Institutional Practices Research Articles

Exploring educator perceptions and profiles in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students integration in healthcare work environments – A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe global shortage of healthcare workers, an ageing population, and increasing retirement within the healthcare workforce are causing social and healthcare systems to undergo significant internationalisation and cultural-linguistic diversification. Despite the crucial role educators play in imparting healthcare education and supporting the integration of professionals into these diverse environments, there is a lack of effective strategies and understanding to achieve this integration successfully. AimTo explore and understand how social and healthcare educators self-perceive their role in supporting the integration of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students into healthcare working environments, and to identify whether these perceptions can be categorised into specific educator profiles. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in the spring of 2022 in Finland, collecting observational data from 59 social and healthcare educators across 15 universities of applied sciences providing nurse education to CALD students. Four instruments were developed to measure educators' perceptions of supporting students in healthcare work environment integration. K-means clustering analysis identified two distinct educator profiles, and statistically significant differences between these profiles were analysed using t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. ResultsEducators perceived their highest strengths as ensuring equality for students (mean 3.81), possessing suitable characteristics (mean 3.78), and being culturally sensitive and aware (mean 3.73). They felt least confident in knowing their institution's integration practices (mean score of 2.43) and personally supporting cultural diversity among students (mean 2.93). Educators were classified into two profiles: less confident educators (mean 2.27–3.66) and confident educators (mean 2.58–3.94). Confident educators, who more effectively support CALD students, have been more involved in continuous education. ConclusionsContinuous education is critical for enhancing educators' confidence and effectiveness in supporting CALD students. Improved training and resources focused on institutional integration practices and personal support for cultural diversity are needed to address areas where educators feel less confident.

Research Ethics: Ideas and Practices of Russian Young Scientists

Scientists’ misconduct in their research activities is an important problem for science in many countries, including Russia. It leads to negative consequences both for the quality of scientific knowledge obtained and for the reputation of researchers and scientific organizations. However, there is still a small number of empirical studies of this problem in Russia. This work is based on a survey method to explore the ideas of young scientists from all federal districts of Russia about research ethics and the situations of ethical dilemmas that they encounter in their work. In accordance with the chosen theoretical framework: ideas about ethics as an action that is situational by nature, determined by sustainable practices and patterns, the survey was conducted in two stages: an open question about situations of ethical choice in research activities, on the basis of which a detailed questionnaire was then created. As a result, it was revealed that the vast majority of young scientists are faced with situations of violation of ethical standards both in scientific publications and communications, and in the processes of organizing research work. Violations of research procedures, data manipulation, falsification of research results – this is a set of violations in the organization of research that almost three-quarters of respondents encountered themselves or heard about such situations from colleagues. However, there are gaps in consensus about the sources of knowledge about ethics and a lack of institutional practices to prevent violations such as the work of ethics committees or ethical standards.

Why do virtuous individuals accept and promote unethical institutions?

This article defines ethical blindness when considering why otherwise virtuous individuals accept unethical institutional practices. It occurs when individuals possessing organisational power over others promote their self-interests to inhibit or deny promoting the common good. Systems science provides a solution for ethical blindness. It explains why living things possess distributed decision-making to maintain a self-governing existence. Checks and balances are introduced to avoid dysfunctional "group think" or intellectual colonisation. Several Australian case studies are presented. A solution that also improves the wellbeing of all citizens by reducing inequality creates a compelling incentive for politicians to act.

Schoolteachers and teacher educators: making sense of ‘research’ in the context of research-based teacher education

ABSTRACT This article investigates how schoolteachers working both in schools and as educators on campus, referred to as hybrid educators, engage with ‘research’ in the context of research-based teacher education. The concept of institutional practices is applied to unpack the complex intersection between established institutional demands in higher education-based teacher education and the creative work conducted by hybrid educators as they try to engage with these demands. Drawing on observations and interviews, the analyses identify ‘research’ as a vague and taken for granted expectation that hybrid educators are given few directions in approaching, and highlight ownership—or the lack of it—and relevance to professional practice as prominent aspects informing their engagement with research. The study provides important knowledge for policymakers and teacher education regarding how to better facilitate hybrid educators’ inclusion into research-based practices on campus.

