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Preface, Volume 24 (2006), Sandra Chadwick Blossey

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Preface to volume 24 (2006) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, by Sandra Chadwick Blossey of Rollins College.

Monster At The Foot Of The Bed: Surviving The Challenge Of Marketplace Forces On Higher Education, Raoul A. Arreola

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The impact of technology on society has caused a paradigm shift in the basic support for higher education. Where higher education was traditionally supported as a function of government, the knowledge explosion and global economy resulting from the impact of computer and other technologies is moving the underlying support of higher education to the marketplace. There is evidence that traditional academic strategies and practices that were successful under the old paradigm may no longer be working. Twelve suggestions are offered for revolutionary changes that the academy must make in order to survive, even thrive, in the new paradigm.

A Different Way To Approach The Future: Using Chaos Theory To Improve Planning, Marc Cutright

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Strategic planning is a good idea that gets a bad name from dubious efforts carrying the title. Much of this rap comes from half-hearted exercises, but some of it comes from efforts that founder due to faulty or limited conceptions of how the future “works.” Chaos theory is an alternative approach and metaphor with potential to let us see the future and its dynamics in new ways. Cognizance of chaos’s nature and underlying structure might help us do planning in new, nonintuitive, and more successful ways.

Perceptions Of Faculty Developers About The Present And Future Of Faculty Development At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, Andrea L. Beach, Stephen L. Rozman

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The development of faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been a challenge and commitment since their inception before and after the civil war. Historically, faculty have assumed many roles, but they primarily sought to address the needs of black students. The HBCU Faculty Development Network, founded in 1994, has been instrumental in providing a platform to showcase accomplishments and challenges in education at this unique group of colleges and universities. To address future needs, we surveyed the membership to explore current program goals and influences, practices, and new directions. The results are compared with data for the …

Preparing Faculty For Pedagogical Change: Helping Faculty Deal With Fear, Linda C. Hodges

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

How receptive faculty are to changing their pedagogical approach is a complex issue, but one factor that impedes change is the fear of taking a risk. Underlying this fear may be the fear of loss, fear of embarrassment, or fear of failure. Addressing these issues can empower faculty to be more innovative in their teaching. Drawing on research literature, personal teaching narratives, and my own work in faculty development, I discuss some of these underlying fears. I then offer concrete strategies for working with faculty to enable them to overcome these emotional barriers and embrace change.

An Electronic Advice Column To Foster Teaching Culture Change, Donna M. Qualters, Thomas C. Sheahan, Jacqueline A. Isaacs

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

First-year engineering students receive most of their teaching from instructors outside of engineering. As a result, these instructors are typically not a teaching community with a shared commitment to engineering student learning. Retention of engineering students is strongly tied to the quality of teaching, thus addressing collective teaching quality is important. This chapter describes the development of a carefully crafted, electronically distributed advice column on teaching developed by an interdisciplinary editorial team, written under the pseudonym Jonas Chalk. Surveys of Chalk Talk readers indicate that this is an effective means to promote teaching culture change.

Practicing What We Preach: Transforming The Ta Orientation, Patricia Armstrong, Peter Felten, Jeffrey Johnston, Allison Pingree

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Brookfield (1995), Schön (1983), and others articulate the necessity and complexity of being critically reflective in our work. Indeed, the value of critical reflection is inherent to educational development as a field in that we frequently encourage such thinking in our consultations with instructors. But practicing what we preach can be difficult. This chapter reflects on an experiment in the transformation of a teaching assistant orientation, a central event of our teaching center. We not only describe and assess the process of revising this orientation, but we also reflect on the implicatiom of this case for broader programming issues in …

Faculty Competency By Design: A Model For Institutional Transformation, Helen M. Clarke, Philip E. Bishop

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

For a decade, Valencia Community College has striven for a faculty development program with direct impact on student learning. The college succeeded by designing faculty learning with the same logic we apply to student learning. Valencia’s program for new tenure-track faculty focuses on significant faculty learning outcomes, a learning-centered pedagogy, high standards of scholarship, and continuous program assessment. The college’s Teaching/Learning Academy and a coordinated tenure process have cultivated new learning leaders and created a fresh partnership among deans and faculty members. This developing process of new-hire faculty development has been pivotal to Valencia’s learning-centered transformation.

Bibliography, Volume 24 (2006)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Bibliography for volume 24 (2006) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Preface, Volume 22 (2004), Catherine M. Wehlberg

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Preface to volume 22 (2004) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, by Catherine M. Wehlberg of Texas Christian University.

