Professional Development Of Academic Staff Research Articles

Involvement of Academic Staff in the Practice of Professional Development

The article explores the level of involvement of scientific and pedagogical professionals in various social activities for professional development compared to other employee groups. It argues that obtaining additional professional training can be a valuable tool for career growth. The author sees professional development as an integral part of academic growth for scientific and educational workers, along with personal and career development. The findings are based on a combination of theoretical and empirical research conducted by domestic and international scholars, as well as official statistical data and the results of an original sociological study. The study involved a questionnaire survey of scientific and educational professionals (n = 223), as well as other employee groups (n = 833), in the Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions. As a result, it was found that scientific and pedagogical workers are more likely to engage in professional development activities compared to other categories of the employed population. Continuing professional education programs appear to be the most common form of professional growth. Due to their specialized activities, academic staff tend to develop digital skills more often, while other groups develop personal skills to a greater degree. Based on the level of involvement in professional development, we identified five groups of respondents: “active and engaged”, “achieving the desired level or feeling disappointed”, “questioning or confused”, “recognizing the importance of professional development”, and “rejecting professional development”. The theoretical and empirical findings led to the development of potential strategies to enhance the engagement of scientific and educational professionals in ongoing skill development and acquisition of new competencies. This article is aimed at university management responsible for professional development of academic staff. The findings presented here may have practical implications for the development of personnel strategies at universities with the goal of increasing human capital and professional competence among academic staff, as well as motivating them to engage in continuous learning. The results of this study could be beneficial for participants in the academic community, as well as for specialists involved in developing educational programs and planning the future of universities strategically. The material presented in this paper is relevant not only for academic staff, but also for graduate students who are focused on their continuous professional growth within the academic sector.

Academics’ Experiences during Horrible Times: Online Teaching, Learning, and COVID-19

E-Learning has become the new normal in Higher Educational Institutions across South Africa. Hence, intergration of the new learning pedagogies has initiated a shift of the norms on professional development. This paper seeks to unpack the strategies used by lecturers in the face of adversities experienced during the E-learning space pre & post Covid-19. There are strategies advised by teacher autonomy which need to be explored. It might have been better if teacher autonomy was merely being against pressures exerted on the individual teachers. But, it is a means for teachers to advance their personal and professional capability to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions and situations in learning spaces. This paper seeks to unravel an unacquainted new path on the drive of lecturers in their professional development that has not been evident in their training. In socio-politically transforming societies such as South Africa, the absence of adequate structures to implement a range of changing policies, may leave lecturers in despair when trying to access development opportunities. This paper adopts analytic theory and semi-structured interviews to give light to the constructivist views of lecturers who have developed methods during the times of adversity. Purposive sampling of 6 lecturers and 10 students will help the generation of data for this study because even though lectures had to adjust to new methods but students were in the receiving end of all the pressure. This study argues for implementation of best practices for the successful professional development of academics in line with E-learning. The University of Limpopo will be the centre of data generation with ethical considerations requested as well as literature visited. Collected data will be thematically analysed in order to sieve and arrange the necessary information for this study. The newly shared practices will form part of the resolutions to the professional development of academic staff.

Evaluation of E-Learning Platforms under the EASTRIP Project: Enhancing Competency-Based Education and Training through Holographic Technology in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

This study delved into the use of hologram technology to bridge the practical learning gaps in the Competency-Based Education and Training framework when using E-learning platforms. The study utilized a convergent mixed-method, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study focused on 26 public tertiary learning institutions located in Dar es Salaam. It selected 14 widely used e-learning platforms for a comprehensive analysis, ensuring diverse representation. The study's statistical treatment included descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study concluded that the platforms are crucial in delivering content and in teaching, uploading lecture notes and administering tests. However, the use of technology in final examinations and practical assignments indicates notable gaps that need addressing, requiring advanced technologies such as hologram. Addressing these gaps will require technological advancements and continuous professional development for academic staff to optimize the use of e-learning platforms and ensure they meet the comprehensive needs of modern education. This holistic approach will strengthen the alignment of e-learning practices with the CBET framework, fostering a more effective and inclusive learning environment.

