Perceptions Of Academic Staff Research Articles

Staff perception on including students with physical disabilities at a South African university.

International and local policy frameworks on disability promote inclusive higher education practices for students with disabilities (SWD). However, the actual application of these frameworks concerning students with physical disabilities (SWPD) in any School of Health Care Sciences (SHCS) is uncertain in South African universities. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of academic and admission staff on the inclusion of SWPD in SHCS at a South African university. The study was carried out at a University of Health Sciences in South Africa. A qualitative study in which respondents (n = 12) were interviewed in depth about their perceptions on the inclusion of SWPD in the SHCS. Thematic analysis was used in the data assessment. The results revealed three main themes: policy discourse, environmental effects on inclusion and SWPD enrolment. Respondents reported the lack of a disability inclusion policy and disability unit to support SWD in general. The respondents also noted that there were environmental challenges that could potentially affect the inclusion of SWPD in SHCS study programmes. Respondents also indicated that there was no SWPD enrolment as the university's current inclusion and/or quota system does not include SWD. The findings of the study showed a lack of disability inclusion policy, environmental challenges and lack of SWPD enrolment. Based on the study findings, it can be concluded that inclusion of SWPD at this university may be negatively influenced. The study findings contribute to the field of disability and the inclusion of SWPD in higher education institutions (HEIs).

Perceptions of academic staff toward the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in clinical nursing: Assessment method.

Clinical competence is critical to evaluating nursing students' capacity to undertake professional nursing practice in a safe and professional environment without any bias of examiners. Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is used as an assessment method of students' clinical practice skills. The aim of this study is to assess the nursing faculty members' perception toward OSCE to be used as an assessment method of nursing students in their performing of nursing procedures, as well as explore the advantages and disadvantages of OSCE as perceived by study participants. A descriptive cross-sectional study was used among nursing faculty members (N = 73) who participated on a workshop that were conducted by Jordanian Nursing Council (JNC) between January 2022 and March 2023. The mean perception toward OSCE was 105.87 ± 22.02 (p value = 0.001). The majority of faculty members reported a positive perception toward the OSCE (82.2%). The negative perception was significant in gender, age group, level of education, and academic experience (p < 0.05). The majority of faculty members were agree on the advantages of OSCE. OSCE is a vital assessment and an objective method in assessing the student's clinical competence. More studies exploring the differences of OSCE perceptions and participant's characteristics are required.

Patient video cases in large-group medical student teaching: A qualitative study of learner and educator perspectives.

Patient video cases (PVCs) are short video recordings of real patients during clinical encounters or instructed activities. Although widely used in healthcare professionals' education, their use in large group teaching (LGT) remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to explore the perceptions of medical students and academic staff regarding the use of PVCs to support LGT. A purposive sample of medical students and academic staff from Leicester Medical School was obtained. Data were collected through focus groups (students) and semi-structured interviews (staff) in which two sensitising PVCs were used as a stimulus to discussion. Data analysis was undertaken using grounded theory through a process of open, axial, and selective coding, leading to core categories and themes. Sixteen medical students and four academic staff members participated. Four overarching themes were identified covering the benefits of using PVCs, ways in which they are used in LGT, the challenges faced by and how to optimise PVCs for LGT. This final theme covered design, choice of clip and how it is then used by the educator within the teaching session. Key considerations were the need to align the PVC with other content and to consider the student experience. Our findings support the use of well-chosen and well-designed PVCs within LGT and offer practical insights to use them effectively. PVCs are a potentially powerful tool within medical undergraduate LGT (a widely used instructional method) and further research into its use is needed.

Exploration of the Perceptions of Academic Staff on Performance Appraisals. A Case of Some Selected Private Universities in Lusaka District

Today, universities around the world are largely concerned with the reputation and quality of their universities regardless of location. They have also become competitive within the present turbulent environment. As such, they have a huge responsibility to transfer knowledge to society through highly skilled academic staff. One way universities ensure they have skilled staff is by managing the performance of their academic staff through accurate appraisals which can help determine training needs and increase motivation through the feedback process. This study therefore explored the perceptions of academic staff on performance appraisals in selected private universities in Lusaka district. The study utilized a qualitative approach and data was sourced using open-ended questionnaires from 30 respondents including academic staff and supervisors from five private universities and it was analyzed thematically. Findings showed the prevalence of participatory appraisals but noted varied perceptions among academic staff. While some perceived the appraisals positively and reported improvements in their performance, others expressed dissatisfaction due to infrequent feedback resulting mainly from lack of associated rewards. It was also revealed that academic staff are more likely to perceive appraisals positively if they have desired outcomes. Interestingly, supervisor qualifications did not significantly influence academic staff perceptions. The study suggests aligning appraisal processes with motivational components to enhance academic staff motivation, performance, and job satisfaction.