Introduction, Volume 22 (2004)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Introduction to volume 22 (2004) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

From Sgid And Gift To Bbq: Streamlining Midterm Student Evaluations To Improve Teaching And Learning, Margaret K. Snooks, Sue E. Neeley, Kathleen M. Williamson

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Faculty members want feedback about ways to improve learning. Midterm assessments are more useful than end-of-term student evaluations. Not all institutions provide faculty development consultants. This chapter presents an innovative process appropriate for institutions currently without teaching enhancement centers. The Bare Bones Questions (BBQ) process consists of empathic trained colleagues facilitating students’ evaluative discussions. Students and faculty members are overwhelmingly positive about the process piloted for the past three years. Students’ suggestions can include simple changes in classroom environment or enhanced sensitivity to cultural diversity. BBQ may build intra-institutional collegiality by reducing the isolation of teaching.

A Versatile Interactive Focus Group Protocol For Qualitative Assessments, Barbara J. Millis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A highly flexible focus group protocol captures efficiently and economically useful data for immediate and longitudinal course and program assessment. Special features include an index card activity that deals with satisfactions levels and a Roundtable/Ranking activity that allows participant-generated judgments about the most positive and the most negative features of a course or program. These latter activities, with data displayed in an Excel histogram and in a colored-coded Word table, can be used for what is called a “Quick Course Diagnosis” (QCD).

A Transformative Model For Designing Professional Development Activities, David J. Langley, Terence W. O'Connor, Michele M. Welkener

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A new model for professional and organizational development is presented based on concepts derived from Wilber (2000) and Astin (2001). The model consists of an individual/public dimension and a reflection/performance dimension. Four quadrants that result from connecting these dimensions are formed: 1) individual reflection, 2) public reflection, 3) individual performance, and 4) public performance. We believe this model offers faculty developers a framework for designing thoughtful programs to aid faculty in meeting the wide range of internal and external demands that confront higher education institutions.

Problem–Based Service–Learning: Rewards And Challenges With Undergraduates, Kenneth France

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Students in three Abnormal Psychology sections participated in problem-based service learning (PBSL). Desired learning outcomes included humanizing persons diagnosed with mental health disorders and more fully appreciating challenges experienced by such individuals. Students completing the PBSL projects evidenced decreased negative feelings and increased positive feelings toward consumers of mental health services. According to the community partners, students made valuable contributions to both the organizations and the mental health consumers served by those organizations. Students saw the activity as being challenging and rewarding.

Making Adjunct Faculty Part Of The Academic Community, Karen R. Krupar

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Hundreds of adjunct faculty in four-year colleges and universities teach over 45% of the courses, especially in the general education programs, but few institutions have chosen to construct adjunct faculty development programs that integrate these faculty into the instructional community. Metropolitan State College of Denver, recipient ofa Title III grant to build an adjunct development program received a TIA-CREF Hesburgh Award of Excellence in 2001 for its innovative adjunct support activities. This chapter articulates the features of this successful program and its effect on the adjunct faculty cohort at the college.

Bibliography, Volume 22 (2004)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Bibliography for volume 22 (2004) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

doi: 10.3998/tia.17063888.0022.023

About The Authors, Volume 23 (2004)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

About the authors of articles in volume 23 (2004) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Introduction, Volume 23 (2004)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Introduction to volume 23 (2004) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Leading Change: Creating A Culture Of Assessment, Patricia M. Dwyer

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In Leading Change, John Kotter (1996) outlines an eight-step process to effect major organizational change. At Shepherd College, the assessment process that evolved into a culture of assessment mirrors the sttps that Kotter describes. In 1998, Shepherd College found itself in a predicament that many colleges and universities can relate to: slated for an accreditation visit in 2002 with campus assessment efforts stalled at every turn. A new director organized an assessment task force, established a template for assessment plans and reports, and began grassroots education about assessment. Over the four years, a vision that aligned assessment with improving student …

Evidence Of The Transformational Dimensions Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning: Faculty Development Through The Eyes Of Sotl Scholars, Connie M. Schroeder

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This analysis began ftom two unlikely starting points: a favorite Marcel Proust quote below that has nothing to do with faculty development, but could, and Pat Hutchings (2000) descriptive quote, “The scholarship of teaching and learning [SoTL]is characterized by a transformational agenda” (p. 8). Do SoTL faculty development programs faster transformation? Is there evidence of a transformational process and transformative learning? The project summaries of eight SoTL scholars were analyzed for evidence of transformation. The evidence for transformation of landscapes of learning, teaching, scholarship, and self are explored ftom SoTL scholars’ perspectives in a faculty development program, providing insight into …

The Roles Of Teaching And Learning Centers, Alan C. Frantz, Steven A. Beebe, Virginia S. Horvath, Joann Canales, David E. Swee

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This chapter shares findings from a survey of teaching and learning centers on college and university campuses in the United States. Topics addressed include organizational infrastructure, assessment and accountability, factors/challenges contributing to successful implementation, and a list of functions and program offerings found in teaching and learning centers across the country.

