Beach Cox Aapt Winter 2009 Chicago Session Bf03

Reforming STEM Instruction: An Examination of Four Core Change Strategies

Developing Reflective Teachers: Faculty Learning Communities Andrea L Beach [email protected] Director of Faculty Development Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership, Research, & Technology Western Michigan University

Milton D. Cox [email protected] Editor-in-Chief, Journal on Excellence in College Teaching and the Learning Communities Journal Director, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching Miami University

Developing Reflective Teachers Tell/teach individuals about new teaching conceptions and/or practices.

e.g., dissemination (SER, FDR), focused conceptual change (FDR)

Develop new environmental features that require/encourage new teaching conceptions and/or practices. e.g., policy change (HER), strategic planning (HER)

Encourage/support individuals to develop new teaching conceptions and/or practices, e.g. reflective

practice (FDR), action research (FDR), curriculum development (SER) Empower collective

development of environmental features that support new teaching conceptions and/or practices. e.g., institutional transformation (HER), learning organizations (HER)

Focus on Changing Environment/Structures

Emergent Final Condition

Prescribed Final Condition

Focus on Changing Individuals

Developing Reflective Teachers 

Developing Reflective Teachers literature often presents:  Workshops and seminars (often ongoing) that: present information to help faculty make informed decisions about teaching support faculty reflection on their teaching  Collaborative action research  Collaborative curriculum development

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Faculty/Professional Learning Communities combine these approaches for powerful results.

“Dr. Cox, . . . . I can report (happily) that establishing learning communities was exactly what made for the successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer.” —Penelope Canan, May 16, 2007 “The book argues that we need to understand how the implementation of complex global environmental agreements depends on the construction and exploitation of social connections among experts who act collectively to define solutions to environmental problems.” —Back cover 2002

Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf

Definition Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis. (2002, p. 4) A faculty and professional learning community is a specific type of community of practice.

 What is a faculty and professional learning community?

 What is a faculty and professional learning community?

Visit:

http://www.units.muohio.edu/flc/

Faculty and Professional: Findings           

Group of 8 to 12 faculty, professional staff, administrators Two types: cohort-based and topic-based Multidisciplinary, Multi-unit: A key point; two-tiered Voluntary membership by application Membership selection: balance, meeting time Meet every 3 weeks; commitment to participate Affiliate partners: consultants, mentors Student associates (undergraduate, graduate) Facilitator: A member (not the business model) FPLC program director: Teaching Center Director Enablers and rewards: Budgets, recognition

Faculty and Professional Learning Communities at Miami University 2008-09 Cohort-Based  Teaching Scholars Community for Early-Career Faculty  

FPLC on the Role of Part-Time Faculty FPLC for Part-Time Faculty of Color

Topic-Based  FPLC Developing Collaborative and Engaging Online Learning Experiences  FPLC Cultivating Intellectual Curiosity in the College Experience  FPLC on the Bachelor of Integrative Studies, Hamilton and Middletown Campuses

Faculty and Professional Learning Communities at Miami 2008-09 Topic-Based FPLCs (continued) 

FPLC on Enhancing Academic Success of UnderRepresented Student Groups in STEM Disciplines

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FPLC for Improving Student Research Literacy

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FPLC on Quantitative Literacy

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FPLC for Understanding and Developing an Inclusive Campus Climate

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FPLC Exploring Opportunities for Service Learning and Community Engagement

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FPLC for Teaching Latin America: Diversity and Engagement

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FPLC on Small Group Learning

Faculty and Professional Learning Communities at Miami 2008-09 Extended 2007-08 FPLCs continuing through 2008-09 

FPLC Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) (One year long, through December)

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FPLC Using Second Life and Virtual Worlds for Teaching and Learning (One year long, through Dec.)

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FPLC Engaging Learner-Centered Teaching and Advocating the Learning Paradigm (3rd Semester)

Starting in January 2009 

FPLC Using SmartPhones to Enhance Teaching and Learning

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FPLC Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

 What is a faculty and professional learning community?  What is a faculty and professional learning community  What is a faculty and professional learning community?

Individual Classroom Activities

How Some of 30 FLC Components Are Connected Program Goals

Individual Partnerships

Program Objectives Focus Course: Syllabus TGI CATs SGID Videotape Mini-Portfolio Teaching Project

Student Associates Mentors

Your FPLC Community

Other Associates The Literature Knowledge Base

Faculty Learning Communities

Seminars, Retreats Every 2-3 Weeks

Teaching Conference Attendance for Learning

Individual and Joint Efforts: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

On Campus: All Present Seminars

National or Regional Conference like Lilly

Deep vs Surface Learning

 What is a faculty and professional learning community?  What is a faculty and professional learning community?  What is a faculty and professional learning community?

