Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Burnout Inventory in University Teachers in Hybrid Education.

Introduction: The scientific literature argues the urgent need for adequate tools to assess burnout in human service professionals, however, little progress has been made on this in university teachers in hybrid environments, even though after the pandemic, these work scenarios are predominant. Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of invariance between male and female teachers of hybrid education in the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI). Method: The anonymous, self-administered SBI was administered to 1060 university teachers in Lima, Peru, from online random sampling. Of the total number of participants, 626 were women (59.1%) and 434 were men (40.9%), with an age range of 22 to 76 years, with a mean of 46.97 and a standard deviation of 10.256. It should be noted that 74.5% of the teachers worked full time. The analysis used the statistical programs AMOS v24, SPSS v26 and R-Project v4.1.2. First, a descriptive analysis of the data was performed, as well as a multivariate normality test of the data. Secondly, confirmatory factor analysis was performed; finally, a factorial invariance test was performed. Results: Cronbach's alpha of the SBI was 0.827, and for each subscale: Enthusiasm toward the job (0.742), Psychological exhaustion (0.889), Indolence (0.819), Guilt (0.816). According to the fit indicators, the confirmatory factor model is adequate. The results supported configural invariance, metric invariance, scalar invariance, and strict invariance in the male and female groups, although further investigation of some items specific to the indolence factor is needed. Conclusion: The SBI is a valid instrument to assess burnout in university teachers in hybrid environments. Studies associated with the SBI focus on its psychometric properties, burnout prevalence, related variables, and literature reviews. The validation of the SBI in various countries and service areas is discussed, as well as future implications for intervention in burnout prevention and mastery.

The influence of existence-relatedness-growth need satisfaction and job burnout of young university teachers: the mediating role of job satisfaction.

Job burnout among young university teachers is a serious issue that can have negative consequences for their well-being and job performance, as well as students' learning outcomes. To identify protective factors for job burnout, this study examined the impacts and mechanism of satisfying existence, relatedness, and growth need on job burnout among 968 young university teachers, using the ERG needs theory framework. The results of the regression analysis and mediation analysis showed that ERG needs satisfaction significantly and negatively predicted job burnout, and job satisfaction mediated this relationship. Besides, the total effect of existence need satisfaction on job burnout was significantly smaller than that of relatedness need satisfaction and growth need satisfaction. These findings contribute to our understanding of the antecedents of young university teachers' job burnout and provide a theoretical basis for practical action to protect them from burnout by enhancing their need satisfaction and job satisfaction.

The challenge of education for sustainability in higher education: key themes and competences within the University of the Basque Country.

Introduction: One of the major challenges for higher education institutions in the last decade has been (and will continue to be) the integration of sustainability into their curricula and the development of sustainability competences in students. Education for Sustainability (ES) can help prepare students to meet the challenges of making societies more sustainable. However, as a first step toward this goal, teachers need to incorporate ES into their teaching. In this regard, this research aimed to analyze if members of the teaching staff have started this integration and, if so, which sustainability-related topics have been introduced and which skills do they consider contribute to the development of future graduates. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to teaching staff at the University of the Basque Country in 2022. A total of 403 teachers completed the questionnaire, expressing their perceptions through open-ended questions. Results: In general terms teachers incorporate ES into their teaching (71.22%). However, they do this mainly within the framework of two general themes: "Environmental awareness and energy" - most used by teachers of experimental sciences and engineering - and "Social commitment," most used by teachers of social sciences and those who are familiar with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Regarding the key competences that ES provides for future graduates, those most frequently mentioned were "training of professionals committed to society" and "critical thinking and ethics." These competences were particularly notable in the discourse of teachers who were aware of the 2030 Agenda and who use active methodologies in their classrooms. Finally, the opinion that sustainability has little to do with their teaching (28.78%) was notably expressed by teachers less familiar with the 2030 Agenda. Discussion: Thus, it can be concluded that, aside from knowledge of the 2030 Agenda, factors such as the sustainability policy of the institution, area of teaching expertise, and the use of active methodologies all play a significant role in determining whether competences for sustainable development are integrated into higher education teaching.

