Higher Education Administration Commons^™

Academic Leaders And Faculty Developers: Creating An Institutional Culture That Values Teaching, Norman D. Aitken, Mary Deane Sorcinelli

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In recent years, a great deal has been said and written about the need to improve teaching in the academy, especially in large research universities. College presidents, national associations representing higher education, private foundations, and individual faculty scholars all have challenged faculty, chairs, deans, campus administrators, and faculty developers to work together to improve support for undergraduate teaching and learning (Bok, 1986; Bowen & Schuster, 1986; Boyer, 1987; Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1989; Diamond & Adam, 1993; Seldin & Associates, 1990). Despite such calls for collaborative efforts to improve undergraduate education, faculty developers still often feel alone …

The Implication Of Cultural Diversity In American Schools, Johnson A. Afolayan

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The purpose of this article is to analyze the major factors responsible for the cultural diversity in America and their implications for professional educators. These factors include immigration, communication, linguistic diversity, cultural values, and desegregation. While some educators look to the demographics of the new student population, others consider historical clues as a method of understanding American diversity. Statistics about school achievement and dropout and graduation rates show the disparity among the ethnic groups. The new immigrants and ethnic groups may experience conflict as a result of cultural attitudes of teachers and peers. Individuals cannot be understood unless they are …

Knowledge Into Wisdom: Incorporating Values And Beliefs To Construct A Wise University, Susan M. Awbrey, David K. Scott

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Philosopher Nicholas Maxwell argues that universities today are founded on a philosophy of knowledge that is too narrowly focused on solving the technical problems of specialized academic disciplines. Maxwell believes that the foundation for the university should be a new type of inquiry that would have as its aim the improvement of not only knowledge but personal and global wisdom-a type of inquiry that would help us address the larger, complex problems that threaten our society. The authors agree with Maxwell but submit that the university has already begun a transformation to the philosophy of wisdom. As evidence of this …

Complex Cooperative Learning Structures For College And University Courses, Philip G. Cottell Jr., Barbara J. Millis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Instructors who have succeeded with cooperative learning in their classrooms may wish to move beyond the basics of structured small group work to more complex techniques which enable them to simultaneously meet multiple teaching objectives. This paper describes cooperative learning structures which not only help students learn course material but also enhance their learning skills. Instructors who use complex cooperative learning structures prompt their students to teach, to question, and to evaluate the learning of their peers.

Editorial Matter 1994

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Ordering Information

Permission to Copy

Instructions to Contributors for the 1995 Volume

In Memory of Tom Pasternack (1937-1994)

Foreword, by Emily C. (Rusty) Wadsworth

Mission Statement

Membership

Conference and Programs

Contents

List of Contributors

A Report Card For Diversity, Johnnella E. Butler

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article was originally prepared for and presented as the keynote address for the 1993 POD conference. As an assessment of where we are and need to go intellectually in efforts to incorporate diversity into the liberal arts curriculum, it argues for the recognition of the multiple, connected stories in our national story, in order to allow for a transformation in our teaching, our curricula, and in the structure of colleges and universities that moves us to an individualism defined and supported by collective, shared memory, thereby promoting the generative learning necessary to the evolution of a just, plural society.

Assessment And Values: A New Religion?, Anita Gandolfo

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Since the mid-1980s, outcomes assessment has been mandated for most institutions of higher education by governing boards, state legislatures, and accrediting bodies. As the movement has progressed, there has been a shift from summative assessment, primarily useful for purposes of accountability, to formative assessment that has a better potential to improve teaching and learning. Nevertheless, the issue of accountability focuses attention on the summative model, creating a danger that units responsible for curriculum and faculty development will not discover the value of assessment for their work. Perhaps the least known aspect of outcomes assessment is its importance as a vehicle …

The Value Of Classroom Humor, Richard J. Nichols, Beverley T. Amick, Madelyn Healy

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article provides a model workshop which faculty developers can present to make the case for faculty to use humor as an aid to student learning. The uses of humor, the potential for it to be harmful, the benefits of humor when effectively used, and guidelines for classroom use are addressed.

Deepening And Broadening The Dialogue About Teaching, James R. Davis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Although there has been a resurgence of interest in college teaching in recent years, it is important to deepen and broaden that interest. The dialogue can be deepened by reflecting more on learning, particularly the fundamental learning paradigms which provide the basis for alternative teaching strategies: training and coaching, lecturing and explaining, inquiry and discovery, and groups and teams. The dialogue can be broadened by reconnecting the discussion to major issues in curriculum planning and assessment.

