Assessing task prioritization for professors through affinity and satisfaction scores

Abstract

In the realm of academia, the workload of professors varies widely depending on the institution, department, and specific roles they undertake. With many faculty members exceeding a fifty-hour workweek, the balance between teaching, research, administrative duties, and personal life becomes a challenging endeavour, potentially leading to high levels of stress, and dissatisfaction. The objective of this study is to introduce and propose two novel assessment tools, the ‘Academic Affinity Score’ and the ‘Academic Satisfaction Score’, aimed at enhancing professors’ ability to prioritize their tasks effectively. The ‘Academic Affinity Score’ offers a graphical representation of professors’ affinity levels in academic roles, helping them identify areas for improvement, while the ‘Academic Satisfaction Score’ focuses on evaluating their satisfaction with specific academic activities. By utilizing these scores, professors can align their workload with their preferences, potentially reducing stress, preventing burnout, and ultimately enhancing their overall well-being. The study underscores the importance of addressing faculty well-being and suggests potential avenues for the development of public policies to better support the teaching profession in higher education.

Keywords:

• Academic workload
• burnout prevention
• academic prioritization

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Stephen Darwin, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile

SUBJECTS:

• Sustainability Education, Training & Leadership
• Teachers & Teacher Education
• Higher Education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yasmany García-Ramírez

Yasmany García-Ramírez is Civil Engineer graduated from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) in Ecuador in 2006. He obtained a Specialist’s degree in Mountain Road Engineering from Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ) in Argentina in 2009, as well as a PhD in Civil Engineering in 2014. Currently, He works as an associate professor at UTPL, where he imparts knowledge in subjects related to road design at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He also holds several leadership roles within UTPL, including the directorship of the Master’s degree program in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on mountain roads. García-Ramírez has more than 40 publications in the field of road and civil engineering education.

Vera Bijelić

Vera Bijelić earned her degree in architecture from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, in 2010. Following that, she completed her Master’s studies in Architecture at the same faculty in 2012. In 2022, she achieved a Doctorate in Architecture and Urbanism from the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design at the Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina. Currently, she serves as a researcher and part-time lecturer in the architectural design department at the School of Architecture, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Loja campus. Her primary areas of interest revolve around university education and teaching methodologies in design.