Academic Perceptions Research Articles

Faculty Members’ Perceptions of their Academic Titles and Job Stress

This study aims to determine the relationship between faculty members’ perceptions of their academic titles and job stress, and the variables affecting their perceptions. Designed as a survey, the quantitative method was used in the study. The research sample consisted of faculty members working at ten public universities. The data were collected via two scales named “Scale of Academic Title Perception” and “Scale of Academics’ Job Stress”. The obtained data were analyzed by frequency and percentage values, t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression analysis. A significant difference was found in terms of faculty members’ titles and subject areas and perceptions of the faculty members were differentiated by components of the Scale of Academic Title Perception. Likewise, there was a significant difference between faculty members’ perceptions regarding their job stress levels and their academic titles, seniorities and genders. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the academic title perceptions of the faculty members and their levels of job stress. The results indicate that the faculty members’ perceptions of academic titles and the components of the titles are a significant predictor of the level of job stress and there is a significant negative correlation between them. Some suggestions are made to take measures that will positively affect the academic title perceptions of faculty members and reduce their job stress.

Factors Influencing the Students’ Perception of Lecturing Skills in Saudi Dental Schools

Introduction: Students' feedback is vital in improving the teaching and learning process in dental schools across the globe, including Saudi Arabia. Objective: This study explores the factors influencing the students' perception of faculty members' lecturing skills in Saudi dental schools. It also determines whether there is any gender difference in their perception of lecturing skills. Methods: The exploratory study design was utilized to evaluate the factors influencing the dental students' perception of lecturing skills at the selected Saudi dental schools (n=4). This study included the complete student population (n=530) of the undergraduate dental program at those schools during the academic year 2020-2021. A questionnaire titled “Students Survey of Lecturing Skills (SSLS)” was distributed to the students through an online tool. The data of the completed questionnaires (n=426) was subjected to statistical analysis using statistical software. Results: The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that five factors of SSLS, namely, Organization and Structure of the lectures (OS)”, “Lectures Effectiveness on Learning and Understanding (LEL)”, “Interest and Motivation (IM)”, “Professional Interaction (PI)”, and “Presentation and Classroom Atmosphere (PC)” are vital to evaluate the dental students' perception towards lecturing skills. Also, these five factors have significantly influenced the students' perception of faculty members' lecturing skills in Saudi dental schools. Overall, female dental students are highly satisfied than the male students in regard to their faculty members' lecturing skills. Conclusion: OS, LEL, IM, PI, and PC are the significant factors influencing dental students' perception of lecturing skills. These factors can be considered while assessing teaching quality and framing effective strategies for enhancing it at Saudi dental schools.

Human Resource Management Practices: Compare the Perceptions of Faculty Members in Punjab and Federal Universities

Effective Human Resource Management Practices (HRMP) paves the path for any institution to achieve their competitive advantages, institutional goals and ultimately the success of an institution. Without effective execution of HRM practices, an institution not only wastes its time but also a lot of money and other resources. The present research was designed to compare the perception faculty members of Islamabad Capital Territory and Punjab Province Universities about HRM practices in Universities of Federal and Punjab. The tool of research was developed after review of related literature and validated in accordance with the concerned experts’ opinion based on 6 subscales, consisted of 34 items; indicated Cronbach Alpha 0.82 was used. Quantitative data were analyzed on Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. The analysed data explore that there is no difference of HRM practices at Federal and Punjab level Universities. HRM Practices are needed to be identified to know about the weaknesses, which exist in the present system and search out the loopholes that create hindrances in effective human resource management practices.

