OHIO STATE Freshman Engineering Conference

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OHIO STATE Freshman Engineering Conference
Helping New Faculty Succeed and Using Course
Revision for Faculty Development Bruce
Litchfield University of Illinois April 20, 2001
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Conclusions The Illinois program has

• progressed from a course about teaching to a
  HR-style program
• benefited students and faculty
• earned broad support
• been personally rewarding

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Premise a disconnect exists
Support for faculty
Expectations of faculty
Effort to recruit faculty
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Proposed plan for the next 30 minutes

• A brief description of new faculty development,
  especially at Illinois
• A dialog about senior faculty development
• Q What can we do for senior faculty?
• Q A (throughout)

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The Teaching College
Our primary goal is to help new faculty members
succeed and excel in all aspects of their
careers, including executing efficient and
effective instruction
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Characteristics of the Best New Faculty?
Q What characteristics distinguish those new
faculty who excel? write/pair/share, 4-5 minutes
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Some Research Common Characteristics of New
Faculty (Boice)

• equated good teaching with good content (cake
  demonstration)
• practiced defensive teaching (to avoid student
  complaints), primarily concerned that students
  would complain about content errors
• received student evaluations that fell below
  their expectations, and blamed results on
  external factors (invalid rating systems, poor
  students, unfavorable class times and sizes)

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Common Characteristics, cont., 2 of 3

• were slow to reach high levels of comfort,
  efficiency, and student acceptance
• did not seek help
• experienced a sense of loneliness and lack of
  collegial acceptance had difficulty establishing
  productive contacts with supportive colleagues

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Common Characteristics, cont., 3 of 3

• had time management as a central problem
• admitted to being over prepared (more material
  than could be covered)
• rushed to complete many classroom tasks, often at
  the expense of student participation
• spent 30 hours/week on class preparation
• spent far less time on scholarly writing
  (proposals and papers) than needed for PT

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Quick Starters
Those new faculty (5-10) who during their
first 2-3 years

• wrote enough proposals and papers for strong
  progress toward PT
• scored in top quartile of peer and student
  ratings of teaching
• scored in top quartile of self ratings of their
  enjoyment and comfort levels as teachers

How did they do it?
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Unlike the majority of new faculty, quick starters

• reduced time spent preparing courses (after the
  first semester, averaged 1-1.5 hours of
  preparation per hour of class time)
• spent more time on scholarly and grant writing (3
  hours or more per week)
• integrated their research into their
  undergraduate classes

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Quick starters, cont., 2 of 3

• discussed teaching with their colleagues
• sought support from mentors and faculty
  development programs, averaging 4 hours per week
  on discussions of research and teaching
• were satisfied with supportiveness and competence
  of both their colleagues and their students

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Quick starters, cont., 3 of 3

• lectured at a relaxed pace
• encouraged student participation

Summary Quick starters were effective,
efficient, and satisfied.
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Development Model
Adapted from Situational Leadership
D3
Relationship
D2
Starting Point
D4
D1
Information
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Instructional Goals

• Manage all aspects of an academic career.
• Become a reflective and thoughtful instructor.
• Plan, implement, and manage effective,
  research-based instruction.
• Design evaluations of learning and instruction.

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TC/FAST Start Activities

• Group activities
• Stage 1 Workshop (5 days)
• Stage 2 Consultations (syllabi, lesson plans,
  research proposals, mission statements and
  development plans, etc)
• Stage 3 monthly seminars
• Class project teaching seminar
• Excellent teacher visits (as group and
  individual)
• Personal development projects
• Mentoring and being mentored
• Paired observer assessments with videotaping

total 60-70 hours
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Teaching College Curriculum
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Learning and Instruction

• Theories of Learning and Teaching
• Applying behavioral, cognitive, and social views
  of learning
• Limits of attention, retention, and memory
• Emphasizing content vs. learning
• Instructional Design
• Identifying the Must Know content
• Determining learning outcomes
• Creating useful plans

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Learning and Instruction

• Instructional Methods
• Polishing your presentations
• Checking for understanding
• Leading discussions
• Incorporating active learning strategies
• Assessment of Learning
• Evaluating concepts
• Developing tests
• Assigning grades

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Practice and Feedback

• Student Evaluations
• Reflective Teaching
• Observation of Excellent Instructors
• Classroom Observation and Feedback
• Deans Seminar

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Elements of Reflective Teaching1

• Simultaneous sessions demonstrate alternative
  approaches
• Experiential learning is in a safe environment
• Feedback is immediate
• Videotaping is done for later review
• Reflection is cultivated
• 1 Cruickshank, D. R., et al. (1981). Reflective
  teaching.
• Bloomington, Indiana Phi Delta Kappa. (From
  OSU!)

