Action research on a collegial model of peer observations

Observing peers for professional development is a familiar and valuable practice but not always favoured in many educational institutions. This small-scale action research (AR) was conducted in an institution where teachers are accustomed to regular peer observation, requiring each teacher to conduct peer observation and to reflect in their teachers’ portfolios. Conventionally, to fulfil the requirement each teacher finds a colleague to observe them either with or mostly without a certain focus. This study, however, employed action research methodology to inquire into a collegial peer observation model to improve this organisational practice. It aimed to promote mutual growth of the participating faculty members in an agreed area. Including the author, five faculty members, who are midcareer and experienced English language teachers, acted as members of the consultation group. In the AR project, appreciative inquiry was used when reflecting on the observed classes and during focus group interviews. As a result of this AR, at least two levels of knowledge were generated: first-person (author) and second-person (the team). The knowledge claim that this practitioner research constructed is ‘When small groups of teachers conduct peer observations focusing on a common concern, learning and collegial growth may increase.’ It is expected to lead to a third-person stage in the department and the academic community in general.     

Strategies to enhance learning and teaching in a research-extensive university

Challenges confronting those who seek to bring about change within large organizations include the need to engage with the values and beliefs held by those involved. In universities with academic cultures that have traditionally lauded and rewarded disciplinary research, attempts to enhance the status and effectiveness of teaching and learning practices must take account of the ongoing power of the research culture. In Australia and elsewhere, prestigious research-extensive 1 universities are now seriously committed to improving the educational experience of student learners from their first year on campus. The focus on teaching and learning is buttressed by another aspect of cultural change - one which values the scholarship of teaching alongside traditional disciplinary research. To the need to re-emphasize teaching, and the need to value that teaching as a scholarly, research-based activity is added a third dimension of change - a focus on the student rather than the teacher. This paper will utilize Fullan's (1991) model for educational change in outlining strategies for change within a large research-extensive university in Australia. While it is too early to ascertain whether those strategies have effectively enhanced student learning, indications are that the strategies have had an impact on the beliefs, behaviour and teaching practice of academic staff. It is suggested that the culture of a university can and will shift given the right conditions for institutional change.     

剑桥大学法学院研究生培养模式及其借鉴

本文较为详细地介绍了剑桥大学法学院研究生的培养模式，对比中国的法学研究生的培养状况，提出了关于中国法学研究生培养模式的改革建议。     

一段难忘的历史——原华中工学院师资队伍建设和朱九思

自"文革"后期始,华中工学院在以朱九思为首的学校党委领导下,十分重视师资队伍建设。采取的主要措施包括:对中、青年教师进行脱产补课;狠抓师资队伍的扩大与结构改造;狠抓骨干教师的培养;认真落实党的知识分子政策,全面关心教师的生活。这些措施,为华中工学院由一所纯工科大学发展为一所综合性大学,并迅速在国内崛起奠定了良好的基础。     

A comparison of scholarly productivity among current professors who obtained terminal degrees

ABSTRACT

Although scholarship is important in higher education and faculty productivity expectations are continually increasing, we still do not understand the holistic view of faculty productivity. This study takes a different viewpoint on faculty productivity examining differences by university classification and by discipline. Most importantly, we sought to obtain the effects of the delivery mode of terminal degree on later faculty productivity. The mode of terminal degree via Internet delivery looks attractive to students, but this study found that this has implications for future research productivity. These three elements illustrate a different scope that has important implications for administrative leaders looking to hire future faculty as well as students thinking about becoming a future faculty member. To capture this view, 600 faculty members from 59 American universities were surveyed. From this survey, five different variables emerged to create an overall faculty scholarly productivity factor. This factor was then compared against university classification, discipline, and mode of terminal degree. Results showed surprising significant differences between university classifications and disciplines as compared to scholarly productivity. One of the most noteworthy findings was that there is a significant difference in faculty productivity based on the mode of terminal degree. Furthermore, no difference in later faculty scholarly productivity exists between that of a hybridized, online degree and a purely online degree. Again, these results indicate significant finds which have a high influence on faculty scholarly productivity, which holds important implications for the future of the university.     

民办高校院（系）办公室人本管理探究

民办高校随着自身的发展,在管理体制上逐步实现了二级管理。但由于时间短、经验少等原因,存在一系列较突出的问题。民办高校院（系）办公室应实行人本管理,对内注重提高办公室工作人员的整体素质,增强他们的工作责任感和使命感,对外要树立“以师生为本”的观念,逐渐形成院（系）办公室管理工作廉洁高效、热情服务、严格管理等文化氛围。     

从人才培养角度看应用型本科院校的教师队伍建设

目前应用型本科院校存在师资队伍建设与应用型创新人才培养的要求不相适应的问题,我们应深入分析应用型本科院校＂双师型＂教师的内涵及重要性,探索构建＂双师型＂教师队伍的有效措施,以此完善我国应用型本科院校的师资队伍建设。     

Perception Matters: What Message Are We Sending to Faculty with Departmental Book Allocations?

Perception can be everything. As librarians consider the ever-changing nature of the library's role on campus, they may want to adopt a philosophical approach to restructuring the traditional library materials budget from the perspective of perception rather than from the perspective of cost-cutting, creating staff efficiencies, or even collection development. By looking at the role faculty play in building the library's collection, conclusions can be formed about what the library's budget structure and budgetary interaction with faculty convey about the library's priorities as an institution and with regard to its role within the campus community as a whole.     

Institution initiatives and support related to faculty development of open educational resources and alternative textbooks

ABSTRACT

Evidence exists that American institutions of higher education are well-entrenched in the consideration of mechanisms for supporting the implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and alternative textbooks. Literature reveals that developing and implementing OER is a significant undertaking in terms of time and human resources. This study deploys content analysis of a sample of United States regionally based higher education institutional websites to determine the current state of institutional support mechanisms to implementers just embarking on the OER journey. Findings reveal that institutions have made strides in the development of faculty mini-grants and stipends with guidelines, proposal checklists, and weighting mechanisms to inform decision making. However, due to widespread language across the stratified sample emphasising award pool and individual limits, it is clear that OER funding is still seeking wider support as a permanent funded resource. Sponsorship of institutional OER initiatives seems split between institutional library functions and teaching and learning centres. Other issues, such as ownership and licensing, are significantly underdeveloped in field implementation or fall in a large continuum of practices. Recommendations of shared responsibility and use of data driven initiatives are provided that may improve institutional support of faculty OER adoption, adaption and creation.     

排球运动员观察力的训练

通过综合分析法,分析了观察力的概念和特殊作用,针对排球运动员的特点和发展规律,提出排球运动员的观察力主要解决扩大视野范围,提高环视能力和视觉反应,并针对性地提出了提高排球运动员观察力的训练方法以及注意事项.