Examining Perceptions of Academic And Support Staff on Quality Assurance ‎Accreditation in Higher Education ‎in ‎Developing Nations

Education accreditation is the formal evaluation ‎process conducted by specialized ‎institutes ‎or ‎agencies to assess educational programs for ‎compliance with established ‎quality ‎standards. ‎Accreditation publicly recognizes programs that ‎meet these standards. ‎Beyond ‎this recognition, ‎accreditation also engenders increased public ‎confidence, ‎fostering mutual ‎acceptance of ‎academic credentials and encouraging active ‎participation ‎by academic staff. ‎The ‎present study is dedicated to evaluating the quality assurance (QA) ‎accreditation in higher ‎education, with particular emphasis on Third-World and ‎unstable ‎nations. The study ‎draws ‎insights from the experience of the University of Sabratha, ‎Faculty ‎of Engineering, which ‎serves as a ‎compelling case study. To gain a ‎comprehensive ‎understanding of the status ‎quo, ‎the perspectives of faculty staff using a ‎SWOT ‎analysis were solicited. This approach ‎allows us to identify the ‎most significant ‎opportunities and threats ‎inherent in the current ‎scenario.‎‎ The findings underscore the ‎importance of quality assurance ‎accreditation not only ‎for enhancing academic ‎profiles ‎but also for improving all facets of higher ‎education ‎systems. Furthermore, it serves as ‎a ‎mechanism to address inconsistencies in ‎regulations ‎within the Ministry of ‎Higher ‎Education and tackle managerial and financial ‎challenges ‎prevalent in ‎university ‎administrations. In sum, QA accreditation ‎emerges as a preferred ‎avenue ‎for ‎organizational enhancement and overall ‎development within the ‎higher ‎education ‎sector.‎

Perceptions of academic staff and students of senior high school in implementing game-based exercises in physical education classes—a research protocol for a qualitative descriptive study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on both physical activity and fitness as several pursuits and activities have been restricted. Coupled with this, increased food intake and sedentary lifestyles...

Assessing Perceptions of Academic Staff in Using SmartUMS for Teaching and Learning

The use of educational technologies for teaching and learning has been implemented in many institutions of higher learning. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) uses Moodle on SmartUMS e-learning platform to deliver academic courses. Every lecturer needs to register their respective courses on SmartUMS to complement face-to-face teaching and learning routine. The purpose of the study was to investigate academic staff’s acceptance and perceptions towards SmartUMS usage in UMS. The findings will contribute to the development of the UMS’s e-learning strategy, providing information on active participations from the lecturers which will enable the most effective use of education technology. Data was collected from all participants of SmartUMS training sessions. A questionnaire was distributed to 86 respondents and statistically analyzed using SPSS statistical package. The findings revealed that lecturers developed positive acceptance and perception towards using SmartUMS. It also concludes that SmartUMS provide value tools for effective interaction between lecturers and students in their teaching and learning activities.

Comparing the perceptions of students, academic and support staff when reflecting on person and online lectures in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The COVID pandemic forced higher educational institutions to transition from in-person lectures to online lectures. In Bangladesh, this transition was steep, with no prior experience of this mode of delivery. This study aimed to understand and compare the experiences of students, academic staff and support staff within the area of veterinary science in Bangladesh, when comparing in-person and online lectures. We conducted a mixed methods survey to learn about the perceived experiences, strengths and limitations of each mode of teaching from students and staff. Our findings highlighted that students, academic staff and support staff all preferred in-person lectures when compared to online lectures. However, the extent of preference varied, with support staff strongly favouring the in-person mode of delivery, followed by academic staff and then students. Overall, these findings are essential to aid policymakers and university authorities on some of the strengths and barriers of in-person and online lectures.