Strategic Labor Induction: a Methodological Proposal Towards the Professional Development of Academic Staff in the Polytechnical Universities of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico

Objective: This research analyzes the perceptions and experiences of the academic staff of the Polytechnic Universities (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, regarding the receipt of job induction at the beginning of their hiring or reinduction every time said staff has been promoted or transferred to another area of academic nature. This study aims to substantiate, contrast and interpret how essential strategic job induction is in the (UP) subsystem to trigger the long-term professional development of academic staff in said sector. Theoretical Framework: The present study examines background research that conceptualizes, substantiates and theoretically and pragmatically interprets the phenomenon of job induction as an important requirement after the process of recruitment, selection and hiring of personnel, through its documentation in a procedure, manual, program and records. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology used in the present study was grounded theory as a methodological paradigm of the qualitative approach to analyze and interpret the perceptions, sensations and experiences when receiving or not receiving induction/reinduction practices, with the purpose of substantiating the importance of strategic job induction to trigger the professional development of the academic staff of the (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Findings: Theoretical conceptions dictate that job induction is a process that should be applied to newly hired employees and solely for the purposes of welcoming and adapting to the work environment; however, the results of the study showed that job induction should be strategic by allowing permanent two-way communication between collaborator and organization and lead towards the professional development of the academic staff of the (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Research, Practical and Social Implications: The perception and analysis of the induction actions received by the academic staff of the (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, can allow the formulation of a methodological guide that strategically guides labor induction and thus triggers the development professional of the academic staff of the (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Originality/Value: This article shows an orientation to understand the vitality of strategic job induction focused on the academic staff of the (UP) of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, and its impact on professional development.

Areas of Training of Young Specialists Through Professional Development of Academic Staff in the Field of Education

The purpose of the article is to study the direction of training young specialists through the professional development of academic staff in the field of education. The areas that require regular research, updating and professional development from specialists based on the analysis of the areas of work of teachers of higher education institutions were identified. The main key competencies for lifelong learning have been identified. The training courses offered to teachers and academic staff at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv were presented. Skills are proposed for mastering as the main learning outcome for the academic staff of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The training courses and programs offered by SoftServe have been identified by the monitoring of opportunities for practical training of teachers. For higher education institutions, professional development for academic staff is a mandatory element of the education quality assurance system and can take place through participation in master classes, seminars, trainings, webinars, and workshops. It has been established that academic staff, given the workload and challenges they face in terms of professional development and maintaining mental and emotional health, should receive professional help and support. Professional supervision can be helpful, which can help both individually and within the university. We believe that for academic staff to perform their tasks effectively, higher education institutions should provide them with quality material and technical support, and opportunities for continuous learning and development. A well-designed educational program will be the key to success for its developers, higher education institutions, students, and employers. It is necessary to create an environment of periodic discussion with employers of existing educational programs and their main components, which will allow timely making of important adjustments in response to important problems and topical issues. The principles by which the educational program is developed have been identified. The criteria for self-assessment and accreditation of educational programs have been formed.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ACADEMIC STAFF BY MEANS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES: THE UKRAINIAN EXPERINCE

The article explores the issue of professional development and academic staff readiness for implementing innovations. Japanese higher education is well-known for its academic excellence, internationalization, and progressivity. Among several its unbiased advantages there is innovative encouragement, entrepreneurial culture of higher education institutions, collegiate professional support. All these issues are the matter of interest for the Ukrainian education system. The article examines focal points: recent innovation trends in higher education globally, academic staff readiness for implementing innovations in two education systems. It was found that the readiness of scientific and pedagogical staff to introduce key innovations in higher education is built on the basis of specific components of professional competence. In particular, such components focus on the organized acquisition of additional knowledge and skills of professional implementation, aimed at the professional development of specialists in the information society.This concept is related to the desire and the ability of the teaching staff to acquire additional professional knowledge and skills to meet the demand of modern education. This is especially urgent under uncertain socio-economic circumstances, particularly, in Ukraine where teaching is not considered an attractive career to choose. The paper seeks to examine the level of university staff readiness for implementing innovations in Ukraine by means of information and communication technologies. The analysis of university staff readiness to implement innovations was carried out on the base of a remote survey. All the participants attended at least two training programs (advanced training courses, seminars, workshops) in years prior to the survey. The analysis showed the evident need of research and teaching staff to improve their own information and communication competence, and also the need to refer to the modern information and communication technologies. It was found that the use of the information and communication technologies in the educational process of higher education is a favorable factor in the development of readiness of research and teaching staff to implement educational innovations in their own professional activities. In future research, it is recommended improving Ukrainian experience for professional development of academic staff in the dimension of information and communication technologies adapted for different levels of educational management.

