Transforming Ethics Education Through a Faculty Learning Community: "I'm Coming Around to Seeing Ethics as Being Maybe as Important as Calculus".

Ethics is central to scientific and engineering research and practice, but a key challenge for promoting students' ethical formation involves enhancing faculty members' ability and confidence in embedding positive ethical learning experiences into their curriculums. To this end, this paper explores changes in faculty members' approaches to and perceptions of ethics education following their participation in a multi-year interdisciplinary faculty learning community (FLC). We conducted and thematically analyzed semi-structured interviews with 11 participants following the second year of the FLC. Qualitative themes suggested that, following two years of FLC participation, faculty members (1) were better able to articulate their conceptualizations of ethics; (2) became cognizant of how personal experiences, views, and beliefs informed how they introduced ethics into their curriculum; and (3) developed and lived instructional principles that guided their ethics teaching. Results thus suggested that faculty members benefitted from exploring, discussing, and teaching ethics, which (in turn) enabled them to see new opportunities and become confident in integrating ethics into their courses in meaningful ways that aligned with their scholarly identities. Taken together, these data suggest faculty became agents of change for designing, implementing, and refining ethics-related instructional efforts in STEM. This work can guide others interested in designing faculty learning communities to promote instructional skill development, faculty members' awareness of their ethical values, and their ability and agency to design and integrate ethics learning activities alongside departmental peers in an intentional and continuous manner.

Artificial intelligence (AI) -integrated educational applications and college students' creativity and academic emotions: students and teachers' perceptions and attitudes.

BACKGROUND: Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational applications is becoming increasingly prevalent, bringing opportunities and challenges to the learning environment. While AI applications have the potential to enhance structured learning, they may also significantly impact students' creativity and academic emotions. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the effects of AI-integrated educational applications on college students' creativity and academic emotions from the perspectives of both students and teachers. It also assessed undergraduate students' and faculty's attitudes to AI-integrated applications. METHODOLOGY: A mixed-method research design was used. In the first phase, a qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing theoretical sampling to select informants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with undergraduate students and university lecturers to gain comprehensive insights into their experiences and perceptions. A scale was developed, validated, and administered to 120 students and faculty in the quantitative phase. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. FINDINGS: The study revealed that AI applications often impose rigid frameworks that constrain creative thinking and innovation, leading to emotional disengagement due to AI interactions' repetitive and impersonal nature. Additionally, constant AI assessments heightened performance anxiety, and technical frustrations disrupted the learning process. Conversely, AI applications stimulated creativity by introducing new ideas and problem-solving techniques, enhanced engagement through interactive elements, provided personalized feedback, and supported emotional well-being with gamified elements and constant availability. Quantitative data also verified that teachers and students have positive attitudes toward the benefits and challenges of these applications. CONCLUSIONS: AI integration in educational applications has a dual-edged impact on college students' creativity and academic emotions. While there are notable benefits in stimulating creativity and enhancing engagement, significant challenges such as creativity constraints, emotional disengagement, and performance anxiety must be addressed. Balancing these factors requires thoughtful implementation and continuous evaluation to optimize the role of AI in education.

Development of Chinese college students' perception teacher differential behavior scale and its reliability and validity test.

OBJECTIVE: To compile a scale of Chinese college students' perception of teachers' differential behavior and to provide a reference for college students to establish correct life values, promote college students' physical and mental health, and reduce teachers' differential treatment. METHODS: Open-ended questionnaires and expert interviews were used to conduct interviews and correspondence with 58 college students, ten psychologists, and six psychologists to form an initial questionnaire. Then, the scale's exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability and validity test were conducted on 7053 college students from 18 universities in 6 provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government). RESULTS: The Chinese college students' perception of teachers' differential behavior scale has two dimensions: teacher prejudice and preference. Each dimension includes three aspects: emotional feedback, behavior orientation, and opportunity privilege, and each aspect have a total of 4 items. The consistency test coefficients of each dimension and each factor of the prepared scale are all above 0.7, and the split-half reliability is above 0.6. Confirmatory factor analysis shows that the six-factor structural model fits well (χ2/df = 4.287, RMSEA = 0.066, CFI = 0.950, TLI = 0.919). Using the generalized anxiety disorder scale and the patient health questionaire-9items as empirical criteria, each factor in the scale demonstrated significant correlations with both the GAD scale and the patient health questionaire-9items. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese college students' perception of teachers' differential behavior scale has a two-dimensional six-factor structure and has good reliability and validity. It can be used as an effective tool to measure Chinese college students' perceived teacher differential behavior.

