It's Very Different Here: Practice-Based Academic Staff Induction and Retention

The sociologist, Max Weber (1864-1920), suggested that few could withstand the frustrations of academic life. As the strategic management of human resources begins to differentiate higher education institutions (HEIs) in league tables, the costs of voluntary staff turnover (attrition) become more significant. In this paper, we consider links between induction (orientation) and retention for academic staff. We report on a qualitative study of thirty academic staff in five United Kingdom HEIs who were recruited on the basis of their professional experience. Their practice-based knowledge lends our participants particular insight into their HEI induction experience which, where found wanting, led in several cases to resignation. We analyse the induction experiences of our participants to glean explanations for these perceived shortcomings. Since induction interventions are thought to lead to improved retention, we recommend policy and practice changes to induction which may benefit all academic staff

The relationship between a staff development program for mature inservice teachers and teacher empowerment efforts : y Virginia A. King.

This study focused on a historic, descriptive analysis of the process by which properly designed and implemented staff development programs can lead teachers to seek empowerment in school settings, and also subsequently provide a supportive environment for continuing empowerment efforts. Teacher empowerment embodies the belief that teachers are professionals in the full sense of the word, and that as professionals, they deserve to share responsibly in decisions which affect their daily work lives and their careers as educators. The literature suggests that although most teacher inservice programs are designed specifically to develop new teaching skills or curricula, other positive outcomes involving changes in teachers\u27 attitudes, beliefs, and in the school climate may also grow from participation in such programs. It also suggests that such changes in teachers\u27 attitudes, beliefs, self-esteem, perceptions, and work environments are crucial ingredients of successful teacher empowerment efforts. Twelve participants in the Westport, MA inservice offerings during the years from 1982-1989 were studied using Qualitative Research methodology, including in-depth, semi-structured interviews, an open-ended questionnaire, field observations, and analysis of related documents. The major purpose of the study was to identify positive outcomes of the evolving professional development program and its role in creating the environmental conditions conducive to participation in the Carnegie School Program for teacher empowerment. Data gathered in this study indicated that positive attitudinal changes occurred with many participants in the areas of self-image and motivation. Teachers reported that sharing decisions about the content and delivery of inservice training led them toward increased participation in other teacher empowerment initiatives. The results of the study demonstrate a congruence between carefully designed staff development programs and subsequent teacher empowerment efforts. The underlying evidence that a school which uses staff development programming to foster an environment conducive to teacher empowerment has strong potential for success in educational reform and restructuring efforts was confirmed