Construction of discretion-related characters in social work with persons with disabilities in Finland

ABSTRACT This study explores characterisation regarding discretion in social work with persons with disabilities (PWD) in Finland. Discretion is conceptualised as a relational and institutional practice that is connected to narratives and conducted through relationships. The writings of six social workers and 36 clients about discretion in social work with PWD were analysed through characterisation. The research question was as follows: How do social workers and clients construct discretion-related characters for each other in their writings? Based on the findings, the characters were constructed regarding desired and undesired attributes. The discretion-related characters with desired attributes were a client at the centre of everything and a social worker advocating for a client, while the characters with undesired attributes were a social worker promoting the system and a client in inappropriate services. This study argues that the construction of characters is conducted through available material and narrative resources that matter for both the relationships and the discretion in social work with PWD.

Pedagogical model for the integration of ICTs into teaching practices in official educational institutions in rural Monteria

The general purpose of the research is to configure a pedagogical model for the integration of ICT to the teaching practices of official educational institutions in the rural area of Monteria. The epistemic structuralism model and the structural analysis method were assumed, with a type of ethnographic research and a field design, to collect information the semi-structured interview, the focus group and the documentary analysis were applied. The key participants were 50 teachers working in other educational institutions of the official sector. The results of this research have revealed that the technological infrastructure in these areas is still limited, which represents a significant challenge for the successful implementation of ICT. This suggests the need for investments in improving connectivity and the availability of technological devices in these institutions

Mediating role of capabilities in organisational agility-performance relationship in J&K, India

PurposeThis study examines the impact of organisational agility on the performance of higher education institutions. It also aims to explore the mediating role of various capabilities, namely, service innovation, technology capability, learning capability, and collaborative knowledge creation, in the agility-performance relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of this study includes teaching staff of two prominent state universities of J&K, India. The study employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Structured Equation Modelling (SEM) for scale purification and hypotheses testing.FindingsThe results show that organisational agility positively influences performance of higher education institutions. Capabilities, namely, service innovation, technology capability, learning capability and collaborative knowledge creation, partially mediate the organisational agility-performance relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample comprises teaching staff of two established universities of J&K, India.Practical implicationsFor sustenance in the turbulent environment, higher educational institutions should employ practices like regular modification of academic programs, increasing the speed of logistics activities, investing in high-ended software and hardware facilities, and developing an open environment for the exchange of ideas by employees. Policy formulation should encourage adopting agile practices in higher education institutions for enhanced performance.Originality/valueThis paper focuses specifically on organisational agility and its impact on the performance of higher educational institutions. The study contributes to the agility literature by testing the mediating roles of service innovation, technology capability, learning capability and collaborative knowledge creation collectively in the relationship between organisational agility and performance, concluding that all these capabilities except service innovation enhance the effect of organisational agility on performance.

Exploring the Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) Practices of Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) Towards the Development of Green Social Responsibility Program Model

This study explores the practices of green human resource management (GHRM) and its relationships to environmental management systems (EMS) towards the development of green social responsibility program model. The study also looked at the impact and commitment to social responsibility programs and human resource management practices of selected HEIs in the provinces of MIMAROPA Region 4-B. The ability, motivation, and opportunity (A-M-O) theory was used to explain how the factors in this study related to one another and to enhance employees’ abilities and efforts by fostering a collaborative work environment . Alternately, to consider statistical treatment of data, through analysis of variations (ANOVA), and to determine the correlation between green HRM practices and the perceived level of environmental management systems’ performance of the Romblon State University (RSU), Palawan State University (PSU), and Mindoro State University (Min SU) as higher education institutions (HEIs) in MIMAROPA Region IV-B, Pearson’s product-moment correlation (Pearson’s r) was used to identify which among the green HRM practices that predicted the environmental management performance of these selected universities that significantly correlated the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and environmental Management Practices, with p value of less than 0.05, and it is interpreted that the correlation between the two variables is significant at 0.01 level (2-tailed). It means that GHRM affects the EMS through the full mediation of HEIs environmental knowledge, thus strengthening and validating the finding of a theoretical implication in terms of ability, motivation and opportunity (A-M-O)theory.

