thinking inside the box modular professional development for online faculty matt christian director,...
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Thinking Inside the BoxModular Professional
Development for Online Faculty
Matt ChristianDirector,
Center for Instructional Technology
Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV
Copyright Matt Christian 2006. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.
Session Overview
• An Overview of Marshall University– Continuum of Delivery
• Professional Development Update– Getting from there to here
• Looking to the Future– Looking inside the “Box”– Marshall Faculty Success Initiative
Matt’s Office
Session Overview
• An Overview of Marshall University– Continuum of Delivery
• Professional Development Update– Getting from there to here
• Looking to the Future– Looking inside the “Box”– Marshall Faculty Success Initiative
The Context
Everything you always wanted to know about Marshall University…*
• ~ 16,000 Students
• ~ 670 Faculty
• Blackboard Learning System Vista Enterprise License v3.x
• Centralized Information Technology
• …and…
* Includes Community & Technical College, Medical School and Library Information
“We Are Marshall” – Dec. 22nd
Continuum of Delivery
Professional Development Update!
• What were we doing?– (READ: What were we thinking?)
• Was it effective?
• What we’re doing now!
What we were doing…
• In 2001-2002, 99 courses offered between October 2001 and November 2002
• 99 hours that a “smart classroom” was reserved for 1-hour sessions; alternating times/days; registration available through the online registration form.
Was it effective?
• More than 75% of these were cancelled due to low/no enrollments
• Traditional, in-class training opportunities were not fruit-bearing endeavors
• The best success of open-enrollment sessions: migrating from CE to Vista
In response, we began…
Was it effective?
Anecdotal evidence shows our support calls (mostly design questions) decreased
The shorter, targeted sessions helped faculty members develop relationships within homogeneous departments and colleges.
HERE COMES THE PART ABOUT THE BOX…
PAY ATTENTION!
What is this abstract “box” concept?
The Box contains the following items:
• Printable Handouts• Interactive Movies• Online self-guided
tutorials• Pre-formatted 1-1½
hour workshops
WE’RE DONE TALKING ABOUT THE BOX…
Ok…
What we’re doing now…shipping boxes!
• Capitalizing on the momentum from the Road Show
• Moving Toward Exemplary Course Development
• The Marshall Faculty Success Initiative
• Evolving Models for Faculty Development
Pillars of Quality*
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Professional Development
Exemplary Course
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Professional Development
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* To learn more about the Sloan-C Pillars of Quality, visit www.sloan-c.org/effective/
• POQ has become the basis of our faculty professional development activities
• PD based on “the Pillars” yields the development of the exemplary course
MARSHALL FACULTY SUCCESS INITIATIVE
Foundation of the Faculty Success Initiative (FSI)
• Faculty leading faculty
• Development of Learning Centers or “Affinity Groups”
• Art of e-Learning online course that drives pedagogy ahead of technology
Art of e-Learning
Faculty Leading FacultyAnecdotal evidence and
feedback from our Faculty Showcase and Road Shows
revealed that faculty desired to learn from other faculty…basic
principles of --
Diffusion of Innovations
Diffusion of Innovations*
We are now seeing the challenges of addressing the Early MajorityWe are now seeing the challenges of addressing the Early Majority
* From Everett M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations, Free Press , 5th Edition ©2003
According to Rogers…
• Faculty from the Late Majority will look to the leadership of the Early Majority as a reference
• So…we need to attract the Early Majority!
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
NewLead
Facilitator
Lead Facilitator
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty participant becomes faculty
leader and facilitates learning center
NewLead
Facilitator
Faculty
Faculty
NewLead
Facilitator
NewLead
Facilitator
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty participant becomes an
additional faculty leader and branches into a new Learning
Center
Each faculty participant is empowered to facilitate a
new learning center.
Why Learning Centers/“Affinity Groups”?
• "...much of the ferment of self-discovery and mission happens in the context of small groups*."
• Bandy goes on to describe group behavior consisting of Action, Learning and Sharing...
