Attributes and Profile of Technical Staff in Psychology Using an On Line Questionnaire Approach

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Attributes and Profile of Technical Staff in
Psychology Using an On Line Questionnaire
Approach

• By Peter Beaman BSc
• Department of Social Sciences
• Loughborough University
• Home Page http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/sspeb/

Are you thinking what I am thinking?
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Summary
• Use of On-Line Surveys becoming more common
  (students are starting to use different
  software-websites), I have also ran several
  others for dept on Resources and Drink Awareness
  and coached several other studies for students.
• This on-line questionnaire was aimed at existing
  ATSIP and significant others out there (i.e.
  non members).
• Initial results were slightly disappointing (only
  66 replies last year)
• BUT shows basic demographics of this sampled
  technical staff and attitudes towards work, role,
  diversity and CPD
• Could be used as a guideline for further work in
  this area?

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Introduction
• During March 2006 I attended an external run
  professional development course at Leicester
  University which discussed the uses of on-line
  surveys for research purposes at long distance.
• Afterwards I researched the area, and found a
  very user friendly survey website
  http//express.perseus.com which is NO LONGER
  FREE but can still be utilised for 30 days if you
  have a small survey of up to 50 responses to run.
  Recently the company merged and it is now called
  http//www.vovici.com/ .
• Big advantage, simple to use, accessibility, of
  coding value labels of variables for SPSS for use
  in results.

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Therefore during Summer 2006 developed an online
  questionnaire I thought might enable us to know
  more about the general profile of technical
  staffs in Psychology. An executive report was
  generated by the website is available at the link
  below.
• http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/sspeb/atsip_question
  naire.htm but this automated report doesnt
  reveal the whole picture and limited in nature.
• The original questionnaire no longer around but I
  have reconstructed it several times at
  https//vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/13d7bg2a138 and also
  at http//www.survey.lboro.ac.uk/technical/ I
  will explain why in a moment.
• The Questionnaire included basic demographic
  questions plus aspects of people's workplace
  (role) and attitudes (satisfaction) and elements
  of how they thought others viewed them (trouble
  shooter, glad to be of service), and
  professional development issues.

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• The ATSIP Questionnaire consisted of
• open (e.g. Describe in a paragraph your working
  environment (workshop, office, etc))
• multiple choice (e.g. Which are your areas of
  work (tick all that apply followed by list) and
• closed ended questions (e.g. age 21-30, etc)
• Sent out to ATSIP Website and LISTSERVER, all
  Psychology Depts in Eng/Scot/Wales/N/S.Ireland/
  from end of Sept 06 and ran for a month, with
  further reminders during the period.
• Also has now been sent out through HODs in
  psychology email list and encouraged by responses
  to date. One issue Ethical Clearance

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Results using SPSS14
• Gender profile (1F 5M)
• 53 80 males with
• 66 over 40
• 13 20 females with 42 over 40.
• Profile of ageing in
• technical staff shown
• across (mode is 51-60)
• Technical Staff are
• ageing in this sample.

Female sample tended to be slightly younger than
male
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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• Geographically respondents came from all areas
  of the country
• Northern Ireland (1), Republic of Ireland (3)
• Scotland (6), Wales (3), London (4),
• Outside London (Herts, RHUL) (5), South (8),
• South-West (1), Midlands (12),
• East (5), North East (York, Hull, Teesside)(4),
• And North-West (14) THE WINNERS
• (Sheffield, Huddersfield, Bolton, Liverpool,
  Salford, Lancaster, Leeds)

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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• When asked which Department or School they worked
  a 2/3rds majority said traditionally in
  Psychology of course but with a few broader areas
  like Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Social
  Care being mentioned too.

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Job titles were varied and seemed roughly based
  on three levels.
• AV/IT/Support Psychology Technicians accounts
  for approx 39 of returns
• Senior Staff (supervisors, officers, managers,
  etc) 35
• However a number (26) individualistic jobs
  exist (Neuroscience Experimental Developer, Food
  Research Technician, E-learning Lead, Website,
  Marketing MIS Lead, etc)

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• When asking about TYPES of work undertaken the
  following areas were selected.
• IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE
• AVPC Software 1st (72)
• PC Hardware Demonstrate 3rd (61.5)
• Administration 5th (58.5)
• Research 6th (52) ALL OVER 50
• BUT
• Health and Safety 7th (49)
• Design work 8th (46)
• PC Networking 9th (44.6)
• ALL above account for gt 40 in this sample of
  cases

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• OTHER AREAS 21.5 MENTIONED

• Managing equipment
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Server admin
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Maintenance (building)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Transport Space Allocation
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Project managing
  
  
  
  
  
• Writing software
  
  
  
  
  
• Service management, training planning
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Development
  
  
  
  
  
• Software Development
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Teaching
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• General 'dogs-body' tasks - where there is no one
  else in the school to do such things!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Psychometric tests
  
  
  
  
  
• First Aid, Fire warden, webpage design,
  purchasing,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Inventory management
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Buildings Liaison Officer

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
Questionnaire

• Describe your working environment (people,
  equipment, conditions)?
• Quite a range of answers as this was open ended
  for people to describe their workplace. Some
  people simply said workshop or office whereby
  others elaborated on their daily lives.
• Many themes drawn out were, (a) overcrowding
  exists, (b) office-lab vary considerably, and
  (c) unsuitable conditions (in network room, lab,
  or in a noisy, poorly ventilated environment)
  seem the norm in some cases. (My example
  changes)

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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• Where do Technical Staff spend their time?
• Office or Workshop
• PC/CCTV Labs and Teaching areas
• Other Areas (inside dept research/with staff)
• Miscellaneous (meetings, liaise with other depts)
• Summarised
• Mean time in Office/Workshop was 63 (SD 21)
  which being 68 of the reported sample (N61)
  spend between 52-84 working in their Office.
  This is the commonest environment for most
  technical staff. A few staff reported ones time
  fluctuates weekly or/and in term/outside term
  time which is I think is understandable.

