The Spark Model: Using A SparkSheet to Create a Unique Faculty Development Conference on Your Campus

Extended Abstract

 

Title:  The Spark Model: Using A SparkSheet to Create a Unique Faculty Development Conference on Your Campus

 

Brief Abstract:  E-Learning and Instructional Technology (EIT) at Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) developed the Spark Model to plan their yearly EduTech faculty development conference.  EduTech is inexpensive and facilitated completely inhouse.  OLC session participants will work in groups to complete a SparkSheet with ideas to create their own campus-based faculty conference.

 

Takeaway:  Participants in this Express Workshop will use The Spark Model to collaboratively create a SparkSheet.  The entries on the SparkSheet can be used to create a unique conference at the participants’ home campus.  The SparkSheet provides a tangible starting point, and initial project management strategy, for participants to set their faculty development conference in motion once back at their campus. 

 

Learning Objectives:

• The participant will be able to choose the intention, light the spark, and develop a draft theme.
• The participant will be able to identify funding and other logistical callenges and propose possible solutions.
• The participant will be able to identify registration form requests that allows for multiple applications in the planning process.
• The participant will be able to discuss evaluation and debrief techniques that will lead to further evolution of the next faculty conference.
• The participant will discuss the elements (intention, theme, sparking) that make up the initial planning of a campus-based faculty development conference.
• The participant will be able to identify the practical elements on the SparkSheet in relation to his or her campus environment.
• The participant will collaborate with colleagues and facilitator to formulate SparkSheet entries characterized as: excellent, interesting, in need of strengthening, or good start for his or her Spark Sheet.
• The participant will refine SparkSheet entries based on group and instructor feedback as well as each entry summary presented by the facilitator.  These entries would now be characterized as: excellent, interesting, or in need of minimal strengthening for his or her Spark Sheet.

 

The Department of E-Learning and Instructional Technology (EIT) at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) in New Port Richey, Florida, presents a conference for faculty and staff each year called EduTech.  EduTech addresses the need for low-cost, in-house, professional development opportunities.  Rising costs of faculty development opportunities and lack of access to travel funds have necessitated not only online training such as webinars, but on-campus training as well (Poirier & Wilhelm, 2015).  Many disciplines take on the responsibility of professional development for faculty internally (Barksdale, Woodley, Page, Bernhardt, Kowlowitz, & Oermann, 2011).  At PHSC, the Nursing Program Coordinators regularly provide discipline specific in-service training. The Faculty Development Institute (FDI) works under the Office of the College Provost and provides soft skill training and some technical training as well as awards professional development credit.  Faculty professional development seems to focus on soft skills, broad technical skills, or discipline specific development – not educational technology such as using the Leaning Management System (LMS), developing courses with open educational resources (OER), or engaging students online.  Wallace (2018) reported in her phenomenological study that faculty are interested less in general professional development – but rather specific task-oriented technology training opportunities.  As such, the EduTech 2019 Registration Form included a selection of technical topics, for example: OER, Canvas, Flipped Classroom, Emerging Technology, Video Recording, Accessibility, UDL.   EduTech serves to provide those specific opportunities for faculty (full-time, adjuncts, and part-time faculty).  Meeting the training needs of full-time faculty can be less-challenging than adjunct or part-time faculty (Jackson, 2012).  The EduTech Conference is one way PHSC provides task-based technical training for its all three types of faculty. 

 

The year 2019 welcomed the PHSC's seventh EduTech Conference.  After a string of well-received conferences, the 2018 EduTech received poor evaluations.  Largely due to the single-strand topic of Accessibility.  Many faculty expressed their lack of satisfaction with the narrow focus.  These poor evaluations lead the EIT team to collaborate with faculty, professional development, marketing, student life, faculty support, Associate Deans, Provosts, and Academic Deans to reimagine the EduTech Conference for 2019.  The permeating idea throughout the reimagining process was a focus on what faculty are doing well and how to make the most of that by repurposing, sharing, and collaborating.  EIT developed a collaborative model, called “Sparking” to capture the ideas regarding the essence and practical aspects of a re-imagined EduTech conference.  There were several elements of the Spark Model that assisted EIT in focusing on providing specific task-based technical training.  First, the EIT department collaborated on the Intention for EduTech and then we found our Spark.  Data gathered in the Conference Registration Form was used to choose the breakout sessions and guide the overall planning.  There was an overwhelming response from faculty who wished to present at the conference.  Faculty to faculty training had been very well-received in the past.  Selected proposals were given catchy names and addressed the topics chosen in the registration form by attendees. The "SparkSheet" was created as a formative artifact of the EduTech 2019 project planning, managing, executing, evaluation, and debrief process.

 

Participants in this Express Workshop will use The Spark Model to collaboratively create a SparkSheet.  The entries on the SparkSheet can be used to create a unique conference at the participants’ home campus.  The SparkSheet provides a tangible starting point, and initial project management strategy, for participants to set their faculty development conference in motion once back at their campus.  The facilitator will distribute a SparkSheet to each participant (a sample of the SparkSheet appends this extended abstract).  Once the SparkSheets are distributed, the facilitator will guide participants through each SparkSheet entry.  Participants will share ideas with their group – while the facilitator roams the room prompting further interaction within the group as well as one on one.  Participants will use group feedback and facilitator input to refine ideas and enter thoughts into their individual SparkSheet.  The session time will be broken into four parts: (1) Choosing the Intention, Lighting the Spark, and developing a draft Theme; (2) Overcoming funding challenges and identifying the practical elements; and (3) How to use Registration information, Advertising, Tie In with Other Departments; and (4) Evaluation, Debrief, and Evolution.  As each SparkSheet entry is completed the facilitator summarizes the group themes, excellent ideas, interesting ideas, ideas in need of strengthening, and good starts – then shares with the group the SparkSheet entry from her EduTech 2019 Conference SparkSheet.

 

References

Barksdale, D., Woodley, L., Page, J., Bernhardt, J., Kowlowitz, V., & Oermann, M. (2011). Faculty development: Doing more with less. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 42(12), 537-544. doi:http://dx.doi.org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.3928/00220124-20110301-01

Jackson, P. C. (2012). Improving practitioners' effectiveness as adjunct educators through comprehensive training and development (Order No. 3554242). Available from ProQuest One Academic. (1316620099). Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.prx-keiser.lirn.net/docview/1316620099?accou...

Poirier, T. I. & Wilhelm, M. (2015). Disruptive innovations addressing quality, access, and cost alternatives for faculty development. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 79(9), 1-2. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.prx-keiser.lirn.net/docview/1771233805?accou...

Wallace, J. N. (2018). The nature of university-led technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) professional development: A multi-perspective phenomenological study (Order No. 10751708). Available from ProQuest One Academic. (2029940064). Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.prx-keiser.lirn.net/docview/2029940064?accou...

 

 

 

 

Sample SparkSheet Items

Intention

Spark

Theme

Practical Information

·        Venue

·        Food

·        Giveaways

·        Speakers

Sponsors

·        LMS

·        LMS Integrations

·        New Vendors

Registration Form

·        Demographic Information

·        Request for Volunteers

·        What would you like to learn?

·        Proposals

Advertisement

Social Media

Marketing

Digital Screens

Tie-Ins

Choosing Proposals

Evaluation

Debrief Strategy

Evolution