Prevalence, incidence and associated factors of musculoskeletal disorders before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in faculty members: a comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the broad acceptance of distance education (DE), with university professors and students conducting the teaching-learning process remotely from their homes. The propose of this study to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify risk factors associated with DE that may contribute to an increased incidence of these disorders among university professors. METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study took a comparative approach and involved 310 university professors in Iran. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire. Initially, demographic and occupational information of the professors, hours of physical activity, and hours spent using electronic devices were recorded. Participants were then asked to report MSDs in various body areas throughout the previous year and the previous seven days. Finally, MSDs risk factors such as workstation ergonomics during computer, laptop, smartphone, and tablet use, as well as working postures during online teaching or offline content development during the COVID-19 pandemic, were examined. RESULTS: The majority of the participants were male (66.13%), with a PhD (46.77%) and a faculty member position (74.2%). On average, the use of computers and laptops increased by 2.67 h and 2.72 h, respectively, during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. This increase was statistically significant (P < 0.001). MSDs incidence increased significantly before and during the COVID pandemic was observed in the areas of the neck, shoulders, lower and upper back, arms, forearms, wrists and fingers (P < 0.05). The highest cumulative incidence (Cin) of MSDs was related to the neck (Cin = 24.20%), upper back (Cin = 21.29%), low back (Cin = 18.06%) and fingers (Cin = 16.13%). The prevalence of MSDs during the COVID pandemic was significantly associated with employment status (P = 0.042), work experience (P = 0.016), age (P = 0.027), increase in the use of computers/ laptops (P < 0.001), decrease of the smartphone/tablet distance from the body (P = 0.047), workstation (smartphone-tablet, computer, laptop) (P < 0.05), head position (smartphone-tablet) (P = 0.029), display height (computer/laptop) (P = 0.045) and physical activity (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the increased duration of smartphone, computer, and laptop use, combined with decreased physical activity and detrimental changes in ergonomic conditions of workstations during the quarantine period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in a shift from dynamic to static tasks and an increase in the prevalence and incidence of MSDs among university professors.

Professional health of instructor-officers with different service experience.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the levels and indicators of professional deformation in instructor-officers with different service experience as a negative factor in their professional health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The research, which was conducted in 2022-2023, involved 136 instructor-officers of the National Academy of Internal Affairs aged 25-55 years with different service experience (up to 5 years - 21 people, 5-10 years - 45 people, 10-15 years - 42 people, over 15 years - 28 people). RESULTS: Results: The dynamics of the levels of professional deformation in instructor-officers of higher educational institutions depending on the experience of their service activities have been determined, and the peculiarities of the manifestation of key professional and psychological indicators that affect their professional health in the course of their service activities have been revealed. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Professional deformation can be manifested at the initial, middle, and deep levels. The experience of service activities makes adjustments to the formation of professional deformation in instructor-officers because deformational changes in personality occur under the constant influence of the conditions of the profession. With the increase in experience, they become more adapted to stressful phenomena and tense situations of service activities, but the degree of desire to change the type of activity increases. The decrease in proactive attitude and selectivity of contacts during the performance of professional tasks is often accompanied by exhaustion, which indicates a progressive tendency to the development of deformational changes in instructor-officers.

