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Introduction: To evaluate the demographic, clinical, diagnostic, and treatment data of pediatric patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and risk factors for ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and recurrence of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection. Methods: Patients aged 0–18 years who were diagnosed with ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection at Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between 2016 and 2021 were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. Risk factors for the development and recurrence of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection were evaluated. Patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt but did not develop any shunt infection were selected as the control group. Results: Eighty-five patients with a diagnosis of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection were included in the study. Fever (58.8%), anorexia (58.8%), vomiting (56.5%), and altered consciousness (54.1%) were the most common complaints at admission. The control group consisted of 48 patients. The number of shunt revisions was statistically significantly higher in the group that developed ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection compared to the control group (p < 0.001). In patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection, C-reactive protein and cerebrospinal fluid protein values before shunt insertion were found to be statistically significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection occurs most frequently in the first months after shunt application. Therefore, it is extremely important to prevent colonization and contamination during surgery in preventing the development of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection. In the present study, cerebrospinal fluid protein elevation and C-reactive protein elevation before shunt application were found to be significant in terms of the development and recurrence of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New faculty orientation (NFO) programs are shown to increase faculty satisfaction, enhance collaboration, and support promotion, retention, and academic success. In an effort led by a clinical psychologist, the Children's National Hospital (CNH) NFO was developed, piloted, and is in its 3rd year. Data are shared regarding program development process, feasibility, and acceptability. In 2020, CNH faculty were surveyed about their new faculty member experience. CNH leaders were interviewed about important topics to include in an NFO. In FY22, the NFO was piloted across 15 Divisions. Year 2 (FY23) invited all new early career faculty. Year 3 (FY24) invited all new faculty. Feedback was obtained via REDCap after meetings and before/after the 10-month program. In 2020, 62% of recently hired faculty surveyed indicated not having any institutional level orientation. Leadership interviews supported the need for an NFO; suggested topics included promotion and provider wellness. In FY22, 27/38 invited faculty chose to participate. For FY23, 36/48 chose to participate. In FY24, 69/95 invited are participating. A needs assessment showed CNH faculty and leaders supported an NFO Program. Participants report finding the program helpful; they learned about institutional resources, benefits, and operations and appreciated the networking opportunities. Longer-term metrics include faculty satisfaction, promotion, and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Career management models are valuable tools for faculty pursuing a career in academic medicine. These models help faculty transition through various stages of their careers, including commonly pursued academic advancements from assistant professor to full professor, as well as less common transitions like moving from full-time to part-time status, taking sabbaticals, going on medical leave, or assuming executive leadership roles. The success of faculty members across these stages is influenced by both environmental factors and individual-level characteristics. Recognizing career stages and transitions, as well as the impact of personal and environmental factors on career growth, is crucial. The proposed Faculty Career Self-Management Model (FCSM) provides a visual and descriptive framework to guide individual faculty and the professionals who support them in understanding, preparing for, and navigating career stages and professional transitions to build and sustain meaningful careers in academic medicine. The FCSM serves as a framework to explore, develop, and share best practices in supporting faculty vitality across the career lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Off-campus (volunteer, community-based) clinical faculty, upon whom medical schools heavily depend, are an integral component of medical education. However, challenges hinder their involvement in medical school governance and other activities, including inadequate communication, lack of recognition, high clinical demands that may preclude teaching, and time-consuming non-clinical tasks. While faculty appointments offer benefits like free CME, access to library resources, and email communications, faculty often prioritize potential contributions to their teaching roles over these benefits. Our medical school launched a new initiative to tackle these issues head-on. We established an Office of Faculty Engagement (OFE) that leverages engagement strategies to enhance communication, broaden access to campus resources, and provide tailored rewards for clinicians. We rebranded volunteer clinical faculty as Off-Campus Faculty (OCF) to foster a more interactive relationship and innovative measures, including personalized welcome emails, a dedicated point of contact for OCF, a user-friendly website, regular orientations, faculty development programs, recognition and appreciation events, and exclusive awards. From August 2021 to December 2023, we contacted 587 OCF members; 85 faculty members experienced improved communication. This innovative approach streamlines and personalizes interactions with OCF, enhances their satisfaction, and represents a transformative opportunity to engage and involve OCF in medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing diversity of classroom designs, broadly labeled as active learning classrooms, is a rising development across higher education institutions. Along with the construction of these new spaces, stakeholders have developed new vocabularies and concepts for articulating and identifying the impact of new classroom designs for teaching and learning. As new language evolves and ways of thinking about classroom space evolve along with new designs, there has yet to emerge an explicit conceptual framework of the nature of the learning spaces that holistically addresses the cultural, contextual, communicative, and interactional experiences of the faculty. The aim of the present study was to investigate spatial understandings of faculty members in the context of a professional development program in an attempt to identify the social construction of space in active learning classrooms. We conducted a content analysis of 25 reflective portfolios written between 2018 and 2020. Grounding on the Henri Lefebvre's Spatial Triad (1991), we found that faculty members used three types of space as describing their spatial experiences in classrooms: (1) perceived space, (2) conceived space, and (3) experienced space. The results were discussed in terms of a cultivated space approach to support faculty in developing pedagogical agility across various learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Quality" refers nominatively to a standard of performance. Quality is the central idea that differentiates speech protected by academic freedom (the right to worthwhile utterances) from constitutionally protected speech (the right to say anything at all). Extant documents and discussions state that professional peers determine quality based on norms of a field. But professional peers deem utterances and activities as consonant with quality only in reference to criteria that establish meaning of the term. In the absence of articulation, these criteria are ambiguous. Consequently, there exists recurrent confusion about what faculty members have a defensible right to say and do. This article develops an ontology of quality in reference to higher education teaching, a component of academic careers generally not subject to extensive peer review and where instructors thereby exercise considerable autonomy. The ontology identifies three criteria that bound quality: constraint, context, and amplitude. Boundedness exists only insofar as boundaries are controlled. The article examines two types of problems in professional control that affect quality: slippage and overreach. Both are instances of organizational deviance and abrogation of professional ethics. It is argued that the patterns threaten the structural integrity and public confidence of faculty, fields, and higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than ever, universities and policymakers are paying attention to faculty members' engagement in industries' projects because university–industry collaboration (UIC) is