UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
Start | FAQ | About
Menu Icon

QR Code Link :

Type :article
Subject :LB2300 Higher Education
Main Author :Loo, Daron Benjamin
Additional Authors :Farous Izwan Abdul Aziz
Nadiah Rus Liyana Rusli
Hong, Yong Zi
Title :“This seems important”: A thematic analysis of reflections on a compulsory induction program for new Malaysian university teachers
Hits :7
Place of Production :Tanjong Malim
Publisher :Fakulti Bahasa dan Komunikasi
Year of Publication :2024
Corporate Name :Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun
PDF Full Text :You have no permission to view this item.

Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun
The aim of this study is to examine information perceived as salient by new university academic staff attending a compulsory induction program at a Malaysian public university. Attending and successfully completing the induction program is a policy that is set and managed by universities across Malaysia. This study uses a qualitative approach, where reflections by the four authors of this study attending a ten-day induction program were collected and examined. By the end of the program, a total of 40 reflective pieces were written on an online shared document, which were then analyzed thematically. The reflections were examined through iterative reading and coding of their contents, which were then consolidated into salient themes. These themes were noteworthy information, affirmation and aspiration, and critical response. The findings indicated that the process of induction acted more than just a space for the dissemination of information, but there were instances where participants found acknowledgement through an alignment of beliefs, as well as developing criticality towards issues emergent from the topics covered during the induction program. Moreover, the compulsory induction program was in itself a gateway for new university teachers to become aware of other university policies that may affect their work in the Malaysian higher education context. Keywords: Induction program, new teachers, reflections, thematic analysis

References

Aprile, K. T., Ellem, P., & Lole, L. (2021). Publish, perish, or pursue? Early career academics’ perspectives on demands for research productivity in regional universities. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(6), 1131-1145. https://doi.org/gmjnxd 

Ball, S. J. (2021). The making of a neoliberal academic. Research in Teacher Education, 11(1), 15-17. https://doi.org/nj4n 

Barkhuizen, G. (2002). Beginning to lecture at university: A complex web of socialisation patterns. Higher Education Research & Development, 21(1), 93-109. https://doi.org/bpdjnc 

Boyd, P. (2010). Academic induction for professional educators: Supporting the workplace learning of newly appointed lecturers in teacher and nurse education. International Journal for Academic Development, 15(2), 155-165. https://doi.org/dsrrn5 

Cilesiz, S., & Greckhamer, T. (2020). Qualitative comparative analysis in education research: Its current status and future potential. Review of Research in Education, 44(1), 332-369. https://doi.org/gg73qd 

Cree-Green, M., Carreau, A.-M., Davis, S. M., Frohnert, B. I., Kaar, J. L., Ma, N. S., Nokoff, N. J., B Reusch, J. E., Simon, S. L., & Nadeau, K. J. (2020). Peer mentoring for professional and personal growth in academic medicine. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 68(6), 155-165. https://doi.org/ghc7gn 

Cullen, R., & Harris, M. (2008). Supporting new scholars: A learner-centered approach to new faculty orientation. Florida Journal of Educational Administration & Policy, 2(1), 17-28. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ902995.pdf 

Dugas, D., Stich, A. E., Harris, L. N., & Summers, K. H. (2020). ‘I’m being pulled in too many different directions’: Academic identity tensions at regional public universities in challenging economic times. Studies in Higher Education, 45(2), 312-326. https://doi.org/gfwpk8 

Fenton-Smith, B., & Torpey, M. J. (2013). Orienting EFL teachers: Principles arising from an evaluation of an induction program in a Japanese university. Language Teaching Research, 17(2), 228-250. https://doi.org/gq8mmk 

Ghavifekr, S., & Wong, S. Y. (2022). Technology leadership in Malaysian schools: The way forward to education 4.0 – ICT utilization and digital transformation. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 13(2), 1-18. https://doi.org/gnhcqn 

James, M. A. (2014). Learning transfer in English-for-academic-purposes contexts: A systematic review of research. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 14, 1-13. https://doi.org/gnxds5 Johnson, S., & Orr, K. (2020). What is business school research for? Academic and stakeholder perspectives, politics and relationality. Studies in Higher Education, 45(3), 557-578. https://doi.org/gfwpnj 

King, V., Roed, J., & Wilson, L. (2018). It’s very different here: practice-based academic staff induction and retention. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 40(5), 470-484. https://doi.org/gqsvjb 

Kranzfelder, P., Bankers-Fulbright, J. L., García-Ojeda, M. E., Melloy, M., Sagal Mohammed, & Warfa A.-R. M. (2020). Undergraduate biology instructors still use mostly teacher-centered discourse even when teaching with active learning strategies. BioScience, 70(10), 901–913. https://doi.org/nj4q 

Kálmán, O., Tynjälä, P., & Skaniakos, T. (2020). Patterns of university teachers’ approaches to teaching, professional development and perceived departmental cultures. Teaching in Higher Education, 25(5), 595-614. https://doi.org/gpjzrm 

Körkkö, M., Kyrö-Ämmälä, O., & Turunen, T. (2016). Professional development through reflection in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 198-206. https://doi.org/f8hbgm 

LaRocco, D. J., & Bruns, D. A. (2006). Practitioner to professor: An examination of second career academics’ entry into academia. Education, 126(4), 626-639. 

