NIR, network information retrieval, is the act of finding and retrieving information on interconnected computer networks. The research investigated the extent to which NIR awareness and use has diffused through a broad research population, and why and how academics become aware of and use NIR. Everett Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory was adapted to guide the investigation. A survey of 888 faculty members at the University of Arizona with Internet-accessible computer accounts resulted in a 32% return of surveys. Respondents from the various colleges at the university use between 20% and 39% of available NIR technologies, suggesting that NIR is in an early stage of diffusion in all colleges. Twenty-one one hour open-ended interviews were conducted with faculty from a variety of disciplines. Analysis of coded interview comments was used to test the usefulness of Rogers' theory in describing the diffusion of NIR. Predictions that mass media communication channels which go outside the local community will be more likely to result in awareness and use of NIR were not supported. Predictions that use of NIR would be associated with the perception that NIR (1) is compatible with needs and social norms, and (2) has relative advantage over previous practice, were supported. The predictions that use would be associated with perceptions of (1) compatibility with previous conditions, (2) low NIR complexity, and (3) trialability of NIR, were not supported. The explanatory power of the diffusion of innovation theory is improved for diffusion of NIR if NIR technologies are not studied in a vacuum. Rather, NIR technologies need to be studied in association with particular types of information resources (i.e. general interest and research-related resources) and particular types of communities (i.e. research communities). The study suggests that before NIR will diffuse in research communities, academics will need to agree that NIR dissemination of information will be rewarded in the promotion and tenure process. Such redefinition of social norms will help to create within research areas a critical mass of NIR users, and thus contribute to the diffusion of NIR.

This is a study of Yang Changji (1871-1920), whose thought exerted a profound influence on the shaping of intellectual trends in the early twentieth-century China, notably the ideology of Mao Zedong, who was taught by Yang for five years. Yang, well-versed in the Confucian and Neo-Confucian traditions, spent ten years studying Western moral philosophy and education in Japan (1903-1909), Scotland (1909-1912) and Germany (1912-1913). After returning to China he devoted the rest of his life to teaching ethics and education firstly at the First Normal School in Changsha (1913-17) and latterly at Beijing University (1918-1920), and to introducing Western philosophical, ethical and educational thought through translation and writings. How Yang Changji adopted and incorporated various Western elements, such as Kantian and Neo-Kantian ethics, the British idealism of T.H. Green, the humanistic and liberal tradition instigated by J. Rousseau, and Spencerian utilitarianism, into his socio-political and ethical thoughts, while retaining the framework of Confucian humanism, is one of the principal aims of this study. This study is divided into three parts, each of which consists of three chapters. A narrative account of the Hunanese intellectual tradition and the main trends of thought prevalent in nineteenth-century China, with particular reference to Hunan, will be outlined in chapter I. The starting point of Yang's intellectual-spiritual quest was the achievement of sagehood and self-cultivation, a goal was based on a threefold humanistic concern: man's ultimate potential as an individual, the individual's relationship to society and the realisation of man's ultimate potential. Mind-cultivation and altering natural character were particularly emphasised, and his methodology was characterised by quietness, reverence and the floating mind. During this painstaking process of self-cultivation Yang's metaphysical views of man, mind and human nature were formed, influenced mainly by Zhou Dunyi, Zhang Zai and Wang Fuzhi (see chapter 2). Between 1897 and 1902 Yang reached his intellectual maturity. His reformist thought can be seen as a syncretism of the Confucian humanistic principle of "Perpetual Renewal of Life" and Western liberal democratic ideas, such as "popular sovereignty," "people's rights" and "individual rights." These new democratic ideals, together with nineteenth-century Western evolutionary theory, provided a new authority for Yang to challenge the Chinese monarchical system, and to call for political reform. However, on a practical level, Yang committed himself to an intellectualistic-educational approach mainly influenced by his idea of seeking for radical solution and gradualism (see chapter 3). Yang Changji's life and study abroad are studied in the contexts of the movement of Chinese students abroad at the turn of the twentieth century and of cultural communication between China and Scotland. The experience in Japan was crucial for providing Yang with his first contact with Western philosophy, ethics and education. The intellectual influence of Aberdeen University can be seen in Yang's systematic exposure to the history of Western ethics and modem currents of British and German ethics, such as utilitarian and evolutionary ethics and T.H. Green's concept of self-realisation. In chapter 7 of Part Ill Yang's reappraisal of Confucianism, from the perspectives of Confucianism as religion and his attitude toward traditional culture, are discussed. In chapter 8 Yang's intellectual-education approach to China's modernisation is characterised in six aspects. His social criticism is distinctive for its application of Western humanistic values, particularly the concepts of person and personality in Kantian ethical thought. Furthermore, Yang was probably the first Chinese to introduce and advocate the idea of "sound and wealthy middle class." The influence of Western thought can also be seen in shaping the core of Yang's thought, that is, two distinctive but inseparable ideas; valuing the self and comprehending the present reality, which are the subject of the final chapter. Yang incorporated pivotal ideas and values of Western liberal individualism, particularly Kantian notions of autonomy, respect for the self and person, and subjectivity, etc., into his notion of valuing the self. While freedom was the most fundamental concern in Kantian ethics and humanism, the independence of the self or an individual was at the centre of Yang's idea of valuing the self. However, his metaphysical view of the self and person remains largely a Confucian one. His notion of comprehending the present reality shows his profound concern with reality and an overwhelming emphasis on "strenuous action." The Individual's self-realisation should be applied here and now. Underlying Yang's two ideas was Confucian threefold concern with humanity. The Confucian ideal of the sage-king or junzi still loomed large in both the form and content, of each of Yang's two ideas.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the salary levels of college faculty.