seen as the key to economic development. However, the UIC differs from country to country, and researchers may have different motivations. This study explored the relationship between university researchers' motivations and varied UIC channels. A questionnaire was administered to the relevant faculty in public universities in two cross-border regions of Portugal and Spain. Drawing on data gathered from 841 researchers, the results reveal differences in these academics' motivations to engage in different channels. Pecuniary motivations (i.e., access to funding and commercialization) drive UIC through joint and contract research, while non-pecuniary motivations (i.e., learning opportunities and access to resources) inhibit cooperation through the same two engagement channels. In addition, joint and contract research involvement also depends on researchers' age, academic status, department size, and field of study. This study provides empirical evidence on the motivations and channels of UIC in two cross-border regions of Portugal and Spain. Furthermore, it presents important results for universities and policymakers who need to increase motivation and improve UIC channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This basic qualitative study explored the intercultural development and experiences of thirteen US undergraduate faculty members. It was grounded in the theoretical frameworks of intercultural development and constructive-developmental theory. Data included two Intercultural Development Inventories® 3–6 months apart; a Subject Object Interview; and a demographic questionnaire. Findings included qualitatively different experiences among participants who did and did not grow interculturally. For example, participants who stayed at the intercultural stage of Minimization experienced wanting to "get it right" but worrying about "getting it wrong" with intercultural interactions. Participants who grew from Minimization to Acceptance described leaning into the fear of getting it wrong. One who grew from Acceptance to Adaptation described valuing risking getting it wrong. Constructive-developmental stage findings suggest that to grow from Minimization to Acceptance, it may be necessary to have some Self-Authorship capacity, including an internally generated value system and an ability to reflect on one's own assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the relative contribution of each of psychasthenia, psychological flexibility, suggestibility, and conspiracy beliefs in predicting the anxiety of vaccination with the anti COVID-19 vaccine among faculty members at Ain Shams University (ASU). Examining the difference in the sample's scores on the vaccination anxiety scale and its sub-factors according to the variables (age—chronic diseases—academic specialization—previous infection with COVID-19—gender), the sample of the study included 139 faculty members at Ain Shams University aged ranged from 23 to 78 years, with a mean of 49.52 years, and a standard deviation of 13.29 years. The vaccination anxiety scale, psychasthenia scale, psychological flexibility scale, suggestibility scale, and conspiracy beliefs scale were used to collect data. The results revealed that the variables of suggestibility and conspiracy beliefs significantly contribute to predicting the vaccination anxiety among faculty members at Ain Shams University. There is a significant difference in the average scores on the vaccination anxiety scale according to age, with the difference in favor of the age group less than fifty years, as well as according to the presence/absence of a previous infection with COVID-19, with the vaccination anxiety being higher for those who were previously infected. There has been no observed significant difference according to the presence/absence of chronic diseases or academic specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a survey of faculty members from 21 top research universities in China, this study analyzes the impact of the tenure reform on faculty members' job insecurity and innovative work behavior in research. The results indicate a negative relationship between the tenure-track system and faculty's innovative work behavior in terms of trying new directions and methods. However, no significant impact of the tenure track on the implementation and support of innovative ideas was observed. This study also reveals that the tenure track increased job insecurity among faculty members, primarily quantitative insecurity. This is due to higher publication demands and the strict enforcement of the "up-or-out" contracts, which resulted in rising concerns over job loss. Further analysis reveals that job insecurity played a mediating role in the relationship between the tenure track and faculty members' innovative behaviors in academic research. Based on the findings, this study recommends raising the criteria for tenure-track admission to reduce excessive peer competition. It also highlights the need to enhance academic autonomy and peer evaluation to ensure the quality of research outputs. In addition, it suggests implementing a more flexible exit mechanism to reduce job insecurity for faculty on the tenure track, thereby creating a more stable environment conducive to research innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we sought to uncover the key strategies and challenges to the integration of Indigenous knowledge as knowledge management practices at a public university in The Gambia. It is often axiomatic in the literature that the incorporation of diverse epistemologies is a key resource for sustainable development; therefore, activities associated with the management of knowledge, particularly in higher education, are worthy of elucidation. We discovered that knowledge management activities at a university in The Gambia were often informal and required the invisible work of faculty. It was through the implicit use of tacit knowledge and epistemic disobedience that faculty were able to build upon a colonized curriculum that denied the presence of other knowledge. However, in the end, faculty were dependent on the power of referents within and without the institution to formalize their knowledge management practices. This work fills an essential gap in the extant literature on how the work of university faculty and managers, when situated within a knowledge management perspective, can contribute to decolonization and foster sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The evaluation of the performance of new methods, expected to provide cheaper and faster results than existing (reference) methods in the health field, is based on comparing the results obtained with this new method to those obtained with the existing method. The primary aim of this study is to examine the correlational and absolute agreement between measurement methods in clinical studies using Bland–Altman analysis and methodological (Ordinary Least Squares, Weighted Ordinary Least Squares, Deming, Weighted Deming, Passing–Bablok, Theil-Sen, and Passing–Bablok for Large Data Sets.) methods, and the secondary aim is to compare the accuracy and precision of Hadlock (I–V) formulas used for fetal weight estimation. Materials and methods: The study was conducted on singleton pregnancies examined in the Prenatal Diagnosis and Treatment Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Inonu University Faculty of Medicine and who gave birth in the Obstetrics Unit between 01.01.2020 and 01.09.2023, whose gestational ages were confirmed by first-trimester ultrasonography. Estimated fetal weights were calculated using Hadlock (I–V) formulas, and the agreement of these weights with birth weight was evaluated with Bland–Altman method. Results: The comparison of estimated fetal weights calculated using Hadlock formulas with birth weight was analyzed using Bland–Altman analysis, ICC, and CCC values along with regression analyses. According to the mean difference values obtained by Bland–Altman analysis, the estimated fetal birth weights obtained by the Hadlock IV formula were most consistent with the actual birth weights. Conclusions: The estimated fetal weights obtained using the Hadlock IV formula resulted in the closest measurements to the birth weight. This study showcases the efficacy of a new web-based software, Method Comparison Software (MCS), which can be utilized for evaluating the agreement between different methods in clinical measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three extraordinary physics discoveries were made in colonial India, which did not have any tradition of research in modern physics: Saha ionization equation (1920), Bose statistics (1924), and Raman effect (1928). All three discoverers were founding faculty members of the new small physics department of Calcutta1 University, which started functioning in 1916. These discoveries were all on the general topic of interaction between matter and radiation. In this Part (Part 1 of a two-article series), I describe the social and intellectual environment in which these discoveries were made. Part 2 will focus on the science involved in these discoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversifying counseling psychology programs in the United States is a core value of the profession. For this descriptive