Exploring The Induction Experiences of Recently Appointed Health Sciences Lecturers at Good Shepherd Catholic College of Health Sciences In Eswatini

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-906-3_22How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Induction; Lecturer; Experiences; Higher Education; Eswatini

Abstract

Induction programmes are designed to enable a smooth transition for new faculty members, providing them with critical resources, institutional expertise, and mentorship. However, such programmes vary across institutions, and newly-appointed lecturers often experience them differently.

Methodology: This study employed a qualitative research approach, using a descriptive phenomenological case study design, to explore the induction experiences of nine (9) lecturers with fewer than five (5) years of teaching experience at Good Shepherd Catholic College of Health Sciences in Eswatini. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Seven themes emerged: formal or structured induction, orientation and support, feedback and evaluation, support resources and materials, confidence and motivation, mentorship and guidance, and communication and clarity of roles. Findings revealed systemic gaps in the induction framework, including minimal formal induction, inadequate support, delayed resource provision, and weak communication channels. These gaps negatively affected confidence, motivation, and integration of new lecturers.

Conclusion and Implications: The study highlights the need for higher education institutions in Eswatini and similar contexts to strengthen induction frameworks by incorporating structured orientation, continuous mentorship, timely resource provision, consistent feedback, and clearer communication. Enhancing these processes may improve staff retention, professional growth, and ultimately, the quality of teaching and learning.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Thandeka Hamilton Mhlongo
AU  - Jane Iloanya
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/12
TI  - Exploring The Induction Experiences of Recently Appointed Health Sciences Lecturers at Good Shepherd Catholic College of Health Sciences In Eswatini
BT  - Proceedings of Botho University International Research Conference (BUIRC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 361
EP  - 372
SN  - 3005-155X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-906-3_22
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-906-3_22
ID  - Mhlongo2025
ER  -