Expanding the SoTL Landscape:Using a study on mentoring for teaching to mobilize new research and practices

CarolRolheiser,MeganBurnett,GregoryHum,AndreaGraham&CoraMcCloy(UniversityofToronto)October13,2017,InternationalScholarshipofTeachingandLearning(ISSOTL)Conference,Calgary,Alberta

Today’s presentation:1. Study Context 2. Our Inquiry Focus: Mentoring for Teaching and the

Role of Knowledge Mobilization (KMb)3. Literature Review4. Study Overview5. Conclusions and Next Steps6. Q & A

Canada’s

LARGESTuniversity

17 faculties/divisions

3 city campusesCOMPLEX &decentralizedinstitutionalmodel

87,000+students

14,000+faculty

CONTEXT

WhatrolecanKnowledgeMobilization(KMb) strategies,usedbyateachingcentre,playinprovidingaframeworkfor facultydevelopmentfocusedonadvancingthepracticeandimpactofmentoringforteaching?

Our Inquiry Focus

TWOUOFTINSTITUTIONALSURVEYS:

1. CollaborativeonAcademicCareersinHigherEducation(COACHE,2012)

2. SpeakingUp(2014)3. QualitativeFollow-upStudy(2016)

Mentoring for Teaching at U of T: Previous Research

Goals:• ToReview theliteratureandsituatedmentoringforteachingwithinthebroaderfacultymentoringfield• ToCapture currentfacultymentoringforteachinginitiativesandfacultyexperiencesatUofT,especially

personalstories• ToProvide UofT-specificcontextanddatatoinformanevidence-basedseriesofresourcesforvarious

stakeholders• ToGuide evidence-basedprogrammingforourT&LCentre

TWOUOFTINSTITUTIONALSURVEYS:

1. CollaborativeonAcademicCareersinHigherEducation(COACHE,2012)

2. SpeakingUp(2014)3. QualitativeFollow-upStudy(2016)

Mentoring for Teaching at U of T: Previous Research

Goals:• ToReview theliteratureandsituatedmentoringforteachingwithinthebroaderfacultymentoringfield• ToCapture currentfacultymentoringforteachinginitiativesandfacultyexperiencesatUofT,especially

personalstories

• ToProvide UofT-specificcontextanddatatoinformanevidence-basedseriesofresourcesforvariousstakeholders

• ToGuide evidence-basedprogrammingforT&LCentres.

LIKE MANY UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE….

“… Canada’s universities and Tri-Council Agencies are placing more emphasis on knowledge mobilization in order to generate research with a high social utility and to get research into the hands of decision-makers, policy-makers, and practitioners” (McKean, 2016, p.2)

“… how generated knowledge will be put to use, inform practice, or advance research.”

(SSHRC, 2016).

Knowledge Mobilization is ...

Related Literature- Focusedreview:educationrealm(healthand

businesshavelongerhistoriesofworkonKMb)

- Levin(2004);Cooper(2014):processesandcontextwhereKMb takesplace– andtheroleofintermediaries(e.g.,theroleofTeachingCentresasaplacetoconnectresearchproducersandusers,isoneareaofinterest)

- “Intermediariesoftenplayasignificantroleininterpreting,packaging,anddistributingresearchevidenceforpolicymakersandpractitioners.”(Tseng,2007,p.18)

Literature Cont.

1.Researchproducts*2.Capacity-buildingandsupport3.Events*4.Networks*5.Non-researchbasedproducts

Cooper(2014,p.46),inherstudyof44Canadianresearchbrokerageorganizations,whosemissionistomediatebetweenknowledgeproducersandknowledgeusers,sheidentifiedatleast5KMbstrategies(*morefrequentlyused):

Literature Review

Whilehavingthecapacitytostrengthenresearch-practicelinkageinhighereducationteachingandlearning,KMb asaframeworkfor facultydevelopment,atthistime,isaseverelyunderexploredarea ofdesignandresearch.