Loo, D. B., & Ching, E. (2018). Same course, different teaching? Exploring ‘collaborative teaching’of academic writing at higher education through reciprocal journaling. Journal of Studies in the English Language, 13(2), 67-118. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jsel/article/view/148780 

Loo, D. B., Maidom, R., & Varah, E. (2023). ‘The path of least resistance’ as agency grounded in morality: Meeting teaching and research expectations in an Asian higher education context. Asian Journal of University Education, 19(1), 235-243. https://doi.org/nj4r

Loo, D. B., & Sairattanain, J. (2023). Disrupting discourses of deficiency in English for academic purposes: Dialogic reflection with a critical friend. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 31(4), 669-685. https://doi.org/gnvvqv 

Majid Ghasemy, Sufean Hussin, Megat Ahmad Kamaluddin Megat Daud, Mariani Md Nor, Ghavifekr, S., & Husaina Banu Kenayathulla. (2018). Issues in Malaysian higher education: A quantitative representation of the top five priorities, values, challenges, and solutions from the viewpoints of academic leaders. SAGE Open, 8(1). https://doi.org/nj4p 

Morse, J. M., Barrett, M., Mayan, M., Olson, K., & Spiers, J. (2002). Verification strategies for establishing reliability and validity in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1(2), 13-22. https://doi.org/gcd5gd 

Nixon, E., Scullion, R., & Hearn, R. (2018). Her majesty the student: Marketised higher education and the narcissistic (dis)satisfactions of the student-consumer. Studies in Higher Education, 43(6), 927-943. https://doi.org/gf3kqh 

Noor Ashikin Basarudin, Asmah Laili Yeon, Nurli Yaacob, & Rohana Abd Rahman. (2016). Faculty workload and employment benefits in public universities. International Review of Management and Marketing, 6(7), 73-82. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/irmm/issue/32101/355621 

Nordbäck, E., Hakonen, M., & Tienari, J. (2021). Academic identities and sense of place: A collaborative autoethnography in the neoliberal university. Management Learning, 53(2), 331-349. https://doi.org/gjm974 

Norhafezah Yusof, Tengku Faekah Tengku Ariffin, Rosna Awang Hashim, Hasniza Nordin, & Amrita Kaur. (2020). Challenges of service learning practices: Student and faculty perspectives from Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 17(2), 279-309. https://doi.org/kj56 Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1). https://doi.org/gfzk5k 

Richards, C. (2019). Higher education privatisation, internationalisation and marketisation: Singaporean versus Malaysian models of Asian education hub policy. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 49(3), 375-392. https://doi.org/gd8dj7 

Staniforth, D., & Harland, T. (2006). Contrasting views of induction: The experiences of new academic staff and their heads of department. Active Learning in Higher Education, 7(2), 185-196. https://doi.org/djz9p4 

Stirzaker, R. (2004). Staff induction: Issues surrounding induction into international schools. Journal of Research in International Education, 3(1), 31-49. https://doi.org/fg3h5m 

Sun, W., & Simon-Roberts, S. (2020). New faculty preparation, adaptation, and retention. The Journal of Faculty Development, 34(2), 81-88. 

Tai, K. L., Ng, Y. G., & Lim, P. Y. (2019). Systematic review on the prevalence of illness and stress and their associated risk factors among educators in Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 14(5). https://doi.org/gjkmvp 

Vaill, A. L., & Testori, P. A. (2012). Orientation, mentoring and ongoing support: A three-tiered approach to online faculty development. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16(2), 111-119. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ971048.pdf 

Wilkins, S., & Neri, S. (2019). Managing faculty in transnational higher education: Expatriate academics at international branch campuses. Journal of Studies in International Education, 23(4), 451-472. https://doi.org/gp5rgg 

Yadegaridehkordi, E., Liyana Shuib, Nilashi, M., & Asadi, S. (2019). Decision to adopt online collaborative learning tools in higher education: A case of top Malaysian universities. Education and Information Technologies, 24, 79–102. https://doi.org/nj4w 

Yuan, R., Bai, B., & Hou, S. (2022). Unpacking vulnerability in academic writing and publishing: A tale of two non-native English speaker scholars in China. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(3), 981-995. https://doi.org/gqdz3v 

Yusmarhaini Yusof, Chan, C. C., Azlin Hilma Hillaluddin, Fatimah Zailly Ahmad Ramli, & Zarina Mat Saad. (2020). Improving inclusion of students with disabilities in Malaysian higher education. Disability & Society, 35(7), 1145-1170. https://doi.org/nj4x


This material may be protected under Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials.
You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research.

Back to previous page

Installed and configured by Bahagian Automasi, Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
If you have enquiries, kindly contact us at pustakasys@upsi.edu.my or 016-3630263. Office hours only.