Examining funders’ roles in responsible research and innovation of medical neurotechnology

ABSTRACT Advances in medical neurotechnology (MNT) have the potential to improve the evaluation and management of conditions of the nervous system. Meanwhile, increasing concern over ethical questions and risks posed by these technologies has prompted various institutional initiatives to examine ethical aspects of their design, development, and deployment. Funding by public agencies, foundations, and private investors plays a fundamental role in driving MNT research and development (R&D). As such, the perspectives and approaches of funders can be central in instilling and shaping the values embedded in MNTs. Responsible development and oversight of MNT requires funders to proactively prioritize the integration of ethical values in MNT. We propose a multiphase design and development process involving discrete institutional norms and organizational practices and explore how this process can enhance the funder role to address ethical challenges and promote values integration in R&D.

BUSINESS SCHOOL FACULTY PERCEPTIONS OF CSR INITIATIVES ON COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR: THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION

Purpose-This study aims to explore the influence of faculty perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on their engagement in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) within Nepal's Business school settings, with organizational identification tested as a mediator. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data were collected from 298 full-time and part-time Business school faculty members, both inside and outside Kathmandu, using a self-administered questionnaire. Step-wise regression analysis was employed to assess the research hypotheses. Findings: The findings indicate a positive relationship between faculty perceptions of CSR initiatives and their engagement in OCB. Additionally, organizational identification was found to be positively associated with OCB and partially mediated the relationship between CSR perceptions and OCB. Practical Applications: These results suggest that enhancing faculty perceptions of CSR could foster greater engagement in OCB, thereby benefiting organizational effectiveness and culture within Business schools. Strategies focusing on CSR communication and fostering organizational identification among faculty may be effective in promoting desired behaviors. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by integrating insights from social identity theory and perceived external prestige theory in examining CSR perceptions and OCB among faculty in a specific cultural and organizational context, offering practical implications for management practices in educational institutions.

Undergraduate mentorship in science: A qualitative synthesis

ABSTRACT Mentoring is a common practice in higher education institutions and scientific fields. Undergraduates approach faculty members who are working on topics that match their research interests. We conducted a study to compile a qualitative synthesis of research on the mentorship experience of undergraduate science students with faculty mentors. We used the stages of meta-ethnography to guide our study. Meta-ethnography involves identifying concepts from qualitative studies to translate them into a line of argument. We screened 2,888 titles and abstracts, 71 full texts, and included 13 studies in the synthesis. We identified and organized nine conceptual categories into two themes: student success and engagement, and barriers to student progression. The findings show that faculty mentorship is key to supporting student retention and increasing the scientific pipeline.

Advancing human resources management practices in educational institutions: Enhancing teacher retention and student outcomes using AI

Advancing human resources management practices in educational institutions: Enhancing teacher retention and student outcomes using AI

Exploring the Impact of Experience, Department, and Course on the Perception of the Internationalization of Curriculum (IoC) Among Staff at UTAS-Salalah

The internationalization of Curriculum (IoC) is a significant aspect of higher education to prepare graduates for a globalized world. This study explores academic staff perceptions of IoC at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences-Salalah (UTAS) in Sultanate of Oman, addressing a gap in the literature on IoC in non-Western contexts. Furthermore, the study explores the perspectives of academic staff regarding the implementation of IoC at different levels within the institution, department, and courses. Not only this, it also explores how these perspectives may vary based on the number of years of experience, as well as the differences in perceptions among different departments. Additionally, the study explores the perceptions of academic staff regarding the three fundamental levels of IoC, namely awareness, competence, and expertise. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among all academic staff at UTAS. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVAs, and paired t-tests. Results revealed that perceptions of IoC did not vary significantly based on years of experience or across departments. However, perceptions varied significantly across the three core levels, with expertise rated highest and awareness lowest. Strengths and weaknesses were identified within each level. This study contributes to the understanding of IoC in non-Western settings and informs institutional policies and practices. A holistic and contextually sensitive approach is needed, involving staff development, institutional support, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Finally, the findings represent a significant step towards a more inclusive understanding of IoC in the Omani context and beyond.