CTSI2016PEERMENTORINGQUALITATIVESTUDYFINDINGS(ISSOTL,2016)

TEACHINGCULTUREANDCLIMATE

(A)ISOLATION: Exacerbatedthroughthesehigh-stakesactivities• Tenureandpromotionguidelinesfor

teaching (e.g.,summative observationsofteaching)

• Courseevaluationdata

(B)ENABLINGPOSITIVETEACHINGCLIMATES&CULTURES:• Roleof“PlacesandSpaces”• Enhancedopportunitiesforteaching

conversationsatalllevelsTHEME

THEME

ISSOTL 2016: Next Steps

CTSI KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION STRATEGY:

● Fullreportreleasedtostakeholders,presentationtosenioradministration,communityroundtables/webinars,etc.

● Developmentofevidence-basedpracticalresources

● CTSItopilotevidence-basedmentoringforteachingprogram:Peer-to-Peer(P2P)MentoringforTeachingatUofT

Peer-2-Peer Faculty Mentoring for Teaching (P2P)

Description:CTSIPilot,Dec2016-May2017• Cohortof32UofT

instructors• Matched indyads(by

stream,campus,butcross-discipline)

• Focused onimprovingthequalityofcourse &studentlearningexperience

GOAL:toprovideasupportivespaceforinstructorstotrynewstrategies,approachesandbuildconfidenceintheirteachingthrougharangeofsupport

i

Programstructure/commitments:Attend3facilitatedcohortworkshopsandengageinregularpartnerinteractions• Recruitmentandpairing• Workshops• PeerObservation• Mid-coursefeedbackwithstudents• Regulardyadinteractions

4.Networks*

5.Non-researchbasedproducts

2.Capacity- BuildingandSupport:

3.Events*

KMb Approaches: P2P Pilot

Cooper, 2014, p. 46

1.Researchproducts*: MentoringforTeachingReport (CTSI,2016)

2Webinars;PeerMentor;NewResources(3guides,2tipsheets,andabook);CTSIstaffsupport;2externalfacilitatorsforWorkshop#1and “WhenMentoringmeetsCoaching”publishedresourcetext

3WorkshopsfacilitatedbyCTSIstaff

P2PCohort;otherUofTnetworksthatparticipantscouldconnectto

PromotionalMaterials

UofTExamples

Data Sources:Post-pilotSurvey• 23out32participants(72%)• 12mentor;11mentees

FocusGroups:• Menteegroups(5&4individuals)&

2mentorgroups(5&6individuals)• FacilitatedbyCTSIstaffnotinvolvedinpilot

Analysis:Post-pilotSurvey• Descriptivequantitativeandqualitative

analysis

FocusGroups:• Transcribedandcodedintoinitialcodesand

thenclusteredintocommonthemes(Denzin&Lincoln,2011;Glaser&Strauss,1967)

FINDINGS:5KeyFindingsthataddresspreviousresearchfindings:

1) Value of Relationships

2) Community-building (space and place to talk about teaching)

3) Resources to support teaching

development

4) Program Structure

(formalized)

5) Capacity-building and Influencing

Broader Culture

FINDINGS: 1) Value of Relationships

FINDINGS: 1) Value of Relationships

“Oneofthemosteye-openingthings…washowmuchwehaveincommon eventhoughweareindifferentdepartmentsanddifferentfacultiesaltogether”

“wewillcontinuetoworktogether.Ihopetoworkwithherinnewcoursedevelopmentthisyear.”

FINDINGS: 2) Community-building (space and place to talk about teaching)

Psychological “itgives yousomeonetotalktoandarelationshipwhereyoucanfeelcomfortabletryingnewthingsout.Soitwaskindofasafearea…”

“InoneofourSecondCupconversationsweweaskedeachother:“So,what’sthemostbrutal

teachingevaluationyou’vereceived?”

Physical

♡

FINDINGS: 2) Community-building (space and place to talk about teaching)

61.9% havemetsincetheendoftheprogram

81.82% plantomeetinthefuture

“We’dliketokeeptheconnectiongoingforward.”

“Weplantocontinuetomeetindefinitely!Webothteachonline,andhavebeenassistingoneanotherwithonlineteachingstrategiesandtechnology.”

