|
Problem #2 - Inadequate Attention to Faculty Development The new curriculum drastically alters the role of the instructor both in and outside the classroom. Within the classroom, the instructor is expected to call on students frequently during interactive, full-group discussions which requires skills in use of the Socratic method. The instructor also must assist student teams as they work on their in-class group assignments, which requires coaching/facilitator skills. The instructor is also expected to take a more active role in providing useful feedback to students regarding their writing and oral communication skills, which also requires additional coaching/facilitator skills. Early on in the project, it became clear to the project team that all of the instructors who would be teaching the new materials would need some degree of professional development in the above skill areas. Solution to Problem #2 Two initiatives were undertaken to address professional development needs: hosting a special workshop and scheduling fixed weekly meetings. Prior to introducing the new curriculum, the project team arranged with a group of faculty, within and outside the college, that had specialized skills in cooperative learning to conduct a workshop on the use of those techniques in introductory accounting. During the three-year period of the grant, the instructors teaching Introduction to Accounting I and Introduction to Accounting II met weekly to discuss content, pedagogy, and other matters. These meetings provided a major vehicle for sharing of ideas regarding how best to implement new instructional delivery methods. Although these initiatives provided a partial solution to the faculty development problem, much more needed to be done. Note, however, that even though additional professional development was pursued, the project team found that some faculty may simply be unsuited for managing an active, group-centered, decision-oriented learning environment. Success appears to be heavily instructor-dependent.
Structure of the New Courses | Obstacles | Resources | Outcome Measures Reaction of Interested Parties | Recommendations for Interested Parties | Links | Index |