Challenges Hindering Academic Staff in Nigerian Tertiary Education from Securing Local and International Grants: A Descriptive Study

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This descriptive research aims to evaluate the perceptions of academic staff regarding the factors impeding their success in obtaining both local and international grants within Nigerian tertiary education. Employing a sample size of 240 participants from six federal universities spanning diverse geopolitical zones, a multistage sampling technique was applied. A bespoke questionnaire, "Perception of Academic on Reasons Why Academic Staff of Nigerian Tertiary Education are not Wining Local and International Grants (PASRWNWLGQ)," was utilized for data collection. The instrument demonstrated high reliability with a coefficient of 0.86. Analysis involved descriptive statistics, yielding insights into various barriers including inadequate research proposal planning, limited awareness of grant opportunities, and challenges associated with online application procedures. The study highlights the urgent need for enhanced research funding in Nigerian tertiary institutions to address these impediments. Furthermore, findings illuminate the broader consequences, encompassing diminished research development, brain-drain, and weakened international rankings, alongside dwindling morale among academic staff. This study provides critical insights for policy makers and stakeholders seeking to bolster the research landscape in Nigerian tertiary education.&#x0D; Highlight:&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The study encompasses 240 participants from six federal universities in Nigeria, offering a comprehensive perspective on the challenges faced by academic staff in securing both local and international grants.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The research instrument, "Perception of Academic on Reasons Why Academic Staff of Nigerian Tertiary Education are not Wining Local and International Grants (PASRWNWLGQ)," demonstrates a high level of reliability (coefficient of 0.86), ensuring robust data collection and analysis.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The findings shed light on critical barriers, such as deficient research proposal planning, limited awareness of grant opportunities, and online application challenges, underscoring the pressing need for increased research funding in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The study also unveils far-reaching repercussions, including stunted research development, brain-drain, and a decline in international rankings, emphasizing the urgency of policy interventions to fortify the research landscape.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Keyword: Perception, Academic Staff, Grants, Nigerian Tertiary Education, Research Funding&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Artificial Intelligence for Education and Research: Pilot Study on Perception of Academic Staff

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have been used across various sectors of the global economy. The use of AI has been associated with both benefits and drawbacks, which is why the goal of this research was to identify the attitudes of academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) towards using AI for both academic and research purposes. To attain the goal, there was designed a questionnaire, which was distributed to members of academic staff of different biological genders and ages from 10 European countries. Irrespective of biological gender, age, or country, responses were similar. First, academic staff emphasized the importance of having AI-related regulations at HEIs. Second, academic staff were positive about using AI for information searchers and preparation of teaching materials. Third, academic staff were concerned about AI-related plagiarism issues, which is why they were reluctant to approve the AI use for research and thesis writing. Fourth, slightly more than 40% of the respondents indicated the use of AI. This points to the lack of AI skills among academic staff, which was further supported by a set of basic purposes for which AI was claimed to have been used. One implication of this research relates to the organization of the study process. Managers of HEIs should introduce institutionalized training in AI for academic and research purposes for academic staff to promote digital equality. Another implication of the study relates to the areas of AI training for academic staff. It should cover the topics of AI for the design of teaching materials, formative and summative assessment, and plagiarism check.

Perceptions of academic staff on pharmacist preceptor roles, skills, attributes and training requirements: A qualitative report

Objective: To investigate the perceptions of academic staff at a regional Australian university of the role and ideal skills and attributes of pharmacist preceptors and the requirements for their training. Methods: Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted using a purposive sample of academic staff. Opinions on preceptor roles, skills and attributes, and training requirements were sought. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results: Academic staff perceived the need for training to be based on preceptor core competencies and individual preceptor needs and to be delivered online in a flexible format. Training content was recommended to include an overview of the pharmacy curriculum and university expectations, clinical teaching strategies, managing students, and providing feedback. Mandatory training was recommended to facilitate communication and promote consistency in the placement experience. Conclusion: Academic staff have highlighted that flexible, competency-based preceptor training tailored to the individual preceptor will deliver on the university’s expectations to optimise the experiential learning of pharmacy students.

