SOURCES OF MEANING INVENTORY IN ACADEMIA: AN INVENTORY DEVELOPMENT STUDY

Year 2022, Volume: 22 Issue: 4, 457 - 472, 03.10.2022

Sema Polatcı Ali Murat Alparslan Seher Yastıoğlu

https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.1078018

Abstract

This paper presents findings from an inventory development study of the ‘Sources of Meaning Inventory in Academia’ in order to make sense of the psychological processes underlying the experience of meaning in academia. With this inventory, the sources that make the work of academicians meaningful will be determined. By managing the determined sources, it will be possible for the academicians to attribute more meaning to their work and thus increases their performance and productivity. The study was carried out in 3 complementary stages. In Study 1 (n=815), an item pool was created, and after focus group interviews and expert opinions, trial measurements were made by the draft inventory. In Study 2 (n=352), the pilot study of the inventory was carried out and exploratory factor analysis was performed. In Study 3 (n=669), confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis and criterion-related validity analysis were performed. As a result of the 3 studies, an inventory consisting of 31 items and 5 dimensions was obtained. According to the model formed, the dimensions of the sources of meaning inventory in academia are ‘passion for life’, ‘scientific contribution’, ‘benefiting’, ‘earning money and respect’ and ‘exploring and learning’. The dimensions of the source of meaning that are most related to the meaningfulness of the work were determined as ‘benefiting’ and ‘passion for life’.

Keywords

meaning of work, sources of meaning, sources of meaning in academia, inventory development

AKADEMİDE ANLAM KAYNAKLARI ENVANTERİ: BİR ENVANTER GELİŞTİRME ÇALIŞMASI

Abstract

Bu araştırmada akademide anlam deneyiminin altında yatan psikolojik süreçleri anlamlandırmak adına “Akademide Anlam Kaynakları Envanteri”ni geliştirmek amaçlanmıştır. Bu envanter sayesinde akademisyenlerin işlerini anlamlı kılan kaynaklar tespit edilecektir. Tespit edilen kaynakların yönetilmesi ile akademisyenlerin işlerine daha fazla anlam yüklemeleri ve bu sayede performans ve verimliliklerinin artması sağlanabilecektir. Envanter geliştirme süreci 3 araştırmadan oluşmuştur. Araştırma 1’de (n=815) madde havuzu oluşturulmuş, odak grup görüşmeleri ve uzman görüşleri sonrasında taslak envanter üzerinden deneme ölçümleri yapılmıştır. Araştırma 2’de (n=352) envanterin pilot çalışması gerçekleştirilmiş, keşfedici faktör analizi yapılmıştır. Araştırma 3’te (n=669) ise doğrulayıcı faktör analizi, güvenilirlik analizi ve ölçüt bağıntılı geçerlilik analizi yapılmıştır. Yapılan 3 aşamalı araştırma sonucunda 31 ifade ve 5 boyuttan oluşan bir envanter elde edilmiştir. Oluşan modele göre, akademide anlam kaynakları envanterinin boyutları; “yaşam tutkusu”, “bilimsel katkı sağlama”, “fayda sağlama”, “para ve saygınlık elde etme” ve “keşfetme ve öğrenme”dir. İşin anlamlılığı ile en yüksek ilişkili anlam kaynağı boyutları “fayda sağlama” ve “yaşam tutkusu” olarak belirlenmiştir.

Keywords

İşin anlamı, anlam kaynakları, akademide anlam kaynakları, envanter geliştirme

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