English Medium Instruction Methodology with Regard to International Education

The paper presents an attempt to articulate the link between the notions of «English Medium Instruction», «International Education», «Constructive Alignment», «Constructively Aligned Teaching» as some of the tools for internationalization within higher educational context. The focus of empirical research is centered around the following critical analysis issues: the approach with regard to English Medium Instruction in higher education sector (the question of implementation vs the niveu of research); methodological challenges presented by English Medium Instruction research; Constructive Alignment methodology as the one based on Intended Learning Outcomes principle in international teaching-learning process. The collected data have demonstrated that international teaching through English Medium Instruction can be currently viewed as a cognitive load-based pedagogy widely used in many European and Asian countries as a strategic initiative in institutional internationalization. Its most obvious manifestation is constructive alignment technique that that is rotating around the key milestone, which is, in a constructively aligned system, all components (intended learning outcomes, teaching/learning activities, assessment tasks, etc.) support each other and are based on the usage of English as the main medium of academic (in-class) instruction. The performed analysis suggests the following key insight: English Medium Instruction methodology for international education presupposes professional development of academic staff based on problem-centered teaching-learning process.

Сутність та важливість бенчмаркінгу для стратегічного планування у вищих навчальних закладах

The current study aims to analyze modern problematicity of the essence and significance of the benchmarking method in strategic planning in higher education institutions within Ukraine and world societies; to consider benchmarking as a systematic process of searching for the best pedagogical or educational practices; to implement innovative solutions, highly efficient educational procedures leading to higher productivity. For this purpose, history of benchmarking, its types and stages of implementation, as well as its advantages and disadvantages have been reviewed, and the subjects to which the benchmarking technique can be applied in educational organizations has been examined. It has highlighted that competition between business entities in education sector requires universities’ constant improvement of their activities in all areas. The world’s leading universities, associated with high quality education and research and traditionally top international rankings, are forced not to lose their high competitive position, but maintain their achievements and performance, and work ahead of the curve. The study states that the use of the benchmarking method in the competitive management mechanism at higher education institutions allows introducing the best experience, standards and working methods in providing education services, improving quality and efficiency, managing the professional development of academic staff, forming the new education concept, and assessing the leadership professionalism, but at the same time it has limitations.

The Professional Development of Academic Staff in Higher Education Institution

Abstract Higher education is given increasing recognition by national governments and international agencies throughout the world to become a crucial incentive for sustainable development goals. In the national development of intellectual force at present, the Vietnam policy of education and training, which is of great importance, is the decisive factor for the economic growth and social development as set out by the government. Therefore, the educational development is the responsibility of both the government and the society. It is now clear that the academic staff in higher education institutions is the core force, playing a decisive role in ensuring the quality of higher education as in the case of the International University – Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. The paper investigated the research studies by the university academic staff through their annual publications and the number of lecturers with Doctoral degrees and professorship. The results showed their research studies contributed to the development of the institution in particular, and at the same time predicted how much the stakeholders benefited from this in general. This study may contribute to developing the quality of higher education institutions regarding the promotion of international publications by the higher education faculties.

What Price Excellence in Learning and Teaching? Exploring the Costs and Benefits for Diverse Academic Staff Studying for a GCHE Supporting the SoTL

In the wake of policy, technology, and ideological disruptions in Western higher education, it is in universities’ interests to improve the quality of their learning and teaching to meet changed expectations. In some countries, particularly anglophone countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the medium for this improvement is often professional development of academic staff provided through a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (GCHE). This paper presents mixed methods research conducted at an Australian University. It addresses the questions of how a GCHE contributes to teaching quality and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) from the perspective of course participants and their educators in the context of a university wide strategy to promote a culture of excellence in learning and teaching. Data and analysis indicate significant benefits to academic staff, their students, and the host institution from completion of a GCHE. However, tensions around academic workloads, compulsion, and some contradictions in espoused educational values and managerialist impositions emerge in these advancements. The educators in the GCHE (academic developers) were sometimes caught in the crossfire. Their reflections on this experience are included in the data and analysis.