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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Secondly, Lab_Class_time reported an average of
30 (SD 21) which suggests 50 within total
sample (N65) spend somewhere between 10-50 in
labs/teaching environment. Other_offices time
average was nearly 28 (SD 16) suggests 38 of
this total sample (N65) spend between 12-42 in
other areas of dept. Misc time shows only a mean
of 23 (SD 18) from 20 of total sample.
Note N is highest for Office then Lab etc above
BUT cautious results as SPSS calculates each
location as having different Ns (61, 33, 25, 13).
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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Satisfaction at work?Around 54 said they felt
at least quite high whereas just over 12 said
they felt at least quite low. A third were
merely content to say average. Conclusion Is it
the reality?Does contrasting profiles of the
very highs (N6 5M 1F) and very lows (N3 1M
2F) reveal anything particular? (31) Note
October stressful/challenging period perhaps?
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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How much influence and control over certain areas
of work?
IT SUPPORT
AV SUPPORT
Around 52 quite a lot with 37 reporting not
very much by comparison
Around 45 quite a lot with 46 reporting not
very much by comparison
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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How much influence and control over certain areas
of work?
Teaching/Demo Support
Research Support
Around 40 quite a lot but also 48 not very much
by comparison
Around 33 quite a lot but also 49 not very much
by comparison
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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How much influence and control over certain areas
of work?
Admin Support
Around 27 quite a lot BUT 53 reported not very
much at all.
Influence and control are more apparent in the
areas of IT (52) and AV support (45) than
teaching (39), research (33) and admin (27),
but shows breadth of work covered by technical
staff
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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Professional Development Courses (PDC) attended

• 46 reported attending internal PDCs
• 66 reported attending external PDCs
• 5 reported undertaking a specialised MSc course
• 18 reported other' outside courses which
  included Web Design, Cancer Support, Teaching
  Training, Psychology, City and Guilds and even a
  PhD.
• Therefore encouragingly that significant numbers
  of technical staff involved in attending a range
  of PD courses!
• I believe it is vitally important to keep our CV
  updateable!!

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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Ability, Skills and Contribution of Technical
Staff

• 4 self-reflected statements were asked
• I have noticeable ability and skills (97 agree)
• I am a team player (94 agree)
• I am an individual contributor in dept (92
  agree)
• I am a valuable member of the dept (92 agree)
• Therefore in a majority of cases respondents seem
  to report a fairly positive self-esteem.
• Only negatives came from one person their losing
  post, and another saying working in a very noisy
  environment

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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How do different groups perceive us?
Above are the results of how different groups
perceive us, multiple choices were allowed, the
glad to be of service option seemed the most
popular perception (41-69), followed by the
trouble shooter role. A sizeable (nearly 1/5)
are seen as providing a welfare/pastoral service.
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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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Comments and Criticisms from the Sampled Group

• Multiple choice questionnaires never give
  sufficient appropriate options. Many of these
  questions will give only vaguely approximate
  answers. What use can it be?
• A recent upgrading getting me close to 30k pa
  made life a bit better!
• School v. University infighting over
  responsibility (i.e. the School - or me -
  performs the University's job) is a bit wearing.
• Academics/ Researchers treat technical staff
  stupid/ and nothing between their ears. But if
  they are clever people with all of good
  practical skills as well as knowledge.
• I'm not sure question 14's categories are well
  applied when thinking of other's take of my work.
  Hopefully they will all see that I do my best to
  assist, but their perceptions my be
  multi-layered. Similarly, on question 13 I feel I
  am well-valued by some staff..
• Enjoy each day as it comes, bad and good days
  equal out!!
• The University intends to declare redundant my
  post, and two posts which I manage.

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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• Interestingly when looking at different
• University Websites for Technical Staff
• one finds some provide a good
• description of the duties/responsibilities
• undertaken, which I feel should be
• encouraged by us to provide a kind of
• resume Or CV of what skills we have
• to offer and use
• I have my own webpage at LU which
• includes useful links and updated info
• Relating to dept activities.
• At http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/sspeb/index.htm

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Technical Staff in Psychology On Line
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• Conclusions?
• Original Questionnaire was not as successful as
  originally thought expected around double what
  I received (66) last year GOOD NEWS after the
  re-launch last month have another 40 to add to
  results which will help results.
• Even though every Psychology related dept
  technical staff sent email (if possible, not all
  are actually listed). Again using the HODs
  Psychology Lists hope to reach more areas.
• Believe initially only collected about 25 where
  from non-ATSIP members looking at the HEI returns
  on the questionnaire. We need to have more
  Universities in the association as we have some
  dead zones around country.
• Any questions/observations?