Academic staff performance and workload in higher education in the UK: the conceptual dichotomy

Higher education in the UK is under increasing pressure to manage the workload of its academic staff in a way that maximises the outputs from teaching and research. The emergence of this trend can be traced back to 1989 and the government legislation that introduced neo-liberal managerialism into the sector mirroring the laissez-faire approach to the economy that was prevalent at the time. This article examines the literature surrounding workload management and staff performance in the sector to try to establish whether the two have been conceptually linked. A desk-based narrative literature review was executed in order to scrutinise the literature and attempt to answer the main question: what does ‘performance’ mean in relation to an academic role and how is this related to an academic’s workload within the post-92 (referring to ex-polytechnics and colleges of higher education granted university title following the Further and Higher Education Act 1992) higher education sector? The results of the review show that the literature is dichotomous both in terms of the two areas being discrete and also in the conceptual stance taken by writers in each area. Whilst there are inferred links between workload management and performance, these have not been explored. The article concludes by outlining what further research is needed on the linkages between workload management and staff performance specifically, using socially-critical methodology.     

Academic workload: the silent barrier to the implementation of technology-enhanced learning strategies in higher education

The effect of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) strategies in higher education has arguably been transformative despite the not-insignificant barriers existing in this context. Throughout the discourse very little attention has been paid to those primarily responsible for this implementation—academic teaching staff. This paper aims to highlight the impact of academic workload allocations, an often silent barrier to the uptake of TEL strategies in higher education. We will discuss the effects of academic identity and culture, preferential time allocation to associative activities, academic technological capacity, university policies and workload and funding models on the uptake, and implementation on TEL in higher education. Our aim is to highlight the risks to staff, students and institutions should these concerns not be addressed and to propose a model for utilisation by all staff responsible for implementing flexible workload models supportive of further implementation of TEL strategies across the sector.     

Different Argentine Rural Extensionists' Mindsets and Their Practical Implications

Purpose: This paper reflects upon the practice of Argentine rural extensionists working in the extension public system through the process of identifying different rural extensionists' types of mindsets and comparing them with transfer of technology extension approach, dialogical processes of horizontal knowledge exchange, participatory perspectives and innovation system approach.

Design/Methodology/approach: A quali-quantitative investigation was conducted. Surveys containing closed and open questions were sent via email to rural extensionists. This allowed the researcher to identify their beliefs about different issues connected to extension practice. The sample was incidental (n = 219; 143 men, 76 women). Qualitative data was categorized and quantified. Finally, a two-steps cluster analysis was implemented.

Findings: Two types of rural extensionists' mindsets were identified, one of which relates to the transfer of technology approach and other to the dialogical/horizontal model, yet neither of them fitting the ideal of the most important extension institution of the country, which supports an innovation system approach.

Practical implications: Extensionists' practices and institutional ideals do not coincide. Reflexive training processes are required to make beliefs about rural extension explicit in order to build a contextually suitable extension proposal. Originality/Value: Through a quali-quantitative approach to the issue of rural extensionists' mindsets, this paper contributes to a better understanding of Argentine rural extensionists' practices.     

高职酒店管理专业“校企合作”新模式探索

校企合作是我国目前重要的高职人才培养模式,同时也是实现高校与企业共赢的途径。随着社会经济的发展,酒店行业、企业对校企合作人才培养模式提出了新的要求,本研究提出了校企共建、股份共赢、合作培养"第三方"人才、改革"2+1"模式等新的合作模式探索。     

Digital body preservation: Technique and applications

High-fidelity anatomical models can be produced with three-dimensional (3D) scanning techniques and as such be digitally preserved, archived, and subsequently rendered through various media. Here, a novel methodology—digital body preservation—is presented for combining and matching scan geometry with radiographic imaging. The technique encompasses joining layers of 3D surface scans in an anatomical correct spatial relationship. To do so, a computed tomography (CT) volume is used as template to join and merge different surface scan geometries by means of nonrigid registration into a single environment. In addition, the use and applicability of the generated 3D models in digital learning modalities is presented. Finally, as computational expense is usually the main bottleneck in extended 3D applications, the influence of mesh simplification in combination with texture mapping on the quality of 3D models was investigated. The physical fidelity of the simplified meshes was evaluated in relation to their resolution and with respect to key anatomical features. Large- and medium-scale features were well preserved despite extensive 3D mesh simplification. Subtle fine-scale features, particular in curved areas demonstrated the major limitation to extensive mesh size reduction. Depending on the local topography, workable mesh sizes ranging from 10% to 3% of the original size could be obtained, making them usable in various learning applications and environments.     

Counselor educator workload and burnout in the era of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic brought disruption to teaching and other aspects of workload in higher education. The current study sampled 126 counselor educators about workload, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and job satisfaction. Results indicated that faculty workload and administrative responsibilities increased for counselor educators during the pandemic without adequate compensation or support.     

“信息系统管理的关键问题＂研究模式的发展与特征术——以1980—2012年关键问题研究报告的内容分析为基础

始于1980年的“信息系统管理的关键问题”研究在管理信息系统学科已经形成了较为完整的研究体系和研究模式。文章采用内容分析法对世界范围内29次最具代表性的相关研究进行梳理,将其32年的发展历史概括为奠基期、改良期和重塑期,并以此为基础,总结出关键问题研究模式的重要特征。     

Business models for sustainable technologies: Exploring business model evolution in the case of electric vehicles

Sustainable technologies challenge prevailing business practices, especially in industries that depend heavily on the use of fossil fuels. Firms are therefore in need of business models that transform the specific characteristics of sustainable technologies into new ways to create economic value and overcome the barriers that stand in the way of their market penetration. A key issue is the respective impact of incumbent and entrepreneurial firms’ path-dependent behaviour on the development of such new business models. Embedded in the literature on business models, this paper explores how incumbent and entrepreneurial firms’ path dependencies have affected the evolution of business models for electric vehicles. Based on a qualitative analysis of electric vehicle projects of key industry players over a five-year period (2006–2010), the paper identifies four business model archetypes and traces their evolution over time. Findings suggest that incumbent and entrepreneurial firms approach business model innovation in distinctive ways. Business model evolution shows a series of incremental changes that introduce service-based components, which were initially developed by entrepreneurial firms, to the product. Over time there seems to be some convergence in the business models of incumbents and entrepreneurs in the direction of delivering economy multi-purpose vehicles.     

基于动态密度的空中交通复杂度计算方法研究

空中交通复杂度是指管制员所指挥空域的复杂程度。当航空器在空中的运行发生变化时,会产生大量的潜在冲突。本文基于成熟的空中动态密度模型,将诸多参数进行分类,并选出最能表征这一类的突出参数,建立新的复杂度计算模型。并参考管制员解决冲突时所产生的冲突负荷,分别从交通密度、交通进展、飞行流结构、交通混合四个方面进行修正,得出复杂度的计算公式。并利用雷达数据对某一空域进行测算,得出该空域的交通复杂度值。     

论预备警察职业素养的培育模式--以加强人文素质教育为中心视角

公安院校不仅仅是培养预备警察的摇篮,同时也是培育“莘莘学子”、人文荟萃的高等学府。公安院校唯有把科学精神和人文精神有效结合起来,才能给预备警察一个光明的未来。因此,公安院校要增强其文化底蕴,多层次、全方位地推进预备警察的人文素质教育,而且还要有计划、分步骤地组织预备警察深入基层公安业务实践,通过这种广泛深入社会的实践锻炼去历练和拓展其人文素质的内涵与深度。