Academic Professional Development Research Articles

Rhetoric and realities in Australian universities of student engagement in online learning: Implications for a post-pandemic era

The issue of student engagement in online learning (SEOL) environments which gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to be a significant topic of interest in the innovative scholarship of teaching and learning space within business schools. This paper explores academic perspectives on the rhetoric and realities of SEOL in Australian universities. The study employs an exploratory qualitative research approach utilising interview (n = 33) data and content analysis of university policies and documents. The findings highlight technological hurdles, administrative negligence, piecemeal professional development initiatives, and policy ambiguities impeding SEOL. The paper discusses the implications of these findings in the context of the professional development of academics in a post-pandemic era. The paper makes broader analytical contributions toward evaluating the implementation of SEOL-related policies in Australian universities and beyond.

Towards a conceptual framework of professional development: a phenomenographic study of academics’ mindsets in a business school

ABSTRACT Business education has had limited discussion on professional development for academics. Given the increasing focus on the quality of teaching and learning in higher education, we investigate how academics conceptualise professional development. This has important implications since one’s conceptions of a phenomenon can influence subsequent approaches. Few phenomenographic studies have investigated academics’ conceptions of professional development. Our study asked business academics a typical phenomenograhic question: what does professional learning and development mean to you? Our participants conceptualised it in four qualitatively different ways: continual growth mindset; student-centric mindset; knowledge-sharing mindset; and purpose-oriented mindset. We discuss the implications of these mindsets for designing professional development in higher education.

Connecting the pages: Aligning online course development with academic professional development for student success in online learning

Reflecting on the experience of designing and implementing a fully online degree at scale intended for a global student body, the authors propose that online course design is an important but under-considered form of educational development practice that enhances student success. Through the collaborative practice, professional and academic staff developed skills in digital pedagogy knowledge, digital literacy, presentation skills, learning management system and platform-specific course facilitation, embedding accessibility and writing for online delivery. Embedding professional development in online course design imparted a holistic understanding of learning, contributing to student success in online learning. Those involved in developing educator capacity and online learning in higher education will find value in this paper, including educator developers, learning designers, educational technologists, teaching academics and administrators.

Professional development of academics for the implementation of online learning in African open and distance teaching institutions

E-learning has been recognized as the vehicle with the highest potential to improve education systems in African countries if implemented well. However, the sought after improvements are yet to be realized owing to the increasing failure of e-learning initiatives. This study investigated how academics were prepared for online teaching and learning at open and distance education (ODE) institutions in South Africa and Nigeria, where two of Africa's largest ODE institutions are located. Twenty participants from both institutions were selected to participate in the study. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and a thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Consistent with previous research, the findings of this study showed higher education institutions (HEIs) in Africa did not properly plan and manage their e-learning implementation projects. A lack of proper understanding of online learning and appropriate digital skills were the main reasons for reported failures of e-learning initiatives in these contexts. Consequently, this study positioned the professional development of academics as integral to e-learning innovation in higher education. The results of this study may resonate with other types of educational institutions, and the lessons documented may be valuable and helpful to other cases in similar situations. The development of needs-based and timely training interventions is recommended.
 Keywords: academic professional development, digital transformation, e-learning readiness, ODeL, online teaching, TPACK
 Développement professionnel des universitaires
 pour le déploiement de la formation en ligne dans
 les établissements africains d'enseignement
 ouvert et à distance
 Dr. Mpho-Entle Puleng Modise & Professor Olaf Zawacki-Richter
 Résumé : La formation en ligne a été reconnue comme le moyen ayant le plus grand potentiel pour améliorer les systèmes éducatifs des pays africains si elle est bien mise en œuvre. Cependant, les progrès escomptés ne sont pas encore réalisés en raison de l'échec croissant des initiatives de formation en ligne. Cette étude a examiné la manière dont les universitaires ont été préparés à l'enseignement et à l'apprentissage en ligne dans les établissements de formation ouverte à distance (FOAD) d'Afrique du Sud et du Nigeria, où se trouvent deux des plus grands établissements de FOAD d'Afrique. Vingt participants des deux institutions ont été sélectionnés pour participer à l'étude. Des entretiens qualitatifs semi-directifs ont été réalisés pour collecter les données, et une analyse thématique a été utilisée pour analyser les données. En cohérence avec les recherches précédentes, les résultats de cette étude ont montré que les établissements d'enseignement supérieur en Afrique n'ont pas adéquatement planifié et géré leurs projets de mise en œuvre de la formation en ligne. Le manque de compréhension de la formation en ligne et des compétences numériques appropriées sont les principales raisons des échecs signalés concernant les projets de formation en ligne mis en place dans ces contextes. Par conséquent, cette étude a positionné le développement professionnel des universitaires comme faisant partie intégrante de l'innovation en matière d'e-learning dans l'enseignement supérieur. Les résultats de cette étude peuvent trouver écho dans d'autres types d'établissements d'enseignement, et les leçons tirées peuvent être intéressantes et utiles pour d'autres instances dans des situations similaires. Le développement d'interventions de formation fondées sur les besoins et moments opportuns est recommandé.
 Mots-clés : développement professionnel universitaire, transformation numérique, préparation à la formation en ligne, FOAD, enseignement en ligne, TPACK