Conducting Cooperative Cases, Barbara J. Millis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The power of case studies has been well-documented. Most facilitators use the widely known whole-group Harvard discussion model. However, a cooperative case approach serves as an effective alternative or supplementary approach. This article, which uses-appropriately-the example of a cooperative learning case study, provides a detailed look at the cooperative case study method, including its rationale and value, creative group formations, and facilitation guidelines.

Challenging Values: Conflict, Contradiction, And Pedagogy, Jacqueline Mintz

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The current crises of economics, demographics, retention, and disgruntled faculty, along with the neglect of the national mission to educate our citizenry for a democratic society, offer an opportunity on the cusp of the millennium to reflect about our values and the values of traditional American education. The literature of travel and cultural studies provides new lenses to help us and our institutions expose deeply held beliefs, assumptions, and the actions that have been taken in their names. Uncovering these beliefs can enable us as educators to reconstruct a common mission through developing a dynamic pedagogy for today 's students, …

Faculty Perceptions Of Undergraduate Teaching, Deborah Olsen, Ada B. Simmons

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The purpose of this study was to construct an accurate depiction of the undergraduate teaching portion of the faculty role at a large, public research university, drawing from interviews conducted with 114 faculty. The interview schedule investigated teaching load, course goals, perceptions of undergraduate students, modes of evaluating student learning, office hours and advising, professional role interests and time allocation, feedback about teaching performance, strategies for improving teaching, and satisfaction with teaching. The findings of the current study reveal that faculty are highly committed to undergraduate teaching and are profoundly concerned with students' intellectual development. Results also suggest how complex …

Creating Teaching And Learning Partnerships With Students: Helping Faculty Listen To Student Voices, Helen Rallis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Teaching effectively involves developing a partnership with our students based on mutual respect and trust. The first part of this paper provides a way in which we can initiate or further develop this partnership by inviting our students to tell us about themselves. Readers are shown how to become more aware of the diverse ways in which students learn and, hence, how to expand both teaching methods and content. The second part of the paper presents suggestions for facilitating a faculty development workshop on this topic. It shows how-by engaging in discussion with other faculty about our students' concerns-we can …

College Students' Perceptions Of Unfairness In The Classroom, Rita Cobb Rodabaugh

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The importance of creating an atmosphere of fairness in the college classroom is discussed. Using psychological equity theory concepts of interactional and procedural fairness as the basis of study, a survey was conducted with 300 university students who were asked to rate the seriousness of 18 faculty misbehaviors. Misbehaviors related to interactional fairness (showing partiality to some students, using profanity and being angry or mean, embarrassing students in class) and misbehaviors related to procedural fairness (unfair in grading; changing policies during the semester; using unfair tests, trick questions) were considered by students to be much more serious than giving excessive …

Section I: Teaching Improvement Practices And Programs

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

As we go about our daily business of encouraging faculty to examine and to improve their teaching, it would be helpful to know where we can most effectively expend our energies and resources. The articles in this section define which teaching improvement practices instructional developers believe are most likely to result in improved teaching and describe several successful instructional development programs.

Section Ii: Including ''The Other": Transforming Knowledge And Teaching

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In "Implications of Cultural Diversity in American Schools," Johnson Afolayan reminds us of the history of education in the United States and its response to immigration. He suggests that in the past immigrant groups have looked to education as a vehicle through which to "escape poverty." Education has responded by insisting that immigrants adapt to the United States culture. Afolayan contends that education should include the diversity of student backgrounds as a positive element in content and teaching techniques.

Section Iii: Listening To Each Other

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

As instructional developers, we need to remain constantly aware of what faculty and students are really experiencing in the classroom. Olsen and Simmons report the results of a study of 114 faculty at a research university. The study sought to identify ''Faculty Perceptions of Undergraduate Teaching." While the participants "devoted the largest percentage of their time to teaching (44%)," they improved their courses ''based on changes in the discipline (e.g., newly published articles, texts, etc.), student evaluations, and discussions with other faculty." Few faculty read about or attended workshops about teaching.

Section Iv: Classroom Practices For Teaching Improvement

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Actively engaging students in the learning process and providing them with opportunities to work cooperatively improve student learning.

Section V: Pod Values: Reflections From The 1993 Conference

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The 1993 conference theme, "Unveiling Inherent Values, Invigorating Values Inquiry in Classrooms, Curricula, and Campus Life" was addressed in the three plenary sessions at the conference.