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Elements of Observations

• Observers and participants are trained
• Engineering and Education specialists observe
• Videotaping is encouraged
• Follow-up is included
• Confidentiality is ensured
• Collegial tone is present assidere

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Become a Successful Professor

• Achieving Tenure
• Developing Professional Networks
• Grant Writing
• Mentoring Students
• Managing Students and Labs
• Creating Personal Mission Statements and
  Development Plans (PDPs)

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Outcomes Course Evaluation Scores
of Course
of Instructor
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Quotes from TC graduates
It makes me much more efficient in preparing
lectures. My preparation time was reduced
from 12-15 hours/lecture to 4-5 hours/lecture
with better feedback from students.
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Quotes, cont.
It gave me tools and confidence to take
charge of my curriculum and my class. It
inspired me to get off the content treadmill
and to enjoy teaching and effectively educating
others in my field.
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Quotes, cont.
The opportunity to participate in an
atmosphere where issues related to teaching could
be discussed with others who have similar
doubts, fears, and successes was very
beneficial.
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Quotes, cont.
I am more relaxed. I feel more comfortable in
the classroom. My undergraduate advising has
improved.
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Conclusions Teaching College has

• progressed from a course about teaching to an
  individualized, HR-style development program
• been beneficial to students and faculty
• earned support from individuals, corporate
  sponsors, provosts office, and the college
• been personally rewarding to organize and
  coordinate

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Teaching Academies at Illinois

• 1994 Engineering
• 1996 ACES Teaching College
• 1996 Provosts Office Campus Teaching
  Advancement Board
• 1999 LAS Teaching Academy
• 2000 CBA, Education/Social Work, Vet Med

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Teaching Academies at Illinois
The college-based teaching academies at Illinois
include some or all of the following

• Workshops, seminars
• Community support, camaraderie, mentoring
• Classroom observations

There are also differences.
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Program Support What has helped us

• A dedicated team of implementers
• Dean and Associate Dean(s)
• Department Heads
• General Electric Fund
• Campus/Provosts teaching program
• College of Education
• Office of Instructional Resources

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Keys to Your Success
Q What do you see as the keys to a successful
faculty development program at your campus?
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Keys at Illinois

• Encourage Long Term Commitment
• Obtain Administrative Buy-In
• Create a Learning Community
• Promote a Philosophical Change
• Emphasize Educational Research
• Provide Multiple Opportunities for Practice and
  Feedback

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The National Teaching College
Start
Phase 3 Implementation, Networking,
Support
Now
Phase 1 Goals and Models
Site visits and regional meetings
Interactions with other implementers
Work at your home campus
Phase 2 Demonstration
August
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Item 2 How to reach older faculty?
Q What is our goal? A? To help ineffective
instructors become effective.

• What have you tried (or know about) that worked?
• What other ideas do you have?

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ARC Architecture for Change

• Select large, interdisciplinary courses
• Spend 1 semester observing/learning
• Student surveys and focus groups
• Classroom observations
• Course material reviews
• Work with teams of disciplinary experts,
  education experts, change agents
• Learn about pedagogy
• Observe courses that work
• Experiment with different approaches

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History of Teaching College

• Deans Seminars for Teaching Improvement
• Deans retreat (94)
• experienced Ed Psych grad course at Purdue
• identified need for new faculty at Illinois
• developed Teaching College with faculty team

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TC History, cont 2 of 3

• TC enhanced by grant from GE (96)
• shifted to HR-style development model
• added collaboration with HR Education
• AE3 created with expanded mission (97)

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Overview AE3 Projects
2000-01 Academic Year
Teaching College
Graduate Student Development
Writing in Engineering
Engineering Emotional Intelligence
Advising Workbench
Architecture for Change
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Overview AE3 Team
Co-directors Bruce Litchfield, Engineering
Prof., Asst. Dean Scott Johnson, Education
Professor Ray Price, Severns Chair for Human
Behavior Program Manager Leslie Crowley OIR
Support Laura Hahn, Sharon Scott Graduate
Students Jared Barrett, Ray Richardson UG
student Kelly Griswold
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TC History, cont 3 of 3

• Now in 7th year, 100 participants (15/yr)
• Shifting to front-loaded program AY01-02