The reality of the International Mobility of Students and the Professional Development of Faculty Members at the Faculty of Physical Education at Helwan University to achieve Global Competitiveness

The reality of the International Mobility of Students and the Professional Development of Faculty Members at the Faculty of Physical Education at Helwan University to achieve Global Competitiveness

Role and Importance of Communication Skills for Engineering Students

It is absolutely necessary for engineering students to possess skillful communication abilities in order for them to achieve success in both academic and professional settings. In this study work, the complex function that communication skills play in engineering education and practice is investigated, as well as the relevance of these abilities. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the crucial necessity of communication competency for engineering students by evaluating a variety of areas, including but not limited to: cooperation, client engagement, problem-solving, project management, presentations, networking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. In this paper, we shed light on the ways in which excellent communication skills lead to academic achievement, professional development, and creative contributions to the area of engineering. We do this by drawing upon theoretical frameworks, empirical data, and practical examples.

Supporting the Next Generation of Leaders in the Geosciences: Barnard’s Environmental Science Pathways Scholar Program

To address the national need to diversify the geosciences, we created the cohort-based Environmental Science Pathways Scholars Program, or E(SP)2, for undergraduates in the Environmental Science Department at Barnard College who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), first generation, or low income. By fostering a more inclusive community in the particularly formative stages of academic and early professional development, E(SP)2 aims to support and retain a diverse cohort of students who have developed confidence in their scientific skills and identities, and who share a passion for environmental science. E(SP)2 is modeled on the Science Pathways Scholar Program [(SP)2] at Barnard College, an active and successful multidisciplinary opportunity at Barnard College.

The online communities of practices and faculty members’ professional development: A critical literature review


 Following the success of online communities of practices (Online CoPs) in the business sector for the professional development of employees, the idea of fostering the online cultivation of CoPs in educational institutions for the professional development of faculty members has been researched and practiced. Although this topic has not achieved maturity in the literature, this study is based on contingency theory/perspective views that the fundamentals of educational institutions are different from the fundamentals of business organisations. This means the research and implementation of Online CoPs with regard to educational institutions are unique and thus different from those of business organisations. Consequently, this study aimed to highlight the research gaps regarding the methodological approaches, the limited scope and conceptualisation of online CoPs, the limitations of theoretical foundations underlying CoPs, and the benefits and barriers of online CoPs in educational institutions. A critical semi-structured review methodology was employed. The findings expose the critical theoretical limitations and highlight the distinctive barriers and benefits of using online CoPs. Four promising research avenues are successively elaborated for the contingency-based theory development of online CoPs and provide grounds for their implementation in educational institutions.

Consultants & Trainees Active Participation in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT): Tumor Boards can Play a Major Role in the Achievement of their Academic Professional Development Goals

We wish to share with the readers of this scientific journal our experiences and observations regarding educational gains achieved by the consultant faculty and trainee postgraduate residents via active participation in multidisciplinary team (MDT) Tumor Boards. The rapid modernization of teaching methodologies is being observed in both postgraduate residents and faculty professional education learning processes. Contemporary literature is increasingly depicting academic work which is being directed towards the exploration of both educational and social determinants of health care [1]. Several socio-economic factors have been discussed across the globe which have an impact on the health care systems [2]. Researchers argued over the fact that the leading factor for a positive outcome is socioeconomic wellbeing especially for patients with diseases, like cancer, diabetes mellitus, etc. If we critically evaluate the curriculums designed on the principles of traditional problem-based learning and case-based learning, they are very well-established students centre approaches, but on their merit, they failed to provide a holistic picture of the patient care [3].