University teachers' profiles based on digital innovativeness and instructional adaptation to COVID-19: Association with learning patterns and teacher demographics.

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors behind university teachers' ability to implement instructional changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire comprised of open-ended and Likert-scale questions was administered to teachers at a Finnish university in April 2020. The sample consisted of 378 university teachers who were categorised into four groups based on their digital innovativeness and the extent to which they implemented changes to adapt their teaching practices to COVID-19 restrictions: Avoider Survival Adapters, Avoider Ambitious Adapters, Embracer Survival Adapters, and Embracer Ambitious Adapters. We examined the association between the teacher groups and their learning patterns and background characteristics. The findings showed that Embracer Ambitious Adapters have significantly more meaning-oriented and application-oriented learning patterns than Embracer Survival Adapters, though Avoider Survival Adapters have more problematic learning patterns. Furthermore, the results indicated that pedagogical training and having more teaching experience helped innovative teachers embrace more changes in their teaching practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of discipline, the results showed that teachers working in hard disciplines (e.g., physics) were more likely to belong to the Embracer Survival Adapters group, while teachers working in soft disciplines (e.g., history) were more likely to belong to the Embracer Ambitious Adapters group. Possible interpretations of these findings and perspectives for further research are discussed.

Percepción de la calidad de vida profesional en docentes de la Universidad de Atacama en confinamiento / Perception of the quality of professional life in teachers of the University of Atacama in confinement / Percepção da qualidade de vida profissional em professores da Universidade de Atacama em confinamento

La crisis sanitaria trajo consigo modificaciones laborales de los docentes de todo el mundo, los cuales experimentan situaciones inéditas en su quehacer laboral. La calidad de vida laboral debe ser uno de los pilares de toda organización, ya que tiene relación con el rendimiento laboral y la calidad de servicio entregada a los estudiantes. La calidad de vida profesional (CVP) de un docente universitario se define como la agrupación de criterios que permiten desarrollarse en su entorno laboral y los recursos disponibles para enfrentarla, de forma que se obtenga un desarrollo óptimo en los ámbitos profesional, familiar y personal. El objetivo del estudio fue comparar la percepción sobre la calidad de vida laboral de docentes universitarios antes y durante el periodo de pandemia, muestra de 57 docentes universitarios de la Universidad de Atacama Chile. La calidad de vida profesional se evaluó mediante el CVP-35. Los resultandos reportan una disminución en la percepción de los docentes respecto al apoyo directivo, indicando disminución en el periodo de pandemia, así como también ha disminuido la motivación intrínseca y existe una sensación de un aumento de la carga de laboral y no hubo cambios en la pregunta de percepción de orgullo con la Universidad.

The health crisis brought with it job changes for teachers around the world, who are experiencing unprecedented situations in their work. The quality of work life must be one of the pillars of any organization since it is related to work performance and the quality of service provided to students. The professional quality of life (QOL) of a university teacher is defined as the grouping of criteria that allow development in their work environment and the resources available to face it, in such a way that optimal development is obtained in the professional, family and personal spheres. The objective of the study was to compare the perception of the quality of work life of university teachers before and during the pandemic period, a sample of 57 university teachers from the University of Atacama, Chile. Professional quality of life was evaluated using the CVP-35. The results report a decrease in the perception of teachers regarding managerial support, indicating a decrease in the pandemic period, as well as a decrease in intrinsic motivation and there is a feeling of an increase in the workload and there were no changes in the question of perception of pride with the University.