Professional Training Scheme in USUE: COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

Over the past decades, the Russian tertiary sector has undergone profound changes caused by economic and social factors. The paper focuses on the challenges that modern universities are facing nowadays. One of the challenges is pedagogical and methodological professional development of academic staff, which has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. However, a rapid shift to online teaching and learning has offered new opportunities to capacity building of staff and faculty who have learned and tested new tools and systems to enable distance teaching and learning. USUE case is considered.

Academics' effectiveness and professional development in Croatia: Challenges for human resource management in higher education institutions

AbstractThe relationship between higher education and profound global economic, social, technological and political transformations underway in recent decades is attracting growing public and professional interest. In this context, governmental bodies, higher education institutions and academics are under pressure to improve the effectiveness and professional development of academic staff. This article explores the need to adapt current human resource management practices in higher education in Croatia as a response. The article presents recent empirical data from higher education institutions in Austria, Croatia and Finland collected in the international project “Modernisation of Higher Education Institutions through Enhancement of Human Resources Management Function”. Descriptive indicators of current human resource management practices in higher education institutions reveal substantially different levels of development and use of certain practices to manage the effectiveness and professional development of academics. This article discusses the role of the human resource function at higher education institutions, the possibilities of using specific human resource development activities designed for different job roles held by academics, the importance of a performance management system that suits the academic environment, and the need for a strategic approach to human resource management at higher education institutions.

БЕЗПЕРЕРВНИЙ ПРОФЕСІЙНИЙ РОЗВИТОК НАУКОВО-ПЕДАГОГІЧНИХ ПРАЦІВНИКІВ УНІВЕРСИТЕТУ: ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ ПІДХОДИ І МОДЕЛІ

The article pays attention that usage of a definite theory in educational researches that gives distinct and reproducible explanation of professional experience, becomes the basis of the layout of a practical models of educational practices. It is suggested to classify theoretical approaches and concepts to continuing professional development at philosophical, pedagogical and psychological levels. It was proved that generalization of interconnected systematic synergetic, anthropological, axiological, acmeological, andragogical, and personality-based and activity-based approaches substantiate the aim, tasks, content, forms and methods of continuing professional development of academic staff, take into account self-direction and self-control of individual professional development, and at the same time making it possible to coordinate actions of teachers, make all the adjustments on time, to act on the basis of democracy. It was found out that practical models designed according to these approaches make it possible for the teachers to develop their own educational trajectory, to choose concrete forms, types, tendencies and subjects of educational services individually. But still there is unsolved problem of absence of regulated ways and informal education assessment criteria which is defined as individually controlled professional development, self-organized acquisition of professional competences by the teachers which is not documented. That is what limits possibilities of self-education and its importance for modernization of the system of higher education in Ukraine and for improving of professional practices of each teacher. Every institution of higher education was offered to create their own inter-institutional ways of academic workers’ informal education assessment in the system of their professional development.

Innovative Educational Technologies: Professional Development Programs for University Staff

A key role in improving the quality of higher education belongs to the executive staff, teaching employees, and academic staff as direct performers. The purpose of the article is to analyze the possibilities of advanced training of university academic staff using innovative educational technologies based on information and communication technologies (ICT). The article notes the relevance of the search for new approaches to the organization of the professional development of the higher education system employees, as well as analyzes the experience of European countries in the professional development of university academic staff. The authors specify the requirements for the meaningful components of methodical system of training at the university, the prospects of ICT use in professional activity of academic and administrative employees of the university, training areas of university staff of different professional orientation, as well as highlight innovation areas of professional development of the academic staff in Russian universities.