 What is a faculty and professional learning community?

Community 

Bonding within to form community: offcampus retreats, conferences, social gatherings, meals together

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Providing safety for risk-taking, accountability, and innovation

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Building an Esprit de Corps

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Motivating: Success for the team

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Bridging: Partnership organizations, cosponsors on and off campus

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Engaging, perhaps serving, other organizations

FPLC Example: Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching of Science Goal To develop partnerships among faculty members from science disciplines and humanities Teams formed in the FLC  Geology and Classics  Chemistry and Art  Nursing and Theatre  Biology and Philosophy Products Collaborative courses Joyce Fernandes, Zoology, Miami University

Engaging Science, Advancing Learning November 6-8, 2008. Providence, Rhode Island

Objectives 1. Introduce multiple perspectives- historical, cultural, political, ethical, etc.- into science and non-science courses to promote a richer understanding of science and the scientific process. 2. Develop an awareness of the scientific endeavor in non(science) majors, and enable science majors to communicate a contextual knowledge of science to the non-scientist. 3. Foster an interest in a deeper understanding of the intersections between science and society by creating opportunities for civic engagement and service learning. 4. Assess the impact of integrative and interdisciplinary approaches on student attitudes and learning outcomes. 5. Develop assessment-based perspectives to invigorate the teaching of science. http://www.units.muohio.edu/celt/flcs/miami/flc-sciences.php

FPLC Example: Enhancing Academic Success of Under-Represented Student Groups in STEM Disciplines Goal: Strategies to improve recruitment and retention Membership: Faculty, Graduate Students, Administrators, & Staff: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Educational Leadership, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Graduate School, Learning Center, Math and Statistics, Physics, Student Retention, Zoology Projects  K-12 outreach: Middle school & high school  Programming for campus visits  Academic Support: Preparation for fist year, retention in introductory courses, group meetings, residence hall programming, mentoring, participation in research http://www.units.muohio.edu/celt/flcs/miami/flc-stem.php

A Faculty and Professional Learning Community is Not Just 

A committee or task force (may lack community and SoTL)

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A seminar or course (may lack community)

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A discussion group: teaching circle, brown bag luncheon group, book club (may lack SoTL)

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An action learning set (may lack community)

An FPLC is 

A structure and process that can be engaged to help solve just about any educational or institutional problem or opportunity

History: FPLC Local Impact 

Started in 1979 at Miami: Miami has had 126 FPLCs of 52 different types (cohorts + topics)

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40% of current Miami faculty have participated

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54% of current department chairs have participated

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In 1990s, we saw faculty outcomes similar to student learning communities: greater retention, faster intellectual development; accreditation plus

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Greater percentage of FPLC faculty in University Senate: civic contributions to the institution Miami: Named as one of top 4 national models for faculty development in Creating the Future of Faculty Development (Sorcinelli, Beach et al., 2006)

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History: FPLC Outreach & Impact 

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Ohio Board of Regents Grant: 1999, and Ohio Learning Network Adaptation, 2001-07: 119 PLCs, 1,250 members, 44 Ohio institutions, $1.7 million In 2003-04, 308 FPLCs reported at 132 institutions in the US and Canada FIPSE Grant: 60 FPLCs of 30 types implemented in 3 years, 2001-02 to 2003-04  Claremont Graduate University  Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapls  Kent State University  The Ohio State University  University of Notre Dame FLC theme track at Lilly Conference; New Journal

FIPSE Project Follow-Up Survey 

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In Spring semester, 2005, we used a web-based survey to follow-up with the participants and facilitators of the FPLCs created by the FIPSE project, as well as Miami University FPLC participants from the same time frame. (Notre Dame declined, Ohio University replaced) Survey developed by Milt Cox at Miami University in the mid 1990s based on The Teaching Goals Inventory (Angelo & Cross, 1993) and extended by Andrea Beach, Western Michigan, FIPSE project external evaluator 648 invitations sent with 2 follow-up reminders. 395 responses, for an overall response rate of 61%

Survey Results: Faculty Development Changes Top impacts on themselves that faculty reported as a result of FPLC participation on 5 point scale: 1= no impact, 3=moderate impact, 5 = very substantial impact 1. Perspective on teaching and learning and other aspects of Higher Education beyond their own discipline. Mean = 3.93 2. Interest in the teaching process. Mean = 3.86 3. Understanding of and interest in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Mean = 3.80 4. View of teaching as an intellectual pursuit. Mean = 3.74 5. Total effectiveness as a teacher. Mean = 3.55