Thomas G. BandyEasum, Bandy & AssociatesA Church Consulting and Futuring Firm
Thomas G. BandyEasum, Bandy & AssociatesA Church Consulting and Futuring Firm
* From Breaking Habits, ©2001 Abingdon Press/Nashville
More on “Affinity Groups”…
To nurture these affinity groups, Bandy talks about doing the following: train leaders,
encourage regular meetings, time-limited commitments, and intentional multiplication
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
The most valuable element is the peer contact. While the topics and
assignments provide excellent information, what I'm finding is that I'm gaining the
most from the interaction with other users - and their perspectives and views of things.
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
I think it is most helpful to use the discussion board to hear what other people are
doing in their classes and to get advice on mine.
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
I believe the FSI concept is a brilliant one. To develop individuals whose purpose is to promote online learning methodology
usage to enhance the teaching experience will definitely reap great benefits. I
suggest the faculty themselves “own” this initiative. If the faculty “own” the
concept it is more likely they will promote it.
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
The FSI VISTA 4 course has been very useful to me for two reasons. Because the emphasis of the content is
on making my online course student-centered instead of teacher-centered, I have been giving a great deal of thought to the way that my online
course is organized and the types of questions that generate discussion. Another valuable feature of the FSI
VISTA 4 course is that I get to try out functions in VISTA that I don't use in my online course.
The course participants have given me several very good suggestions on how to improve certain features of
my online course.
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
I have greatly benefited from the online course I have taken as part of the FSI.
Whether or not I implement any or all of the suggestions, I at least am much more
aware of what is possible in an online course. Taking an online course also
provides a first-hand look at what students might experience.
Faculty Feedback Thus Far…
In short, it is a Great idea! I have been able to see where I stand in the whole online teaching and learning
process. I could compare and contrast my knowledge, experience, likes and dislikes of the software with the other participants. I could see that faculty are getting
more open to each other and try to share their positive experiences. This is a great beginning that needs to be encouraged. I am already convinced that this initiative is much better and more organized than the initial attempt.
I could also see the cross campus information exchange that was non existent in the past five
years. Keep up the good work.
NEW FACULTY DEVELOPMENT MODELS
Looking ahead…
Fang Star Model(Proposed Faculty Development Model)
Learning Centers(“Affinity Groups”)
• Pair up expert and novice users of Vista, allowing coaching to happen
• Develop small users group in departments
• Develop coaches (team-leaders) among users
• Develop large users groups on the university level
Faculty Success InitiativeUser GroupsFaculty Success InitiativeUser Groups
Breaking Out the Star…
Training and Development
• Arrange formal training sessions to train new online teachers
• Arrange faculty-led experience sharing workshops (such as how to use selective release creatively to individualize learning)
• Arrange participation in conferences where they can learn best practices
Training WorkshopsConferencesTraining WorkshopsConferences
Performance Support
• Develop online resources (FAQs, flow-charts for processes, systems to track changes)
• Upgrade instructional design and development team into a performance support center, rather than simply assisting in carrying out development needs Help Desk
Documentation of Processes and Procedures
Help DeskDocumentation of Processes and Procedures
Formative Evaluation
• Provide constructive feedback from multiple stakeholders (students, academic departments, course design experts) to online teaching faculty
• Use showcases to promote best practices• Incorporate more criteria in course review to
reflect need to develop higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, and the need to promote communication and collaboration among students and with the instructor
Course ReviewMUOnline Faculty ShowcaseCourse ReviewMUOnline Faculty Showcase
Knowledge Sharing
• Encourage people to share knowledge• Provide incentives for sharing knowledge• Provide time for sharing knowledge• Use both online and offline knowledge sharing
methods
Faculty Forum (Online using SharePoint)User Group Meetings
Faculty Forum (Online using SharePoint)User Group Meetings
To Be Continued…
• What works with the FSI will continue to be developed
• What does not work will be chalked up to experience
• Continue doing what we can to ensure quality of online instruction and increased adoption among on-campus courses
Questions & Contact Information
Matt ChristianDirector, Center for Instructional Technology
Marshall University