Denis Feather

Never mind the quality, take a seat!

This paper considers whether lecturers delivering business higher education programmes (BHEPs) in further education colleges (FECs) in the UK see education to be a production industry, or a knowledge industry. It will consider the effects of managerialism and marketisation that the UK government (and others around the world) are applying to the education sector, and their possible effects. The study considers the narratives of 26 lecturers delivering BHEPs in FECs in relation to government intervention, and the impacts it may be having on their role as a lecturer. The research highlights that there may be a great deal of frustration and angst amongst these lecturers, and from this, suggests that colleges may be behaving more like production factories, rather than institutions of further and higher education.

Defining academic – real or imagined

This paper is part of a study in England that concluded in the latter half of 2009. The study looks at academic identity through the lens of those lecturers delivering higher education business programmes in further education colleges, and their subsequent perceptions and definitions of an academic. The study identified that academic identity is a bricoleur of teaching, research, and might be a state of mind; as such, this may explain why academic identity is heterogeneous and so difficult to define. The study comprised of 26 individual interviews and one focus group comprising of four lecturers. An interpretivist approach was adopted, where common themes were drawn out for analysis from the narratives. Academic identity was not a term easily defined by lecturers in further education colleges, and some lecturers did not see themselves as academics or typically stereotyped academics akin to those depicted in the television media.

Research to improve specialist knowledge: An HE in FE Perspective

The purpose of this study was to establish if lecturers in further education colleges (FECs) delivering higher education business courses (HEBCs) undertook research to improve specialist knowledge. A critical analysis of the literature was undertaken, providing an overview of what is understood by the term ‘research’. Lecturers in FECs were then asked if they undertook research to improve their specialist knowledge. The primary research comprised the narratives of 26 lecturers, geographically dispersed across the Yorkshire and Humber region in the United Kingdom. Barriers to undertaking research identified from the narratives were those of time, bureaucracy, and heavy workloads. The findings showed that for some lecturers, research is viewed as bipolar – that is, research to keep abreast of the subject(s) they delivered, or research to provide new knowledge. Further, that some lecturers had a laissez-faire approach to their subject area and the acquiring of new knowledge, instead practising what one lecturer coined as ‘reading to teach’.

Organisational culture of further education colleges delivering higher education business programmes: developing a culture of ‘HEness’ – what next?

This paper draws on the views of lecturers working in and delivering college-based higher education (CBHE) in the UK. There have been numerous works on the culture of higher education in further education (HE in FE). However, as noted by some literati, the culture of further education (FE) is not easy to define, and does not readily lend itself to the incorporation of a higher education (HE) culture. This could be due to the large number of changes FE has had to adopt owing to various government policies. The study comprises 26 in-depth individual interviews conducted at various further education colleges throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region of the UK. Via the use of an interpretivist approach, common themes and word use were extracted from the narratives for analysis. The organisational culture of these further education colleges was relatively easy to define, the word ‘blame’ being one of the common themes. However, when identifying if the individual colleges had a HE culture; this proved more difficult.

Professionalism: doing a good job!

This paper considers the concept of professionalism via perceptions (real or imagined) of lecturers delivering higher education business programmes (HEBPs) in further education colleges in England. The study comprised 26 in-depth interviews conducted in the Yorkshire and Humber region in the UK. The study builds on Perkin’s views of a professional society, which is then applied to education. The paper will add to existing knowledge by identifying that the term profession is not only complex and subjective, but Janus-faced, which may lead to role conflict. It was not surprising that the interviewees found it difficult to define professionalism; nevertheless, it was found that many did hold to a perceived individual professional code of praxis and/or idea of expected behaviour.

The Role of New Doctoral Supervisors in Higher Education--A Reflective View of Literature and Experience Using Two Case Studies.

This paper looks at works of various authors on the supervision of doctoral students and their expectations. We aim through reading, experience and reflection to offer a logical framework that will aid in the better understanding of the process for those new to supervision. The two authors draw upon experience as new supervisors via the use of case studies applied to current literature, and identify some of the pitfalls they may come into contact with. To this end, the models and works of Hockey, Argyris, and Lewin are applied.

Time! What’s that? You’re joking, I don’t have any!

Abstract The purpose of this study is to understand how lecturers delivering college-based higher education viewed their workloads, and how this (if at all), influenced their engagement in scholastic activities, which may then enable them to become more knowledgeable in their chosen field of study. The research was of a qualitative nature, whereby semi-structured, in-depth interviews were undertaken with 26 individual lecturers employed at different further education colleges throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region. It was found that lack of time and onerous administrative responsibilities on top of their current workload were two of the major issues these lecturers were facing in their current roles. As a result, it is recommended that an independent audit be conducted to ascertain FE lecturers’ contact time with students and that ways in which to reduce their administrative duties be considered.

An alternative proposition to Lewis’ views on the ‘Constructions of professional identity in a dynamic higher education sector’

This paper offers an alternative proposition to that of Lewis on identity and professional identity in higher education (HE). The proposition is provided from the narratives of 26 individual interviewees who deliver HE in college-based higher education, a viewpoint not considered by Lewis, who tends to adopt a more generalist view. Where Lewis blames the demise of HE on academics, the alternative is considered where it is the managerialist and marketisation practiced by managers and administrators alike that may be the cause of this demise, introducing what is often referred to as the ‘McDonaldization of HE’. The paper considers Lewis’ views that the Association of University Administrators should have more power and take the lead on managing academics and HE, but finds the arguments both weak and tentative; subsequently one argues that the subjects Lewis discusses are ‘wicked problems’ with little or no real opportunity for resolution.