“”

FINDINGS: 3) Resources to support teaching

development

FINDINGS:“Thiswasaddedon[Bluepulsetool],andwehadn’tanticipatedorplannedforit;alsoconcernedabouttheglitches…”

“Themostvaluablethingformewasthe…peerobservation.Thiscaused metolookatmyteachingstylefromadifferentperspectiveandIgainedalot…”

“It’sabitdisingenuous…topretendit’ssymmetricbecauseI’vebeenteachingfor24years…therewasalotofpressureinawaytocomeupwithnewthings”(mentor-coachmodel)

“Coffeechatisagoodwaytoestablishtrust…throughinformalchattingandarelaxedenvironmentoutofoffice”

3) Resources to support teaching

development

FINDINGS: 4) Program Structure

(formalized)

FINDINGS: 4) Program Structure

(formalized)

“Ithinktherewasarealadvantagetothefactthatwewereinaformalmentorshipprojectthatgaveitsomecredence”

“It was really good to have a framework”

“I was really happy that the workshops were focused and concrete”

“Loved it. Specifically, working with the mentor in an unscaffolded setting with the general context of encouraging high-quality learning and teaching.”

“Parts were interesting, but the parts where we were directed to communicate with our partner in a very specific way were awkward and felt inauthentic (workshop 1)”

FINDINGS: 5) Capacity-building and Influencing

Broader Culture✔ Pilotwithstronglong-termpossibilitiesandpotentialoutcomes

Iftherearefutureiterationsofthisprogramwouldyouwanttobeinvolvedagain?

81.82%(18/22)

‘YES’

✔ OverallSuccess

Iftherearefutureiterationsofthisprogramwouldyourecommendittoothers?

100%(22/22) ‘YES’

FINDINGS:

“Hopetousethisapproachtomentorinstructorsinmyowndepartment.Wasinterestedtolearnmoreaboutlistening– hashelpedinmyinteractionswithothers.”

“ProgramslikethisarevitaltodevelopingateachingcommunityatUofT.”

5) Capacity-building and Influencing

Broader Culture

CONCLUSIONSOurknowledgemobilizationeffortto:

1) REDUCEISOLATION:● Formativeopportunitiestovisiblyengageintraditionallyinvisiblehighstakes

activities(e.g.,observation,courseevaluation)withpeerssupportedcapacitybuildingandnetworkingatmultiplelevels

● Apositiveculturearoundteachingandlearningisbeingfosteredbypairsandcohort

2)ENABLINGPOSITIVETEACHINGCLIMATES&CULTURES● CTSI(TeachingCentre)servesasamediatorbetweenresearch/practice. (e.g.,

developmentofresources).Thiswasamajorfactorinrelativesuccessandadoption.● CTSImodelsandprovidesopportunities,places,andspaces fordevelopment.

4.Networks*

5.Non-researchbasedproducts

2.Capacity- BuildingandSupport:

3.Events*

KMb Approaches: P2P Pilot

Cooper, 2014, p. 46

1.Researchproducts*: MentoringforTeachingReport (CTSI,2016)

2Webinars;PeerMentor;NewResources(3guides,2tipsheets,andabook);CTSIstaffsupport;2externalfacilitatorsforWorkshop#1and“WhenMentoringmeetsCoaching”publishedresourcetext

3WorkshopsfacilitatedbyCTSIstaff

P2PCohort;otherUofTnetworksthatparticipantscouldconnectto

PromotionalMaterials

UofTExamplesTheattentiontointentionalKMbstrategiescancreatesynergyand

makeadirectlinkbetweenfindingsfromresearchand

demonstrate“howgeneratedknowledgewillbeputtouse,informpractice,oradvanceresearch.”(SSHRC,2016)

IMPLICATIONS• ConsiderationoftheroleofKMb

strategiesthatcanbeusedtonotonlydistributeknowledge,buttoalsohelpensuresuchknowledgeisaccessible,relevant,andused.

• ThepotentialforagreatermediationrolethatTeachingCentres couldplayinKMb

“Intermediaries(thirdpartyresearchbrokeringorganizationsthatconnectresearchproducersandusers)....andtheimpactthesethirdpartiesdoplay,couldplay,orshouldplayineducationalimprovementinitiatives” (Cooper,2014,p.182)

Contact:

Carol.rolheiser@utoronto.ca

P2PPilotReport:

http://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-support/fmt/p2p

Contact/Report

CarolRolheiser,MeganBurnett,GregoryHum,AndreaGraham&CoraMcCloy

THANK YOU