Modeling college EFL teachers' intentions to conduct academic research: Integrating theory of planned behavior with self-determination theory.

This study constructed a robust theoretical model aimed at elucidating the determinants that shape college EFL teachers' research intentions by integrating the tenets of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) with Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This model was empirically validated using data from 271 EFL teachers from eight colleges in China, selected through stratified sampling and collected via paper questionnaires, then analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings underscore the instrumental roles of both autonomous and controlled motivations in driving research-related behaviors, thereby reinforcing the foundational concepts of SDT. Additionally, this study provides intricate insights into the mechanisms wherein motivation steers immediate determinants of research intention, encompassing attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. This melding of SDT and TPB offers an all-encompassing perspective on the multifaceted nexus between motivation and research intentions. Consequently, this refined model not only marks a pivotal stride in advancing teacher education theory but also establishes a guiding framework for forthcoming research and interventions, accentuating the imperative of fostering research intentions among college EFL educators.

The Making of Future Scientists: Faculty Mentor Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Science Labs.

A compelling body of research suggests that students from racially marginalized and minoritized (RMM) backgrounds are systematically deterred from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields when teachers and scientists create ideologically colorblind STEM learning environments where cultural differences are deemed irrelevant and disregard how race/ethnicity shapes students' experiences. We examine whether and how STEM faculty can serve as important sources of information that signal racial/ethnic diversity inclusion (or exclusion) that influence RMM students' motivation to persist in STEM. Specifically, we focus on RMM students' perceptions of their faculty research mentors' cultural awareness-the extent to which students believe that their faculty research mentor acknowledges and appreciates racial/ethnic differences in STEM research. Results from a longitudinal survey of RMM students (N = 150) participating in 74 faculty-led STEM research labs demonstrated that RMM students who perceived their faculty research mentor to be more culturally aware experienced more positive social climates in the lab and were more identified as scientists. Increased science identity, in turn, predicted their motivation to pursue STEM careers 3 months later. These findings demonstrate the importance of acknowledging, welcoming, and celebrating racial/ethnic diversity within STEM learning environments to broaden inclusive and equitable participation in STEM.

Faculty Online Teaching Effectiveness Scale (FOTES): Instrument development and content validation.

This study aimed to develop and psychometrically test the Faculty Online Teaching Effectiveness Scale (FOTES) based upon both student and faculty perspectives of online teaching and learning in higher education. Online teaching effectiveness is a crucial component of quality education, but it has not been well-defined conceptually, and few studies have been conducted, using relevant domains, to accurately measure online teaching effectiveness. The impact of online course delivery on teaching effectiveness remains unclear. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed with three phases of instrument development and psychometric testing. The FOTES comprises 50 items in seven domains: teaching philosophy, self-efficacy, relationships, course content, learning activities, teaching practices, and satisfaction. The instrument underwent initial testing, yielding positive expert appraisals with good-excellent psychometrics. All domains of the scale were significantly correlated, except for teaching philosophy. The preliminary results of the FOTES provide the empirical evidence to advance additional psychometric validation. This newly developed instrument has the potential to enhance faculty capacity and skill in self-evaluating their teaching effectiveness in online courses, providing a valid and reliable measure. The resulting instrument is poised to promote outcome evaluation and strengthen teaching and learning processes.

Translation and interpreting teachers' perceptions of dilemma and needs in their professional development.

Since Chinese universities launched the postgraduate program of the Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) in 2007, approximately 300 high education institutions in China have been authorized to offer the MTI program. Behind the drastic springing-up of MTI programs during the decade, MTI teachers' professional development draws the attention of MTI administrators and researchers. This study adopted a mixed-method of a large-scale survey among 514 MTI teachers across China and a qualitative interview study of seven participants and discussed MTI teachers' perceptions of dilemmas and inner-world needs in their professional development. The findings indicate that MTI teachers' dilemmas arise from the contradiction and entanglement in three mutually repulsive sectors of their professional development, i.e., teaching, research, and translation/interpreting practice, which hinder their professional development. And on the basis of the analysis, the present study proposes a synchronized "three-in-one" mechanism model with encouraging policies and environments as lubricant for the sustainable development of MTI teachers in the future, and it is hoped that this empirical research would provide some practice implications for the professional development of translation and interpreting teachers in China and beyond.