ПРИЧИНЫ И ПРЕДПОСЫЛКИ ВОССТАНИЯ НАТА ТЕРНЕРА В АМЕРИКАНСКОЙ ИСТОРИОГРАФИИ

In this work the author analyzes the causes and prerequisites of the Southampton slave uprising of 1831 based on the materials of journalistic articles and reports of the XIX century and academic works of the XX-XXI centuries. At the same time, the main emphasis is on considering the dynamics of changes in the interpretation and perception of this event in American historiography. Such an unusual choice of subject is dictated by the fact that it is this question, according to the author, that is decisive in the study of this phenomenon, because it leads to the essential characteristics of the phenomenon under consideration. The author identifies two sets of causes and prerequisites – objective and subjective, describing each of them in detail. In addition, he identifies three key stages in the history of the study of the Nat Turner uprising: 1831-1900 – the first attempts at analysis in the form of journalistic reports, 1900-1971 – the formation of a binary academic perception associated with the release of works by W. Drewry and H. Apteker, 1971-our time – attempts to synthesize two approaches. It is noteworthy that the latter did not lead to the creation of a new concept. As the main method, materialistic dialectics is used, which allows us to consider this phenomenon in dynamics and in accordance with the principle of historicism, as a specific historical method, retrospective analysis is used, which is best suited for establishing and characterizing cause-and-effect relationships.

First-year college students’ library experience and its impact on their perceptions of academics during the pandemic

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect first-year college students’ library experience and how did their experience affect their GPA? By employing both quantitative and qualitative data collected at a public research university during spring 2021, this article found that first-year students rarely used the physical library, used the online library more often than other undergraduates, perceived the library as having a positive impact on their coursework, and determined that the online library resources and services were a primary contributor to their academic performance. Recommendations on how to improve library service and avenues for future research are provided.

Addressing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Journalism: the perception of experts, journalists and academics

Over the last decade, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become gradually more prevalent in mass media and news agency newsrooms. This growing tendency has prompted intense debate about the negative impact on journalism, particularly on quality standards and ethical principles. Taking an explorative approach, this study aims to analyse the application of AI in newsrooms, focusing on the impact on news-making processes, media routines and profiles, highlighting the benefits and shortcomings, and finally, analysing the rise of ethical dilemmas. For this purpose, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted in two rounds, in 2019 and 2021, with a sample of journalists and other media professionals, academics, experts on the media industry, and providers of technology leading the work on AI. The international sample includes interviewees from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. The interviewees agree that AI will enhance journalists’ capabilities by saving time, augmenting the efficiency of the news-making processes and, therefore, increasing mass media industry productivity. However, a change of mind-set in the media environment is needed, and training on the use of these tools must be a priority given the lack of knowledge observed. Finally, the emergence of ethical issues underlines the need for continuous control and supervision of the processes undertaken by AI.

Medical Students’ Perception of Organization and Informatization of Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background and aim: Outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had big impact on higher education system. To prevent spreading of the disease, distance learning was organised. The aim of this research was to assess medical students’ perception of quality of educational process during the COVID-19 pandemic.Respondents and methods: Online research was conducted during May 2021 on 142 students of fourth, fifth and sixth year of School of Medicine University of Zagreb. This research was conducted using Questionnaire for Assessing Quality of Distance Learning in Biomedicine Studies. It consists of 28 items which are rated using 7-point Likert scale and are distributed in six subscales. All statistical analyses were conducted using IBM® SPSS® Statistics for Windows (Version 25.0).Results: Statistically significant difference was found in Perception of Teachers’ Work between fourth and sixth year (p = 0.012), as well as Perception of Educational Environment and Personal Academic Achievements between fourth and fifth, and fourth and sixth year of study (p < 0.001). The lowest mean for all subscales was found in fourth year, except subscales Perception of Personal Academic Activity (3.51 ± 1.32) and Perception of Equipment Quality (6.22 ± 1.04). The highest mean was found in sixth year for subscales Perception of Distance Learning Organization (3.47 ± 1.04), Perception of Cooperation (4.39 ± 1.04) and Perception of Teachers’ Work (4.73 ± 0.96). For subscales Perception of Educational Environment and Personal Academic Achievements and Perception of Equipment Quality, the highest mean was found in the fifth year (5.42 ± 1.14 and 6.28 ± 1.01, respectively). Majority of students were satisfied with equipment quality and Internet connection they used, however most of them (N = 68, 47.9 %) thought that teachers were not qualified enough to use tools for online teaching.Conclusion: The highest quality of educational process was perceived by sixth-year (64.9 % of the total score), and the lowest by fourth-year medical students (58.7 % of the total score). Teachers should continue with their education in order to maximize the use of digital technology in achieving educational outcomes, especially in biomedical area.