Snapshots of Malaysian Academics in International Engagement

Higher education academics in Malaysia are encouraged to enhance their outreach and international experience via engagement beyond the campus. Such activities are considered paramount in fostering competence, credibility and relevance of the Malaysian higher education system as a whole. This paper explores the experiences and perceptions of internationalisation based on the Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society (APIKS) global survey on academics (n=4368) in Malaysian higher education institutions (2019–2020). The primary purpose is to highlight Malaysian academics’ perceptions of internationalisation in their teaching, research and publication activities as well as their perceptions of the outcomes of internationalisation, including their institutional strategies and support for internationalisation. In addition, cross-sectional analyses of various groups (education background, rank and university types) were carried out to see the differences between them in internationalisation activities. The findings indicate that while Malaysian academics were quite international in their teaching and research orientations, this was less pronounced in their publications. International outcomes leaned strongly towards enhancing institutional reputation and academic quality. While the respondents had positive responses to institutional strategies for internationalisation, they seemed less assured of sufficient commitment, in terms of funding, to support scholarly activities. The findings also confirm the existence of differences among age groups, institution types and ranks on individual international research and publication practices. This paper concludes with recommendations for policy and practice on academic mobility, research support and professional development.

A Validation Study of the Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale (ACSES) in Pre-Kindergarten to Third Grade Classrooms

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Despite widespread calls to advance equity in early childhood classrooms, there are few observational measures of equitable classroom processes that can be used for academic research or professional development for teachers. In this study, we investigate the psychometric properties of an observational measure of equitable sociocultural interactions, the Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale (ACSES 2.0). Videos (n = 348) were coded from Pre-Kindergarten to third-grade classrooms in an urban city in the Midwest. Descriptive results indicated that teachers rarely engaged in instructional activities focused on racial equity or fairness and infrequently connected lessons to children’s home lives. ACSES showed convergent validity with a widely used measure of teacher–child interactions, the CLASS. Specifically, higher levels of Inequitable Discipline predicted higher levels of CLASS Negative Climate (r(138)=.359, p < .01), and higher levels of Inequitable Discipline predicted lower scores across all other CLASS dimensions. Exploratory factor analysis supported a seven-factor solution for ACSES. Practice or Policy: The results support the usage of ACSES in Pre-Kindergarten and early elementary settings. The implications of ACSES for both research and practice are discussed.

Model of Academics Professional Development Factors for Higher Education Institutions

This paper presents a study on developing a structural equation model of factors affecting UAE Academics Professional Development (APD) programs. Data used to develop the model was collected from questionnaire survey amongst three of UAE Higher Education Institutions. The model which comprised of seven independent constructs and one dependent construct was developed and assessed using AMOS SEM software. At the initial stage, eight measurement models (which is the eight constructs altogether) were developed and assessed individually using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the software until it achieves goodness of fit. Then these eight measurement models are tied up into structural model which also assessed using CFA to find the goodness of fit. Once the structural model has achieved the goodness of fit, the path analysis or known as hypotheses testing was conducted on the model. The hypotheses testing found that five constructs have significant effect to academic’s professional development (APD) which are the i) design of teaching plan, ii) teaching skills, iii) communication skills, iv) expertise skill in the lesson content, and v) technology. While, two constructs which are i) individual and occupational identity and ii) policy and strategy do not have significant relationship with quality academic professional development. This model contributed to the body of knowledge and also to the related parties that involved in developing academic professional activities

Factors Affecting Academics Professional Development of Higher Education Institutions

Several challenging contributions linked to the standard of teaching in higher education institutions and one of them is academic professional development programs. The challenge is so obvious due to structural changes in a modern society that requires an improvement to the teaching quality. Hence, this paper presents a study on determine the factors affecting academics professional development in UAE higher learning institution. There are 63 factors that were clustered into seven groups of factors namely design teaching plan; communication skills; expertise skill in the lesson content; individual and occupational; policy and strategy; technological factors; and teaching skills. The collected data from the questionnaire survey was analysed to determine the ranking of the seven groups’ factors it was found that communication skillsgroup of factors is the most influencing factor affecting academics professional development. The following factor is the design of teaching planfactors ranked as second and policy and strategyfactors ranked as third place. The collected data was also analysed using cross tabulation approach and found that for professor concerned is communication skills and the least concerned is individual and occupational identity. While for associate professor, the concerned factor is the expertise skill in the lesson content and the least concerned is communication skills. For senior lecture, the most concerned is design of teaching plan and the least concerned is technology. Finally for lecturer, the most concerned is design of teaching plan and the least concerned isindividual and occupational identity. The findings from this study will benefit related parties in formulating their professional development programs for the academics.

