the state. Five per cent (5%) of the total population was used as the sample for the study using proportionate sampling technique. Thus, the sample for the study was 476 members of staff. A set of questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on Pre-retirement Education Training for Tertiary Institution Workers in Ekiti State (QPETTIW) was administered on the respondents. All the administered questionnaires were returned, mean and standard deviation were used to answer the four research questions. The finding revealed that there were economic, social and psychological needs for pre-retirement vocational education training for workers in public tertiary institutions in Ekiti State. Thus, it was recommended that institutional authorities should incorporate pre-retirement vocational training/education into their staff development programme, among others.

Digital Transformation Outcomes in Higher Education: Pilot Study in Latvia

Considering that the higher education sector has a great potential for digital transformation, it is necessary to investigate driving factors and barriers for transformation processes. The goal of the paper is to evaluate DT outcomes in higher education institutions (HEI), perceived by academic and administrative staff members. The authors conducted a pilot survey among the staff members of Latvian HEIs. Most respondents consider a 'development of new educational products/improvement of existing products' as a result DT in HEI. Besides, DT is perceived as a tool to increase HEI competitiveness globally, to improve work efficiency and internal business processes, and to make education more available. At the same time, less than half of the respondents agree that the result of DT is 'student retention'. The results of the research will be used for further investigation of DT issues, specifically for study on staff resistance to DT implementation.

Impact of Double-Intake Programmes on the Teacher Co-Efficient Determinant of Quality Education at the University of Nairobi, Kenya

This research was carried out in order to determine the impact of double-intake programmes on the quality of education in the University of Nairobi in Kenya using the teacher coefficient measure. It had one objective and one research question. Using descriptive survey research design the target population consisted of 61,000 regular students enrolled in 43schools/faculties, 5,900 students in their fourth year of study and 2,000 teaching staff. Calmorin and Calmorin (2007) formula for scientifically determining sample size yielded a total of 489 respondents. Simple random sampling was used to select 251 fourth year students while stratified random sampling was used to select 238 teaching staff as actual respondents. Data were collected using questionnaires, document analysis, observation and interview. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were used with the aid of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26.The findings show that the number of students admitted overwhelmed both the academic and non-academic staff members who served them because the university accepted to engage in double intake programmes without considering an increase in the number of the staff members and this skewed student to faculty ratio led to degenerated service provision. Consequently, the research recommends that the university plans adequately for the number of staff required versus the anticipated students to be enrolled in future since a compromise in the student to faculty ratio will definitely have a negative impact on the quality of education.

Sustainability, Environmental Performance and Energy Efficiency in Higher Education: Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb

Sustainability, environmental performance and energy efficiency have become main subjects not only for the profession of architecture, but for every profession, as well. Within the scope of this conference, and more specifically the overall energy performance of buildings, the section dealing with the higher technical education has special relevance. The need for incorporating sustainability and energy parameters in higher education has been recognised for some considerable time now. As academic staff members teaching in technical courses at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb, we are always under time pressure in keeping up with the newest performances in structure and technology facing the question: How to realise and improve the graduate framework and the learning and teaching plan of environmental issues in the courses that we teach?The paper examines available study programme ‘Architecture and Urban Studies’ within the master degree programme at the Department of Architectural Technology and Building Science. The new compulsory course Architecture and Technology 1 (AT1_2018/2019) addresses the topics of building energy consumption and emissions, rational use of energy, environmental impact, high performance efficiency and sustainable building. By comparing a selection of students’ works in different groups conducted experimentally for the first time, the paper will discuss the project approach, give a critical evaluation of the selected case studies and some lessons learned from attempts to incorporate environmental issues into the unit syllabus. Through this paper we attempt to share information and deepen the discussion within the academic community. Finally, as a contribution, it is expected to increase the ways by which parameters of energy and environmental sustainability can become an integral guiding principle in the design and delivery of all academic courses offered at the Faculty.