A crise da saúde trouxe consigo mudanças trabalhistas para professores de todo o mundo, que vivenciam situações inéditas em seu trabalho. A qualidade de vida no trabalho deve ser um dos pilares de qualquer organização, pois está relacionada ao desempenho no trabalho e à qualidade do serviço prestado aos alunos. A qualidade de vida profissional (CVP) de um professor universitário é definida como o agrupamento de critérios que permitem o desenvolvimento em seu ambiente de trabalho e os recursos disponíveis para enfrentá-lo, de modo que se obtenha o desenvolvimento ideal nas esferas profissional, familiar e pessoal. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a percepção da qualidade de vida no trabalho de professores universitários antes e durante o período da pandemia, uma amostra de 57 professores universitários da Universidad de Atacama Chile. A qualidade de vida profissional foi avaliada por meio do CVP-35. Os resultados relatam uma diminuição na percepção dos professores em relação ao suporte gerencial, indicando uma diminuição no período da pandemia, assim como a motivação intrínseca diminuiu e há sensação de aumento na carga de trabalho e não houve mudanças na questão Percepção de orgulho com a Universidade.

Work Stress, Work-Related Rumination, and Depressive Symptoms in University Teachers: Buffering Effect of Self-Compassion.

Purpose: The association between work stress and depressive symptoms has been well documented. More research is still needed to further investigate the underlying explanatory process mechanism and the potential protective function of personal resource in attenuating the negative effect of work stress on mental health. To address this gap and informed by the stress process model and emotion regulation theory,the present study examined the indirect role of work-related rumination and the buffering effect of self-compassion in university teachers, a population with increased vulnerabilities for both work stress and mental health issues. Methods: This study collected data from 727 university teachers (M age = 37.65 ± 7.77 years, 61.5% women) through an online survey. Indirect effect analysis and moderation effect analysis were implemented using structural equation modeling via Mplus. Results: Work stress was directly and indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through work-related rumination, and self-compassion moderated the associations between (a) work stress and depressive symptoms and (b) work-related rumination and depressive symptoms. The direct and indirect effects of work stress on depressive symptoms were weaker in university teachers with high levels of self-compassion than in those with low levels of self-compassion. Conclusion: Work stress was associated with depressive symptoms through a cognitive pathway. The findings deepen our understanding of the link between work stress and mental health outcomes by revealing the indirect role of cognitive processes, the protective function of emotion regulation strategies, and their interplay. Reducing work-related rumination and strengthening self-compassion may constitute effective interventions to alleviate the negative effects of work stress on mental health.

Professional learning activities in the higher education institution of Ethiopia.

Ample studies have evidenced that the professional development of teachers significantly increases the quality of teaching and improves educational institutions. Nevertheless, adequate studies have not been carried out on the professional development of higher education teachers. Most studies focus on school teachers. Hence, this study investigated the professional learning activities of university teachers in Ethiopia. A case study design was used in which twenty-four teachers participated in the study. A semi-structured interview was used to explore the learning activities used by the participants. The findings demonstrate that various learning activities are utilised, each driven by a different form of inspiration. The learning motives largely depend on incentives and are motivated by outside factors. University instructors' professional learning practices seem to require more advanced learning methodologies to maintain their learning that is underpinned by self-motivated learning.

Teacher Well-Being in Chinese Universities: Examining the Relationship between Challenge-Hindrance Stressors, Job Satisfaction, and Teaching Engagement.

Improving teacher well-being at work is a great challenge worldwide. Understanding the stressors of Chinese university teachers in teaching activities is critical for shedding light on well-being in the midst of the rapid expansion of the higher education system and the quest to rise in world rankings. This study integrates the well-being perspective and the transactional model of stress and coping to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effect of challenge-hindrance stressors on teacher engagement. Data were collected through the online platform SoJump in mainland China (N = 7743), and structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and teaching engagement. The statistical results revealed the following: (1) challenge stressors had a significant positive effect on teaching engagement, while hindrance stressors were negatively related to teaching engagement; (2) challenge and hindrance stressors were significant negative predictors of teacher job satisfaction; (3) teacher job satisfaction suppressed the impact of challenge stressors on teaching engagement and partially mediated the process by which hindrance stressors impact teaching engagement. The findings suggest that the theoretically opposing effects of the two stressors are not absolute and that special consideration should be given to teachers' job satisfaction in relation to stress management for university teachers.

Managing large classes in virtual teaching: experiences of university teachers in Ghana during COVID-19.