Valuing The Student Voice: Student Observer/Consultant Programs, D. Lynn Sorenson

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article discusses student observer/consultant programs which train impartial students who are invited to give feedback to faculty participants on their teaching. These programs are one way to value the student voice in faculty development. An overview and brief analysis of student observer/consultant programs and evaluations by participants are provided.

The Game Of Academic Ethics: The Partnering Of A Board Game, Stephen E. Sugar, Carol A. Willett

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A developer of classroom games agrees to a challenging assignment: to develop a classroom board game on the topic of academic ethics. This paper describes how, in partnership with a content expert, he successfully developed and piloted the game for adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland, University College. The two developers, cited as game writer and content expert, work through a variety of design, substance and logistical obstacles to ultimately pilot the game, A Question of Academic Ethics.

Teaching Improvement Practices: New Perspectives, W. Alan Wright, M. Carol O'Neil

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The movement to improve the quality of teaching and learning in higher education has gained increasing importance over the last several years. Policies and programs aimed at enhancing instruction are becoming commonplace as post-secondary institutions strive to provide a high quality educational experience for students. The impact of different teaching improvement practices varies, and decision-makers in universities and colleges need to know where best to place their efforts and resources. The experienced judgement of teaching improvement practitioners can assist others in making these decisions.

Editorial Matter 1993

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Ordering Information

Permission to Copy

Instructions to Contributors for the 1994 Volume

Foreword

Mission Statement

Membership

Conference and Programs

Contents

List of Contributors

About POD

The "Bob Pierleoni Spirit Of Pod Award"

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In 1990, a great many POD Network members were saddened by the news that a colleague, friend, and long-time POD member, Robert Pierleoni, (Bob to most of us) had suffered a fatal heart attack. While Bob had served on the CORE Committee two terms, and had been Co-chair of the Delavan, Wisconsin, conference at Lake Lawn Lodge in 1985, and had been a loyal member from early years, the loss of his presence in POD was one felt keenly as a result of something that many of his friends referred to as his "spirit" of being a "POD'er". He was …

The Spirit Of Pod: A Network For Development, Marilla D. Svinicki

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The Concept of Network

A Dedication to Development

The Spirit of POD: The Next Twenty Years

The New Faculty Developer And The Challenge Of Change, Mary Ann Bowman

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article describes strategies to help novice faculty developers successfully adjust to their new profession and be effective in what they do. These approaches suggest that new developers may be better informed than they think they are, but will need to be prepared to make choices about what they do; deal with the challenge of limited resources; anticipate the unexpected; and recognize that their office may be perceived by faculty members as a safe place. Differences between the roles of faculty member and faculty developer are indicated. Additional suggested strategies include using publications, making the faculty development office visible, keeping …

Developing Faculty Multicultural Awareness: An Examination Of Life Roles And Their Cultural Components, Joanne E. Cooper, Virgie Chattergy

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article describes the use of narrative to develop multicultural awareness. Faculty were asked to examine their own "internal multiculturalism ": how their various roles and statuses reflect differing and sometimes conflicting cultural imperatives. Findings explore points of connection and conflict experienced by faculty within the university culture and foster the negotiation and understanding of various cultures in all member of the academy.

Integrating Part-Time Faculty Into The Academic Community, George Drops

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article presents seven ideas on how to integrate part-time faculty into the academic community and help them deal with their feelings of isolation and loneliness. The key role of faculty development program directors is identified as well as specific strategies for working with part-time faculty. These ideas are based upon the author's experience as both a part-time and full-time faculty member, as well as a director of faculty development programs, and upon several surveys conducted among part-time faculty.

Enhancing Gta Training In Academic Departments: Some Self-Assessment Guidelines, James Eison, Marsha Vanderford

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Faculty developers can assist supervisors of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) and department chairpersons in examining the quality and comprehensiveness of their GTA training program. Five general guidelines and a series of 30 specific self-assessment questions are described to assist in this process. In addition, the use of these self-study procedures by a Department of Communication at a large urban university is illustrated.

Faculty Development's Role In Promoting An Inclusive Community: Addressing Sexual Orientation, Ann S. Ferren, William W. Geller

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Faculty development programs have been at the forefront for the last decade in confronting new issues related to teaching and learning. These collective efforts have encouraged faculty to engage more directly and more deeply with students and ideas. Central to each of these efforts has been self-reflection and thoughtful analysis of the issues. Sexual orientation has not been a significant part of that personal study or dialogue. For those of us committed to strengthening our academic communities, recognizing this exclusion of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community demands that we work to reduce the barriers. This will mean a renewed …