Mentorship of early career academics in Tanzania: issues and implications for the next generation of academics

IF 2.5 Q1 Social Sciences

Higher Education Pedagogies Pub Date : 2021-01-01 DOI:10.1080/23752696.2021.1904433

S. Mgaiwa, O. Kapinga

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引用次数: 7

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mentoring has been pointed out as one of the strategies for early career academics (ECAs) preparation and support for smooth transition into academia. Although ECAs mentoring has been widely studied, and the findings have indeed been informative and illuminating, the issues facing ECAs have yet to be adequately addressed, particularly in Tanzania. Drawing from open-ended questionnaires, focus group discussions, and interviews, we examined the issues surrounding the mentoring of ECAs in selected Tanzanian universities. Academic exploitation, isolation, and lack of support from senior academics were among the key issues facing ECAs. The findings further revealed that regular mentorship training, peer support, and institutional policy framework as strategies in place to subdue the mentoring challenges. We argue for universities to have policy framework on professional development through ECAs mentoring to fill out the gap on pedagogical, research and public engagement deficits for ensuring capable next generation of academics.

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坦桑尼亚早期职业学者的指导:对下一代学者的问题和影响

摘要导师制被认为是早期职业学者（ECA）为顺利过渡到学术界做好准备和提供支持的策略之一。尽管对出口信贷机构的指导进行了广泛研究，研究结果确实提供了信息和启发，但出口信贷机构面临的问题尚未得到充分解决，尤其是在坦桑尼亚。通过开放式问卷调查、焦点小组讨论和访谈，我们研究了坦桑尼亚选定大学ECA辅导的相关问题。学术剥削、孤立和缺乏资深学者的支持是ECA面临的关键问题。研究结果进一步表明，定期导师培训、同伴支持和机构政策框架是应对导师挑战的策略。我们主张大学通过ECA辅导制定专业发展政策框架，以填补教学、研究和公众参与方面的不足，确保有能力的下一代学者。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Higher Education Pedagogies EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

7.70

自引率

4.00%

发文量

审稿时长

13 weeks

期刊介绍： The aim of Higher Education Pedagogies is to identify, promote and publish excellence and innovations in the practice and theory of teaching and learning in and across all disciplines in higher education. The journal will provide an international forum for the sharing, dissemination and discussion of research, experience and perspectives across a wide range of teaching and learning issues. The journal will prove a valuable resource for individuals in the development and enhancement of their own practice, and for institutions in the promotion of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Higher Education Pedagogies will focus on disciplinary pedagogies and learning experiences; the higher education curriculum, i.e. what is taught and how it is developed and enhanced including both skills and knowledge; the delivery of the higher education curriculum; how it is taught and how students learn, and academic development; the role of teaching and learning in the development of academic careers and its place within the profession. Higher Education Pedagogies welcomes papers which are accessible to both specialist and generalist readers and are theoretically and empirically rigorous. Through advancing knowledge of, and practice in, teaching and learning, Higher Education Pedagogies will prove essential reading for all those who wish to stay informed of state-of-the-art teaching and learning developments in higher education. Higher Education Pedagogies is sponsored by the Higher Education Academy.