Understanding uptake of information about innovations among emergency department clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, little was known about managing sick patients, but emergency department (ED) clinicians had to decide which treatments and care processes to adopt. Our objective was to describe how ED clinicians learned about innovations and how they assessed them for credibility during the pandemic. We purposively sampled clinicians from hospital-based EDs to conduct focus groups with ED clinicians and staff. We used both inductive and deductive approaches to conduct thematic analysis of transcripts. We conducted focus groups with clinicians from eight EDs across the United States. We found that ED clinicians in our sample relied on friends and colleagues or departmental and institutional leadership for information on innovations. They used social media sources when they came from credible accounts but did not directly seek information from professional societies. Clinicians reported a range of challenges to obtain credible information during the pandemic, including a fractured and changing information environment, policies misaligned across clinical sites or that conflicted with clinical knowledge, high patient volume, fear of harming patients, and untimely information. Facilitators included access to experienced and trusted colleagues and leaders and practicing at multiple EDs. Participants cited anecdotal evidence, institutional practice, and word-of-mouth-rather than peer-reviewed evidence and professional society communications-as their primary sources of information about care innovations during the early phases of the pandemic. These results underscore the importance of developing trusted local mechanisms and wider networks to identify and vet information for frontline clinicians during rapidly emerging public health emergencies.

Prophylactic cosyntropin after unintentional dural puncture and incidence of post-dural puncture headache and epidural blood patch use: A retrospective cohort study (2019–2022)

BackgroundCosyntropin has been suggested to decrease the incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) by increasing the production of cerebrospinal fluid. This study examined the association of prophylactic cosyntropin administration with the incidence of PDPH and its management with an epidural blood patch after an unintentional dural puncture (UDP). MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of cases with UDP during placement of neuraxial labor analgesia. Per institutional practice and at the discretion of the anesthesiologist, intravenous cosyntropin 1 mg may be administered for PDPH prophylaxis. PDPH, time from UDP to cosyntropin administration, time to development of PDPH, and management with epidural blood patch(es) were recorded. ResultsCosyntropin was administered in 164 of 234 (70%) cases with UDP. PDPH occurred 98/164 (60%) with cosyntropin and 45/70 (64%) without cosyntropin (p = 0.66). The PDPH adjusted incidence was 53% with cosyntropin and 62% without cosyntropin, difference 9% (95% CI −6% to 24%, p = 0.25). The adjusted epidural blood patch rate was 66% with cosyntropin and 78% without cosyntropin, difference of 12% (95% CI −5% to 28%, p = 0.17). ConclusionsProphylactic cosyntropin following UDP was not associated with a significant decrease in PDPH rate or use of epidural blood patch for management of PDPH. There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse hyperglycemic or hypertensive events amongst those who did or did not receive cosyntropin.

AN ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS ZAKAT REPORTING IN ISLAMIC BANKING INSTITUTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND BRUNEI

The reporting requirements for business zakat accounting in Islamic banking institutions are still in their early stages, with only minimal zakat disclosure currently mandated. Consequently, the disclosure of zakat accounting is insufficient despite its crucial role in enhancing transparency and accountability, building the trust and confidence of the stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with Shariah principles. The primary objective of the study is to analyze zakat reporting requirements and compare them with current business zakat reporting practices in Islamic banking institutions in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. This study employs a qualitative research approach by examining the annual reports of three selected Islamic Banks, chosen based on the availability and accessibility of their audited financial statements and annual reports for the financial year ending 31 December 2023. A content analysis of the annual reports of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Bank Muamalat Indonesia and Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad was performed to evaluate the recognition of zakat expenses, the measurement of assets and liabilities for zakat, and the presentation and disclosure of business zakat. The findings are mixed yet interesting. In the absence of approved accounting standards for Islamic financial institutions, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad has demonstrated full disclosure practices on its business zakat reporting. Whereas, Bank Muamalat Indonesia is still insufficient in reporting the business zakat despite having a proper accounting standard for zakat. For Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, the business zakat reporting is adequate even though Brunei has only one enactment related to zakat collection and distribution. The measurement, recognition, presentation, and disclosure criteria should be upheld, with additional requirements for full disclosure by zakat-paying business entities. This study proposes the proper establishment of zakat accounting standards to provide comparable and reliable financial information for various stakeholders.

The Research of the Disparity Between the Provision of Feedback Opportunities and the Clarity of Feedback Implementation for Business and Management Students at the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton

This research delves into the disparity between the provision of feedback opportunities and the clarity of feedback implementation for business and management students at the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton. Employing a qualitative constructivist approach, the study aims to uncover the barriers to student feedback integration and propose solutions for enhancing university responsiveness. The investigation reveals significant differences in feedback implementation rates and the perceived value of student opinions, with implications for teaching quality and student satisfaction. The study employs questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups to gather insights from students and staff, emphasizing the need for transparent communication and actionable feedback loops. The findings suggest that universities must prioritize student voices to foster a positive learning culture and improve institutional practices.

