A STUDY OF ANNUAL RELEASED TIME FOR TEACHING FACULTY IN A UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING.
Contributors: University of Alabama.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 280
Subjects: Education, Higher.
Description: A university school of nursing which granted one academic quarter of released time annually to all teaching faculty was identified for study. This descriptive study (a) analyzed a plan for annual released time, (b) determined perceived effects of released time on the faculty, and (c) determined the nature of faculty activities during released time, in one school of nursing.

A narrative description of the plan was synthesized from institutional documents. A questionnaire was developed and sent to 100 faculty who had received released time to determine perceptions of the effects. Forms were designed to summarize data from self-reported accounts of activities by 90 faculty during 169 periods of released time. Data included frequency distributions and selected crosstabulations.

The study revealed an instance which was unique in the eligibility, amount, and frequency of released time and atypical in the preclusion of activities related to the teaching role. Respondents perceived individual benefits greater than total faculty benefits, frequently at the cost of increased workload without reduction in personal stress. Functioning of faculty groups was perceived as adversely affected. Faculty perceived that benefits of released time outweighed detriments and most desired outcomes were achieved. Faculty preferred: (a) an academic quarter of released time each year rather than one day per week or a 20% increase in salary and (b) released time to develop instructional materials. Most faculty divided their released time between two or more activities. Options chosen for released time activity, in descending order of frequency were: clinical practice, education, writing, research, consultation, other. The nature and extent of faculty activities were described in relation to each of these options.

Released time for nursing faculty was identified as a strategy which could reduce qualitative and quantitative overload, promote professional development, and enhance teaching. The plan described by this study offered one prototype for released time. The impact of released time on faculty, educational programs, and institutions needs further study. Effectiveness of different patterns of released time in relationship to faculty productivity should be determined. Recommendations for evaluating faculty development programs, such as the one described, were included.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-07, Section: A, page: 2005.

Thesis (ED.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, 1984.

School code: 0004.