The impact of knowledge creation on employee engagement from the perspectives of exploitation and exploration

The main purpose of this study is to assess the impacts of knowledge creation on employee engagement from both exploration and exploitation perspectives. After identifying that knowledge creation could facilitate employee engagement from a literature review, the study proposed a model of knowledge creation toward employee engagement. A survey questionnaire was developed accordingly. With a stratified sampling method, data were collected from the academic staff of one public and one private university located in Malaysia. A total of 200 academic staff members participated in this study. Linear regression analysis was performed to test how knowledge creation (i.e., exploration and exploitation) affects employee engagement. Statistical results show that the exploration and exploitation of knowledge creation positively and significantly affect employee engagement. The proposed model could aid universities in utilising knowledge creation practices to engage employees so as to attain and sustain competitive advantage.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION AS A CORRELATE OF STAFF PERFORMANCE IN STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIES IN NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

The major responsibility of human resources is to facilitate service provision and delivery. Libraries in the polytechnic system, are established to provide high quality information services in support of teaching and research for academic staff members as well as acquisition of knowledge of students. The study was carried out for the purpose of determining the relationship between organizational communication and staff performance in State polytechnic libraries in North Central, Nigeria. A correlational survey design was used to find out the relationship between organizational communication and staff performance in the State polytechnic libraries in North Central, Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of one hundred and eight (108) professionals (librarians), para-professionals (library officers) and non-professionals (computer operators and Administrative staff) in the State polytechnic libraries in the North Central, Nigeria. Since the population is not too large to manage, there was no sampling. Questionnaire and interview were used for data collection. Out of the 108 copies of questionnaire distributed, 94 copies were returned and used for data analysis. This gave a response rate of 87%. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Coefficient for answering research question 2 while mean and standard deviation were used to answer questions 1, 3 and 4 . The responses from the interview were analyzed qualitatively while regression analysis was used to test the two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results indicate that the value of correlation coefficient(r) of Organizational Communication is 0.257 showing low relationship between Organizational Communication and Staff performance. The study also showed that the problems that militate against staff performance in the state polytechnic libraries are, among others, the absence of effective communication between the leadership and the staff, no opportunity for team work, supervisors don’t listening ears to their subordinates, etc. The recommendations include; written directives and reports should be clear and concise, there should be timely communication about decisions in an organization, bridging of communication gap between the leaders and staff, etc.

Rola serwisów internetowych jako narzędzi oceny dorobku naukowego. Przykład wykorzystania serwisów Google Scholar, ResearchGate i Academia.edu przez wybranych polskich reprezentantów nauk o komunikacji społecznej i mediach

The Role of Social Networking Services as Tools for Evaluating Scientific Achievements. An Example of Using Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Academia.edu by Selected Polish Representatives of Social Communication and Media Sciences Activities of academic staff members in the network environment may have various forms – from passive presence, through participation in discussions, to publishing of the latest research results in social media. In this paper, the authors present the results of analyses conducted on the presence of the most recent (2017–2019) publications by the representatives of the widely-understood social communication and media sciences in three selected networking services for scientists: Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Academia.edu. In the face of the results, they are trying to answer the question of how the representatives of this discipline communicate the most recent scientific findings in the media space, i.e.: what types of publications are shared, what is the form of the scientific communication created by them (publication of reference lists’ descriptions, full papers, pre-prints and post prints), and what is the audience reception (number of downloads, displays, comments). The analyses covered 100 selected representatives of the scientific environment (selected in interval sampling), assigned, according to the OECD classification, in the Scientists (“Ludzie nauki”) database and the “media and communication” discipline.

Evaluation of Self e-learning-Based Courses from the Perspectives of Learners and Academic Staff Members at Al-Ahliyya Amman University

The purpose of the study is to identify the degree of Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) learners’ and academic staff members’ evaluation of self e-learning- based courses in terms of their educational content, the technical design of electronic techniques and activities, availability and accessibility. The sample of the study consisted of (353) learners who were selected by a simple random methodology involving learners taking the self e-learning- based courses. Five members were selected from the academic staff as coordinators of these courses. The researchers developed a 39-item tool divided into four domains, and they examined their validity and reliability. The study found that the degree of evaluation of the self e-learning-based courses from the perspective of both learners and academic staff members at AAU was high according to the assessment of the technical design of electronic techniques, activities and the evaluation of their availability and accessibility. The research paper also showed that there were no statistically significant differences according to its variables (profession, gender, faculty, and course).