Looking At Ourselves: The Quality Of Life Of Faculty Development Professionals, Kathleen T. Brinko, Sally S. Atkins, Marian E. Miller

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Responses to a questionnaire revealed that faculty development professionals typically juggle several roles—which they find to be energizing—and typically balance multiple challenges and stressors—which they feel they handle well. These faculty developers are enthusiastic about and, in many cases, sustained by their work because they find opportunities for lifelong learning, professional growth, and meaningful work.

The Hue And Cry Of Campus Climate: Faculty Strategies For Creating Equitable Work Environments, Christine M. Cress, Jennifer L. Hart

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Quantitative and qualitative data from faculty at a large public research university provide contrasting work lift experiences for faculty of color and white faculty. Significant differences are evident regarding teaching and research, institutional priorities, individual goals, job satisfaction, and sources of stress. Specific faculty strategies for creating equitable environments are highlighted.

Exploring The Inner Landscape Of Teaching: A Program For Faculty Renewal, Libby Falk Jones

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

To improve the quality of faculty lift, Berea College developed a yearlong program exploring teaching as a vocation. Sixteen faculty from different departments participated in the series of seven experiential, dialogic sessions. Participants reported experiencing increased empathy and patience, deeper engagement with their work, a stronger sense of community, and encouragement to meet the challenges of being educators.

Using Data To Enhance College Teaching: Course And Departmental Assessment Results As A Faculty Development Tool, Catherine M. Wehlburg

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article highlights the need for using assessment of student learning outcomes data to guide reaching-related farolty development decision-making. Literature on the topic suggests that using assessment results to inform faculty development discussions makes better use of both the assessment data and the time spent in faculty development. Feedback and consultations regarding feedback seem to be important variables in determining if changes in teaching will occur. Types of assessment data that may especially inform reaching-related conversations are discussed.

Achieving A Campus Consensus On Learning–Centered Teaching: Process And Outcomes, Phyllis Blumberg, Everett Justin

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Fifty faculty and staff members attended a consensus conference on learning-centered teaching. Within small groups, participants agreed that 1) this approach develops student responsibility for their learning; 2) a consistently implemented philosophy yields a culture of learning-centered teaching, and 3) graduates of such programs become lifelong learners, self-directing, self-initiating leaders. Not all participants agreed that they could fully implement this method. They emphasized that support by administrators is a prerequisite to making changes in teaching approaches. However, the conference effectively determined levels of agreement and stimulated discussion. Results were consistent with the literature on learning-centered teaching.

Teaching Partners: Improving Teaching And Learning By Cultivating A Community Of Practice, Richard A. Holmgren

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The Teaching Partners Program and its follow-up activities demonstrate that a carefully designed faculty tkvelopment program can shift a campus culture to derive significant, measurable benefits for faculty and students. The program seeks to transform the imtitutional culture from one in which teaching is sequestered behind closed doors to one that supports substantive conversations about both the learning-teaching process and the methods by which that process might best be facilitated. Following Shulman’s (1993) lead, the program opens the doors of the classroom, reenvisions teaching as community property, and nurtures informed and sustaining discussion of teaching.

Whispers And Sighs: The Unwritten Challenges Of Service–Learning, Rona J. Karasik

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Documentation of the benefits of service-learning abound, and published case studies of successful service-learning programs may be found for a variety of disciplines. Faculty new to service-learning, however, are likely to find themselves facing a variety of unexpected challenges. While these challenges are neither insurmountable nor unknown to experienced service-karning practitioners, they can make starting a service-learning program remarkably time-consumingand unnecessarily frustrating. Unfortunately. pitfalls and program flops are rarely published. This chapter forewarns some of the challenges associated with service-learning and offers realistic approaches to dealing with them successfully.

Assessing The Academic And Professional Development Needs Of Graduate Students, Laurie Bellows, Ellen Weissinger

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article describes the results of a survey that assessed the self-perceived career goals and academic and professional development needs of master’s and doctoral-level graduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Both graduate students (n = 440) and graduate program coordinators (n = 23) were surveyed to provide an empirical basis for developing a strategic plan for graduate student academic and professional development activities. Results suggested that doctoral and master’s students express different developmental needs, and that doctoral students’ needs differed at different stages of their academic career. Implications for practice inherent in the survey findings are discussed, and the …