Academics’ Perceptions of Constraints to Quality Assurance Implementation in Higher Education in Algeria

AbstractResearch purpose.This paper aims to explore Algerian academics’ perceptions of constraints to quality assurance recently implemented in higher education.Design / Methodology / Approach.Data was collected through a survey. An online questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was distributed to the Algerian academics through a snowball sampling method. In total, 121 answers were collected and treated using descriptive statistics.Findings.The analysis reveals that academics perceived constraints in all dimensions examined in this study. The main constraints were: the low involvement of different stakeholders in quality assurance projects, the weakness of internal and external communication, the absence of evidence of compliance with the national standard, the lack of involvement of academics in the development of action plans and the lack of follow-up.These constraints seem to hinder the quality assurance implementation process at the Higher Education Institutions (of the sample). These results may represent a challenge for institutions.Originality / Value / Practical implications.The study is original in that it examines a recent subject that is little dealt with in Algeria. The main contribution of this research is an analytical discussion of perceptions of academics about quality barriers encountered in Higher Education Institutions, leading to a significant enrichment of the literature.

Curriculum Gaps in Public Administration: Perceptions of Academicians and other Stakeholders in the Philippines

This paper aims to examine the limited area of public management education program of more than 70 institutions of higher education learning in the Philippines. The examination focused on distinguishing the variations of experts, college/university administrators, teachers, and students towards developing the public sector/administration management curriculum. To achieve the research objectives, it applies a survey in three phases. The first and second phase deals with questionnaire distribution to Master of Public Administration students, teachers, college administrators, and experts. The third phase was the distribution of questionnaires to all participants who have given their opinion on the proposed curriculum, their objectives, and the subjects/courses. The findings disclosed that the established curriculum confirmed with the Commission on Higher Education standards consisting of the core or professional subjects, research and evaluation, major subjects, and thesis writing. This study is helpful by universities in offering the public sector management curriculum at the master's level.

Education Quality Measure of Undergraduate Students of Speech and Language Pathology in Pakistan

Undergraduate of Speech and Language Pathology study the basics of the mechanism of human communication, and pathology faced by humans in Speech, Language and Swallowing. Objective: To measure the quality of education of undergraduate students of speech and language pathology Methods: The study was observational and cross-sectional in nature, with data collected using a purposive sampling technique. Students from both the public and private sectors from various institutes and universities across Lahore took part in the study Results: The results indicated that 40 students (61.50%) felt a "need for self-improvement" in terms of self-perception in academia. In terms of atmosphere perception, 44 (67.70%) of students had "a more positive attitude." In terms of learning perception, 58 students (89.20%) reported having a "more positive perception of the education they receive." According to perceptions of course organizers, 51 (78.50%) of students believe they are "moving in the right direction." In terms of social self-perception, 54 students (83.10%) rated themselves as "Sociable." In the study, students of all years had different perceptions of learning, course organizers, self-perceptions in academia, atmosphere, and society, but none of these perceptions differed based on gender or institutes Conclusions: First-year students had a more positive perception of academics, self-perception, course organizers, academic atmosphere, social and self-perception than students of other years.

Determinants of Major Choice and Academic Expectations: Testing a Prediction Model Across Gender.

With this study, we aim to test the predictive relationships between determinants of major choice (DMC) and academic expectations (AEs) and to analyze gender differences, using six items of the Determinants of Major Choice Scale and the Academic Perceptions Questionnaire to assess AEs. A convenience sample of Portuguese (n = 839) and Spanish (n = 1,001) first-year students (age-range = 17–23 years), mostly composed of women (56.9%, n = 1,047), was selected from two public universities. The invariance of the multivariate regression model with latent variables of the effect of DMC on AEs, with determinants linked to Personal Characteristics (PCs; e.g., capacities) and Mediating Agents (MAs; e.g., parents) as AE predictors, was tested across gender with LISREL. The invariance test of the multivariate regression model across gender fit the data well and revealed an equivalence of slopes between women and men, which allows a unique interpretation of the model’s predictive relationships for both genders. We also found statistically significant predictive relationships of PCs for six AE factors and MAs for five AE factors. The results showed theoretical relationships with the self-determination theory. At a practical level, they indicated the importance of PCs and MAs to design AE intervention programs in Higher Education (HE) institutions.