Survey Results: Student Learning Top 10 Student Learning Outcomes Changes Student Development of:  An ability to work productively with others (3.50)  Openness to new ideas (3.46)  A capacity to think for oneself (3.44)  Understanding of perspectives/values of course or discipline (3.39)  Ability to think holistically (3.39)  Ability to think creatively (3.38)  Ability to synthesize and integrated information and ideas (3.37)  Improved learning of concepts and theories (3.36)  Problem solving skills (3.35)  Ability to apply principles and generalizations already learned to new problems and situations (3.35)

Survey Results: How Did You Know? Assessments Faculty Used to Judge Changes in Student Learning  9 of 21 items rated over 3.0 (a moderate amount)  Top 5: • Better class discussion and engagement (3.58) • Better classroom atmosphere (3.50) • Better papers and writing assignments (3.46) • Students more interested (3.46) • More successful achievement of existing learning objectives (3.38)

Survey Results: What Worked? Teaching and Learning Approaches That Faculty Reported Resulted in Changed Student Learning: Five rated over 3.5  Active learning (4.07)  Student centered learning (3.99)  Discussion (3.84)  Cooperative or collaborative learning (3.84)  Writing (3.54) Another 5 rated over 3.0

Phases in the development of a change model: Communities of practice as change agents in higher education Cox, M.D. (2006). Phases in the development of a change model: Communities of practice as change agents in higher education. In A. Bromage, L. Hunt, & C. B. Tomkinson (Eds.), The realities of change in higher education: Interventions to promote learning and teaching (pp. 91-100). Oxford UK: Rutledge.

The strategies, analyses, and changes produced by this model have evolved in three phases 

(1) the initial Miami University years of local, one-dimensional cohort development for junior faculty, 1978-1988;

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(2) local multidimensionality—the broadening of the model from the junior faculty cohort to other cohort and topicbased FLCs at Miami, 1989-1998; and

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(3) state, national, and international extension of the model supported by state and federal funding, 1999 to present.

Change Strategies and Processes    

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Community, scholarship, and multidisciplinarity Capacity building in which community graduates become resources for future development Inclusion of junior faculty and staff capturing new perspectives and building sustainability Community organizers model: Honor and involve the power of the inquiry model; have moral outrage and use the tools of the institution; expand the power of one to a community; invite outsiders into the conversation (Palmer, 2005) Sponsored conferences and publications provide a venue for national intercommunity networking and mentoring Modeling the change you seek to create, rather than incorporating the power to direct (Senge, 2000) Goal: Becoming a learning organization (Cox, 2001).

Faculty and Professional Learning Community Website References are at this address as well as details about each of the 30 FLC components:

http://www.muohio.edu/flc

Building Faculty Learning Communities

2004 New Directions in Teaching and Learning, Volume 97 Jossey-Bass Publishers

FPLC Director’s and Facilitator’s Summer Institute June17-20, 2009 New and Experienced FPLC Directors and Facilitators Welcome including

FPLC International Conference June 20, 2009

Claremont, California Southern California

Faculty and Professional Learning Community

Program Director’s and Facilitator’s Handbook To Order email <[email protected]> $19.95 plus shipping (MasterCard and Visa accepted) This project is supported by a grant from the US Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE). No part of this document may be reproduced without permission of the author. © 2004 Milton D. Cox, FIPSE FLC Project Director, Miami University .

2009 Lilly Conferences on College Teaching

Key Innovations/Projects/Tools Theme Tracks and Number of Sessions at the 2008 Lilly Conference on College Teaching www.muohio.edu/lillyconference  Academic  Community (11) Success (8)     

Active Learning (16) Assessment, Student Learning (15) Classroom Assessment Techniques (7) Collaboration, Faculty (8) Communication (5)

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Cooperative Learning (5)

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Deep Learning (5)

Course Design/Redesign(12) Creativity (5) Critical thinking (20) Curriculum Design and Development (6)

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Discussion (5)

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Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) (11)

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Diversity/Multiculturalism(13) Engagement (12) Evaluation of Teaching (6) Experiential (7) Faculty Development (not involving FLCs) (13)

Graduate Education (5) General/Liberal Education(5) Group Work/Learning (7) Learner/Student Centered Inclusion (5)

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Interdisciplinary/ Multidisciplinary(7)

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International (5)

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Reflection (7)

Millennial (7) Online Teaching and Learning (10) Retention (6) SoTL (12) Service Learning (8) STEM (11) Team/Teamwork (5) Web (6) Writing (9)

Journal on Excellence in College Teaching http://celt.muohio.edu/ject/ Est. in 1990, quarterly, internationally refereed, online and print Purpose To provide “a scholarly, written forum for discussion by faculty about all areas affecting teaching and learning, and [to give] faculty the opportunity to share proven, innovative strategies and thoughtful, inspirational insights about teaching.”