The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between attitudes toward research engagement, research norms, perceived control over the ability to conduct research and research engagement among family and consumer sciences (FCS) faculty in post-secondary institutions in Jamaica. The literature shows that in the family and consumer sciences discipline, faculty members are predominantly female. Females in higher education worldwide have not been as productive as males in terms of research output, at least according to current institutional definitions and quantitative measures. Women tend to have higher teaching loads, constitute a smaller proportion of tenured faculty, and are less likely to attain the professor rank. Additionally, women are more likely to be employed by non-research-intensive institutions. The Theory of Planned Behavior provided the framework for addressing the research question. The sample consisted of 39 female FCS educators, that is, 75% of all FCS educators in 11 post-secondary institutions in Jamaica. They were administered a 62 item, researcher-devised online questionnaire. More than two-thirds (69%) of the respondents had engaged in research. The average number of research products over the five year period was 3.54. There were no significant associations between the educators' attitudes toward research engagement and their actual engagement in research; between their perceptions of norms regarding research engagement and engagement in research; nor between their perceived control over conducting research and research engagement. Recommendations to improve research engagement among the sample include: implement a FCS program such as that proposed by Nicholls et al. (2004) that allows faculty to mature as researchers; establish research accountability groups with FCS peers or with other university researchers; conduct research as faculty-student teams based on student projects; and encourage institutions to give credence to both quantitative and qualitative research so that FCS faculty are assured of credit for qualitative research they are likely to undertake. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2010. / August 17, 2009. / Jamaica, Family and Consumer Sciences, Attitudes toward Research Engagement, Research Norms, Research Engagement / Includes bibliographical references. / Marsha Rehm, Professor Directing Dissertation; Linda Vinton, University Representative; Penny Ralston, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_181867 |
| Contributors | Clarke, Leonie P. (Leonie Patricia) (authoraut), Rehm, Marsha (professor directing dissertation), Vinton, Linda (university representative), Ralston, Penny (committee member), Department of Family and Child Sciences (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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