This research used the qualitative multiple case study and phenomenological designs to explore how, without training, university teachers in Ghana managed large student numbers in the virtual environment during COVID-19. The study examined further the challenges the teachers faced in their virtual instructional delivery. Twelve participants drawn purposively from four large Ghanaian universities participated in individual interviews and follow-up virtual class observations. The findings revealed that the participants employed two management techniques in their virtual teaching-regulating the behaviour of learners and controlling instructional content. The research further uncovered that, although the teachers' complaints generally centred on environmental constraints and inadequate institutional support, those whose difficulties included using virtual tools did not have virtual teaching experience before the COVID period. The study supports the clarion call on university teachers involved in virtual teaching to personally seek a continual update of skills and competency in virtual delivery because it is an approach hinged on evolving technology.

Multivariate data analysis: Validation of an instrument for the evaluation of teaching digital competence.

Background: Technology plays a fundamental role to achieve higher education key learning objectives. Digital competence (DC) is defined as a set of skills, knowledge, abilities, and attitudes in technological aspects. It is necessary to employ an effective training action plan in higher education institutions to advance towards a level of teaching digital competence (TDC). The objective of this study was to validate the COMDID A instrument to assess Teaching Digital Competence (TDC) of active teachers, through a confirmatory factor and internal reliability analysis. Methods: The research was developed within a descriptive-correlational scope and a non-experimental-cross-sectional design to validate the dimensionality and reliability of the COMDID A instrument and evaluate the self-perceived digital competence of active teachers. The population was made up of 690 professors who were part of the teaching staff of the National University of Chimborazo, Ecuador, in the first academic period of the year 2021. The sample was probabilistic, in a simple random scheme, the percentage of potential error admitted was 3%. The representativeness of the sample was 50%, and the confidence level was 97%. A total of 511 teachers completed the questionnaire compared to the 452 individuals needed. Results: The instrument was robust, and it was reliable for the calculated sample. There were correlations between the variables, and the statistical calculation ensured the development of the multivariate analysis to validate the dimensionality of the instrument. Moreover, the correct dimensionality was determined through a confirmatory analysis and high reliability of the instrument. Conclusions: The calculated factorial scores were defined in order for further studies to be carried out. It is important to apply confirmatory factor analysis in educational technology research to validate the dimensionality of data collection instruments.

Based on Role Expectation to Discuss Role Ambiguity and Practice of University Teachers in Business Administration.

As a result of social change, the issues, such as the complexity of family structure and increasing student problems, are becoming more complicated. Both schools and parents have high expectations of teachers and expect them to solve the problems. Considering the many different factors involved in this issue, this could lead to a psychological and physiological imbalance in teachers, especially in relation to their emotions which results in role ambiguity. The participants of this study consisted of teachers in business administration departments of universities in China. During the data collection, 450 copies of the questionnaire were distributed. A total of 363 valid copies were retrieved, with a retrieval rate of 81%. It can be concluded that the results of this study can help national university faculty present professional spirit and attitude toward the professional service, which in turn promotes the standard of national education in universities.

The Factors Influencing Chinese University Teachers' Intentions for Using the Micro-Lecture in the Post COVID-19 Era.

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced a far-reaching influence on higher education and the teaching activities of teachers in Chinese universities. The intentions of teachers in universities for using the micro-lecture, one of the educational informationization products, and the influencing factors of the intentions for using micro-lectures, are changing in the post COVID-19 era. This paper, based on the Technical Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), constructed the research hypotheses for the influence factors of micro-lecture usage intentions of teachers in universities in the post COVID-19 era, and made corresponding verifications through the Structural Equation Model (SEM). As shown by the results therefrom: (1) the micro-lecture usage experience before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the usage intentions of teachers in universities; (2) the perceived usefulness influenced the usage intention directly, but the perceived ease of use did not directly produce influence; (3) policy impact had no significant influence on the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use of university teachers for micro-lecture use; (4) social relations and personal innovativeness have significant impacts on perceived usefulness, teaching objectives and micro-lecture characteristics have significant impacts on the perceived ease of use. In this paper, suggestions and opinions on popularizing micro-lecture usage in the post COVID-19 era were put forward on the basis of research conclusions therein.