Multilevel Analysis of Factors Affecting the Professional Development of Faculty Members

هدف: هدف پژوهش حاضر تحلیل چند سطحی عوامل موثر بر توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیئت‌علمی بود.مواد و روش‌ها: جامعه پژوهش حاضر شامل اعضا هیئت علمی دانشگاه شهید باهنر کرمان در سال 1398 به تعداد 650 نفر است و نمونه مورد مطالعه به روش انتساب متناسب مشتمل بر 289 نفر انتخاب شد. ابزارهای مورد استفاده در این پژوهش مشتمل بر سه پرسشنامه محقق ساخته است که روایی آنها با استفاده از روایی سازه و پایایی آن‌ها با استفاده از روش آلفای کرونباخ و پایایی مرکب مورد ارزیابی و تایید قرار گرفته است و جهت تجزیه و تحلیل دادهای گردآوری شده با استفاده از پرسشنامه‌های مذکور از روش‌های‌ آمار توصیفی (میانگین، انحراف استاندارد، کمینه، بیشینه، کجی و کشیدگی) و آمار استنباطی (تحلیل چند سطحی) بهره گرفته شده است.بحث و نتیجه گیری: نتایج تجزیه و تحلیل داده‌ها و اجرای آزمون آماری تحلیل چند سطحی با استفاده از نرم افزار HLM در پژوهش حاضر نشان دهنده آن بوده است که با هر واحد تغییر در عوامل سازمانی سطح دوم (دانشکده)، توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی به میزان 52/0 واحد، عوامل مدیریتی به میزان 01/0 واحد، عوامل فرایندی به میزان 06/0واحد، عوامل فردی به میزان 22/0 واحد و عوامل اجتماعی به میزان 08/0 واحد تغییر می‌نمایند. همچنین با هر واحد تغییر در عوامل مدیریتی، توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی به میزان 06/0 واحد تغییر می‌نماید؛ با هر واحد تغییر در عوامل فرایندی توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی به میزان 15/0 واحد تغییر می‌نماید؛ با هر واحد تغییر در عوامل فردی توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی به میزان 13/0 واحد تغییر می‌نماید و درنهایت با هر واحد تغییر در عوامل اجتماعی توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی به میزان 15/0 واحد تغییر می‌کند. با توجه به نتایج کسب شده به نظر می‌رسد تمامی عوامل ذکر شده دارای تاثیر معناداری بر توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیات‌علمی می‌باشند و عوامل سازمانی بیشترین و عوامل مدیریتی کمترین تاثیر را بر توسعه حرفه‌ای اعضا هیئت‌علمی دارا می‌باشند

Using Whole Brain® thinking to inform lecturer identity in family medicine

This paper serves as a conceptualisation of how the principles of Whole Brain® thinking can be used to inform lecturer identity. The objective of this position paper is to engage discourse on the educational professional development of early-career academics in health sciences. It is about laying a scholarly foundation for self-study. As a scholarly community of practice in family medicine we wanted to determine to what extent the literature – theoretical framework – is silent on innovative means to ensure that academics take responsibility for their development, using self-regulated learning and self-empowerment. In our search for literature on theories of professional learning we came across the theory about Whole Brain® thinking. Our action research initiatives revolve around the notion of individuals’ preferences for different modes of thinking. Our preferred modes of thinking inform our teaching practice and lecturer identity.

Features of subjective well-being of Russian and Chinese students: A comparative analysis of the problem