A reflection on the role, potential and challenges of transdisciplinarity at the University of Fort Hare

The world is currently grappling with a myriad of challenges such as unemployment, poverty, inequality, violent crimes and HIV and AIDS. These challenges exist on multiple levels and are viewed from different perspectives by scholars coming from diverse disciplines, hence they demand to be tackled using a transdisciplinary approach. As part of the University of Fort Hare’s radical reconstruction of its intellectual project, the Centre for Transdisciplinary Studies (CTS) was established to facilitate and promote a wider intellectual engagement and research amongst academics and students across different disciplines. This research thus seeks to reconceptualise CTS’ objectives through exploring the academics’ understanding of transdisciplinarity, its role, transformative potential and challenges at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. The research was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews with the university’s academic staff members representing faculties of health, law, social sciences and humanities, management and commerce, science and agriculture, education and the Teaching and Learning Centre. Data were analysed by thematic data analysis. The findings of the study concluded that there was no consensus amongst academics on the definition of transdisciplinarity. Academics defined it as either the merging or collaboration of disciplines. Some used the term interchangeably with interdisciplinarity and multi-disciplinarity. The findings positioned the role of CTS as that of raising transdisciplinary awareness and coordinating transdisciplinary activities across different disciplines in the university. The potential of transdisciplinarity includes collaborative research, teaching and learning and dialogue across the university. Challenges of transdisciplinarity proved to be first understanding the concept itself, foundations of mono-disciplinarity which promote departmental isolations, disciplinary comfort zones, heterogeneity of the university and academics’ busy schedules. In spite of the challenges of transdisciplinarity, participants indicated a willingness to engage in transdisciplinary activities.

Differential determinants of gender participation in recreational activities among academic staff of University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Recreational activities can be seen as any activities performed willingly to improve both physical and mental well-being of an individual. This study examines the differential determinants of gender participation in recreational activities among members of academic staff of university of Ilorin, Nigeria. Seventy-four male and seventy female academic members of staff were sampled randomly across all the faculties in the institution. A total number of 148 copies of questionnaire were administered on the sampled respondents. Percentages, tables, factor analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the gathered data. Findings revealed that there are 1,117males and 361 females as at January, 2018. Factor 1 (Age) explains the highest percentage of the total variance, followed by Factor 2 (Gender), 3 (academic qualification) and Factor 4 (Employment). Whereas Factor 5 (Accessibility to recreational facilities) explains the lowest percentages of the total variance. The study concluded that awareness should be created for academic members of staff to participate in recreational activities using different recreational facilities available within and outside the institution. This will enhance the physical and psychological wellbeing, thus improving their efficiency. Keywords: academic, factors, gender, recreation, university

Music Education as an Alternative Paradigm to Youth Empowerment: Evidence from Tertiary Institutions in South West of Nigeria

Music education has been an integral part of national economic empowerment and development strategies in industrialized and developed nations globally, due to its impact on productivity, sustainability and economic development. However, the harness of youth‘s potentials through music education has not accelerated economic development in Nigeria. The study, therefore, seeks to investigate the impact of music education on youth empowerment. Purposive sample technique was adopted to select 10 academic staff members each from the five tertiary institutions that offering music education, totaling 50 participants as a sample size for the study. A structured questionnaire designed for the study was used to collect relevant information from the study’s participants. Data analysis was performed with the aid of mean, standard deviation and linear regression. The study establishes that music education is a driving force of youth empowerment. The study also confirms that inadequate funding of education and the poor state of infrastructural facilities are the major challenges that crippled music education in Nigeria. Subsequently, the study recommends that government, non-government organizations, renowned professional musicians and private investors should invest especially in music education. This will go a long way to empower young graduates with an array of skills for sustainable development.

Organizational Learning and Effectiveness: The Case of Pakistani HEIs

Higher education is considered to be the lifeline of the development of any nation. These institutions are not only engaged in disseminating knowledge but are also engaged in shaping human capital for todays knowledge-based economy. These higher learning institutions need to focus on their effectiveness if they want to be learning organizations. The present study focuses on organizational learning for attaining effectiveness. The sample of the study consists of 350 academic staff members of public sector HEIs belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province of Pakistan. Multiple regression analysis was performed on the data set. The overall results showed a significant direct effect of organizational learning upon organizational effectiveness. The results are significant for the top management.