Latin American female academic perceptions about the COVID pandemic’s impact on gender equity and within-country inequality

Percepciones de mujeres académicas latinoamericanas sobre el impacto de la pandemia del COVID en la equidad y desigualdad de género al interior del paísPercepções acadêmicas femininas latino-americanas sobre o impacto da pandemia de COVID na equidade de gênero e na desigualdade dentro do paísObjetivoLa pandemia provocada por el COVID-19 nos ha traído una grave crisis económica, sanitaria y social a nivel mundial. En este contexto, se ha producido un aumento de la desigualdad entre hombres y mujeres en todo el mundo. En esta situación de confinamiento domiciliario, incertidumbre, estrés y miedo, las mujeres han sido las más afectadas, independientemente de su nivel educativo. Los mayores impactos en la percepción fueron la falta de equidad de género (ODS 5) y, por tanto, el aumento de la brecha de desigualdad de género (ODS 10) durante la pandemia en América Latina (AL).Diseño/metodología/Este estudio cualitativo, exploratorio-descriptivo, tiene un diseño no experimental de campo y transversal que utilizó la técnica de grupos focales.Resultados/HallazgosEste estudio reveló los sentimientos más profundos de las mujeres investigadoras sobre este tema, lo que llevó a una profunda reflexión sobre la necesidad de construir las bases para transformar las relaciones desiguales de género e introducir la perspectiva de género de manera transversal en un contexto universitario.Originalidad/valorEste estudio, analizado desde una perspectiva de género, tuvo como objetivo desentrañar la complejidad en la que vive la mayoría de las académicas latinoamericanas, y explicar las brechas y diferencias en sus vidas provocadas por las desigualdades que se han incrementado a causa de la pandemia en las sociedades latinoamericanas.ObjetivoA pandemia causada pelo COVID-19 nos trouxe uma grave crise econômica, sanitária e social em todo o mundo. Nesse contexto, houve um aumento da desigualdade entre homens e mulheres em todo o mundo. Nesta situação de confinamento domiciliário, incerteza, stress e medo, as mulheres têm sido as mais afetadas, independentemente do seu nível de escolaridade. Os maiores impactos na percepção foram a falta de igualdade de gênero (ODS 5) e, portanto, o aumento da lacuna de desigualdade de gênero (ODS 10) durante a pandemia na América Latina (AL).MetodologiaTrata-se de um estudo qualitativo, exploratório-descritivo, de campo não experimental e delineamento transversal que utilizou a técnica de grupo focal.ResultadosEste estudo revelou os sentimentos mais profundos de mulheres pesquisadoras sobre o tema, o que levou a uma profunda reflexão sobre a necessidade de construir as bases para transformar as relações desiguais de gênero e introduzir a perspectiva de gênero de forma transversal no contexto universitário.OriginalidadeEste estudo, analisado a partir de uma perspectiva de gênero, teve como objetivo desvendar a complexidade em que vive a maioria das acadêmicas latino-americanas e explicar as lacunas e diferenças em suas vidas causadas pelas desigualdades que aumentaram devido à pandemia nas sociedades latino-americanas.Tipo de artículoInvestigación

Faculty Readiness to Teach Mathematics in the Modern World Online

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled a shift to online teaching and learning in colleges and universities around the world, requiring teachers to adapt their instruction in a very short period of time—regardless of whether they were prepared. Drawing from a sample of 30 faculty and 172 students, the study investigates the teacher’s level of readiness in teaching Mathematics in the Modern World in an online platform in terms of course design, course communication, time management, technical skills, and pedagogical skills and to compare the teacher and student’s assessments of teacher’s online teaching competencies. The study adopted the quantitative-descriptive research method. Stratified random sampling and exact population sampling were utilized. An online questionnaire was used, and the responses were analyzed quantitatively. Results revealed that teachers have a high level of ability to teach the subject online. Additionally, results showed that there is no significant difference in the assessment of online teaching as perceived by teachers and students; this infers that two groups of respondents have the same perception of faculty members’ readiness to teach Mathematics in the Modern World online. Thus, a training intervention program is recommended for teachers in order to improve their competencies in instructional development, time management, technological skills, and teaching strategies. Keywords: course communication, course design, Mathematics in the Modern World, pedagogical skills, technical skills, time management

