Faculty co-designer contributions helped the team validate the direction the project was headed. It also helped the team to refine the FD space functionality, and pathway development so that they were more likely to be perceived as interesting and valuable pursuits to all faculty within the Northern Ontario University Alliance.
Elements of data gathered from faculty co-designers – A top ten list
Element # |
Element description |
Element usage |
Stage of data gathering |
1 |
background/context |
To sort data gathered from usageTo report on any patterns forming from usage by years previous experiences |
1: questionnaire |
2 |
‘Common’ approaches to development |
To see if reproducing these connected to passport has pos effect on ‘uptake’ |
1: questionnaire |
3 |
Specific expectation of Uni/employer |
To learn about practices/supports that will be well receivedTo validate current offerings aligned to expectations so adjustments can be made |
1: questionnaire |
4 |
Motivating factors that have faculty prioritize T&L development (in relation to other priorities) |
To learn about practices/supports that will be well receivedTo validate current practices/communications aligned to these factors so adjustments can be made |
2: focus group |
5 |
Feedback on Passport chosen ‘top levels’ (rockstar) of development pathways (finishlines) to determine validity/ and value |
To adjust final pathways so they reflect motivation, expectations, and value to co-designersTo compare to leadership strategic ‘top level’ development categories |
2: focus group |
6 |
gathering/brainstorming development areas of personal interest to each co-designer |
To create patterns from individual contributions |
1: questionnaire |
7 |
Feedback on functionality of system built in draft |
First impressions, compared to long term use to determine marketing, and job aids for other faculty |
3: system use & journalling |
8 |
Analytic data on use of the system |
Frequency of ‘acceptance’ of the system oas designed |
3: system use & journalling |
9 |
Reflective feedback from use of the system |
To report on initial ‘value’ of system to usersTo identify, and implement refinements to system prior to wide spred use |
3: system use & journalling |
10 |
NOUA previous study reports provided by alliance members |
0: backgroundin |
Highlights from questionnaire contributions
- when sharing the draft map/paths it was stated that language used for the badge ‘levels’ can be mis-interpreted
- indigenization and equity within one pathway was flagged [whether these can/should be combined or should follow separate paths]
- faculty are open to many methods of developing self since covid though a return to campus for our students implied that tech-enabled development areas are now less necessary
- general descriptive language is important to the interpretation of ‘stations’ in the draft maps/pathway shared
- faculty invest a lot of time in their development (both formal and informal)!
- faculty questioned showed evidence of being great self-directed learners
- mid-career faculty are doing their development a bit differently and doing so in less time than early and late career faculty [utilizing student, conference, and industry]
Highlights from focus group interviews
How faculty co-designers apply their learning; their ‘evidence’
Focus group discussion asked faculty to share learning that they applied to the ir practice, that they are proud of. There were asked to provide what they beleived to be evidence of this application. this helped the project team to consider an approach to rewarding self directed learning in an evidence-based manner.
Responses:
- I took the time to learn the advanced features of the LMS, and have been sharing with others to encourage consistency in the student experience, also sharing analytics for reporting purposes. My course is proof of concept for this learning… it has my SCORM session and H5P workshop learning applied.
- Grant funding helped me to develop databases and websites for folks who don’t have geographical access to a campus. I use these sites for T&L.
- Through time in workshops and course I’ve adjusted my course to have no exams, no tests; just research-based pedagogy. I now am connecting ‘people places and events to the land’. My evidence = My students’ course work product, I have a book chapter forthcoming – My creation/use of burn stereotypes [‘pyro epistemology’].
- I had issues procuring a textbook for my course, so I researched OERs & opened community work. I looked at OER databases and spoke to colleagues to find textbook replacements resources. My evidence: My found oer’s, the way I have been remixing them, and my work to find a likeminded community to provide resources to students.
- My attendance at annual conference for PD: The ‘CAAA’ helped me to gather EdTech tools and then data. My evidence: in speaking with students about the value of this data, their improved course grades, my recently published paper on using doodlecastpro.
- I participated in book club: It was valuable to learn from education professors (outside of my discipline). I was encouraged by them to make small changes in classroom such as encouraging students to form study groups. I’ve watched my students do it, create whatsapp. I have benefited from the encouragement, and am getting feedback from current students (about what they are learning in their study groups) to share with the next students.
- It seems that academics were (previously) never trained to deliver content online. I was humbled by watching myself on video, and I had to learn how to illustrate the same concepts online that I was already able to do on campus. I worked to de-constructing how to teach by watching self and learning how to be more engaging. I learned in practice without formal workshop support.
- I attended workshops for best practices in online teaching: As a result I did ‘chunking’ my course in to shorter segments; I changed assessment / quizzes to move away from clickers. My evidence: My learners satisfaction, that I get less ‘excuses’ from students.
- I took workshops early in the pandemic, and also talked with colleagues about tips they wanted to share: I keep trying different ideas that I am getting from workshops and discussions, and adjusting based on those in order to relate the course activity to my students daily life, in ways that can help them to apply their own creativity.
How faculty co-designers perceived themes in faculty development
When looking to create pathways that faculty can interpret with ease, and which they are motivated to participate in, the ‘clustering’ of badges and terminology used is critical.
Faculty co-designers were asked to share their perspectives and issue with two thematic approached to pathway development:
- the timeline for faculty practice/experience, and
- the development themes that occur during faculty practice/experience.
Responses:
Theme based pathways
|
Seniority based pathways
|
Team discussions resulting from focus group input
The project needed to clearly delineate private development events from public/shared events within the alliance. NOUA should agree to create a ‘6 month development ‘calendar for each institutions shared events/workshops, and post it in the passport space as so that 2 times each year this detail is available to faculty for development planning.
This will also help with any future badge developments/creation to account for emerging practice supports. Also needed is to determine how new offerings can provide ‘evidence’ for reward issuing.
Highlights from system use and journalling
Favorite maps/pathways, why they’re interesting, and the perceived impact expected by following them:
- Teaching with Technology
- “I was most interested in the teaching with tech mini map. As someone who has investigated a variety of digital teaching tools and incorporated several into individual courses, I was excited to see what additional training might be offered through this pathway.”
- “I am most interested in the Teaching with Tech Rockstar pathway. This is most interesting to me as I have a strong interested in technology, both inside and outside, of the classroom.”
- “I think I will be able to pick a few things up from it, and it will focus my efforts to improve my courses. Hopefully I can implement it into D2L and set an example for others in my faculty. I also hope it will help me create more effective digital assets (ie videos) that my students will love.”
- Decolonizing Learning
- “I really see a lot of value and it is a way to formalize a commitment to incorporating ways of knowing in a culturally responsive and respectful framework. We, as a community, talk alot about reconciliation but we don’t always have the tools or perhaps the confidence to use those tools. I think that this pathway gives us both.”
- “At a personal level, I think decolonizing learning will add a lot of value, this is something that I have always wanted to focus on and learn how I can incorporate new practices that embrace the different ways of being and learning.”
Challenges identified, and suggestions provided to resolve them, that the space presents in helping faculty develop new/novel teaching and learning strategies:
- Lack of familiarity with emerging platforms for FD and badging
- “I am not sure if it is a challenge or if it is just me, but I found it hard to start when I hit the landing page. I think that this is just due to my lack of familiarity with the platform, but I had to familiarize myself through trial-and-eror before being able to feel more comfortable with where to go and where to find different items. For example, I did not find it very intuitive to instantly find the maps/pathways. So, I had to explore a bit before I could find what I was looking for.”