study, we reviewed the websites of all currently active American Psychological Association (APA) accredited counseling psychology and counseling psychology combined programs for publicly available information on their core faculty members' academic rank (i.e., assistant, associate, and full professor), perceived gender, and perceived Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) status. The freely available Publish or Perish software (Harzing, 2007) was used to assess the productivity indices (i.e., h-index, h-index norm, papers per author, and authors per paper) of these faculty members. Using multilevel regression analyses, we found that: (1) average h-indexes were highest among full professors, (2) perceived gender identity was a significant predictor of the h-index, h-index norm, and papers per author favoring White faculty, (3) perceived BIPOC status was a significant predictor of h-index, papers per author, and authors per paper favoring White faculty. Limitations, future research directions, and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Level of Evidence The prevalence and appreciation of meniscal tears in children have increased in both number and complexity. There is currently a paucity of high‐quality evidence that can guide surgeons in treating skeletally immature patients with meniscal injuries. The aim of this study was to develop comprehensive recommendations for the management of isolated meniscal tears in skeletally immature children.An international, two‐round, modified Delphi consensus was completed. Included ‘experts’ were identified as having an established adult knee practice, including children and either: (1) Faculty at an international paediatric knee conference, (2) Active members of complex national paediatric multi‐disciplinary groups or (3) Members of faculty on recognised national/international instructional courses aimed at teaching the management of meniscal lesions to knee surgeons. The currently available literature was reviewed, and areas of poor quality, inconclusive or absent evidence were examined and formed the focus of the study. A threshold of 70% was used to define consensus for our study based on other similar Delphi consensus studies in the literature.A total of 43 experts (Round 1) and 41 experts (Round 2) took part in the Delphi study, including surgeons from Europe, the United States of America and South America. 34 statements were identified exploring three main domains—clinical assessment, management and complex tears (bucket handle, discoid and radial). Following Round 1, consensus was reached on 17 (50%) statements; subsequently, after completion of Round 2, consensus was reached on 28 (82%) statements, leaving six (18%) with no consensus. The areas of no consensus included investigation of painless clicking, the most sensitive clinical test for meniscal pathology, treatment of small radial tears (less than 1/3 width), ability to reduce chronic bucket handle tears and timing of surgery.This is the first modified Delphi consensus that provides evidence for surgeons treating skeletally immature children with isolated meniscal tears. A valuable level of consensus was reached on the assessment and management of simple and specialist meniscal tears. These consensus statements can both inform clinical practice and be used in the development of further high‐quality research studies.Level V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty perspectives on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education are crucial for AI's meaningful integration into teaching and learning, yet research is scarce. This paper presents a study designed to gain insight into faculty members' (N = 122) AI self-efficacy and distinct latent profiles, perceived benefits, challenges, use, and professional development needs related to AI. The respondents saw greater equity in education as AI's greatest benefit, while students and faculty members' lack of AI literacy was among the greatest challenges, with the majority interested in professional development. Latent class analysis revealed four distinct faculty member profiles: optimistic, critical, critically reflected, and neutral. The optimistic profile moderates the relationship between self-efficacy and usage. The development of adequate support services is suggested for successful and sustainable digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the moderating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between protean career attitude, objective career success, and subjective career success among faculty members in Saudi Arabia. Based on career human agency theory, it is proposed that high emotional intelligence enhances the relationship between protean career attitude and career success more effectively than low emotional intelligence. Data from 241 faculty members were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0. Findings reveal that emotional intelligence significantly moderates the relationship between protean career attitude and subjective career success, while no such moderation effect is observed for objective career success. Given the unique socio-cultural and economic landscape of Saudi Arabia, these insights highlight the importance of emotional intelligence in Saudi academia, which is subjected to educational reforms and cultural shifts. The study offers guidance for academic career practitioners to develop strategies that help faculty members navigate contemporary career challenges, fostering a more resilient and adaptable academic workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining a large number of specific college majors and their association with mental health literacy (MHL) is an important step towards identifying at-risk groups at the college level. Though prior research has investigated MHL across student demographics such as gender, age, ethnicity, and level of education, the present study was the first to compare the MHL of undergraduate students across 19 different college majors. A total of 617 demographically and ethnically diverse undergraduate students (62.1% female; 69.3% non-white; mean age = 22.2 years; mean year in college = 2.8) reported their demographics, college experience, and college major, and completed an MHL measure that assessed knowledge of more than 20 psychological disorders and the application of that knowledge to real life scenarios. After controlling for gender, data were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc comparisons to determine if differences in mental health literacy level were related to specific college majors. Results revealed that mental health literacy significantly differed across majors, F(18, 598) = 5.09, p <.001. Specifically, students majoring in accounting, nursing, business, biology, and those in a multidisciplinary category had significantly lower mental health literacy scores compared to the highest scoring major, psychology. We present empirical data about variations in mental health literacy across many different majors in higher education. Our findings provide a rationale for interventions for academic majors with lower MHL, as well as a rationale for training of college faculty and staff, for the purpose of improving psychological well-being in at-risk college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities have become increasingly strict with the academic requirements of newly enrolled faculties. It manifests as the credential inflation of new applicants for university academic positions. There is little research that has provided empirical evidence for this phenomenon. This research takes China as a case, aiming to test whether there is credential inflation in universities and the inflation rate. To conduct research, we collect faculty resume information from 802 Chinese universities, including 159,752 resumes. Results confirm credential inflation in Chinese universities' newly enrolled faculties with domestic education. The credential inflation in elite universities, especially for 211 project universities, is the most obvious. On the contrary, those faculties with overseas education can be employed by higher-ranking institutions than local graduates, and the benefits of studying abroad in terms of the employment of university faculty have continuously improved overall. In the professional field of Chinese university faculties, the devaluation of domestic academic qualifications and the appreciation of overseas academic qualifications are relatively apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation explores gender differences in faculty research productivity in Chinese research-oriented universities. Based on human capital theory and a work-family conflict research framework, this investigation identifies potential variables that influence faculty research productivity. These variables include academic experience, family responsibility, and work-family conflict. Drawing on a representative sample of faculty at the early academic career stage (N = 1013) from China's research universities, this investigation finds a significant gender gap in faculty research productivity. Male faculty have significantly higher research productivity than female faculty. Compared to family-related variables, academic experience-related variables such as research time investment, hosting