21st Century Skills for Higher Education Students in EU Countries: Perception of Academicians and HR Managers

The main objective of the study is to analyze the EU labor market needs and expectations in 21st Century skills in five countries from the point of view of academicians and HR managers. The meta-analysis research method was used to analyze the current reports of Turkey, the Czech Republic, Italy, Bulgaria, and Spain. The research results and findings of each country report have been comparatively analyzed. The research sample consists of five national reports. All views obtained from 28 human resources managers and 14 academicians were examined. According to research results, HR managers have more practical and pragmatist expectations from graduates such as business intelligence, knowledge of foreign languages, and continuous learning. Academicians emphasize graduates’ data mining ability, which refers to critical thinking. While academicians give high priority to communication and problem-solving, HR managers prioritize collaboration/team working skills. Agility skills defined as the ability to adapt to the changing conditions, are put in the second place by HR managers. According to academicians and HR managers, the most important 21st Century skills, in five countries, are communication, collaboration, and self-direction. There exists a need for innovative teaching materials to teach aforementioned skills to higher education students.

Perceptions and experiences of leadership in undergraduate nurse education: A narrative inquiry

BackgroundThis research explored the experiences and perceptions of leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing education. The development of leadership skills in the pre-registration period is often considered a continuous process, and evidence suggests there has been an inconsistent approach to leadership within undergraduate nurse education. Exploring perceptions of experiences in this area was deemed important to guide future leadership development for undergraduate nursing students and formed the rationale for this Doctoral study. Design and methodsThe phenomena of interest were the expectations, experiences and perceptions of student nurses, academics, and nurses in preparation for the role of leadership. A narrative methodology to learning and contexts of learning was applied, data collection included semi structured interviews conducted early in 2020. Metaphorical associations through images are thought to support leadership development and philosophies; therefore, photographic elicitation was used to evoke association and emotions, facilitate reflection, and enable expression. The framework for narrative inquiry combined with the theoretical background was used for data analysis. ResultsLeadership is perceived to be an important aspect of the role of a qualified nurse and should be considered as central to learning development for undergraduate students. While all participants valued the importance of leadership in nursing, this research revealed how each narrated experience of leadership holds emotional impact on how leadership is viewed in self and others. ConclusionsParticipants' experience shaped each story of perceptions of leadership, both within education and in clinical practice. Students' narratives revealed tensions between expectations of leadership, defining leadership and associating their experiences with a personal vision of self as leader in the future role, along with a perceived disconnect between the social and cultural experiences and context of learning. Tensions within the experiences of the academics also revealed a juxtaposition between aligning their experience of leadership with the educational preparation of students and the experiences from clinical leadership, within the social constructs of dual professions and learning contexts.

Awareness of Cultural Approach in Engineering Teaching by Lecturers: A Literature Review

This study uncovers key findings in awareness of cultural approach in engineering teaching by lecturers. A testing-based analysis five selection criteria, twenty-six quality articles were evaluated. Thematic analysis methods are used to analyze and identify key findings. The findings indicate that students' regional cultural background and significant differences in their academic perceptions are valued by lecturers. The results of the article emphasize the view that engineering cultural education is expressed through beliefs, values and assumptions, overcoming differences in expertise and institutions. The findings show that culturally limited understanding of engineering education in current educational institutions is a major challenge. Lecturers believe that the university admissions, students' persistence and multicultural competency can be enhanced when lecturers are interested in cultural differences. The support of colleagues and educational institutions will help lecturers implement cultural approach in teaching. Eleven findings from this study should be used to guide lecturer career development initiatives and improve the effectiveness of education by cultural approach teaching method.

