Is it getting an easier? Supporting the professional development of new academics

Studies in the 80s and 90s in the USA, UK and Australia have indicated that most new academics feel isolated with little support from their colleagues. It is little wonder then than many new academic staff find their first years stressful and the experience of teaching difficult. The last ten years have seen increased pressures in terms of greater teaching loads, larger class sizes and in the need to publish or perish in a highly competitive academic environment.

A concern about these issues and the role of professional development to support teaching, led the authors to conduct a series of interviews with staff in their first three years of appointment. The objectives were to document the work experience of new academics in their different roles and to particularly focus on what kind of support they received for teaching. It is part of an ongoing plan to examine staff needs and experiences of professional development of teaching at each career stage, and to improve the teaching development programs and approaches which are currently offered in the light of this knowledge.

The authors have completed a pilot study in which they conducted nine interviews with a random sample of academic staff in their first three years of appointment as Associate Lecturers or Lecturers. The sample represented five different disciplines and males and females.

Teaching was clearly the task that absorbed most of new academics' time (up to 90 per cent). Half those interviewed also volunteered that they worked long hours, well beyond a 40 hour working week. Their teaching ranged from teaching in tutorials, to giving lectures and taking postgraduate seminars. A third of them also had to revise and develop new course units in their first year of appointment. All but one found that they did not have enough time to engage in research to adequately meet their own needs or the university's requirements.

Nevertheless, all of the interviewees found teaching a most rewarding aspect of their work, mainly in terms of the interaction and involvement with students. Three also rated research equally or more rewarding.

Generally speaking the new staff experienced a lack of collegiality in their department and some even met hostility when they attempted to set up some kind of peer support or collegiality with their colleagues. The complaint about negative attitudes of staff came from four different departments in the university, and only three people believed their departments provided an atmosphere in which senior staff would be approachable discuss their teaching as part of the normal course of events.

While a few of those interviewed accessed professional development opportunities offered by the university's professional development centre, it was clear that most departments were taking no responsibility to support new staff.

As the pressures on the working lives of new academics has been increasing since these interviews took place, the need to solve the problems raised becomes even more urgent and crucial. The implications are that there should be a special focus on professional development that works with departments to ensure that sufficient support is offered to all new staff in their own context.