of national-level research projects, and research collaboration within and outside of a university can positively predict research productivity. Work-family conflict negatively influences faculty research productivity and plays a mediating role in the effects of academic experience variables on research productivity. The findings of this investigation advocate for gender equality policies in Chinese research universities in aid of female faculty. This investigation offers recommendations from the perspective of both female faculty and academic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intentional inclusion of various perspectives is critical in disaster and hazard research to advance science and promote equitable resilience in a rapidly changing climate. However, historically underrepresented scholars like Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA2S + community members, and women are frequently absent from these efforts. Such exclusions exist as disparities in obtaining grant support, the disproportionate validation of their research or skills, limited training or mentorship opportunities, and implicit biases towards faculty members and students. As a result, many of these scholars, who frequently study communities living in precarious conditions, are absent from utilizing equipment or have limited access to resources that can ultimately assist them in their research efforts. This paper examined the experiences of such underrepresented scholars involved in disaster and environmental-related work to understand the needs, barriers, and opportunities to accessing National Science Foundation (NSF) supported resources. Across 13 key informant interviews, participants reported a myriad of structural barriers that directly impact marginalized scholars and others that limit the capacity of institutions where such scholars frequently work. These barriers exist alongside competing demands placed on marginalized scholars that strain ongoing and meaningful engagement and integration in disaster and hazard research. This study revealed considerations and recommendations for intentionally expanding NSF-funded resources to support underrepresented scholars to advance disaster and hazard scholarship through action-orientation approaches and targeted outreach and engagement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between critical thinking and grades at the tertiary level, focusing on their social, political, and ethical implications. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study combines survey data collection with in-depth interviews to generate comprehensive insights into the complex relationship between critical thinking and grades. The survey targets 173 faculty members, while the interviews focus on seven selected academic staff members from Palestinian universities, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the research objectives. Results showed that grades often hinder critical thinking skills and creativity, leading to rote memorization and limited creativity. The study also highlights the political implications of grades, as standardized testing influences education policies and curriculum decisions. Faculty members expressed criticism of the prioritization of grades, citing conventional evaluation methods, temporal limitations, and resource constraints. As critical thinking is crucial for comprehensive student development, contributing to problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, innovation, effective communication, and active citizenship, the study proposes diverse approaches to strike a balance between valuing grades and nurturing critical thinking abilities. By fostering critical thinking abilities, Palestinian students can enhance their preparedness for academic pursuits, personal growth, and societal contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the other English medium instruction (EMI) issues, assessment has received very scant research attention. A complex issue in EMI assessment relates to the role of English in measuring learning outcomes, and whether or not language should be assessed along with technical content. Combining questionnaire and semi-structured interviewed data, this study explored the English-related assessment practices and beliefs of native-Arabic and non-native-Arabic faculty members teaching EMI scientific majors at eight Saudi universities. Two hundred and forty-nine faculty members completed the questionnaire, whereas 20 faculty members were interviewed. The results showed that the content teachers do not give much weight to language quality when evaluating students' written or oral performance. Compared to native-Arabic peers, the non-native-Arabic teachers, who intuitively have little or no translanguaging in their instruction, were found to pay slightly more attention to evaluating students' English and to considering it in assessing students' academic performance. Meanwhile, the interviews revealed that the teachers' negative language-related assessment attitude has been shaped by the view that they are non-responsible for correcting students' English, and by the too many language errors noted in students' performance. Finally, the teachers' highly-rated language assessment self-efficacy beliefs did not match their actual assessment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop and validate e-portfolios for undergraduate medical students in the subject of Pediatrics. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among the second year medical undergraduate students. A core committee validated the e-portfolio created on the Google platform. The students were sensitized, trained on the platform, and encouraged to innovate by designing the e-portfolios themselves, and record their clinical experiences under the mentorship of faculty. The feedback was collected using a validated student and faculty questionnaire with closed and open ended questions. Satisfaction index was calculated based on the responses to closed ended questions using Likert scale. Open ended questions were analyzed using thematic approach. Results: The study enrolled 34 students and 12 faculty members. Students recorded a high satisfaction index on their experience to be interesting (97%), well structured (85%), user-friendly (82%), and on being able to archive their clinical experiences (100%). Faculty members recorded a high satisfaction index (100%) in students' ability to record their clinical knowledge and reflect on their learning and innovation; all were motivated to use e-portfolios in their specialty. The thematic analysis highlighted student satisfaction with accessibility and organized record-keeping, while faculty praised e-portfolios for nurturing creativity and aiding memory retention. Concerns included resource intensiveness, design prioritization, and privacy issues. Conclusion: E-portfolios are rated as promising tools to record comprehensive clinical experience in pediatric by undergraduate students and faculty. Addressing identified challenges will further optimize their adoption in medical curricula, facilitating informed integration decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of a needs assessment study conducted in higher education to address the impact of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, on faculty development and instructional strategies. The study acknowledges the disruptive effect of AI on academia and the varying responses from faculty members. It emphasizes the importance of equipping educators with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively integrate generative AI into their teaching practices. The results of the needs assessment reveal various factors contributing to performance gaps, including policy and budget, knowledge, skills, competencies, information, and technological tools. The study suggests that faculty members need support in understanding the scope and implications of AI and AI-driven content creation, assessment, and personalized learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 vaccination is estimated to have averted more than 2.4 million deaths globally. In the United States (U.S.) alone, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 hospitalizations are reportedly estimated to have been prevented during the first six months of the vaccine campaign. Despite the overwhelming evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccination, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy continues to pose a significant threat to public health. Notably, an unexpected source of vaccine misinformation has been the Surgeon General of the State of Florida, Dr. Joseph Ladapo. While both a tenured faculty member of the University of Florida, College of Medicine and the Surgeon General of Florida, Dr. Ladapo has delivered official Florida Department of Health statements regarding COVID-19 vaccines that run contrary to those of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While tenure is designed to protect those with contrarian views, we believe that the University has an ethical obligation to condemn misleading statements that put public health at risk. Herein, we explore the challenges of managing misinformation disseminated by someone who is simultaneously a tenured professor at a public, state-supported university, and a politically appointed public health official. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions rely on part-time faculty to teach a large percentage of courses in a range of disciplines. Existing research indicates that instruction by part-time faculty can negatively impact academic outcomes, student retention, and subsequent interest in a field of study. This study investigates if using a motivational information system can help close this performance gap. It introduces a type of motivational information system called an educational engagement information system (EEIS). EEISs draw on principles of behavioral economics, motivation theory, and learning cognition theory to help students want to improve their performance. The study compared student failure status in course sections taught by part- and full-time instructors both with and without an EEIS. Results suggest that using an EEIS can help improve student failure rates in courses taught by part-time faculty members and bring students' performance to parity with the performance of students taught by a full-time instructor. Features of an EEIS, such as the additional structure, grade and outcome trackers, and motivational elements, can augment a part-time instructor's approach and may compensate for limitations sometimes associated with part-time instruction including limitations of expertise, time, or rewards that can have a negative impact on students' academic outcomes. As a result, students can experience higher completion rates and better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, originally prompted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational practices, examined Canadian faculty members' expectations of teaching and learning modalities in the year 2026. Employing a speculative methodology and thematic analysis, interview responses of 34 faculty members led to the construction of three hypothetical scenarios for future teaching and learning modalities: a hybrid work model, a high tech and flexible learning model, and a pre-pandemic status quo model. In contrast to radical education futures described in the literature, the findings do not depart significantly from dominant modes of teaching and learning. Nevertheless, these findings offer insights into the expectations that Canadian faculty members have with respect to future teaching and learning modalities, the contextual issues and concerns that they face, the use of speculative methodologies in educational technology research, and the potential impacts remote learning trends have on the future of higher education in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students are increasingly relying on contract cheating (CC), a phenomenon in which a third party completes the assignment, quiz, or homework for students in exchange for a fee. Using an exploratory qualitative method and underpinned by critical theory and social responsibility theory, this study explored the perceptions of faculty members regarding CC in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) higher education institutions. In particular, this study addressed how faculty members perceive and deal with CC in contexts where policies towards the practice are absent from higher institution honour codes. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that CC arouses the indignation of faculty and staff to the violation of individual and religious rights. Also, they believe they have a sense of responsibility towards students and the community. The results also showed that faculty members' hesitation in reporting CC incidents was due to their perceived lack of support from higher administration institutions and the lack of clear procedures in ethical manuals. This paper concludes with practical recommendations for faculty and staff, managers, department heads and decision makers to mitigate this phenomenon proactively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic and seismic changes across multiple dimensions of schooling are needed to create equitable schools. We highlight a promising set of intentional and illustrative practices at one university that illustrate how equity can be highlighted across educational systems. While our efforts are ongoing, we explore a commitment to equity and social justice across: (1) A professional development school network. (2) An elementary education program. (3) Focal classrooms committed to equity practices. (4) Teacher education courses embedded in schools. This paper draws on data collected at each systemic level listed above. We use these data to illustrate the importance of intentional and simultaneous efforts to change practices across classrooms, schools, teacher professional development spaces, and teacher education courses. While our efforts are ongoing and inevitably incomplete, we maintain that this systemic confluence contributes to comprehensive and sustainable structures that support more equitable learning experiences for children, teachers, preservice teachers, and university faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decent work was proposed by International Labour Organization (ILO) as an institutional measure to address challenges faced by labor in the current competitive dynamic labor market. This study aims to investigate the impact of "decent work" dimensions on faculty members' Innovative Work Behaviour (IWB) in higher education institutes. The study also explores the possible role of work engagement in mediating this relationship. Moreover, the study aims to discover the role of job self-efficacy in mediating the relationship between decent work and work engagement. Using the SEM (Structural Equational Modelling) method, we test our model's hypotheses with data from 224 faculty members working in higher education institutes through the use of questionnaires. Results suggest that "decent work" was a predictor of IWB only through the full mediation of work engagement. Decent work was found to significantly impact job self-efficacy and work engagement. Furthermore, job self-efficacy was found to play an important role in promoting work engagement and acts as a mediating variable in the relationship between decent work and work engagement. Findings encourage education policymakers to implement new strategies and policies to promote higher levels of decent work for faculty members, with greater emphasis on work engagement, to enhance their IWB. This study is one of a few studies conducted in emerging economies that highlight "decent work" as an essential job resource, useful in enhancing work engagement and leading to higher IWB among faculty members in higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several leadership studies have linked e-leadership behaviours to individual, team, and organizational outcomes, but the magnitude of the link across settings and levels of analysis is still unclear. This association may be affected by various causes and mechanisms. Therefore, additional research is needed to determine how e-leadership behaviours are more effective. This study explored how e-leadership affects faculty members' organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Information and communication technology (ICT) was proposed as a developmental mechanism to mediate the link between e-leadership and OCB. This study used quantitative methods. Researchers obtain data using basic random sampling. Google Forms were used to distribute the questionnaires. The proposed model was evaluated with 355 respondents from 11 Palestinian universities. This study employed the structural equation model partial least squares (SEM-PLS) technique utilizing SmartPLS 4 software. This study used validity, reliability, and hypothesis tests. This study has one second-order construct and all reflective variables. Thus, the three latent variables affect the indicators. The results showed that e-leadership is linked to high faculty OCB and that ICT usage mediates this relationship. Additionally, this study examined the theoretical and practical consequences, limitations, and future research areas and suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the department chair is considered one of the most thankless jobs in higher education, but there is surprisingly little research on the daily work-lives of faculty members serving in departmental leadership roles. This study updates the literature by using a national sample of 3,317 associate and full professors serving in department leadership roles at 161 U.S. colleges and universities over a period spanning six academic years. Providing an updated application of Hagedorn's (2000) theory of faculty satisfaction and existing literature on department chairs, we use exploratory factor analysis to identify factors that act as triggers, or spaces for job-related tension and conflict. We then use multiple linear regression to study how these factors predict department leaders' overall job satisfaction, after controlling for relevant background characteristics like gender, faculty rank, prior job mobility, salary, and institutional environment. Regression results reveal the factors significantly influence department leaders' overall job satisfaction, but there are meaningful differences based on faculty rank, with associate professors being less