The use of ICT during lockdown in higher education and the effects on university instructors.

During the pandemic, the Higher Education Institutions of Greece used Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to an unprecedented degree to respond to the requirements of distance education and research work. The aim of this article is to present the main results of a nationwide quantitative survey that involved 1183 participating university instructors, to capture the impact of the use of ICT and its effects. Results show that, whereas the overall assessment of emergency remote teaching is positive, it seems that instructors have been challenged by the extreme use of technology. Women were mostly influenced, while age didn't have an impact. Significant differences among the participating university institutions were also discovered.

When workaholism is negatively associated with burnout: A moderated mediation.

Aim: Previous theory and research postulate that workaholism is one of the important factors that contribute to burnout. The present study aimed to analyze the role of psychological capital as a mediator between the two. Moreover, the study examined the moderating role in the stated mediated relationship. Methods: The researchers approached a sample of university teachers (N = 1,008) including both male (n = 531) and female (n = 477) university teachers by using a multi-stage random sampling technique. For this purpose, DUWAS-10 Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, Challenging Job Demands Scale, and Anila PsyCap Scale were applied to measure workaholism, burnout, challenging job demands, and PsyCap, respectively. The data obtained from the sample was subjected to analysis by using Model 14 of Process Macro by Hayes. Results: The results confirmed the mediating role of PsyCap and moderating role of time pressure and cognitive demands in the relationship of the two variables. The results concluded that workaholism is not directly related to burnout rather the negative relationship existed through psychological capital, and the mediated relationship was stronger for the university employees who were to face a higher level of challenging job demands including cognitive demands and time pressure. Conclusion: Burnout is an occupational health problem that causes devastating effects on both the employees as well as to the organizational economy. Improving personal resources might help the negative relationship between workaholism and burnout in higher education institutions in the country.

How servant leadership motivates young university teachers' workplace well-being: The role of occupational commitment and risk perception.

Drawing on the integration of social exchange theory and situational power theory, this paper explores the effect of servant leadership on young university teachers' workplace well-being and explores the mediating effect of occupational commitment and the moderating effect of risk perception on the indirect effects of servant leadership on workplace well-being. A questionnaire was distributed using the Questionnaire Star online questionnaire platform and a two-wave time-lagged design was used to collect 215 survey samples of young teachers from Chinese higher education institutions. SPSS 23.0 was used to test the hypothesized relationship between the variables. Results revealed that servant leadership was positively related to young university teachers' workplace well-being. Occupational commitment plays a partial mediating role in linking servant leadership and young university teachers' workplace well-being. Risk perception plays a moderating role in the indirect relationship between servant leadership, occupational commitment, and workplace well-being. When risk perception has a low level, the mediating effect of occupational commitment is stronger.

Relationship between Different Dimensions of Workplace Spirituality and Psychological Well-Being: Measuring Mediation Analysis through Conditional Process Modeling.

The present study aims to identify the relationship between workplace spirituality, compassion, relationship with others at work, spiritual orientation, organizational value and alignment of personal values, and psychological well-being among universities' teachers. Further, the mediating effect of job stress was also identified between workplace spirituality and psychological well-being. Similarly, the mediation of environmental mastery between organizational values and alignment of personal values and psychological well-being was examined. Finally, we examined the mediation of personal growth between spiritual orientation and psychological well-being. The data were collected through a structured and adapted five-point Likert scale using a purposive sampling technique, with a total sample of 873 male and female university teachers working in the private and government universities. We employed structural equation modeling to check the relationship among the considered variables for analysis purposes. The results show a strong positive relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings further demonstrated that the mediation analysis confirms that job stress mediates the relationship between workplace spirituality and psychological well-being, and environmental mastery mediates between organizational values and alignment of personal values and psychological well-being. Finally, personal growth mediates between spiritual orientation and psychological well-being. To maintain the excellent quality of education, educational institutes need to identify and imply the practice of workplace spirituality that will help to reduce job stress and improve the psychological well-being of universities' teachers, thus resulting in better educational output.