Health sciences faculty publication patterns and related information-seeking behavior.

Objectives: This study aims to explore how health science faculty publication patterns at a large public research university have changed over time and examine how productivity relates to their information-seeking behavior and perception of the academic library. Methods: Two datasets were utilized: one consisted of publication records of health sciences faculty spanning a 15-year period, while the other was from a faculty survey exploring faculty's perception of and satisfaction with library resources and services related to their research. Results: Health sciences faculty publication patterns have changed over time, characterized by greater productivity, collaboration, and use of literature in their publications. Faculty's literature use correlates with productivity, as evidenced by both datasets. The survey revealed that faculty with more publications tend to rely more on online journals and Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Similarly, the publication data indicated that less productive faculty tended to use fewer references in their publications. Discussion: The publication data and survey results offer valuable insights into the health sciences faculty's information-seeking behavior and productivity. Online access to information has been effective in facilitating use of information, as indicated by the greater incorporation of references in publications. Conclusion: The study highlights the changing publication patterns and productivity of health sciences faculty, as well as the role academic libraries play in supporting their research and publishing activities. Although multiple variables influence faculty access to and use of information, faculty attitudes towards the library and use of the library are related to faculty research and productivity.

[The health preservation of students and lecturers in strategic plans of development of modern university].

The article presents analysis of results of study of health status of students of National Universities and managerial competencies of heads of health authorities in subjects of the Russian Federation. This combination was chosen not by chance but intentionally to align with Vernadsky University's primary mission of training managerial personnel and modern rural leaders. It was essential to monitor relationship between student health and programs designed to maintain it during education, as well as perspectives of graduates already practicing as professionals. The conclusion was made that there is necessity to establish independent policy within programs and development strategies of universities conditionally named as "health-preserving policy." The measures targeting to preserve and enhance student health during education process are formal and secondary, often neglecting mental health issues. Besides, these measures are not extended to other subjects of educational process, such as lecturers and administration management personnel. This oversight corresponds to tangible menace to sustainable development of higher school in contemporary conditions.

The impact of work pressure on decision-making effectiveness among department heads in faculties of educational sciences.

This study explores the dynamics of work pressure and decision-making effectiveness among university department heads within the context of Middle Eastern higher education. It aims to address a significant gap in the literature by answering five key questions: (1) What level of work pressure do department heads face as perceived by faculty members? (2) Does work pressure vary based on gender or years of experience? (3) How effective are department heads in decision-making? (4) Are there differences in decision-making effectiveness related to gender, university affiliation, or experience? (5) Is there a correlation between work pressure and decision-making effectiveness? A quantitative correlational research design was employed, gathering data from a questionnaire distributed to 205 faculty members. Correlational descriptive analysis revealed that department heads are subjected to high levels of work pressure but maintain a high level of decision-making effectiveness. However, significant differences in decision-making effectiveness were noted, with female faculty members performing better regardless of university affiliation or experience. A pronounced correlation was found between the intensity of work pressure and decision-making efficacy. The study underscores that department heads are under considerable work pressure, which could affect their productivity and, crucially, their decision-making processes. Universities are encouraged to take proactive steps to mitigate these pressures and promote a supportive, low-stress environment. Future research could extend this work by employing qualitative methods, including interviews and observations.

Inclusive Excellence: A Roadmap to Cultivating Belonging for Faculty of Color in Physical Therapy Education.

