Week 6 Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

1.Chapter 18 discusses instructional design in business and industry. Give an example of rapid prototyping and discuss how this could be used in education.





The video/advertisement above sheds light on understanding the dynamics of rapid prototyping.

     Although prototyping often directly relates to the corporate world, its application and utilization within the educational realm is endless. Our book references the rapid prototyping methodologies and how they have been adapted instructional design.  An ideal example of this in a elementary classroom would be storyboarding and the ability to have the project right in front of the student to allow for use of this project as a working model. 
      I can also see the concept of rapid prototyping in relation to graphic organizers or concept maps.  Again, the student is able to consistently alter and modify the project to the desired outcome and not feel as though they are starting from “scratch”.

2.Chapter 19 discusses instructional design opportunities in military education and training environments. They want to use technology in its training, but electronic access is not always available. Using the Full Spectrum diagram, what alternatives could you suggest for a successful program?

Our text states "Instructional designers are accustomed to examining the skill and knowledge levels of he targe audience to determine how to design the instruction and what level of language to use."  In the scenario of training with technology, this would be applicable as well in determining the overall mastery.  It goes on to say, "The knowledge of learning theories and instructional strategies that will be needed can be employed in virtually any manner:  instructor-led or instructor-facilitated classroom, informal self-study, formal online learning courses with synchronous and/or asynchronous options, or a blend of any or all of these." The idea here is to be prepared as a trainer for the unexpected and equipped to deal with it effectively.

Regardless, electronic access is essential in the foundations of the training.  However, the issue at hand is the absence and how as a trainer to work around this issue.  I would suggest having paper copies of instructional powerpoints.  Having CD/CD-ROM formats of the training materials would also be an adept option.  The vital role of "rapid prototyping" is also necessary for training with the canvas being whatever setting the training is necessary in regardless of electronic access. 

3.Chapter 21 looks at radical educational change in P-12 settings. I visited the Chugach School District in Alaska and know Richard DeLorenzo very well. I can assure you that this change can occur in our schools. Review the Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce both methodologies to your colleagues. 

Guidance System for Transforming Education (GSTE):

The following two links give insight and examples of this approach:

http://people.hofstra.edu/Roberto_Joseph/2002WorldFutures.pdf

http://www.indiana.edu/~syschang/decatur/documents/gste_event3_joseph+reigeluth.pdf

With consideration for the core values underlying the GSTE (in second link above) the staff development should follow the four phases.

Issue:  The number of office referrals within the district has doubled within the last year.  Regardless of whether this is a student, teacher, or administrative issue, resolve is necessary.

·        Phase 1:   Readiness must be assessed in terms of the facilitator and district.  Administration must be “on board” to implement strategies to resolve the problem.

·        Phase 2:  A starter team must be established among the district initially by having one member of faculty from each school within the district.  This member becomes the leader of their team which will consists of members of their home school. This school starter team should include a teacher from each grade level.  A faculty member should also be part of the team to represent faculty members who are not assigned to specific grade level but ESL, Special Education, Physical Education, etc.  This school starter team is expected to meet regularly to learn the dynamics of the resolutions to behavior modifications and alternative strategies within the classroom. 

·        Phase 3:  Members of the initial starter team and individual school starter teams are recognized as the Leadership teams and they begin to assess the issues and work towards resolution.  To do this, training is necessary with in depth analyzation of identified current and recent change efforts and their relation to the current focus/change effort.

·        Phase 4:  Leadership teams conduct workshops and trainings for the school faculty in whole-group and grade-level settings.  All concerns and questions are addressed formally.  Evaluation methods are developed and the carrying out of the implementation plans, formative evaluations, and revisions begin through the process of reaching the district goal.

Step-Up-To-Excellence:

The following link clarifies the dynamics of this methodology: http://cnx.org/content/m13656/latest/

Essentially to me this relates directly to what we call “Power Hour” at our school.  Twice weekly teachers have a scheduled hour to work with their students in a one-on-one or group manner to enhance student academic success.  Being a Title I designated school means that many teachers focus on their struggling learners during this time only.  However, I believe this time should be used most effectively to bring students how perform at an acceptable level to the next level of commended performance.  This is not to say that working with struggling students should be over-looked, but that their should be a healthy equilibrium to have utilized Power Hour most effectively.

·        The administrators of the district collaborate with individual school principals regarding the implementation of techniques to reduce the number of office referrals across the district at the classroom level.

·        The district administrators develop and principals develop a leadership team at every school consisting of lead teachers and principals.

·        This leadership team will work in partnership and pool resources to initiate training amongst all staff in correlation for the overall district goal and its process of attaining district-wide success. The leadership will closely monitor advancements.

·        The leadership team will assess the achievements of the implementation of the strategies and techniques implemented.

4. Navigating through the ranks of a faculty member in higher education can be tricky. A good institution has support for its faculty and provides faculty development opportunities to grow and learn. Research three different university offices for faculty development. Answer the following questions for each office:

University office #1: Baylor University

Details: Faculty Development at Baylor University includes a variety of activities, procedures, and programs to promote improved faculty performance as teachers and scholars within the context of a Christian university. The general objective of faculty development is to provide faculty members the resources to become better in teaching, research and service. Resources for faculty include faculty orientation activities and seminars, faculty mentoring, faculty development grants as well as seminars and workshops to improve teaching effectiveness, the summer teaching and summer scholars institutes, the scholarly writing seminar, occasional symposia, conferences, colloquia and discussion groups.

