It is almost a forgone conclusion that promotion to a senior rank in a tertiary institution is contingent on one's ability or capacity to publish knowledge-filled quality papers for the consumption of the world. However, the extreme emphasis on publication seem to be having a rather negative toll on effective teaching activities. Administrators and lecturers alike often, as a result, are preoccupied with the burden to write articles and get them published in very revered highly impact factored journals. Is this trend actually not reducing teaching effectiveness due to the emphasis on 'publish or perish'. Should this be the only major yardstick to judge and promote the faculty and administrators in our institutions? Someone must share their thoughts on this.
Hello, Anthony -
I think that a good case can be made in support of the contention that instruction suffers when the pressure to publish or perish is added to the demands that are made on instructors.
Kilonzo and Magak (2013) outlined some of the pressures faced by university and college lecturers that, combined with the mandate to publish or perish, cause sub-standard work to be published. Indeed, I am now immersed in my PhD dissertation and have come across several articles that decry the poor quality of articles in many peer-reviewed journals. Imagine the impact of this across the educational landscape! Students taking as gospel what is presented in these journal articles, and not even knowing that they might be subjected to erroneous or poor quality information!
One instance that comes to mind involves the taken for granted claim that 70% of organizational change fail. This is oft repeated like a mantra in the literature, even though there is now evidence to the contrary. The other involves the now taken for granted claim that mean-centering is a must when performing moderated multiple regression – when it is just a suggestion and not a mandate. Both ideas are taught in business schools, and both are wrong.
While extolling the virtues of publishing, still, Clapham (2009) voiced concern for the zeal in publishing that this pressure engenders and bemoaned the risks involved with the haste to publish. Taken from this perspective, yes, it can hurt education. Other negative effects can be imagined as instructors’ attention is diverted by this demand.
Ref
Clapham, P. (2005). Publish or perish. Bioscience, 55(5), 390-391.
Kilonzo, S. M., & Magak, K. (2013). Publish or Perish. International Journal Of Sociology, 43(1), 27-42.
Some of our professors were world renowned for their research, their books, their participation in the academic world. They also taught their own classes. T.A.s helped with grading short papers, and with routine office work. That is a good policy, I believe. When the professor is so busy with her own research that she has to let slide some or all of her teaching obligations, something needs to be done. Administrators, Department Chairs, Deans, and Faculty need to work out standard which empower professors to teach and to publish without going into burnout. Then there is - for the full-time tenured prof, the dearly beloved sabbatical, which can provide material for publication as well. For the PT or adjunct, sabbatical is a re-orientation in time .... done with mirrors, I think!
I like Ruth's response. It is articulate and heartfelt. However, to all the contributors so far, as with all perspectives, might there be a flip-side to the debate? Often, I personally feel that teaching, marking etc can get in the way of publishing - which should, be a hallmark that underpins the credibility of what lecturers deliver. I personally would not agree that the emphasis on publication is 'extreme', or that one perishes if they do not do it; more so that all should perform it as part of their 'normal duties'.
I think publication is just one of the aspects of sharing your work with a broader spectrum. In any case, you can publish and still perish. I agree perfectly with Dean, publishing is not the only way to get promoted in your career. Teaching, community engagement and publication are all part of the job. We have to reflect on the reasons why people cannot publish but do their teaching and community work "so well". There are a lot of answers to this. It is obvious, sharing your research is just an attitude...in any case, you cannot give what you do not have. There are so many ways to go about publishing your work and this is the knowledge that is lacking in some academics. They want to do it alone, they want to publish big, they fear heartbreaking comments from reviewers or they generally feel shy of consulting colleagues about the way to get published without perishing.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Journal Impact Factor