satisfied in their jobs compared to full professors. We provide implications for future studies of department leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis is a retropharyngeal space infection almost exclusively seen in the young (4–8 years old) pediatric population. It can be misdiagnosed as a retropharyngeal abscess, leading to unnecessary invasive treatment procedures. This retrospective study aims to assess radiology residents' ability to independently identify CT imaging findings and make a definitive diagnosis of suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis in a simulated call environment. Materials and methods: The Wisdom in Diagnostic Imaging Emergent/Critical Care Radiology Simulation (WIDI SIM) is a computer-aided emergency imaging simulation proven to be a reliable method for assessing resident preparedness for independent radiology call. The simulation included 65 cases across various imaging modalities of varying complexity, including normal studies, with one case specifically targeting suppurative retropharyngeal adenitis identification. Residents' free text responses were manually scored by faculty members using a standardized grading rubric, with errors subsequently classified by type. Results: A total of 543 radiology residents were tested in three separate years on the imaging findings of suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis using the Wisdom in Diagnostic Imaging simulation web-based testing platform. Suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis was consistently underdiagnosed by radiology residents being tested for call readiness irrespective of the numbers of years in training. On average, only 3.5% of radiology residents were able to correctly identify suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis on a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). Conclusions: Our findings underscore a potential gap in radiology residency training related to the accurate identification of suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis, highlighting the potential need for enhanced educational efforts in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education faculty members incorporate technologies into their teaching and learning practices in higher education for the benefit of their learners. Hence, general technologies, such as presentation software, online classrooms, and learning management systems are ubiquitous in higher education teaching practices. However, emerging technologies (i.e., augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, tangible user interfaces, wearable technologies, and mixed reality) are not currently in wide use in higher education. As emerging technologies can broaden access to content and increase accessibility for all learners, investigating faculty members' intention to incorporate these technologies was explored in this study. Faculty participants from higher education institutions (N = 174) completed a 33-item survey, based on the theoretical framework of the decomposed theory of planned behavior. A path analysis of factors that influence faculty members' intention to integrate emerging technologies in teaching and learning were conducted. Results indicated that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are indicators of intention to use emerging technologies in teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The usage of Chatbots as a kind of Artificial Intelligence in medicine is getting to increase in recent years. UpToDate® is another well-known search tool established on evidence-based knowledge and is used daily by doctors worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the usefulness and reliability of ChatGPT compared to UpToDate in Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (ORL–HNS). Materials and methods: ChatGPT-3.5 and UpToDate were interrogated for the management of 25 common clinical case scenarios (13 males/12 females) recruited from literature considering the daily observation at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Ege University Faculty of Medicine. Scientific references for the management were requested for each clinical case. The accuracy of the references in the ChatGPT answers was assessed on a 0–2 scale and the usefulness of the ChatGPT and UpToDate answers was assessed with 1–3 scores by reviewers. UpToDate and ChatGPT 3.5 responses were compared. Results: ChatGPT did not give references in some questions in contrast to UpToDate. Information on the ChatGPT was limited to 2021. UpToDate supported the paper with subheadings, tables, figures, and algorithms. The mean accuracy score of references in ChatGPT answers was 0.25–weak/unrelated. The median (Q1–Q3) was 1.00 (1.25–2.00) for ChatGPT and 2.63 (2.75–3.00) for UpToDate, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). UpToDate was observed more useful and reliable than ChatGPT. Conclusions: ChatGPT has the potential to support the physicians to find out the information but our results suggest that ChatGPT needs to be improved to increase the usefulness and reliability of medical evidence-based knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty supervisor profiles on the graduate school webpages of universities offer an explicit assertion of self-representation regarding the author's academic identity, from which potential graduates can gain official information about their future faculty supervisors. Though scholars' identity construction on blogs or homepages has drawn sufficient attention, supervisors' identity construction on graduate school webpages across authors' status, gender, and disciplines in the Chinese context has not been sufficient. Based on the analysis of moves and processes, this study explores academic identity construction across authors' status, gender, and disciplines. Professor/Ph.D. faculty supervisors (PPSs) generally tend to use more moves than associate professors/master supervisors (APMs); different relational and material processes are used most frequently for scholars of different statuses. For gender, male academics use more words than females for move and process items. For disciplinary differences, art scholars pay close attention to education, achievement and community service, presenting more relational processes, while history and telecommunications scholars concentrate on their research directions and main publications. The results are further discussed with reference to status advantage, women's dilemma, and disciplinary culture in the Chinese academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text is a summary of a document that provides insights into the experiences of Marie Litzinger, an American mathematics student, during her time studying in Rome in the early 1920s. The document highlights Litzinger's encounters with different social and cultural experiences, including attending a tea at a Jewish home and interacting with her classmates. It also mentions her observations of Italian cuisine. The document emphasizes the commonalities between Litzinger's experiences and those of other mathematicians studying in Italy at the time. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: To explore the potential impact of a dedicated virtual training course on MRI staging confidence and performance in rectal cancer. Methods: Forty-two radiologists completed a stepwise virtual training course on rectal cancer MRI staging composed of a pre-course (baseline) test with 7 test cases (5 staging, 2 restaging), a 1-day online workshop, 1 month of individual case readings (n = 70 cases with online feedback), a live online feedback session supervised by two expert faculty members, and a post-course test. The ESGAR structured reporting templates for (re)staging were used throughout the course. Results of the pre-course and post-course test were compared in terms of group interobserver agreement (Krippendorf's alpha), staging confidence (perceived staging difficulty), and diagnostic accuracy (using an expert reference standard). Results: Though results were largely not statistically significant, the majority of staging variables showed a mild increase in diagnostic accuracy after the course, ranging between + 2% and + 17%. A similar trend was observed for IOA which improved for nearly all variables when comparing the pre- and post-course. There was a significant decrease in the perceived difficulty level (p = 0.03), indicating an improved diagnostic confidence after completion of the course. Conclusions: Though exploratory in nature, our study results suggest that use of a dedicated virtual training course and web platform has potential to enhance staging performance, confidence, and interobserver agreement to assess rectal cancer on MRI virtual training and could thus be a good alternative (or addition) to in-person training. Clinical relevance statement: Rectal cancer MRI reporting quality is highly dependent on radiologists' expertise, stressing the need for dedicated training/teaching. This study shows promising results for a virtual web-based training program, which could be a good alternative (or addition) to in-person training. Key Points: • Rectal cancer MRI reporting quality is highly dependent on radiologists' expertise, stressing the need for dedicated training and teaching. • Using a dedicated