ABSTRACT: Cultivating a sense of belonging among faculty of color decreases feelings of isolation and marginalization, translating to increased job satisfaction and retention. This roadmap for cultivating a sense of belonging for faculty of color highlights the following critical strategies: (1) adopting inclusive leadership practices, (2) understanding professional and personal identities, (3) mitigating cultural taxation, (4) minimizing microaggressions and racism, (5) providing mentorship, and (6) prioritizing acculturation over assimilation. By following this roadmap, physical therapy programs can work toward cultivating a greater sense of belonging for faculty of color, enabling them to thrive in their roles and feel valued and respected as integral members of the academic community.

Factors Influencing Intent to Stay for Faculty in Physical Therapist Education Programs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In May 2022, the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy announced a "nationwide shortage of faculty" in entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs across the country. As the number of physical therapist education programs continue to grow, concerns with faculty shortages increase. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Research on reasons faculty stay in entry-level DPT programs is limited. With a nation-wide shortage of faculty and the continued growth of DPT programs across the country, more investigation into faculty retention is warranted. SUBJECTS: Two hundred forty-four participants responded to the quantitative survey. Ten program directors (PD) and 10 faculty members (FM) completed a qualitative interview through Zoom. METHODS: This mixed-methods design included a quantitative survey across 264 accredited DPT programs followed by 20 qualitative online interviews. Multiple regression was completed for the data analysis, and a phenomenological approach was used to explore perceptions of job satisfaction and organizational commitment on intent to stay. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-six subjects (mean age = 50.04 ± 9.54 years; males = 63, females = 173; PD = 55, FM = 180) were included in the analysis. The multiple regression model significantly predicted intent to stay for all participants, F(9,211) = 12.43, P < .001; adj R2 = .32. Commitment to the organization was the greatest predictor of intent to stay, ß = 0.61, t(0.622) = 5.05, P < .01. Three themes with 6 subthemes emerged from the qualitative analysis, the impact of leadership, making a commitment, and the Covid crisis. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Encouraging leadership to focus on structural factors such as striving to establish FMs as part of the departmental team, allowing autonomy and flexibility in the teaching role, building transparency and openness with communication, and focusing on realistic and equitable workloads could potentially increase intent to stay for faculty in entry-level DPT programs.

Utilizing mentorship education to promote a culturally responsive research training environment in the biomedical sciences.

There is an urgent and compelling need for systemic change to achieve diversity and inclusion goals in the biomedical sciences. Because faculty hold great influence in shaping research training environments, faculty development is a key aspect in building institutional capacity to create climates in which persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs) can succeed. We present a mixed methods case study of one institution's efforts to improve mentorship of PEER doctoral students through mentorship education workshops for faculty. These workshops were one strategy among others intended to improve graduate trainees' experiences, and positively affect institutional climate with respect to racial and ethnic diversity. Surveys of 108 faculty mentors revealed that about 80% overall agreed or strongly agreed with the value of culturally responsive mentoring behaviors but about 63% overall agreed or strongly agreed that they were confident in their ability to enact those behaviors. Through a series of three focus groups, PEER doctoral students reported that they noticed mentors' efforts to address cultural diversity matters and identified some guidance for how to approach such topics. We discuss future directions and implications for using mentorship education to activate systemic change toward inclusive research training environments and promoting the value of mentorship within institutions.

Inadequate mentoring in undergraduate research experiences: Exploring protective factors.

This study examines instances of negative mentoring among undergraduate researchers within STEM education, and specifically, the common yet subtle issue of inadequate mentoring characterized by a faculty mentor's failure to provide their mentee with adequate research, educational, career-related, or emotional support. Using data from the Mentor-Relate survey of 514 participants in the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, we identify prevalent patterns of inadequate mentoring and examine protective factors against it. Results indicate that inadequate research support is the least prevalent form, while inadequate educational and career guidance is more common, and inadequate emotional support is the most prevalent. Enhanced faculty mentoring skills emerge as a protective factor, with culturally responsive mentoring and gender concordance also playing significant protective roles. Less hierarchical mentoring structures, such as multiple faculty mentors, offer better emotional support. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive mentor training and culturally sensitive practices to mitigate inadequate mentoring in undergraduate research experiences. By promoting inclusive and supportive mentoring environments, institutions can maximize the transformative potential of undergraduate research experiences for all participants.

