University Teachers Research Articles

Challenges and opportunities in implementing intercultural education in higher education: the perceptions and practice of foreign language teachers in a Chinese university

ABSTRACT Intercultural education (IE) is considered a response to the challenge of conflict and discrimination. This study explores the challenges and opportunities in IE in foreign language classes in a Chinese higher education institution, focusing on teachers’ perceptions and practices. We find that teachers usually essentialise IE, and many intercultural opportunities are neglected. The main challenges are teachers’ limited awareness of IE, concern about conflicts and the belief that IE is not their responsibility. However, elements of interculturality still enter the classroom, resulting in unconscious implementation of IE. This implies future opportunities for IE in Chinese HE if properly guided by teacher training.

Research on the research motivation mechanism of young teachers in colleges and universities based on organizational support theory

This study, based on organizational support theory, explores the relationship between young college teachers' sense of organizational support, professional identity and research motivation, with the aim of revealing their incentive mechanism. The study shows that teachers' perception of school support significantly and positively affects their research motivation, including the two dimensions of instrumental support and emotional support. The results of a questionnaire survey of young teachers from 120 universities across the country show that there is a significant positive correlation between the sense of organizational support and research motivation, and that professional identity plays a mediating role between the two. In addition, the study also found that gender differences play a moderating role in the relationship between organizational support and research motivation, and there are significant differences in the performance of male and female teachers in this relationship. Based on these findings, this paper suggests that universities should create a good organizational support environment, pay attention to enhancing teachers' sense of professional identity, and consider gender differences in policy formulation, in order to more effectively motivate teachers' research motivation and thus improve overall research efficiency and quality. The research results provide practical guidance for the research management and incentive mechanisms of university teachers, and enrich the application of organizational support theory.

ВИБІРКОВІ ОСВІТНІ КОМПОНЕНТИ В ПРОФЕСІЙНІЙ ПІДГОТОВЦІ МАЙБУТНІХ УЧИТЕЛІВ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ МОВИ І ЛІТЕРАТУРИ В МАГІСТРАТУРІ

The author of this article characterizes the role of selective educational components in the professional training of future teachers of the Ukrainian language and literature in the master’s degree. It was found that one of the ways of forming the individual educational trajectory of a student is the mastering of selective educational components aimed at improving general and professional competencies defined in the educational and professional program. The procedures for the development and selection of the specified educational components are outlined in university regulations, in particular, it is stated that they should cover 25% of the total volume of ECTS credits planned by the relevant educational and professional program. Analysis of educational activities for the implementation of the educational and professional program 014.01 Secondary education. Ukrainian language and literature in the master’s program of the T. H. Shevchenko National University «Chernihiv Colehium» made it possible to characterize selective components from cycles of general and professional training. It was established that those seeking higher education should master three academic disciplines of the cycle of general training and five academic disciplines of the cycle of professional training, which are evenly distributed within three semesters. The author of the article characterizes those educational disciplines that are particularly popular among future teachers of the Ukrainian language and literature, in particular: “Pedagogical rhetoric”, “Basics of academic integrity”, “Artistic systems in Ukrainian literature of the 20th-21st centuries”, “Literature of the Siver region in historical-typological context”, “Technologies of studying theoretical and literary concepts in high school”, “Ukrainian language in scientific and pedagogical communication”. It has been established that educational disciplines that have a practical direction and may be needed during professional activities are particularly popular among future teachers. It is noted that teachers of university in the process of developing selective educational components try to take into account branch and regional aspects. Key words: professional training, educational component, educational and professional program, educational discipline, future teachers of the Ukrainian language and literature, master’s degree.

Exploring the Role of Teachers' Professionalism in Reducing Aggression and Fostering Resilience among University Students

The study focused on exploring the role of teachers' professionalism in reducing aggression and fostering resilience among university students. The qualitative research design was followed to conduct this study. The sample of 15 students of MPhil and PhD (Edu) for semi-structured interviews was selected employing purposive sampling. A self-structured interview protocol was used for the collection of data. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The study revealed that particular teacher behaviors and practices can mitigate aggression and promote resilience among students. University teachers should formulate instructional strategies to boost student resilience, engage learners in problem-solving and project-based learning, and offer guidance and counseling services to address violent conduct of students.

