Research in a busy academic career - how does one fit it in? John M Pettifor Professor Emeritus and Honorary Professorial Researcher, Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Research is better than Red Bull Research gives you wings! Academe the environment or community concerned with the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship Oxford dictionary To climb the ladder Three major areas of assessment: Teaching Academic citizenship Research Associate lecturer Professor The Academys Role & Responsibilities Teaching: Transmit new knowledge beyond ourselves Service: Responsibility for contributions to the attainment of university goals and to society Research: Uncover/discover new knowledge From this (1900s) To this (2011) Teaching and learning Teaching Students no longer just acquire facts Students must be able to understand, reason, assess, and develop arguments from first principles Students must be able to participate in the economy when they qualify Academic citizenship Being an active member of the University, supporting its students and activities Departmental administration School, Faculty and University committees Involvement in professional and scientific societies and associations Why Research? Three major reasons: University requirement and vision Funding Status Attracts the best staff Is a requirement of society and government Improve teaching abilities and necessary for postgraduate training Personal satisfaction and development Improves teaching Helps provide up-to-date context for ones teaching. Helps to give a local perspective. Provides facts rather than anecdotal evidence. Gives insights into various hypotheses related to the topic and thus stimulates students. Develops the enquiring mind of the student. Personal satisfaction Stimulation routine patient care may become monotonous. Active participation in national and international meetings beyond just being a passive observer. Kudos and feeling of accomplishment when article published. Important as a criterion for obtaining academic promotion. The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: Be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge. Elbert Hubbard author SA health research productivity Academy of Science of South Africa Research outputs of SA Universities Wits UCT UJ SUUKZNUP NWU UNISAUFS UWC Hours of supervision received per month by doctoral students at public higher education institutions in South Africa, 2009 ASSAf The PhD study 2010 Why are we not doing this? Biggest obstacle is that research is seen as a voluntary option in the life of a so-called academic particularly in the professional faculties (health sciences, accountancy, law, etc.). If one wants to join the University staff, there should be a realisation that research is just as important as teaching. Must be built into KPIs. Must be given training and time to do research. The University must pay more than lip service to research by providing the necessary infrastructure and financing. Researcher Development Framework The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is a major new approach to researcher development, which aims to enhance our capacity to build the UK workforce, develop world-class researchers and build our research base. The RDF describes the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of researchers and encourages them to aspire to excellence through achieving higher levels of development. It will be invaluable for planning, promoting and supporting the personal, professional and career development of researchers in higher education. Vitae Researcher Development Framework (2011) A BC D The knowledge and skills to work with others and ensure the wider impact of research The knowledge of the standards, requirements and professionalism to do research Domains How? The biggest stumbling block is getting started. Suggest forming teams or groups to discuss and develop possible research questions and protocols in various divisions/Depts. Involve other staff and students be inclusive. Remember patient data are not ones personal possession, however dont poach, rather collaborate. Regular research meetings at which ongoing research and research protocols are presented and discussed. How? Mentorship is very important! Someone you can talk to Someone who is interested in your work and your academic progression Someone who has time Preferably not a close friend How? Start small dont try and win the Nobel Prize in the first year. If possible join an active research group or person initially. The protocol is the most important part of research a good protocol will provide answers to questions - a poor protocol will not! Spend time and thought developing protocol. Consider piloting it particularly if dealing with questionnaires. Dont try to answer all the questions you have thus collect only the information you require. Not Wouldnt it be nice if we. or lets collect the information anyway Basic research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing. Werner von Braun : R. L. Weber A Random Walk in Science (1973) To climb the ladder Three major areas of assessment: Teaching Academic citizenship Research Associate lecturer Professor Research gives you power! Russian Red Bull advert The Idea of a University (Newman, 1960) A place of learning A community of educated persons Devoted to the pursuit of intellectual truth as an end in itself Fulfilling a central and ethical role for society at large through the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge Stages of development in a descriptor Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3Phase 4Phase 5 2. Research methods theoretical knowledge Understands relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application within own research area. Appreciates the value of a range of standards and methods/techniques for information/data collection and analysis; assesses and demonstrates usefulness and validity of information/data in the context of a specific problem/ question. Combines and justifies methods/techniques designed specifically for the investigation in a flexible and vigorous manner. Recognises the value of alternative research paradigms and is able to work in, and support others working in, an inter- disciplinary way. Justifies the principles and experimental techniques used in own research. A1 Knowledge base Vitae 2010 Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) Ltd Types of research The University as an Institution Historically, the professoriate defined its role, disciplinary contributions, and societal responsibilitiesuniversities were loosely coupled associations of elite scholars Increasingly, the professoriate is accountable for the social good, a knowledge economy, and an educated citizenrythe university has taken on new organizational structures as workplaces that function as centres for knowledge production through research & knowledge dissemination through teaching. Meyer LH 2011 Teaching and learning Teaching Does not necessarily come naturally Learn from lecturers you think are good (what makes them good?) Attend teaching courses Practise Stimulate Curriculum development Students need to know what is important Become involved in assessment This is now a science, so attend courses on assessment techniques (validity quality assurance) Characteristics of good researchers Subject knowledge Research methods Information literacy Academic literacy and numeracy Analysing Synthesising Critical thinking Evaluating and problem solving Inquiring mind Intellectual insight Innovation Argument construction Professional and career development Working with others Professional conduct Research management Finance, funding and resources Enthusiasm Perseverance Responsibility etc Preparation and prioritization Commitment to research Time-management Responsiveness to change Work-life balance Career management CPD Networking Responsiveness to opportunities Team working Collegiality People management Supervision Mentoring Collaboration Communication methods Publication Communication media Teaching Public engagement Enterprise Policy Global citizenship Health and safety Ethics Legal requirements IPR and copyright Respect and confidentiality Research strategy Project planning and delivery Risk management Income and funding generation Financial management Infrastructure and resources