Mock Board Exam Writing Groups in Physician Assistant Education: A Method to Enhance Curriculum and Mentor Junior Faculty.

ABSTRACT: Ensuring students are prepared for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) is an institutional priority for all physician assistant programs. While many factors predicting PANCE performance have been investigated, exploration and discussions of interventions to improve PANCE performance are limited. Repeated exposure to board-style questions has been shown to improve board scores in similar populations. Currently, existing question banks cannot be used to generate secure summative examinations, and commercial question banks may perpetuate inequitable access among physician assistant (PA) students. To address this issue, the University of Oklahoma Physician Assistant program used a community of practice model to create a mock board exam writing group. The group was created to facilitate the development of 9 PANCE-style exams to bolster students' clinical preparedness and PANCE performance. These writing groups also provided a platform for junior faculty to receive feedback and guidance from senior colleagues, thus facilitating and promoting mentorship. This article highlights the potential benefits of mock board exam writing groups in PA education and provides insight into their development and implementation.

"I feel like I'm changing people's lives, even if it's just two hours at a time": Understanding contingent instructors' emotion management in university teaching.

This article extends existing scholarship on contingent or temporary-contract university instructors' emotional agency by employing the Bolton's emotion management and Cottingham's emotional capital typologies in tandem. In interviews with 40 instructors from universities across Canada, participants described acquiring both primary and secondary emotional capital as an embodied psychosocial resource through past education, upbringing and culture, and knowledge and skills from previous work and training experiences respectively. They then deployed this capital through emotion management based in both social and organizational feeling rules in their capacity as professors. This allowed instructors to reinforce their own sense of purpose, authority and competence as instructors, and to establish fulfilling relationships with students through teaching and mentoring which they infused with personal meaning. However, instructors' agency was also curtailed to varying degrees, by both institutional attitudes around academic contingency and sexist, and in some cases, racist or otherwise patronizing attitudes from students. Despite this, instructors were often able to reaffirm their identities as instructors by using emotion management in self-affirming ways, such as by drawing on self-confidence gained through previous occupations and training, and facilitating cultural backgrounds shared with students through emotional management.

Cet article élargit la recherche existante sur l'agence émotionnelle des enseignants universitaires occasionnels ou temporaires en utilisant les typologies de la gestion des émotions de Bolton et du capital émotionnel de Cottingham en tandem. Lors d'entretiens avec 40 enseignants d'universités canadiennes, les participants ont décrit l'acquisition d'un capital émotionnel primaire et secondaire en tant que ressource psychosociale incarnée, grâce à l'éducation et à la culture antérieures, ainsi qu'aux connaissances et aux compétences acquises lors d'expériences de travail et de formation antérieures, respectivement. Ils ont ensuite déployé ce capital à travers une gestion des émotions basée sur des règles sociales et organisationnelles en tant qu'instructeurs. Cela a permis aux instructeurs de renforcer leur propre sentiment d'utilité, d'autorité et de compétence en tant qu'instructeurs, et d'établir des relations épanouissantes avec les étudiants grâce à un enseignement et un mentorat, auxquels ils ont donné un sens personnel. Cependant, l'action des instructeurs a également été limitée à des degrés divers par les attitudes institutionnelles concernant les contingences académiques et les attitudes sexistes et, dans certains cas, racistes ou condescendantes de la part des étudiants. Malgré cela, les instructeurs ont souvent été en mesure de réaffirmer leur identité d'instructeurs en utilisant la gestion des émotions de manière à s'affirmer, par exemple en s'appuyant sur la confiance en soi acquise grâce à des professions et des formations antérieures, et en facilitant les contextes culturels partagés avec les étudiants par le biais de la gestion des présentations.