Perception and Conceptualization of the Land-Grant Mission at a Land-Grant Institution

While the three-part mission of the land-grant university has been a pivotal component of agriculture and natural resources in the U.S., the land-grant mission is not always well understood by all audiences, including faculty members who are the key deliverers of the land-grant mission. As such, it is important to understand how faculty members view the land-grant brand identity. A series of focus groups were conducted with tenure and non-tenure track faculty members at [university]. Faculty members’ perceptions of the university’s brand came out in four themes: overall description of the brand identity, connections to [City], university values, and increased emphasis on research. How faculty members conceptualized the land-grant mission presented two themes: aware but uninformed about the land-grant mission (subthemes: concerns about public awareness and stakeholder priorities, and unawareness of Extension) and having varying definitions of the land-grant mission (subthemes: land-grant is about the land, the land-grant mission is for more than agriculture, the land-grant is successful when serving the state, the land-grant mission is intended to improve society, and the land-grant mission is delivering equal opportunity education). Recommendations for universities included providing faculty members with a full understanding of the land-grant missions and ensuring students are taught about the land-grant mission. Future research was recommended to assess perceptions of faculty members at other land-grant universities and perceptions of non-faculty audiences such as students and external stakeholders. A quantitative survey was also recommended to provide a more generalizable view of faculty perceptions of the brand of land-grant universities.

Moderating Effects of Internationalization between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Case of Construction Firms

The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has been crucial in academia and business circles. Numerous construction firms have continued to internationalize construction business over time despite the influence of the COVID-19. The internationalization of construction business makes the CSR–CFP relationship more complicated than usual. Construction firms’ CSR fulfillment serves to engage in reliable relationships with stakeholders and consequently improve CFP. It can bring both benefits and costs to the firm, which suggests that the CSR–CFP relationship is non-linear. This study examines the impacts of CSR on the financial performance of construction firms. We took Chinese-listed construction companies as an example, and an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between CSR and CFP was eventually revealed. Further, the significant moderating role of the degree of corporate internationalization (DOI) in the CSR–CFP relationship is disclosed. The results show that matching a high DOI-high CSR and a low DOI-low CSR is more conducive to CFP promotion. Thus, this research makes contributions to the academic perception of the impacts of CSR and DOI on CFP and provides insights for CSR fulfillment in the international arena.

An Outlook on Responsible Tourism in Southeast Asia

Despite the influx of wealth and business opportunities tourism brings, its degrading impact on the environment and local destinations remain as a major concern. Although the importance of sustainable tourism is undeniable, it is a concept or catchphrase which is often found value-laden, ambiguous or onerous. One main reason is because the local issues and priorities in a destination or region are more than often dissimilar to another. While the discourse on sustainable development in tourism continues largely for good cause, the importance of responsibility begins to emerge. Responsible Tourism is an important and urgent call for action, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. As tourism development and recovery is essential to the economy of developing region, managing priorities and harnessing partnership between stakeholders in a responsible manner become increasingly significant. As scholars and residents in Southeast Asia, our viewpoints offer some insights about responsible tourism in this region. In addition, a qualitative approach via online survey was administered to elicit the perceptions of tourism academics, practitioners and frequent travellers towards responsible tourism. A framework was subsequently proposed to articulate what responsible tourism in the Southeast Asian context. Implications of the study are discussed.

Perceptions of Faculty Members in Southern Jordan Faculties about the Effectiveness of Electronic Educational Platforms in Developing e-learning Learning Skills

The present study mainly aimed to determine the Perceptions faculty members in the colleges of Southern Jordan, the effectiveness of electronic educational platforms in developing e-learning skills. The study depended on the descriptive analytical approach. Besides, the study community included faculty members working in the faculties of southern Jordan. The sample of the study was (156) male as well as female teachers, they were chosen randomly. Furthermore, the study’s results reflected that the effectiveness of electronic educational platforms for faculty members in developing electronic science skills recorded a positive level. Besides, it recorded an arithmetic mean of (3.59). Moreover, the study came to its end by recommending the necessity of holding a number of courses as well as workshops for faculty members as well as students, to develop their attitudes about the electronic educational platforms’ use in e-learning, and to train them on how to use it, and to modify practical and theoretical curricula of faculties to conform to their application, by using electronic platforms of education, and to dissolve all obstacles until reaching the platforms’ use. E-education, concerning providing fast modern and virtual internet laboratories in faculties in proportion to the students’ number as well as courses.