The problem of this study is to determine the relationship between attitudes of student teachers and the way these student teachers are perceived by their pupils. A subproblem is the effect of student teaching on these attitudes.

The study attempted to determine the relationship between student evaluation of instruction and institutional performance ratings with the following predictors: faculty job satisfaction, faculty attitudes toward the evaluation process, faculty attitudes toward factors associated with the evaluation process, and faculty characteristics.

The problem of this study was the identification of selected characteristics of Minnie Stevens Piper Professors. Purposes of the study were: (a) to determine characteristics of Minnie Stevens Piper Professors, and (b) to determine whether these professors possess characteristics which typify outstanding college teachers as described by the Selection Research, Incorporated College Teacher Perceiver interview. Forty subjects, 20 from community colleges and 20 from senior colleges, were randomly selected from the 1978 through 1988 lists of Piper Professors. Fifteen community college and 11 senior college professors agreed to participate by being interviewed with the College Teacher Perceiver. This interview identified 13 characteristics, or themes, of excellent college teachers.

Following Barr and Tagg's formalization of the concept of learner-centered educational practice at the postsecondary level as described in their seminal article in Change in 1995, survey instruments have been developed to assess teachers' beliefs about their own learner-centeredness.. The research reported in this dissertation examined the connection between college students' perceptions of teacher effectiveness on each of four dimensions appearing as questions on the IDEA Survey of student reaction to instruction and courses (developed at the IDEA Center, Kansas State University, in the early 1970s) and the Assessment of Learner-Centered Practices (ALCP): Beliefs Portion of the Postsecondary Level Instructor Survey, College Level (developed in early 1999 by B. L. McCombs, University of Denver Research Institute; alpha reliabilities reported). Using scoring rubrics accompanying the ALCP instrument, instructors were identified as learner-centered or non-learner-centered based on their responses. Independent t-tests were performed to determine whether learner-centered instructors were perceived differently by students in terms of teaching effectiveness than non-learner-centered instructors on each of four dimensions: overall excellence of course, overall excellence of instructor, effectiveness of instructor in helping students achieve relevant objectives in the course, and effectiveness of course and instructor in improving students' attitude toward the field of study. Students rated learner-centered instructors higher in all dimensions, but results were not statistically significant. Instructors were also identified as possessing learner- or non-learner-centered beliefs to a greater degree than that necessary for an overall designation. Independent t-tests were performed to determine any differences in student perceptions of effectiveness between these two groups. Again, students rated learner-centered instructors higher in all dimensions, but results were not statistically significant. Recommendations for further research with the ALCP instrument are made, including research to determine whether specific factors and/or questions prove to be statistically significant in predicting student evaluations of effectiveness. Also recommended are replications of the study to investigate moderating variables influencing accurate faculty self-identification of beliefs about teaching and learning.

Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2004 / Early career academics in South Africa enter a higher education system with a historical legacy of division along lines of past discrimination and apartheid. The higher education system has been undergoing profound transformation in the last decade through the promulgation of the SAQA Act (No 58 of 1995) and the Higher Education Act No 101 of 1997. Although numbers of black students at historically advantaged, predominantly white higher education institutions have increased dramatically in the past decade to over 50% in some cases, the change in the academic staff at these institutions has not been nearly as rapid. Less than 30% of the academic staff is black, even at institutions which consider themselves to be progressive. The argument in this research is that the professional socialisation and development of early career academics in all South Africa universities is generally neglected or receives scanty attention and that the professional development in teaching which they receive at entry-level, is minimal. Although mentoring as a professional development strategy has been shown in many studies to have a positive impact in careers at entrylevel, South African universities are not doing enough to support and develop early career academics and consequently the transformation of higher education is being retarded by institutional lack of support. The case of the University of the Witwatersrand illustrates the situation common in many higher education institutions. The purpose of the study is to investigate mentoring as a transformation strategy for the professional development and socialisation in the career development and management of the early careers of entry-level academics to higher education in South Africa where transformation of higher education is a critical issue on the national agenda. In this study there are 28 early career academics in formal mentoring relationships as a result of specially designed mentoring programmes or academic internships which have been established since 1999. They were interviewed in-depth for their interpretations of their experiences in formal mentoring programmes where almost all the mentors are white and the majority of mentees belong to different cultural groups. The findings in the study show how necessary it is for early career academics to be paired with mentors who are aware of the functions and roles of mentors in higher education and who are seriously committed to fulfilling those roles themselves or in conjunction with others in their networks. One new career development function and one new psychosocial function of mentors were added to a model of existing functions derived from the literature. Transformation is an important new function of mentors and their function as role models is emphasised by the context of this mentoring research. Mentoring may be lauded as the panacea for transformation in higher education but unless mentors are adequately trained, supported and monitored, and are committed to transformation, the strategy is not likely to meet with success. Mentoring in cross-cultural contexts in higher education in South Africa is also likely to be only partially successful because too little is being done to address the effects of institutional and covert racism which lingers on. A wide spectrum of recommendations is made for making mentoring work in higher education institutions. These range from broadly based macro interventions at national and institutional levels, to quite detailed micro interventions at the individual level. Without a systematic and committed thrust throughout the sector to accelerate transformation, the whole sector is likely to languish and busy itself with meeting legislative demands for equity compliance and quality assurance drives without addressing the fundamental issues of developing those young academics who are instrumental in transforming the system. / WS2017

This study describes how undergraduate students in their junior and senior year seeking a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at a regionally accredited university perceive their professors’ instructional attributes and behaviors. This examination concentrated on two critical zones of discernment concerning professors’ instructional practices. Participants were asked what teaching attributes contributed to their academic success, and teaching attributes did not contribute to their academic success. The study also sought to identify any obstacles faced by the participating undergraduate students and their faculty as indicators of how to mitigate such obstacles. This study included a review of an extensive collection of research on student perspectives and how those perspectives may reflect on the evaluation of the adequacy of various teaching techniques and academic practices. This study found that the instructional attributes that participating students reported that they value include: agreeableness (concern and regard for students), accommodation (accessibility), and receptiveness to others’ conclusions (support of class inquiries and exchange), yet all instructors do not exhibit each of these attributes. This study identified the positive teaching characteristics of professors in one setting and how these professors interact with their students in a manner that captures students’ attention and promotes teaching and learning in the classroom. It also suggests attributes that professors in this setting and discipline may wish to elevate to better connect with students in the classroom. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This case study analyzed the perceptions of professionalism among an emerging and distinct occupational sector of community college faculty: community college faculty who teach in baccalaureate programs. The research was designed to address three questions as to the experiences of Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) faculty. First, what are the perceptions of professionalism among the community college faculty who teach in the baccalaureate programs at a multi-campus community college in the state of Florida (herein referred to as Seaside College)? Specifically, what patterns emerged when faculty perceptions of professional identity were examined, first, under the lens of professionalism as established by Larson (1977) and, second, through Boyer's (1990) four domains of scholarship? Second, are these faculty perceptions different from their previously held perceptions prior to the college's expansion into baccalaureate instruction? Third, were there any noticeable differences in faculty perceptions about the individual baccalaureate areas across this college? / by Jeffrey Peter Nasse. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.