The perceptions of basic science lecturers at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on their need for health professions educator development

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Faculty development is an institutional imperative that aims to ensure that health professions educators are adequately equipped as educators in their profession. Institutions have thus developed and implemented faculty development programs to answer to this imperative. However, significant barriers exist that hinder teacher’s participation in these initiatives. Evidence shows that the identification and introduction of means to overcome these barriers would increase their participation. Thus the aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of the basic and preclinical science teachers at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on their need for health professions educator development in order to identify barriers that are preventing them from participating in current faculty development initiatives. The study design was interpretivist within a qualitative methodological framework. The study targeted the 102 basic and preclinical science teachers at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. Data collection was completed in two phases. Phase one adopted a self-administered questionnaire sent to all 102 prospective participants. In phase two, the responses to the questionnaire were analysed and used to purposively sample 13 participants for interviews. A response rate of 43% was recorded for the questionnaire. The second phase findings revealed that teachers perceived a need for health professions educator development. However, the barriers of; misconceptions and beliefs with regards to funding, institutional support and their conceptions of teaching; perceived absence of an institutional faculty development plan; an institutional focus on research; and a lack of time and scheduling issues, are hindering their participation. Thus these identified barriers need to be overcome in order to increase their participation in future faculty development initiatives.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die ontwikkeling van akademiese personeel is 'n institusionele imperatief wat daarop gemik is om te verseker dat opvoeders van gesondheidsberoepe voldoende toegerus is vir die verantwoordelikheid. Alhoewel instellings ontwikkelingsprogramme vir akademiese personeel ontwerp en geïmplementeer het, is daar struikelblokke wat deelname daaraan belemmer. Daar is aanduidings wat toon dat die identifisering en oorkoming van hierdie hindernisse deelname aan ontwikkelingsprogramme sal verhoog. Die doel van die studie is om die persepsies van onderwysers se behoefte aan verdere onderwysontwikkeling te ondersoek en dus hindernisse te identifiseer wat voorkom dat hulle deelneem aan bestaande institusionele ontwikkelings inisiatiewe. Die studie-ontwerp was interpreterend binne 'n kwalitatiewe metodologiese raamwerk. Die studie het 102 akademici in die basiese en prekliniese wetenskappe by SMU geteiken. Die insameling van data was in twee fases voltooi. Fase een het bestaan uit 'n self-geadministreerde vraelys wat aan al 102 voornemende deelnemers gestuur is. In fase twee was die antwoorde op die vraelys geanaliseer en die analise gebruik om 13 deelnemers te identifiseer en vir onderhoude. In die eerste fase het 43% van die voornemende akademici het die vraelys voltooi. Die tweede fase het aan die lig gebring dat daar inderdaad 'n behoefte is aan verdere akademiese ontwikkeling, en dat daar inderdaad hindernisse is wat deelname aan die programme belemmer. Hierdie hindernisse sluit wanopvattings rakende befondsing; institusionele ondersteuning en hul menings van onderrig; die indruk dat 'n institusionele akademiese ontwikkelingsplan, doelwitte en prioriteite afwesig is; 'n institusionele fokus op navorsing; en 'n gebrek aan tyd en skeduleringskwessies. Akademici in die basiese en prekliniese wetenskappe by SMU besef verdere opvoedkundige ontwikkeling is belangrik, maar hul persepsie van hindernisse verhoed dat hulle deelneem. Die geïdentifiseerde hindernisse moet in ag geneem word vir toekomstige akademiese ontwikkelings inisiatiewe om hul deelname te verhoog.
Description
Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Medicine -- Study and teaching -- Pretoria (South Africa), Medical teaching personnel -- University of Sefako Makgatho, UCTD
Citation