Perceived school climate, collective teacher efficacy, self-compassion, and subjective well-being in Chinese university teachers: a mediation analysis

This research investigates the relationships between perceived school climate, collective teacher efficacy, teacher self-compassion, and their combined impact on the subjective well-being of Chinese university teachers (n = 617). Utilizing a social-ecological framework, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine these relationships. Our findings reveal direct positive associations between perceived school climate and collective teacher efficacy with teacher subjective well-being. Furthermore, teacher self-compassion emerged as a significant mediator in these relationships, highlighting its role as a crucial personal resource that links the school environment to individual well-being. These results underscore the importance of fostering positive school climates, enhancing collective efficacy, and cultivating self-compassion to support teacher well-being in the context of Chinese higher education. The implications of these findings for educational policies and practices aimed at promoting a more sustainable and flourishing academic environment are discussed.

Emotions and identities in teaching in higher education: an autoethnographic approach

ABSTRACT This article is an autoethnographic study of the emotions and identities of a foreign language teacher in an Australian university while I was struggling with a heavy teaching workload due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using self-narrative data of emotional experiences related to my teaching, I examine how my emotions and identities are related to the context of my work. My two different identities as a teacher were in conflict, which triggered clashes between those identities and my teaching actions, and negative emotions. My teacher identities were affected by ideologies espoused in university policies, as well as by my values and beliefs about teaching based on my past experience. My identities and emotions were also affected by the power of the higher management of the university and by my positioning of self.

Yhteisopettajuus ja sen toteutuminen yliopistossa:

Well-functioning co-teaching contributes to students’ learning, and teachers’ professional skills and well-being, but most of the previous studies on the topic as well as pedagogical guidelines for teachers are made in basic-level education context. To fill this knowledge gap, we analysed the implementation of university-level co-teaching in geography research methodology course context. The results demonstrate the meaning of co-teaching to university teachers’ work, for the social teaching-learning environment, and for the construction of students’ geographical expertise. We show that co-teaching can positively contribute to creation of participatory teaching-learning environment and support the learning of multi-disciplinary contents. Co-teaching is thus a valid pedagogical method for courses where integration of different perspectives is essential.

Features of the formation of the on-screen communicative personality of a higher school teacher

Importance. The development of audiovisual communication channels in the field of higher education pedagogy makes the issue of forming an effective on-screen image of a teacher and scientist relevant. Building a communicative personality according to screen canons becomes especially significant in the field of distance teaching activities. This study aims to identify the most significant parameters of a teacher’s on-screen communicative personality.Materials and Methods. Based on the analysis of the “Open Education” project of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, the constant components of a communicative personality transmitted by higher education teachers and ensuring the effectiveness of communication with course students are specified. The research material is audiovisual content of 1540 project programs. The study’s chronological scope is 2023-2024. To achieve the research goals, comparative typological and textological methods, as well as the method of content analysis, are used.Results and Discussion. It is established that the on-screen communicative personality of a higher school teacher’s constant parameters include qualities that develop the status of an expert, namely: the use of dress code standards for a university teacher, exact correspondence of the content of the speech to the stated topic, dominance of the scientific style, pronounced pausing, rich intonation, moderate facial expressions and gestures. Variable attractive parameters include qualities that correlate with the characteristics of network communication: intimate communication, personification, personalisation, game implementation, and a philosophical sense of humour. The qualities that distinguish the communicative personality of a higher school teacher on the screen from the same personality in the audience include a reduction in the frequency of manifestations of the mentoring tone and the absence of edifying elements.Conclusion. The study establishes that effective modelling of an on-screen communicative personality is based on both constant and variable parameters. The former allow the teacher to develop a sense of expertise and compliance with the status of a university teacher, while the latter individualise the learning process.