Introduction. The subjective well-being of students is an important factor affecting academic achievements and professional development. The number of Chinese students studying in Russia is already quite large, and there is a potential for growing cooperation between our countries. Therefore, the study of the subjective well-being of Chinese students in their comparison with Russian students is relevant not only from an academic point of view (as a cross-cultural study of the globalising world), but also from a practical point of view.Aim. The aim of the present research is to theoretically and empirically study the subjective well-being in general and its individual components among Chinese students getting higher education in Russia, in comparison with Russian students there.Methodology and research methods. The methodological principles of the study are activity-based and subject-activity approaches, as well as the principles of consistency and system analysis. The theoretical study was conducted using the bibliographic method. The empirical study used the testing method and methods of statistical data processing.An empirical study was conducted on 392 students of the RUDN. The following psychodiagnostic methods were applied in the study: “Scale of Subjective Well-Being” by A. Perue-Badu (adaptation by M. V. Sokolova), “Questionnaire of Self-Attitude” (V. V. Stolin, S. R. Pantileev), “Oxford Happiness Questionnaire”, “Subjective Assessment of Appearance” (V. A. Labunskaya, E. V. Belugina), and “Scale of Basic Beliefs” by R. Yanov-Bulman (adaptation by O. Kravtsova). The statistical Mann-Whitney U criterion was used for the calculations. The calculations were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 23 program.Scientific novelty and results. The scientific novelty and the most significant research results consist in identifying the features of subjective well-being and related personal characteristics of Chinese students studying at Russian universities, in comparison with Russian students there. It was found that most of the indicators of subjective well-being of Chinese students are at a lower level than those of Russian ones. The exception is the parameters “psychoemotional state” and “tension and sensitivity”, for which Chinese students show better scores.Practical significance. The practical significance of this work is that the authors developed the recommendations aimed to improving the indicators of the subjective well-being of Russian and Chinese students studying in Russian universities.

Teaching and Learning Centers for Faculty Professional Development in Türkiye: Administrative and Organizational Structure

Globalization and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have disrupted the way we live, work, and learn, which has resulted in an inevitable digital shift and transformation in education. In addition to the need for lifelong learning, continuous self-improvement, and renewing knowledge, the current digital transformation requires academics to apply their pedagogical and technological skills on their teaching and learning to address the newly-emerging needs. This study aims to determine the demographics, administrative and organizational structures, and the activities of Teaching and Learning Centers that strive to contribute to the professional development of faculty members in Turkish higher education institutions. The data from the centers were collected in a three-step process and analyzed qualitatively. The findings revealed that most of the centers, other than the pioneer ones, were recently established and were affiliated with and supported by university senior management, where the center administrators undertake most of the workload. Therefore, ensuring faculty members' participation in professional development activities organized by these centers is important to increase their awareness of using technology as a tool in teaching.

Editorial bias in top‐tier education journals: Factors influencing publishable scholarship in China

AbstractThough not rare in the gatekeeping practices of journals, editorial bias in China has received scant scholarly attention. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with 15 academics and 10 editors in the field of education and collecting data on more than 1,522 scholarly articles published by the Chinese journal Educational Research, we assessed the causes and consequences of editorial bias in a subset of the education journals covered by the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI). Our findings indicate that the editorial biases revealed in some top‐tier Chinese education journals were associated mainly with academic fame, rank, and affiliation as well as personal relationships described by the term guanxi. The causes of these biases include the desire to secure the status of CSSCI‐listed journals, short‐staffed editorial teams, and an inadequate peer‐review system. Further, we found these biases to be associated with three particular negative consequences: slowing the professional development of young academics, allowing the publication of mediocre articles and compromising the Chinese academic environment. We conclude that journal editors, reviewers and academics must work together to safeguard a rigorous and constructive scholarly publishing system in China.

‘It feels like you’re going back to the beginning…’: addressing imposter feelings in early career academics through the creation of communities of practice

ABSTRACT In exploring imposter feelings in early career academics, this article examines the impacts of adopting social constructivist pedagogies. It reveals the significance of reflective practice in a Post-Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice programme (PGCAP), supporting professional development in teaching, learning and assessment for new academics in a UK Higher Education context. A qualitative case study approach enabled researchers to gain insight into participants’ experiences; data was collected via semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that causes for imposter feelings are multi-faceted, encompassing factors including interactions with students, and adjusting to university language, culture and systems. Alongside similar studies internationally, the authors present that employing social constructivist pedagogical tools in a planned programme of professional development for early career academics supports the creation of mutually empowering communities of practice (CoP), so addressing threats to professional identity, providing a horizontal alternative to organisational hierarchical support mechanisms, and enabling the construction of a secure academic identity.

Students with Visual Impairment Suffer for their Academic Career and Professional Development: An Empirical Investigation of Test Anxiety and Coping Strategies

Students with Visual Impairment Suffer for their Academic Career and Professional Development: An Empirical Investigation of Test Anxiety and Coping Strategies