Spheres of Influence: Ventures and Visions in Educational Development*

3-6 July, 2002
The University of Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

Promoting teaching and learning development through a partnership model

Joyce Weinsheimer, University of Minnesota, USA
Joel Weinsheimer, University of Minnesota, USA

Who "owns" faculty development on your campus? Whose responsibility is it to promote and improve teaching and learning? Do your faculty have the expertise and commitment to carry out development initiatives? Do your teaching enrichment professionals have the credibility, contacts, and resources required to have a significant impact on your campus? Most institutions are finding that letting a single group "own" faculty development results in limited success. What's needed is an organizational structure that engages the best that each group has to contribute to the total instructional development package. Faculty bring experience in their discipline, practical knowledge of actual classroom challenges, and credibility with their colleagues. Teaching enrichment professionals offer pedagogical expertise, insight into interdisciplinary issues, and a special focus on teaching and learning.

This workshop explores specific venues that employ a partnership model to capitalize on the strengths specific to each group. For example, a co-facilitation structure within programming for graduate students, early career faculty, and mid-career faculty can involve cohorts led jointly by a faculty member and a teaching and learning center staff member. Similarly, cooperation between distinguished teachers (recipients of campus awards) and teaching and learning professionals can bring prestige and energy to new teaching initiatives. Furthermore, collaboration can be extended by bringing resources of the private sector and web technology into the partnership. Workshop leaders will cite specific programming efforts that exemplify these partnership models. Discussion and activities during the workshop will highlight how partnerships can maximize the positive effects of programming on participants' home campuses. This workshop will shift the focus from offering well-intentioned programs that have little impact to changing the teaching and learning environment on campus by engaging the best efforts of faculty and teaching enrichment professionals alike.

Key words:
Faculty development; Partnerships; Collaboration

Objectives, outcomes and activities:
The purpose of this workshop is to explore three partnership models that shift the focus from well-intentioned faculty development programs that have low impact to cooperative ventures that serve as positive change agents for teaching and learning. Activities (analysis of evaluation data, small group discussion, review of partnership models) will provide an opportunity for participants to explore the issues of faculty development ownership, to examine models of joint ownership, and to imagine how these models might be adapted to their institutions.

Joyce Weinsheimer is Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Services (http://www.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn) and adjunct faculty in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. An educator with over thirty years experience, Dr. Weinsheimer is an international consultant to faculty, instructional staff, and administrators interested in improving student learning on their campuses.

Joel Weinsheimer is Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. He is Director of Curriculum and Undergraduate Studies and has served previously as Director of Composition and Chair of the Council of Liberal Education on the Twin Cities campus.

Contact: Joyce Weinsheimer, email: Weinshei@tc.umn.edu