Higher Education Teachers Digital Literacy Competencies Exploration of Cultivation Models - Based on New Liberal Arts Contextual Perspectives

In the context of the new liberal arts, teachers' digital literacy ability has become a key factor affecting the effectiveness of education. At present, some colleges and universities are still facing a lot of problems in cultivating teachers' digital literacy ability, which are mainly manifested in the low utilization rate of digital teaching resources, imperfect teaching digital evaluation system, lack of personalized and systematic cultivation of teachers' digital literacy ability, and teachers' cross-fusion ability of disciplines need to be strengthened and so on. In view of these difficulties encountered in the cultivation of teachers' digital literacy, three new cultivation modes are proposed, namely, the implementation of the "cloud platform" cultivation mode, the establishment of the "research-practice-competition" integrated cultivation mode, and the promotion of the "research-practice-competition" integrated cultivation mode. Three new cultivation modes are proposed, namely the implementation of the "cloud platform" cultivation mode, the establishment of the "research-practice-competition" integration cultivation mode, and the promotion of the "market mechanism" cultivation mode, and we hope to provide reliable suggestions for the cultivation of the digital literacy competence of college teachers in China.

Effect of the Teachers’ Attire on Their Performance at University Level

The purpose of this study was to discover the effect of the teachers' attire on their performance at the university level. In this study, the researcher applied a qualitative research design. This study utilized Saunders' Research Onion and an interpretive philosophical approach to investigate the impact of attire on teaching performance among university teachers and students. The inductive approach involved collecting qualitative data to develop a theory. The researcher employed an interview strategy to gain a deep understanding of the impact of attire on teacher performance at the university level. The cross-sectional research was conducted over a defined time frame, with data collected from 20 undergraduate students from Multan University and BZU. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who could provide rich insights. The researcher personally gathered data from both universities, and NVIVO was used for analysis. Word clouds and concept trees were used to generate visual representations of the text data. Data have been collected with the help of interviews consisting of 7 open-ended questions. The findings of the study reveal that the study establishes clear guidelines and expectations regarding attire to promote a culture of professionalism within the educational setting. The study recommended encouraging teachers to dress in a manner that reflects the values and standards of the institution while allowing for individual expression and recognizing and respecting the diverse cultural backgrounds and personal preferences of teachers when addressing attire-related policies.

РАЗРАБОТКА ПРИЛОЖЕНИЯ УЧЕТА И ОБРАБОТКИ НАУЧНЫХ ТРУДОВ СОТРУДНИКОВ КАФЕДРЫ ВУЗА

To store the results of scientific activity of university teachers, it is necessary to organize their accounting with subsequent prompt and convenient data acquisition. The article discusses the experience of developing and subsequent practical use of the application for accounting and processing scientific papers at the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics. It is noted that the shortcomings of existing software developments in the field of creating bibliographic databases, in particular, the redundancy of information entry parameters, the lack of Russian localization led to the need to create and implement the developed program in the practice of the department. The author and a team of employees, with the involvement of young specialists, carried out work to study the opinion of the teaching staff regarding the possibilities of future development. The article presents the main features of the application, its architecture, a description of the user's actions when entering information into the system, the results of the search for the work of employees, and also shows the final reports generated over a certain time interval. The developed application made it possible to simplify the procedure for storing scientific papers of employees of the University department and, after a short adaptation, can be used in departments with similar goals and objectives.

The Context of Achieving and Application of Education by Sociologist Rangalal Sen

