Academic staff perspectives on first-year students’ academic competencies
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In: Journal of applied research in higher education, Vol. 9, No. 4, 09.10.2017, p. 630-640.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Academic staff perspectives on first-year students’ academic competencies
AU - Mah, Dana-Kristin
AU - Ifenthaler, Dirk
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2017, © Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2017/10/9
Y1 - 2017/10/9
N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the expectations, perceptions and role understanding of academic staff using a model of academic competencies (i.e. time management, learning skills, technology proficiency, self-monitoring and research skills). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten members of academic staff at a German university. Participants’ responses to the open-ended questions were coded inductively, while responses concerning the proposed model of academic competencies were coded deductively using a priori categories. Findings: Participating academic staff expected first-year students to be most competent in time management and in learning skills; they perceived students’ technology proficiency to be rather high but their research skills as low. Interviews indicated a mismatch between academic staff expectations and perceptions. Practical implications: These findings may enable universities to provide support services for first-year students to help them to adjust to the demands of higher education. They may also serve as a platform to discuss how academic staff can support students to develop the required academic competencies, as well as a broader conversation about higher education pedagogy and competency assessment. Originality/value: Little research has investigated the perspectives of academic staff concerning the academic competencies they expect of first-year students. Understanding their perspectives is crucial for improving the quality of institutions; their input into the design of effective support services is essential, as is a constructive dialogue to identify strategies to enhance student retention.
AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the expectations, perceptions and role understanding of academic staff using a model of academic competencies (i.e. time management, learning skills, technology proficiency, self-monitoring and research skills). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten members of academic staff at a German university. Participants’ responses to the open-ended questions were coded inductively, while responses concerning the proposed model of academic competencies were coded deductively using a priori categories. Findings: Participating academic staff expected first-year students to be most competent in time management and in learning skills; they perceived students’ technology proficiency to be rather high but their research skills as low. Interviews indicated a mismatch between academic staff expectations and perceptions. Practical implications: These findings may enable universities to provide support services for first-year students to help them to adjust to the demands of higher education. They may also serve as a platform to discuss how academic staff can support students to develop the required academic competencies, as well as a broader conversation about higher education pedagogy and competency assessment. Originality/value: Little research has investigated the perspectives of academic staff concerning the academic competencies they expect of first-year students. Understanding their perspectives is crucial for improving the quality of institutions; their input into the design of effective support services is essential, as is a constructive dialogue to identify strategies to enhance student retention.
KW - Academic competencies
KW - Academic staff perspectives
KW - Expectations
KW - First-year experience
KW - Support
KW - Educational science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032483610&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/JARHE-03-2017-0023
DO - 10.1108/JARHE-03-2017-0023
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85032483610
VL - 9
SP - 630
EP - 640
JO - Journal of applied research in higher education
JF - Journal of applied research in higher education
SN - 1758-1184
IS - 4
ER -