Perception of Academic Staff and the Adoption of ICT in Teaching Process at the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University

Perception of Academic Staff and the Adoption of ICT in Teaching Process at the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University

The relationship and factors affecting perceptions and applications of the deliberative and dynamic curriculum renewal model

This study examines academic staff’s perceptions and applications of the deliberative and dynamic curriculum renewal model (DDCRM) in terms of developing curriculum renewal strategies, identifying graduate attributes, mapping learning pathways, auditing learning outcomes, developing and updating curricula and implementing programmes. The study was conducted at 21 faculties of education of the public universities across Saudi Arabia. The data included a total of 218 academic staff responded to a 5-point Likert scale and multiple-choice questions. A descriptive analysis, t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe test were used to analyse the data. The results indicate inconsistencies between academic staff perceptions and the application of DDCRM. The factors, both university-and system-related, included a lack of graduate attributes in the current accreditation requirements, heavy focus on short-termism in higher education and a lack of competencies seem to account for this inconsistency.

Mobbing Perceptions of Academic Staff

Mobbing is defined as psychological attack to the individuals. In this sense, mobbing behaviour is especially applied to employees in both public and private organizations and generally inferiors are exposed to these kind of attacks by their superiors/supervisors. In addition, mobbing is also a growing problem in educational organizations, especially in universities. In this sense the academicians who are exposed to emotional attacks, cannot proceed in their scholarly activities; because of the fact that mobbing creates a number of physical and psychological problems on them. Furthermore, mobbing behavior not only affects their academic success but also their private life; in the sense that they are affected psychologically and they lose their psychological and mental health, as mentioned. In this frame, the purpose of this study is to reveal the perceptions and attitudes of academic staff in universities towards mobbing. In the scope of the research, academicians that work in foundation universities in the city of Istanbul, Türkiye are defined as the sample. A total of 166 academicians have participated in the research. The gathered data is analyzed via SPSS 22.0 package programme. According to the results, there is statistically significant difference between the socio-demographic (gender, age, marital status, monthly income, academic department, academic experience) characteristics of academicians and their attitudes towards mobbing.

Virtual Technologies and Conferences Attendance: Perceptions of YCT Academic Staff

Academic conference was majorly face-to-face gathering for sharing new knowledge, disseminating research findings, establishing networks among team members and for social interaction. However, holding virtual meetings is not completely a new phenomenon but conference virtualisation was not in place before the year 2020. But the current widespread adoption of virtual conferences was facilitated by the global outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which struck almost the whole world and forced nearly all sectors to resort to online activities. This study seeks to examine the acceptable level of virtual conferences using the most popular web conferencing tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Three research questions were raised with three corresponding hypotheses. The design adopted was a survey, the population comprised over 800 academic staff in Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and a sample size of 206 was selected. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and was analysed with frequency distribution and Chi-square test of association. The finding of the study revealed high awareness about virtual conferences (88.1%), high attendance (76%), and high preference for virtual conference attendance (62%)and these stemmed fromthe opportunity to build networks, security concerns, time management, and cost-effectiveness. It also showed that Zoom was the most preferred virtual technology (50%).The study concluded that virtual conferencing has come to stay because of its high awareness, attendance and preference among academics and Zoom technology is the key driver as the world is moving towards a global community.

A Qualitative Research on Factors Affecting Academician Reputation

The aim of this study is to reveal the personal reputation perceptions of academic staff and the determinants of the concept of academic reputation, with the subgoals of determining what academics understand by the concept of academic reputation, determining the factors that affect their reputation, revealing the issues that cause damaging reputation among academics and determining positive and negative results. This study was conducted by applying the phenomenological design, which is one of the qualitative research designs. The participants were determined using the criterion sampling and snowball methods. The interview form was designed by the researcher in line with the purpose of the study, and the data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 20 faculty members working at Süleyman Demirel University. After the analysis of the audio recordings of the interviews, the data were coded using the interpretive phenomenology method based on the basic questions of the research. The Nvivo 12 Plus qualitative data analysis program was used to analyze the data. It was concluded that the academic staff earn a good reputation as long as they serve the mission of education-research and contribute to the society, but the administrators and management style of their institution also have a strong impact on their academic reputation. The personal, organizational and social determinants of academic reputation and the factors that damage or improve it were also identified. Finally, some suggestions were made on how to improve academic reputation.