Dr. Rangalal Sen (1933-2014) was known in the country and abroad as a professor. After completing his education from Dhaka University, he first joined the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as a lecturer in 1964. In the next year, he moved to the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University in the same position. His career began in 1953 as a primary school teacher. Apart from teaching, he was actively associated with several socio-political organizations and learned societies, including: Dhaka University Teachers’ Association, Dhaka University Senate, Bangladesh College-University Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Sociological Association, Expatriate Bangladesh Government, Bangladesh Itihas Parishad, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Asiatic Society, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Parishad, Sher-e-Bangla Smriti Parishad etc. Moreover, he became a syndicate member of many universities at many times on the nomination of the Chancellor. In June 2011 the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh awarded Rangalal Sen in the unique status of National Professor. This distinguished professor passed away on February 10, 2014. Even though Dr. Rangalal Sen passed away, some of his sociologically valuable works will survive him. By acquiring education, human qualities will be fully developed in a person, where there will be no violence and strife, mutual kindness will be displayed among people, the active presence of non-communal and democratic mind will be ensured, a rational social system with moral sense will be established – this was Rangalal Sen’s philosophy of education. Rangalal Sen was not only a Marxist sociologist or theorist but also a dedicated worker of socialism. According to his philosophy, the true meaning of life lies in making the human society more beautiful through honesty, justice, non-violence and altruism in personal life without limiting religious practice to worship and fasting. A good person but not good as a teacher, or a good teacher but not good as a person- these were completely unthinkable things for Rangalal Sen. His advice to everyone was to be a good person first. Enriched with real education, he has always kept one and the same ideal in his heart. Therefore, regardless of the party and opinion, only those who know him were and are always respectful to him. Rangalal Sen can be termed as a humanistic sociologist, egalitarian educationist and moralistic philanthropist considering the education achieved by him and its practical aspects. Rangalal Sen, who was blessed with good fortune, got close to such great persons in his life and cherished their ideals in such a way that his line of ideals never crossed., Dr. Sen’s personality formation can be well understood in the light of sociological judgement of education. This short article attempts to explore the institutionalization of Rangalal Sen and the catalysts behind it. For this purpose, Rangalal Sen’s educational life, career and application of education in it, influence of institutional and non-institutional education as a background for the formation of his ideal personality, reciprocity of ideals etc. are discussed.)

Dynamic positioning in identity development: Case studies of Chinese university English language teachers

This multiple-case study examines the dynamics of identity among Chinese university teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in response to challenges that arise from individual teaching contexts. Grounded in Dialogical Self Theory (DST), the study investigates how these teachers navigate conflicting pedagogies, exercise agency, and negotiate their professional identities. Through in-depth interviews and classroom observations, the findings demonstrate the ways in which participating teachers drew on diverse position repertoires to manage the complexities of their teaching roles. The study identified several key positioning strategies, including the adoption of meta-positions, the creation of third positions, the utilization of promoter positions, the formation of coalitions of positions, and the management of cacophonous positioning. The findings contribute to the growing body of research on language teacher identity, highlighting the dynamic complexity of identity construction. The study offers implications for professional development programs, advocating for opportunities that foster critical reflection on teachers’ multiple I-positions.

The relationship between digital literacy and job performance of university teachers: the chain mediating effect of psychological empowerment and job satisfaction

The relationship between digital literacy and job performance of university teachers: the chain mediating effect of psychological empowerment and job satisfaction

Love is (not) love? exploring Chinese university teachers’ agency in translating rainbow works

ABSTRACT This study employs Emirbayer and Mische’s concept of ‘agency’ as a theoretical tool to examine the impact of the subjective agency exhibited by 11 Chinese university teacher translators on the translation of rainbow works. 1 The analysis examines the iterational, projective, and practical-evaluative dimensions of their agency, uncovering the mechanisms associated with each. Findings show that external pressures in the iterational dimension led to negative agency, discouraging the translation of rainbow works. In contrast, the projective dimension fostered positive agency, with translators advocating for these works. The practical-evaluative dimension revealed twisted agency, leading to ambivalence in translation decisions. The study advocates for fostering positive agency through the projective dimension to enhance societal understanding of sexual minorities and promote inclusive translation practices.

Students' Perceptions of Using ChatGPT for Academic Writing in English

This article explores the perceptions of university students on the use of ChatGPT for academic writing in English. Participants (n = 79) are all students on mandatory English-language courses at a university Language Centre in Finland. They are predominantly first-year bachelor’s degree students from various degree programmes in different faculties. Participants’ insights were collected via a survey that was administered to several intact groups during the autumn semester of 2023. The survey collected quantitative and qualitative data which were analysed and discussed in light of students’ developing academic writing skills in English. The study sheds light on students’ specific uses of the AI-driven tool as well as their perceptions of its impact on not only the writing process and product, but also on their own writing skills. The results indicated that students perceived ChatGPT to have above average usability, a finding which was supported and elucidated by students’ free responses concerning ways in which they have used this technology. Conversely, the reasons that some students had not used it included, amongst others, a lack of need, ethical concerns and doubts about its usefulness. Given the continued development and availability of large language models such as ChatGPT, this research has clear implications for all stakeholders in higher education. In particular, by illustrating how students utilise ChatGPT in their academic writing, the study provides university language teachers with the insights needed to ensure that their course outcomes, content and assessments remain reflective of students’ developing knowledge and study practices.