Perspectives and needs of Ukrainian universities’ development in the context of European integration

This publication has resulted from a nation-wide survey held among Ukrainian universities in 2019 with the purpose to identify priorities and needs in their institutional development and academic communities’ enhancement. The survey focused on higher education internationalization, professional development of academic staff, quality of higher education, university governance and financial autonomy.

‘Don’t hold me back’: Using poetic inquiry to explore university educators’ experiences of professional development through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Institutional schemes that offer financial and other support to carry out Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects have a valuable part to play in the personal and professional development of academic staff. We investigated the experiences of 12 recipients of the University of Edinburgh Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scheme awards, drawing on a poetic inquiry approach in order to understand what that development meant to them. We found that poetic inquiry surfaced stumbling points and frustrations as well as triumphs and transformation and provided insight into the kinds of emotional and practical support required by participants. Unexpectedly, it also shed light on methodological issues for the researchers.

Potentialities of the Finnish Higher Educational Framework for the Middle East: Requirements, Challenges, and Perspectives—Case of Oman

Studying the possibility of applying the Finnish Higher Education framework in the Middle East; the case of Oman requires an in-depth investigation and a clear focus on the main success factors. 
 
 The research method uses the qualitative approach to study the points of views, feeling and assumptions of all the stakeholders in the Omani educational system and how teachers perceive the idea of applying the Finnish example. 
 
 The results reveal that all participants are for using the Finnish Higher Education Framework in Oman. However, they see that the application should go through a strategic, constant long-term process along with the professional development of academic staff, the collaboration of all stakeholders and the support of the government are critical requirements.

Supporting pedagogic innovators in professional practice through Applied eLearning

This study explores the relationship between conceptions of innovation in eLearning pedagogy, the role of artefact-based learning in demonstrating this innovation, and how this can be investigated through critical incidents analysis of personal and collective learning. The context is an accredited masters programmes and the graduates' experience from 2007 to 2017. Graduates are a blend of academic staff in higher education, private sector trainers, and independent eLearning consultants wanting to develop knowledge and skills in eLearning. Key dimensions of pedagogic innovation explored are the continuum of how programme participants learn to innovate, what enables or prohibits them to innovate in their professional practice, and how they lead such innovations. Sixty-five graduates from the programme were invited to a survey and 10 of these who self-formed a LinkedIn community of practice after graduation engaged in a critical incident analysis on pedagogic innovation in their professional practice. As the participants are drawn from a range of academic subject disciplines, and share a cohort with eLearning professionals from the private and public sector, findings show the prohibitors and enablers within their disciplines and organisations in introducing and sustaining innovations to practice. Also shown is the importance of growing confidence in digital pedagogical practice, the power of collaborative cohorts, deconstructing innovative pedagogy for these contexts, and what supports pedagogic innovation. Findings have curriculum design and support implications for practitioners delivering eLearning professional development for academic staff and industry.

НАУЧНАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ КАК НЕОБХОДИМЫЙ АСПЕКТ РАБОТЫ ПРЕПОДАВАТЕЛЯ В СОВРЕМЕННОМ УНИВЕРСИТЕТЕ

Research work of academic staff has become obligatory for several reasons: science index plays a key role when evaluating university activity, academic staff has to supervise students’ research activities, and “research work” has become the main part in a faculty’s individual plan. As research work has become a necessity it requires special knowledge and skills that can be acquired through the system of further education. The article provides (a) the legal basis confirming the legitimacy of university requirements concerning research work in academic staff professional activities, (b) issues raised by academic staff in an empirical study, (с) justification of the need for continuing professional development for academic staff at tertiary education. The author reveals the factors that cause academic staff’ resistance to higher education modernization: teachers’ age, the desire to preserve the traditions of Russian universities, the rapid change from Federal State Educational Standard (FSES) 3 to FSES 3 ++ that results in difficulties in updating programs, the emergence of obligatory research work as a part of professional activities. Based on the questionnaire, the needs of teachers are identified. The author suggests educational modules to provide support to the development of faculty research work.

Editorial: Self-enquiry as an intrapersonal means to promoting scholarship of professional development: Our quest for new meaning making

Editorial: Self-enquiry as an intrapersonal means to promoting scholarship of professional development: Our quest for new meaning making