Factors affecting faculty conformity in South China universities.

Based on social contagion theory, this study examines the mediating role of formalization of organizational structure between organizational identification and faculty conformity. It also analyzes the moderating role of conflict management style between organizational identification and faculty conformity, and formalization of organizational structure and faculty conformity in universities in Hunan province, China. Convenience sampling was employed to select the subjects, and 1,024 Chinese faculty members including teaching staff and administrative staff were surveyed online with the questionnaire consist of organizational identification scale, organizational formalization scale, conflict management style scale, and faculty conformity scale. 1,000 valid respondents were collected and SPSS was used to analyze the data through descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression. The results showed that faculty members' organizational identification had a positive effect on faculty conformity; formalization of organizational structure partially mediated the relationship between organizational identification and faculty conformity; and conflict management style positively moderated the relationship between organizational identification and faculty conformity and between formalization of organizational structure and faculty conformity. University administrators are often the initiators of conformity as they are responsible for formulating internal regulations. Therefore, they must monitor and coordinate workplace conflicts, resolve and guide faculty conformity, promote individual faculty members' self-improvement, and foster steady organizational development.

Supporting the well-being of new university teachers through teacher professional development.

Over the last decades, changes within higher education have created increased pressure and uncertainty for academics, increasing their risk for cognitive, behavioral, physical, as well as psychological issues due to high job demands. Specifically, for new academics in teaching roles, their lack of knowledge and skills can contribute to a negative effect of these job demands on their well-being. This study therefore explored how teaching-related professional development programs can enhance new university teachers' well-being, through semi-structured interviews with 10 university teachers participating in such a program at a mid-sized Dutch university. We pay special attention to the relationship between specific learning activities integrated in the program (such as learning communities, formal workshops, and reflecting) and various dimensions of the psychological model of well-being by Ryff and Keyes (such as self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, and positive relationships). Using co-occurrence analysis and content analysis, we found that different learning activities had distinct relationships with different well-being facets. For example, formal workshops were mainly related to environmental mastery, a purpose in life and personal growth, while reflecting seemed to be especially connected to teachers' self-acceptance, and participating in a learning community was mainly related to positive relations with others and personal growth. Our findings have implications for research on teacher well-being as well as for the design of professional development programs for higher education teaching staff.

COVID Academic Pandemic: Techno Stress Faced by Teaching Staff for Online Academic Activities.

This paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the teachers, specifically the techno stress arising in them as a result of issues faced by them in the use of technology when they conduct the online academic activities. It aims to assess the major factors related to the online teaching that specifically adds to techno stress on the teachers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Finally, the study aims to provide suggestions to the policymakers and the management of the universities so that the effect of the COVID-19's on teachers' mental health and the related techno stress can be reduced. This paper is a literature review of the articles on the notion of techno stress on teachers and their mental health by searching the related articles with these terminologies using the renowned search engines of Google Scholar and Web of Science. A combination of the terms such as Coronavirus, COVID-19, mental health, psychological distress, techno stress, and online teaching were used in the article search for the review. The literature has suggested that the COVID-19 outbreak has significantly affected the mental health of the employees in general and specifically, the teachers who are engaged in online academic activities and teaching in the universities. The paper has identified a few factors that are the cause of the techno stress and provides recommendations for the university management and the policy makers for minimizing their negative impact on the teachers, in terms of the techno stress and their mental health. Coronavirus is a new strain of the viruses that has badly engulfed the entire population of the world. It is even now badly rising and causing deaths while this article is in the writing phase. The article has addressed the mental health concerns of the university teachers as they are now working from home using ICT for delivering the lectures and conducting the online teaching and learning activities for the students at their universities. This is a matter of grave importance now and requires immediate attention. Hence, this article broadens the scope of the research on the corona virus and its impact on the university teachers.