Construction of Trusted Electronic Vouchers in Universities Based on PKI Technology

Certification issuance service is one of the high-frequency transactions for college teachers and students in daily work. Implementing the construction of trusted electronic certificates can greatly facilitate the processing of related business for teachers and students, and also accelerate the construction of smart campuses. This article is based on PKI technology, and elaborates on the construction of trusted electronic certificates in universities from three aspects: construction background, construction plan, and construction significance. The construction plan is introduced in detail, and the positive significance of promoting the construction of trusted electronic certificates in universities for teachers, students, and information technology construction is pointed out.

Innovation and Expansion of Neural System-Based Teacher Evaluation Management Mechanism in Academy

The traditional evaluation mechanism of ideological education in universities faces many challenges. How to improve the quality of knowledge service work in the university and enhance instructors' skill level and effectiveness is the main problem facing the sustainable development of higher education in the new century. This article studies the innovation and expansion of the evaluation and management mechanism for university teachers based on the neural system in order to achieve effective scientific and systematic teaching methods. The experimental results show that the improvement rate of higher education academic performance under neural system learning is 75.12%, which is 17.34% higher than traditional Blended Open Learning(BOP) learning methods. Therefore, the improvement rate using the neural system learning is higher. This article targets different groups responsible for university-level teaching, thereby greatly improving the learning of college students.

An Empirical Study of the Constituent Factors of Player Behaviour

Background Player behaviour comprises thoughts, decisions and other actions that arise from multiple sources and contexts in games and is based on the players’ complex environment of information, vicarious experiences and perspectives. Learning and superior performance within the game are shaped by the players’ goal orientation, conviction and interactions. Objectives of the study: The study sought to understand the concept, functions and constituents of player behaviour from their perspectives, expectations, beliefs and traits. Recognising player behaviour in terms of its constituent elements would clarify and enhance knowledge of human behaviour and make it simple to use the understanding in deeper enquiry and applications. Method An instrument of 43 statements was first developed based on extant research and refined by the responses of 45 university teachers. It was then administered to 1,260 university students from whom 711 valid responses were received. The sample was processed by exploratory factor analysis under varimax rotation to yield the scale of player behaviour at a Cronbach alpha of .96 and a cumulative variance of 54 percent. Results The seven factors of the scale had an eigenvalue each of more than one, and Cronbach α values of .58 to .90. The exploratory factor analysis generated seven factors that were named conviction, experience sharing, uncertainty, unpredictability, insights, preparedness and planning. Discussion The study identified the factors of player behaviour and studied the effect of gender and education on player behaviour. It showed that player behaviour emerges from convictions which are perspectives backed by ready resources, skills and action plans to simplify, understand and respond to situations and likely problems. The behavioural differences between gender, type of programme and level of education were not significant. The study also discussed the nature of each factor and the limitations, suggestions and implications of the study.

Exploring Innovative Paths for Professional Development of University Teachers in the Context of Interdisciplinary Integration

University education as an important cradle of talent cultivation in Chinese society, the professional ability and level of teachers also play an important role in the social supply of talent, in order to further enhance the effect and quality of talent cultivation in colleges and universities, it is necessary to vigorously promote the professional development of teachers, so as to create a high-quality teaching staff, to meet the social development of the demand for excellent talents. Interdisciplinary integration is an important path to promote teachers' professional development, which not only enables teachers to carry out educational teaching from an interdisciplinary perspective, but also enables teachers to refine their professional ability and strengthen their teaching level, so as to accomplish the task of training talents in colleges and universities in a higher quality. Therefore, in the paper, the concept and characteristics of interdisciplinary integration are analyzed in depth, its specific impact on teachers' professional competence and professional identity is analyzed, and finally an innovative path to promote the professional development of university teachers is proposed, which is used to help colleges and universities to create a high-quality professional teacher team.