Big Data in online education

From classifying learners to predicting learner behaviour, the application of Big Data in online education has been vast. Besides the potential benefits of Big Data in education, it is necessary to critically engage with some ethical and social challenges that Big Data presents to the field of online learning. The increasing use of big data by large institutional actors and corporations raises questions not only about data privacy and ownership, but whether this data is used to genuinely improve learner and teacher online learning experiences, or primarily for commercial profits and institutional benefits. When addressing ethical concerns regarding the use of Big Data in education, critiques often follow a reasoning that is in line with corporate interests and neoliberal logic of marketization of education. Given the importance of the pursuit for democratic online education, the need for critical perspectives in the field is ever-more essential. This research tries to critically address the role and impact of Big Data on labour relations and economic fairness in online education by examining both corporate and institutional data practices in online learning. The study puts forward a provisional theory of the use of Big Data in two large online learning platforms (Coursera and Blackboard) using critical grounded theory. The core category of Exploitation of the learning community, the three constituent concepts; the Vendor-Institutional Complex, Use of learner generated value for profit, and the Behavioral monitoring and engineering; and the sustaining category, the Magic Trick, were the foundational blocks for developing an emancipatory theory that addressed ethical issues of economic fairness regarding the use of big data in online education.

Technical note: An automated document verification tool in radiation oncology EMR: Application for LDR prostate brachytherapy.

This study aims to illustrate how a script-based automated tool can efficiently verify documentation for LDR prostate brachytherapy. An in-house Python-scripts-based tool was developed to automatically verify the specific checklists, aligned with our institutional practice guidelines for prostate seed implants (PSI). The scripts, compatible with our radiation oncology information system, could be executed with an optional web-based middleware to access and evaluate Aria documents. Optimized based on data from the previous 400 patients, the automated tool was applied to a random cohort of 50 LDR patients. It evaluated the adequacy of specific EMR documents by performing checks for data completeness, consistency, and allowable value range. We analyzed the efficiency of using this tool against conventional manual checks in two LDR processes: seed ordering and monthly audits for our PSI programs. The automated tool effectively performed chart checks on the involved PSI documents. Human errors, such as typos and inconsistent information, were identified in 7 out of 50 patients during the seed ordering process and in 2 out of 50 patients during the monthly audit. Meanwhile, this automation reduced the majority of manual chart-checking time by an average of 5 and 10 min per patient for these processes, respectively. The anticipated efficiency gains will continue to accrue as more check items are digitalized and assessable to the scripts. The implementation of an automated tool tailored for LDR prostate brachytherapy has demonstrated its efficiency benefits. Such an approach can help other clinics substantially enhance routine chart checks, periodic audits, and other applications in similar clinical settings.

Validation of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) scoring system for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis among Ethiopian patients: a multi-institutional observational study

BackgroundAcute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in Ethiopian clinical practice. Although a multitude of scoring systems have been used in clinical practice, none have been universally validated. The purpose of this study was to validate the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) scoring system in the Ethiopian context.MethodsA total of 315 consecutive patients who presented with a presumptive diagnosis of acute appendicitis and were planned to undergo appendectomy were studied. All the studied patients had diagnostic sonography and underwent the RIPASA scoring system. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of RIPASA and ultrasound results with intraoperative gross examinations.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 27.4 ± 11.5 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. The concordance between ultrasound and RIPASA for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was 93.6%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of RIPASA were 96.2%, 30.8%, 93.9%, and 42.1%, respectively. Similarly, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ultrasound were 95.3%, 27.8%, 95.6%, and 26.3%, respectively. White cell count and RIPASA scores were weakly correlated with intraoperative stages of acute appendicitis, r(313) = 0.18, p = 0.001, and r(313) = 0.129, p = 0.022, respectively. The rate of a negative appendectomy was 6%.ConclusionRIPASA and ultrasound had equivalent performance in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. In both cases, the rate of negative appendectomy was low enough to validate RIPASA for clinical practice in low-income institutions where sonographic diagnosis by a conventionally trained radiologist is not available.