virtual training course and web-based platform, encouraging first results were achieved to improve staging accuracy, diagnostic confidence, and interobserver agreement. • These exploratory results suggest that virtual training could thus be a good alternative (or addition) to in-person training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of small, skills-focused credentials, also known as micro-credentials, has garnered considerable attention in recent years. By offering micro-credentials, institutions of higher education can provide additional credential options, thereby attracting more diverse audiences beyond degree-seekers. However, amidst their growth, fundamental questions surrounding their effective design and pedagogical implementation remain. This lack of clarity may inadvertently hinder their effectiveness. To address this gap, there is a need for studies that examine the perspectives and practices of faculty involved in micro-credential development and delivery. This study employed a single-embedded case design to investigate the perceptions and practices of faculty members who implemented micro-credentials for a pilot program at a large public research university. Specifically, this study aimed to identify faculty perceptions of the assessment and credentialing affordances of micro-credentials, and strategies employed to integrate these affordances into the design of micro-credentials. In-depth interviews were conducted with faculty members representing a diverse array of academic disciplines. Findings revealed that faculty need support in recognizing and integrating certain characteristics of quality assessments when designing micro-credentials, including aligning of assessments with a micro-credential's delivery method, and integrating equity-oriented assessments into the design. These findings underscore the necessity for interventions and training programs aimed at integrating quality assessment practices into micro-credential design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The veterinary profession is essential in countries where the majority of the population lives in rural areas and relies on animal husbandry for their livelihood. Faculty members in organizations of higher learning in veterinary and animal sciences are responsible for educating and training students to contribute positively to society. Job satisfaction is a fundamental component of organizational productivity. The exploration was aimed to identify the determinants that contributed to faculty members' job satisfaction at an Indian veterinary university. A total of 92 faculty members, completed an online questionnaire and their responses were analyzed. It was found that majority of faculty members were middle aged with mean age of about 37.70 years. The mean work experience and salary were 8.34 years and 13.8 lakhs, respectively. It was observed that 76.09 per cent of faculty members expressed satisfaction with their job. Surprisingly, none of the respondent was dissatisfied. The nature of work as well as supervision most prominently influenced job satisfaction, whereas contingent rewards and operating conditions were least affecting it. Work experience and agreeableness were shown to be positively correlated with overall job satisfaction. It is suggested that faculty members who have considerable experience and possess agreeable traits tend to have higher levels of satisfaction with their job. The study's findings provide insight on the variables that influence faculty members' job satisfaction in academia. The results can be used by the organization to develop effective human resource management strategies with the ultimate aim of achieving higher productivity and organizational success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Basilar artery strokes are rare but can have characteristic imaging findings that can often be overlooked. This retrospective study aims to assess radiology residents' ability to identify CT imaging findings of basilar artery occlusion in a simulated call environment. Methods: The Wisdom in Diagnostic Imaging Emergent/Critical Care Radiology Simulation (WIDI SIM)—a tested and reliable computer-aided emergency imaging simulation—was employed to assess resident readiness for independent radiology call. The simulations include 65 cases of varying complexity, including normal studies, with one case specifically assessing basilar artery stroke. Residents were presented with a single, unique case of basilar artery occlusion in two separate years of testing and were only provided with non-contrast CT images. Residents' free text responses were manually scored by faculty members using a standardized grading rubric, with errors subsequently classified by type. Results: A total of 454 radiology residents were tested in two separate years on the imaging findings of basilar artery occlusion using the Wisdom in Diagnostic Imaging simulation web-based testing platform. Basilar artery occlusion was consistently underdiagnosed by radiology residents being tested for call readiness irrespective of the numbers of years in training. On average, only 14% of radiology residents were able to correctly identify basilar artery occlusion on non-contrast CT. Conclusions: Our findings underscore a potential gap in radiology residency training related to the detection of basilar artery occlusion, highlighting the potential need for increased educational efforts in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of Maker programs entails deep cultural and structural changes within schools. In this case study, we interviewed a principal and seven faculty members in a high school in the United States, after the first year of implementing making-centered curricula. We report how faculty members responded to the reform, their motivations and beliefs, and the concomitant shifts in power and status. We found that educators are required to make non-trivial adaptations to their skills, instructional approaches, and pedagogical beliefs, and that successful adaptation may lead them to gain status, resources, and support within the school. Those are gained on account of technical expertise and educators' efforts to promote the vision of the reform. The extent to which faculty members adapt to a reform, accommodate and support others in their process of adapting, or resist it, may determine whether the reform is successful or not. As such, school leaders face the challenge of encouraging faculty to buy into such reforms. The case study provides a unique perspective on Maker-centered reforms and outlines important implications for administrators seeking to implement similar programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aims of this study are to make the Turkish validity and reliability of the scale that explain why caffeine intake. Additionally, it is crucial to highlight that the adaptation of the scale involved a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate its structure and the need for this adaptation in the Turkish context. Materials and methods: The study was carried out with a total of 200 university students, comprised of 93.5% female and 6.5% male participants, with a mean age of 21.74 ± 6.15 years who were actively studying in the faculties of the universities who accepted to participate voluntarily in the study were included. The Turkish version of the Motives for Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire (MCCQ) scale and the MCCQ was used as the data collection tools. To evaluate the statistical analysis findings, the margin of error was taken as 5%. The entire application was carried out with the R-project software. CFA was used to test the adaptation of the MCCQ scale from English to Turkish. Results: The alpha internal consistency coefficient for the whole scale was calculated as 0.959. Just like the original scale, the Turkish version shows a six-factor structure: habit, alertness, mood, social, taste, and symptom management. In MCCQ-TR, it showed a low level of positive correlation with Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). For the final scale with 23 items and 6 sub-dimensions, it was determined that the fit indices were at an acceptable level, and the internal consistency was highly reliable for all sub-dimensions and the total scale. Conclusions: It has been determined that the Turkish version of the MCCQ is a valid and reliable measurement tool to operationalize the motives of caffeine consumption and to reveal possible differences in the motives regarding gender, age, and the type of caffeinated products consumed. The use of CFA in adapting the scale ensures the robustness of the structural validity in the Turkish context, making this adaptation a valuable contribution to the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the anatomy and anatomical variations of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle. Methods: Hundred and fifty one ultrasonographic images of the digastric muscle pairs were evaluated in Near East University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. Morphological variations were recorded using the classification of the digastric muscle into 12 types by Kim et al. For the analysis, the Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-square test were used, and for the correlational analysis, Spearman's rho test was applied. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant in all tests. Results: Seventy female and 81 male patients aged 19–60 years were evaluated. Type 1 digastric muscle was observed in 145 of 151 patients, Type 2 in 3 patients, and Type 7 in 3 patients. The thicknesses of the right and left digastric muscles were measured, and a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups when the genders were compared. It was observed that both right and left digastric muscle thicknesses were higher in males than females. There was a statistically significant positive high correlation between right and left digastric muscle thicknesses (p = 0.000; r = 0.736). No statistically significant difference was found between genders (p = 0.596) in terms of anatomical variations. Conclusion: Considering that the variations of the digastric muscle may have a clinical significance role, the normal anatomy and variations of this muscle should be well known by maxillofacial surgeons and radiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This inquiry explored the motivational factors and barriers to participation in Professional Development Programmes (PDPs) in Tanzania's higher education institutions. Using a qualitative approach and a purposively selected sample of 26 respondents, the study employed semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation and document review to generate requisite data. The resultant qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis. The study found that faculty members had both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to participate in PDPs. Intrinsically, they participated in PDPs to develop competencies related to their job performance, especially teaching and research as well coping with technological changes. Extrinsically, faculties participated in PDPs for financial gain from the allowances offered during PDPs. The study also found that enforced PDPs and lack of recognition of PDPs for promotion demotivated faculties and, subsequently affected their future participation in PDPs. Despite scientific and technological changes taking, senior faculties were unmotivated and, hence, reluctant to participate in PDP activities. On the other hand, the study found lack of needs assessment, deficit of funds, disorganised and scarce PDPs were the main barriers to enhanced participation in PDPs. As such, universities in Tanzania should improve the provision of PDPs to motivate more faculties to partake in PDPs to meet university goals. In addition, senior faculty members should participate in PDPs to adapt to changes and learn to work with newer technologies brought by the rapid changes in world due to globalisation instead of just relying on their acquired experiences and tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interdisciplinary research is a driving force of transformative and innovative science, yet it remains unclear how early-career scientists pursue interdisciplinary research paths. Analyzing data from 675,135 doctoral theses of U.S. Ph.D. graduates who graduated from 1950 to 2016, we study the development of interdisciplinary doctoral theses in the five scientific domains of behavioral sciences, biological sciences, engineering, health and medical sciences, and mathematical and physical sciences. We propose an indicator to measure the degree of interdisciplinarity embedded in the doctoral research by employing co-occurrence matrices of subjects assigned to doctoral theses in the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database. This study finds that interdisciplinary doctoral theses have exhibited a growing trend across different scientific domains, and universities of varying research intensity. Since the 1990s, interdisciplinary research has played a dominant role in doctoral theses within the five scientific domains. The results of multivariate regression models suggest persistent gender disparities in the interdisciplinarity level of doctoral theses. Specifically, male-authored doctoral theses demonstrate a higher level of interdisciplinarity than female-authored doctoral theses. In addition, this study suggests that being supervised by female advisors may amplify gender disparities in the interdisciplinarity level of their students' doctoral theses. The findings indicate the potential underrepresentation of female scientists in pursuing interdisciplinary research at the early stages of their careers. Given that funding agencies have promoted interdisciplinary research and its potential benefits, the lower level of interdisciplinarity in the doctoral theses of female students may hinder their career advancement. Furthermore, our findings indicate that offering increased support to female faculty members may not only directly benefit their career development but also hold considerable significance in promoting future generations of female scientists. The findings of this study have important policy implications for advancing the careers of female scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the accumulated body of research on teachers' professional development few have offered a relationship between professional development and knowledge sharing or reflective practice. We investigated whether Iranian Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) teachers' reflective teaching and their knowledge sharing can predict their professional success. To answer the research questions a quantitative approach was utilized. Then, 264 faculty members through available sampling were recruited using three questionnaires, namely reflective teaching measurement scale by Akbari et al. (System, 38(2): 211–227, 2010), teacher professional development scale by Soodmand Afshar and Ghasemi (J Teach Lang Skills 37: 169–210, 2018), and Teachers' knowledge sharing behavior by Ramayah et al. (Eval Rev 38(2): 1–28, 2014). Findings showed that knowledge sharing has a significant relationship with professional development (P < 0.001). In addition, teachers' reflective practice has a significant relationship with professional development (P < 0.001). Based on the findings we suggest that TEFL teachers should promote their knowledge sharing and reflection to improve their professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation and understanding of the process of assessing translation quality in translation courses have attracted some attention. However, only a few studies have explored general assessment (GA) and specialised Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) practices used by different translation instructors. This study explores the assessment practices of 98 faculty members of the translation departments of various universities in Arab countries. In this exploratory study, data were collected using an adapted version of the Approaches to Classroom Assessment Inventory instrument. In addition, the authors designed a Translation Quality Assessment Practices Inventory aimed specifically for the investigation of TQA practices adopted by the faculty members. Data collected from the three-part survey were subjected to descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, one-way analysis of variance, an independent samples t-test, and the chi-square test. The study reveals that the participants highly endorsed GA and TQA practices equally. The results indicate that three major TQA themes are particularly prioritised: the significance of errors; the use of particular assessment methods; and the primacy of objectivity. This research shows that there is an urgent need for more training aimed at improving TQA literacy among faculty members teaching translation courses. It contributes to the efforts to improve translation training and to design more effective curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the proliferation of conventions, declarations, and recommendations for inclusive education, many students with disabilities do not complete their university studies. To overcome this situation, university faculty must have skills in inclusion and motivation, but the training of teachers in these subjects is still limited. For all these reasons, this work conveys a basic training proposal -adjusted to the teacher's reality- to improve the organization and planning of this training. With this training proposal, this study aims to answer how training can facilitate online university teachers to acquire knowledge to improve their skills and motivation in students with disabilities inclusion. For this purpose, qualitative research has been carried out based on the responses to an open-ended questionnaire by 20 expert teachers in online university training who have received and evaluated this training. Although the results have shown that the proposed online training of university teachers may be effective in improving their competencies and motivation in the inclusion of students with disabilities, they still need some improvement -according to the suggestions made by the teachers participating in the study-. Most of these suggestions made by high-level teachers especially recommended the ones related to conceptual clarification, presentation of case studies or examples, and description of actions in the didactic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]