The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics
The dynamic changes in the South African higher education environment system have seen academics immersed in increasing workloads to keep up with the university mandate. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community and intensified complic...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University Babes-Bolyai
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Research in Higher Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jrehe.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/2021-2/2021-issue-no-1-vol-v/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede_art/ |
| _version_ | 1819143695484583936 |
|---|---|
| author | Obianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike |
| author_facet | Obianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike |
| author_sort | Obianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The dynamic changes in the South African higher education environment system have seen academics immersed in increasing workloads to keep up with the university mandate. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community and intensified complications related to workload and in particular for female academics. The understanding of the management of workload is pertinent, and therefore the article examines the components of workload and implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for female academics. A descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach were adopted, and data was collected from 54 female academics in an unidentified university in South Africa. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and presented using a descriptive and inferential format. Also, the study also adopted a systematic review of literature leveraging reputable sources. The findings revealed that (i) time allocation to academic activities of teaching and learning, research, postgraduate supervision, administration matters, community service, and academic citizenship remains a challenge facing universities, and (ii) Covid-19 imposed remote working arrangements resulting in increased workloads, leading to reduced research productivity and inability to achieve work-life balance for the female academics. The results of the study highlight the need for institutional review and policy development on the academic workload management system to ensure work-life balance for the female academics and output maximization for the university, especially during a pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:30:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e02707e645134f42940ea0984d621fb6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2559-6624 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:30:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | University Babes-Bolyai |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Research in Higher Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-e02707e645134f42940ea0984d621fb62022-12-21T18:25:41ZengUniversity Babes-BolyaiJournal of Research in Higher Education2559-66242021-07-0151124610.24193/JRHE.2021.1.1The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female AcademicsObianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike0Faculty of Management Sciences, Department of Applied Management, Durban University of Technology Riverside Campus, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South AfricaThe dynamic changes in the South African higher education environment system have seen academics immersed in increasing workloads to keep up with the university mandate. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community and intensified complications related to workload and in particular for female academics. The understanding of the management of workload is pertinent, and therefore the article examines the components of workload and implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for female academics. A descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach were adopted, and data was collected from 54 female academics in an unidentified university in South Africa. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and presented using a descriptive and inferential format. Also, the study also adopted a systematic review of literature leveraging reputable sources. The findings revealed that (i) time allocation to academic activities of teaching and learning, research, postgraduate supervision, administration matters, community service, and academic citizenship remains a challenge facing universities, and (ii) Covid-19 imposed remote working arrangements resulting in increased workloads, leading to reduced research productivity and inability to achieve work-life balance for the female academics. The results of the study highlight the need for institutional review and policy development on the academic workload management system to ensure work-life balance for the female academics and output maximization for the university, especially during a pandemic.http://jrehe.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/2021-2/2021-issue-no-1-vol-v/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede_art/workloadhigher educationfemale academicscovid-19south africa |
| spellingShingle | Obianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics Journal of Research in Higher Education workload higher education female academics covid-19 south africa |
| title | The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics |
| title_full | The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics |
| title_fullStr | The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics |
| title_short | The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics |
| title_sort | dilemma of unrelenting workload amidst covid 19 pandemic an agenda for university female academics |
| topic | workload higher education female academics covid-19 south africa |
| url | http://jrehe.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/2021-2/2021-issue-no-1-vol-v/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede/obianuju-e-okeke-uzodike-vangeli-gamede_art/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT obianujueokekeuzodike thedilemmaofunrelentingworkloadamidstcovid19pandemicanagendaforuniversityfemaleacademics AT obianujueokekeuzodike dilemmaofunrelentingworkloadamidstcovid19pandemicanagendaforuniversityfemaleacademics |