Faculty Development Services
Idaho State University's Center for Teaching and Learning (CeTL) houses faculty development services, student support services in form of tutoring, and university academic courses such as first year seminars, clustered learning, honors and college learning strategies courses. Together, the student tutoring services of Content Area Tutoring, the Writing Center, the Mathematics Learning Center and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provide one of the strongest assets for student success provided by any university in the country. Housing of student support services together with faculty development in one Center provides opportunity for coordination and conversations that are rarely held where these entities are housed separately.
Faculty development options described below have been available for over three years now at Idaho State University (ISU), so this issue will help inform those who may be new to these services.
Thematic Workshops
Each thematic workshop is designed by the director in consultation with faculty. The first workshop, given at ISU in 2003 with 110 registrants, verified the faculty's desire for such campus-wide events focused on instruction. Following the workshop, additional faculty requests were made for presenter Bob Leamnson's book Thinking about Teaching and Learning. In 2004, our featured presenter was Dr. Barbara Millis from the United States Air Force Academy. Dr. Millis is an internationally known expert on cooperative learning and is the first author of Cooperative Learning for Higher Education Faculty with accounting professor Philip G. Cottell, Jr. Once again, the author's book was provided to ISU attendants as part of the workshop.
As result of an apparent need to improve assessment of student learning, the director invited Dr. Peggy Maki in 2005. Maki, the former assessment director for the American Association of Higher Education, presented to over 120 faculty who also received Maki's book, Assessing for Learning. This workshop created a critical mass of individuals who understood what assessment was about and its value in improving education. In February of 2006 we focused on promoting higher levels of thinking through a workshop, "Building and Assessing Students' Critical Thinking Skills", by Dr. Susan Wolcott, which drew the highest number of attendants yet. Participants received both a copy of Developing Reflective Judgment by Drs. King and Kitchener and a pre-print of a book on steps to higher level thinking in preparation by Dr. Wolcott.
Smaller workshops and programs offered throughout the year also result from expressed need and interest. Past workshops have involved case study discussions (mostly from Teaching and the Case Method, 3rd ed.) directed by a variety of ISU faculty. Workshops have included some done with the ITRC on knowledge survey preparation and interpretation and combined workshop/support groups in writing for scholarship based on the book Professors as Writers by Robert Boice and a similar manual by New Mexico State University's Tara Gray. In 2005 and 2006 the Center sponsored two book discussion groups featuring The Missing Professor and This Fine Place so Far from Home. The former book is a case study book disguised as a mystery novel, and depicts faculty in difficult situations that are sometimes grim and often uproariously funny. The second is a compilation of essays written by faculty whose life path began from blue collar backgrounds, some of which involved poverty and great disadvantage.
Formative survey with consultation
Formative survey with consultation provides some of the most outstanding benefits possible for a short investment of time. It can be the first line of defense for a faculty member in trouble or one of the best ways for effective teachers to validate successful practices. The process requires about twenty minutes of class time to complete a formative survey. Our formative survey provides a profile of one's pedagogical "fingerprint." This particular survey is based on research of practices known to promote learning in both lecture-discussion and cooperative/collaborative group instructional modalities. The results are returned to the faculty member and are owned by that faculty member. No disclosure to third parties is provided by the Center. The survey results are examined by the faculty member and, normally, a follow-up consultation that takes about twenty to thirty minutes occurs with the director of CeTL. Research shows that formative surveys followed by consultation result in course changes that greatly improve both faculty and student satisfaction.
Unit level development
Unit level development involves the director working with departments and colleges on student learning, assessment and curriculum development. It produces a working plan so that a curriculum can deliver educational outcomes that single courses cannot. Topics addressed are goals in terms of faculty aspirations, disciplinary content learning, pedagogical approaches, student learning experiences, levels of thinking to be achieved at various curricular stages, and student self-reflection.