Inspiring “The Force” of Academic Support

Drawing on sources including the report “Instructional Design in Higher Education” by Intentional Futures, Hall and Hord’s “Implementing Change: Patterns, Principles, and Potholes,” and Rogers; Diffusion of Innovation theory, the facilitators will lead participants in a workshop which will lay out  responsibilities of faculty support team members (FSTM) and their roles in their institutions. The workshop will focus on topics including: Evolving and emerging roles of the FSTM, Perceptions of FSTM (ID, technology, etc.) Advocating in the face of resistance, Communicating with others at the institution, as well as methods to promote growth and development in these areas.

Participants will come away from the workshop with methods, techniques and ideas about how those at other institutions support faculty members, strategies for serving as advocates for technological innovation in support of improving distance education and the research behind the elements of faculty support.  Participants start developing a plan for harnessing "The Force" in their institutions.

As session facilitators, we will speak to our own experiences and what we have seen in the world of evolving and emerging roles of the FSTM at our own institutions. We will highlight research elements behind FSTM. Then, the group at large will discuss what types of organizational, interpersonal and/or intrapersonal barriers are found in effective FSTM they have seen first-hand. The following activities will set the stage for the small-group work.

•    open up discussion and support the complex relationships of FSTM

•    discuss strategies and research for navigating the complex web of professional relationships, organizational structures, and shared goals

•    challenge participants to consider common issues and potential scenarios

•    identify and consider potential barriers 

•    help participants identify solutions to improve collaborative work 

•    review a template and start the development of a plan for harnessing "The Force" at their institutions.

Objectives for the workshop:

Learners will be able to 

• Articulate basic elements found within the complex relationships of FSTM
• Innovative leadership initiatives, programs or structures that promote FSTM
• Implement 2 strategies for navigating the complex web of professional relationships, organizational structures, group dynamics, and shared goals
• State 5 common issues found within universities in relation to FTSM
• Evaluate and identify potential barriers
• Identify solutions to improve collaborative work 
• Analyze change and change management plans
• Support individuals and teams in making institutional change
• Develop an initial plan for harnessing "The Force" at their institutions.

We plan to start with introductions (who are you? why are you here? who we are), and then flow through the following agenda: 

1. (10 minutes) – Introductions: Who are you? Why are you here?  Who we are.  
2. (20 minutes) – Background responsibilities FSTM, roles, advocating in the face of resistance, communicating with others at the institution, change management as well as methods to promote growth and development in these areas.
3. (20 minutes) – Small group work on case vignettes and report-out of key identified challenges and solutions/ideas:
   • What challenges did you identify?
   • What perceptions do you see?
   • What roles do you see and any issues?
   • What solutions and ideas might help improve communication and collaboration
   • What solutions, ideas and strategies do you have that could help improve the organization
4. (10 minutes) – Participants share results from small group conversations on vignettes 
5. (25 minutes) – Development of a plan for harnessing "The Force" at institutions and share of started work on their plan. 
6. (5 minutes) – Closing