• New Faculty Mentoring Program - To help facilitate their progress toward tenure, new tenure-track faculty are offered the opportunity to participate in a New Faculty Mentoring Program. Each new faculty member who participates in this program is paired with an experienced tenured Baylor faculty member who acts as a mentor during the pre-tenure probationary period. The program also includes monthly meetings through the faculty member's first year at Baylor which focus on issues important to a faculty member's assimilation into the University community and to a successful tenure review.

·         Summer Faculty Institute- During the Summer Faculty Institute participants will converse about and otherwise explore elements of teaching, research, and collegiality extending from constructing syllabi to managing preparation-time wisely, from enlisting colleagues as critics of our writing to managing writing-time wisely, from serving on departmental committees to taking part in the conversation about what it means to be a Tier-One Christian University.

• Symposia and Presentations- In response to specific interest or need, programs may be presented throughout the semester to address particular concerns. Topics have included learning styles, student evaluations of faculty, research and publishing, responding to students' emotional crises, and gender issues. Faculty are urged to give their suggestions for these presentations to the Office of the Vice Provost for Financial and Academic Administration.
• University Teaching Development Grants
• Big 12 Faculty Fellowship Program - To enhance faculty collaboration, the Chief Academic Officers of the Big 12 universities created a Faculty Fellowship Program to stimulate scholarly initiatives. This initiative offers faculty the opportunity to travel to member institutions to exchange ideas and do research. Faculty visits will ordinarily be for two weeks, but longer visits are possible.
• Other Faculty Development Resources- The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost also disseminates information about external faculty development opportunities such as National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) seminars, International Faculty Development Seminars sponsored by the Council on International Educational Exchange, Calvin College Seminars in Christian Scholarship, and information about sources for external funding such as NEH Study Grants and Summer Stipends.
• Seminars for Excellence in Teaching

This is under the division of The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

University office #2:  University of Minnesota:

Faculty development is under the division of the Faculty and Academic affairs.

The University of Minnesota's goal to become one of the world's greatest research universities relies upon a great faculty. Well-prepared, fully engaged faculty and staff represent the most important asset the University has in times of change. The skills, knowledge, creativity, dedication and motivation they bring to their work are the core of the institution's competitive advantag. The Senior Vice President and Provost applauds the efforts of colleges and departments to engage faculty in development activities that promote academic excellence; the following programs are sponsored by the Office of the Provost:

·         New Faculty Orientation - In addition to orientation programs offered by the Office of Human Resources and by individual colleges and departments, new University of Minnesota faculty are encouraged to attend New Faculty Orientation.

·         Grant Writing Seminars - Each semester, the University of Minnesota sponsors a one-day grant writing seminar presented by Dr. Stephen Russell. The fall seminar, geared to junior faculty, post-doc research associates, and senior graduate students, teaches new investigators how to write a grant application addressing both practical and conceptual aspects of the proposal-writing process.  This seminar is slower paced than the spring seminar, with more time allowed for questions and answers.  The spring seminar is designed for faculty and administrative staff who have had some exposure to writing grant applications.  Emphasis is given to idea development, identification of the most appropriate granting agencies, how to write for reviewers, etc.

·         Provost's Department Chairs Leadership Program - The Provost’s Department Chairs Leadership Program has been designed to support department chairs’ leadership and to provide critical information and resources to chairs and heads.  This year-long academic leadership program for new chairs is a collaborative effort between the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources.  Arlene Carney, Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs, hosts these meetings throughout the year.

·         Faculty Development - The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) is a project of Harvard University.  All University of Minnesota probationary faculty members on the Twin Cities campus who joined the University prior to the summer of 2005 were invited to complete a survey, along with probationary faculty at institutions across the country.  The survey asks faculty to assess their experiences regarding promotion and tenure, the nature of their work, policies and practices, and the general climate, culture and level of collegiality on their campuses. Provided here are a PowerPoint presentation by Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Arlene Carney that summarizes and highlights some of the key findings for the University of Minnesota, along with a copy of the survey instrument.

·         Mentoring - Mentoring is a key factor in developing and retaining outstanding faculty, students, and staff. It is also an essential skill for successful interdisciplinary collaboration. This workshop will explore mentoring relationships within an interdisciplinary context from the perspective of faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and staff involved in collaborative team work and interdisciplinary research, teaching, and creative activities. 

University office #3:  Salem State University:

Faculty development is under the division of the Faculty and Academic affairs.

Salem State University offers resources for faculty to promote scholarly research, innovative teaching and healthy living. The resources may be web-based or academic departments and programs such as those listed below. We encourage all faculty to get involved, participate in the workshops and programs that interest you and share your areas of expertise and passion with your colleagues.   

·         Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI):  provides assistance to faculty and teaching support staff on all aspects of teaching: instructional design, effective techniques in classroom pedagogy, instructional technology, collaborative teaching techniques, and assessment.

·         Council on Teaching and Learning (CTL): CTL is a fully faculty driven initiative that connects faculty with mentors, coordinates book readings and provides avenues for open discussions about teaching, learning and service to the community. 

·         Research and Writing Initiative (RWI): a program where participants share and respond to each other's writing. Presentations address topics such as research funding and navigating the publication process.