Role stressors,engagement and work behaviours: a study of higher education professional staff

The study used data provided by 349 professional staff employees from 17 different US higher education institutions to assess aspects of their working conditions that could influence their own work engagement and the work-related behaviours of their colleagues. Relationships among three role stressors (role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload), work engagement, organisational citizenship behaviours, and in-role behaviours were examined using correlation, regression and relative weight analyses. The higher participants’ perceptions of role ambiguity, conflict and overload, the lower were the levels of their own work engagement and organizational citizenship and in-role behaviours of their colleagues. Work engagement partially mediated the relationships between role ambiguity, conflict and overload and both organizational citizenship and in-role behaviours. The analysis indicated that role ambiguity had the strongest relationship with work engagement, organisational citizenship and in-role behaviours, followed by role conflict and then by role overload. Practical implications are discussed and managerial interventions suggested.     

Exploring the work/life/study balance: the experience of higher education students in a Scottish further education college

This study explores the dimensions of the work/life/study balance and its influence on student participation in higher education, through a case study of the experience of higher education students, studying both full time and part time, in a Scottish further education college. The experience of the students and the work/life/study challenges that they face stand in marked contrast to the traditional conception of university students, on which higher education policy is usually based. The majority of the students in this case study combined study with work and/or family commitments and the normal ‘working’ week was of 59–71 hours. Full time and part time students experienced different but equivalent demands on their time and were equally at risk of overload. Over half of the students achieved a good or manageable work/life/study balance, whilst some experienced stress caused by conflicting priorities. The students' success in balancing study with work and family life was influenced by their coping strategies and by the nature and quality of the support they received from families and employers. It is recommended that there is scope for the further development of an institutional culture and ethos that is compatible with the reality of the students' busy lives. A case is made for the equalization of financial support for full time students and part time students.     

The predictive value of job demands and resources on the meaning of work and organisational commitment across different age groups in the higher education sector

This study examines the predictive value of job demands and resources on the meaning of work and organisational commitment across three age groups; young workers (<30 years), a middle age group of workers (30–49 years) and older workers (>50 years). Data were collected from a survey conducted among university employees (N = 3066). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test the relationship between the antecedent variables and the meaning of work and organisational commitment in the age groups separately. Age differences in the experience of these two variables were tested by one-way ANOVA. Both job demands and resources were related to the meaning of work and organisational commitment, however, the relative importance of demands and resources varied across the groups. Overall, older workers reported higher scores on the meaning of work and organisational commitment. The results suggest that different interventions should be considered when aiming to improve the meaning of work and commitment among different age groups.     

Preparing the way for mergers in South African higher and further education institutions: An investigation into staff perceptions

Many higher and furthereducation institutions in South Africa arestruggling to survive in a context of financialstringency, declining student enrolments andincreasing competition. For some of theseinstitutions merging or amalgamation with otherinstitutions in the near future is becoming astrong likelihood. The perceptions of staff whowill be directly affected by these processesseem to be very important, as knowledge andunderstanding of those perceptions will empowerdecision-makers and ensure that effectivemanagement of the merging process can beaccomplished. This investigation focused onstaff perceptions of possible merging of threeinstitutions in the Free State Province, whichhad been identified for possible merging withother institutions. The results indicate thatstaff is not opposed to the idea ofinstitutional combinations or merging, but thatcareful consideration needs to be given toparticularly personal factors and that stafffears will have to be addressed in the processto ensure effective merging.     

The transfer of reflective engagement from social work education into the workplace: a study of the value of scaffolded reflection

The focal concern of this article is the investigation of the transfer and sustainability of the reflective process into the work environment. Specifically, the identification of the variables which support or challenge practitioners to continue the ongoing process of reflection in practice contexts is addressed. The article describes a study carried out over a seven-year period with students/graduates from a master's in social work (MSW) professional qualification programme in Ireland. The research involved gathering data on participants’ experiences of reflective teaching and learning while on the course and in the initial years of their work as practitioners. In the early phases of the data collection, participants referred to developing epistemological awareness through the reflective process while on the course. This was in the context of a scaffold for reflection through journal writing and mentored portfolio inquiry. The outcomes of the study offer considerable insight into the challenges and value of developing a reflective teaching and learning environment in professional education. In particular, the work highlights how it impacts positively on professional practice.     

Participants’ views of the use of video in lesson study in higher education in Spain: An exploratory multiple case study

Abstract

Lesson study (LS) is a process through which teachers design, teach and discuss a lesson collaborating with colleagues. Sometimes, it includes video recording the lesson so teachers can use videos to later discuss the lesson and its improvement, however, there is little research addressing the consequences of doing it. This article investigates participants’ perceptions and use of video within LS. Results show that participants perceived video in LS as viable and with potential to stimulate reflection and to improve lessons, but also evince that video affects the outcomes, management and sustainability of LS. We analyze and discuss its potential and the challenges it poses, suggesting ideas for its implementation.