Faculty can have years of expertise and great presentation skills yet still not connect with students…What’s missing? This workshop describes the analysis process used to identify the missing dimension and the resulting professional development created to help faculty compensate for the missing dimension.
Great presentation skills and years of experience in a particular discipline are priorities sought after when hiring faculty. As it turns out, however, there are factors that are even more important, and those factors relate to the human element.
This is something that became evident as trends in feedback developed. These trends prompted a review of key performance indicators, end-of-course surveys, learning management systems, and classrooms.
Key Performance Indicators
Key performance indicators revealed that faculty were setting up their classrooms appropriately, being proactive when dealing with student issues, being responsive in answering student inquiries, and providing feedback in a timely manner. Why then, were students expressing low levels of satisfaction when responding to end-of-course surveys?
End-of-Course Surveys
On optional end-of-course surveys, provided to students at the end of every semester, students answer questions, similar to the following, when using a Likert scale. Some instructors consistently received low scores.
- The assignment directions were clear
- My instructor effectively related her/his expertise in the subject matter area
- My instructor provided useful feedback
- My instructor was engaged in classroom discussion in a helpful and meaningful way.
- I would recommend this instructor.
Other instructors, teaching the same classes, received high scores. This suggests that class content or rigor were not the issue. Discrepancies amongst student satisfaction was found at various levels and in a variety of disciplines. This suggests that pedagogy was the problem.
Learning Management System (Online Classes)
A review of the class, within the learning management system, revealed a few deficiencies, such as lack of collaboration, communication difficulties, and a general approach that was not student-centered.
Classrooms
A review of the classroom, revealed similar deficiencies. Reviewers noted lack of engagement, due to minimal teacher presence.
Despite the modality, the results of the reviews revealed an overall lack of connection with students. This lack of connection affects the instructor experience, as well, and supports the need for faculty development. Based on this review it was decided that training needs to emphasize that “Teaching is an action with a profound human dimension” (Fink, Ambrose, & Wheeler, 2005, p. 187).
Solution – The Human Dimension
A training track, From Professional to Professor, was developed. The track includes three workshops designed to emphasize the human dimension of teaching.
Part 1 of 3 – Creating Collaborative Classrooms
In an article by, Mitchell M. Handelsman Ph.D., he highlights how complex the student/teacher relationship is. In this session, participants identify metaphors that describe the instructor/student relationship. Metaphors consistently exhibit relationships that are more collaborative. Regardless of the faculty role, it is evident that it is important to build relationships with students. Because of this, the first workshop in our From Professional to Professor series, Creating Collaborative Classrooms, focuses on encouraging faculty to build relationships with students to create a collaborative learning environment.
Part 2 of 3 Optimum Communication in the Classroom
Participants then consider different ways of phrasing information and sharing their passion for their subject matter with their students. This exercise emphasizes the importance of communication and tone in the classroom. It is the reason why the second workshop, Optimum Communication in the Classroom, focuses on encouraging faculty to share their expertise on their subject matter by making connections with students and to promote learning in the classroom through communication and tone.
Part 3 of 3 Learner Centeredness: Helping Ensure Each Student Succeeds
Participants in this session reflect on what the learner-centered classroom means to them and will have the opportunity to share what words, strategies, and teaching techniques come to mind. Researchers revel the essential elements of the learner centered classroom, which encourages active engagement, motivation, connection opportunities, and integrates technology to help students develop real-life skills (Green, Hoffmann, Donovan, & Phuntsog, 2017; Yilmaz, 2017). The importance of demonstrating learner-centeredness explains our choice for the third workshop in the From Professional to Professor series, Learner Centeredness: Helping Ensure Each Student Succeeds. The focus of this workshop is to encourage faculty to apply learner centeredness approaches and success strategies in the classroom.
Post Training Analysis and Support
The first offering of the Professional to Professor series started in May. Only the first workshop, Creating Collaborative Classrooms, has been held. Initial feedback has been positive. After the series ends, the intention is to use the recorded sessions, in combination with other resources, to develop an even more comprehensive asynchronous training.
Faculty who participate in the workshops will continue to receive support. Mentors will follow up with instructors and will provide feedback on teacher presence and engagement. It is anticipated that these efforts will lead to continuous improvement and quality instruction. Reviews of key performance indicators, post training, will measure the effectiveness of this training track.
References
Green, T. T., Hoffmann, M. M., Donovan, L. L., & Phuntsog, N. N. (2017). Cultural
communication characteristics and student connectedness in an online environment:
Perceptions and preferences of online graduate students. International Journal of E-
Learning & Distance Education, 32(2), 1-27.
Fink, L. D., Ambrose, S., & Wheeler, D. (2005). Becoming a professional engineering educator: A new role for a new era. Journal Of Engineering Education, 94(1), 185-194.
Handelsman, M. (2012). Teacher-student relationships are just like…what? Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-ethical-professor/201208/teache...
Yilmaz, O. (2017). Learner centered classroom in science instruction: Providing feedback with
technology integration. International Journal of Research in Education and Science,
3(2), 604-613.