Exploring Academic Staff Perception of Organizational Climate and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Lessons from Private Universities In Nigeria

This study explored academic staff perception of organisational climate and organizational citizenship behaviour private universities in Southeast, Nigeria. Five specific objectives, research questions and hypotheses were formulated with the decomposed variables of the study. The study was anchored on Social Exchange Theory (SET). A survey design was carried out using the sampled academic staff in the selected private universities. The study population was 4654 while the sample size was 355 arrived. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire from the random sample of academic staff of the selected private universities in Southeast Nigeria. The data using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in this study. The results revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between organizational climate and organizational citizenship behaviour. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the organizational climate dimensions and organizational citizenship behaviour dimensions. This implied that the success of an institution is dependent upon the effective management of organisational climate, which is an important path to the success of employee’s citizenship behaviour. The study recommended that equity and fairness should be entrenched during appointments and promotions so as to reduce incidence of service sabotage among academic staff of private universities. In the spirit of harmony, management of private universities should score collaborative works more than individual outputs in order to encourage teamwork among academic staff

Perception of Academic Staff on Knowledge Sharing Through Institutional Repositories in Public and Private Universities in Kenya

Universities have established platforms through which their academic staff can share knowledge they have generated and acquired through research. These platforms are known as institutional or digital repositories. However, an examination of most repositories shows that academic staffs in some faculties have deposited more research findings than other faculties. Therefore, this study sought to establish the perception of academic staff towards knowledge sharing through institutional repositories in selected public and private universities. The study utilized the Knowledge-Sharing model by Cheng et.al. developed in 2009. The research method adopted was the descriptive research design. The study location for the research included the University of Embu and St Paul’s University. The target population in the selected universities was 75. The sample size was 59 as determined by Krejcie and Morgan scales. The questionnaire was the main tool for collecting data. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics presented through percentages, frequencies, pie charts, tables and graphs. Logistical and ethical considerations were strictly adhered to. The study findings were as follows: the academic staffs have a positive perception towards KS, self-archiving is yet to be embraced by a significant number of academic staff. The study recommended that academic staff to be trained on self-archiving of their research outputs in IRs.

“Fees Must Fall Campaign” in Higher Institutions of Learning: Understanding Staff Perceptions in University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Three South-African Universities, including University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), constantly witnessed students’ protests because of yearly increment in tuition fees. In 2015/2016, an announcement of 10.5% tuition fee increment incited an even higher level of protests among students. Research on the perception of the impact of fees must fall campaign (FMFC), especially among university staff, remains minimal to date. The purpose of this study is to analyse the impact of the FMFC on the perception of academic staff of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Staff perceptions contribute significantly to the success and failure of the university or any organization. Data were elicited through a qualitative approach, using in-depth interviews. The target population for this study were academic staff sampled from UKZN. A total of 20 academic staff were recruited with the convenient sampling approach. The NVivo (v.12) qualitative software was employed for the identification of themes and sub-themes while the content qualitative analytical tool was employed to make sense of the themes. The results of the study showed that the #FMFC decreased the quality of education; lectures were suspended for days; and the #FMFC caused disruption on campus for a substantial numbers of times.  Concerns were also that the image of the university had been negatively affected, and they felt unsafe. The study recommend the need for the injection of more funds through scholarship and bursary to cushion the effect of the increase in tuition fees, especially for the less-privileged students in order to tame the tide of consistent #FMFC protests.

Understanding doctoral progress assessment in the arts and humanities

This study examines the early-stage progress assessment for doctoral candidates at a British university through the perceptions of academic staff who acted as assessors. It was conducted in response to staff concerns about changes to the process that shortened the timescale for candidates to prepare and present their research for peer review. As well as having an impact on doctoral supervisors, there were implications for researcher developers and ‘third space’ professionals who supported candidates with research skills training. The findings of four in-depth interviews with assessors in the arts and humanities are discussed in the form of a reflective, ‘structured debriefing’. The results of these reflections form recommendations for practice that highlight the importance of conceptual frameworks for doctoral assessment, and the interpretations of criteria at institutional, disciplinary and individual levels. These could be emphasised by academic supervisors and third space professionals supporting doctoral candidates through this milestone.