FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

INTRODUCTION

In 1988, the University of Oklahoma initiated a Professional Development Program/Seminar for new faculty to help them better understand the academic environment. The objective of the program was to acquaint the new faculty to the University environment and to help them make the transition from graduate school/industry to being a full-time faculty member. The seminar conducted only in fall semester, spans over fourteen weeks and meets one day each week for approximately two hours. The program, although not mandatory, has been heavily subscribed and widely received. It is open to any faculty member "new" to the University, regardless of his/her rank or years of prior teaching experience. The program is directed by Dr. Dee Fink, Director, Instructional Development Program and is managed/funded by the University through the Office of the Vice Provost for Instructional Services.

The Seminar addresses four broad areas of interests viz., University's organizational setup and resources, teaching support facilities, research support facilities, and local community activities. This paper describes the topics and issues covered in the first three areas with a more in-depth discussion on the introduction of teaching methods and research support facilities provided to the new faculty.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Dr. Dee Fink, a leading researcher in the field of college education and Director of Instructional Development Program at the University of Oklahoma conducted a nationwide study on beginning college teachers. This study on beginning college teachers indicated that a majority of this populace faces an array of difficulties in trying to get adjusted in their new role as full-time faculty. Cognizance of this problem and the fact that there exists a certain degree of variation in each institutions' operational setup, led to the conceptualization of an introductory seminar which in its final form evolved as the Faculty Development Program/Seminar. The objectives of the program may be listed as:

a) to provide an orientation to the University's organization and resources, b) to introduce and equip the participants with ideas and information on effective teaching,

c) to introduce the University support facilities for research, and

d) to introduce to the local community and state activities.

FORMAT

The total pool of participants is divided into two groups based on their choice of meeting on Mondays or Thursdays. Identical sessions are offered on both these days each week. The participants are required to meet at noon in the Ballroom where lunch is served first, and then the actual seminar begins. Dr. Fink serves as the moderator and designs the seminar in a manner that brings in senior faculty members and administrators who are considered experts in these areas. The participants gets to know these people, ask questions and develop contacts. For example, when talking about the library, representatives from the library are brought in who make a presentation about the library procedures such as inter­library loans, on-line search facilities and databases available, ordering monographs and publications, etc. Similarly, when talking about research funding, senior faculty members who have served as Program Officers in the office of National Science Foundation are brought in as speakers who give the insiders' version of how proposals are evaluated and grants awarded. The seminar concludes at 1:45 p.m.

UNIVERSITY'S ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES

 The participants are introduced to various facets of the University to facilitate their transition and help them adjust to their new role. It provides information about the administrative functions of the various units. The topics covered under this area include but are not limited to payroll and fringe benefits information, library and the acquisition process, University's computer system and facilities, health-care facilities available on campus, cultural and recreational activities available on campus, and the tenure review process, policies and procedures.

The topics covered are supplemented by a tour of facilities when deemed necessary. Several new "revelations" are made during the course of these presentations. It seems like a bunch of "best kept secrets on the campus" are being revealed one after the other. To cite one, we were told that the Library has a fund specially set aside for new faculty which is intended for the acquisition of journals, monographs and other publications that a faculty member needs to establish or continue research in his/her area of interest.

The Division of Computing Facilities at the University sent their representatives to make presentation on educating the "new kids on the block" about the various computer systems on campus, their locations, and access procedure. Participants were also informed about the university's procedure for requesting and/or ordering terminals or Personal Computers.

The newcomers are also introduced to the university's policies and procedures for tenure and promotion. A presentation is made by the representatives of the Campus Tenure Committee that covers these issues in a great depth. Guidelines are provide( for record-keeping of documentary evidenc( that forms the essential part of the dossier.

In addition to the above described topics, the participants are also equipped with information that is essential for their families to make the necessary transition and adjustment such as, information about health-care facilities available on campus and cultural and recreational facilities available on campus and the local area.

EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Introducing the participants to effective teaching methods and helping them improve their teaching is one of the main objectives of this Faculty Development Seminar. The issues addressed in this area include the following:

-- understanding students' learning styles

-- Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives

-- identifying course objectives -- designing a course

-- planning learning activities

-- devising methods for evaluating students' performance

-- effective techniques for teaching small and large classes

-- group or team learning; when and how to use them

As each individual is unique, so is his/her "central processing unit" -- mind Every individual has a unique set of sensors and processes information in a different style. A learning style inventory developed by David Kola is introduced to the participants. This inventory provides a framework for examining one's learning strengths and weaknesses. According to Kola's theory, learners generally report themselves as being one of four types -- divergers, assimilators, convergers, or accommodators. This classification is based on the four learning stages described by Kolb as Active Experimentation (doing), Concrete Experience (feeling), Reflective

Observation (watching), and Abstract Conceptualization (thinking). A simple multiple choice test is used to determine one's learning style. Each learning style has its strengths and weaknesses. Learning is enhanced as more of the learning stages are used. It is interesting to note that teachers also have their own learning styles. Students learn more and easily from a teacher with similar learning style than from one with different learning style. It is suggested that teachers should try to make the students engage in all four stages of the learning cycle. Interesting data on disciplinary differences relating to the learning style inventory is also presented.

Next the participants are introduced to Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives in cognitive domain. The hierarchical levels of objectives in cognitive domain are (from lowest to highest):

-- Knowledge: the ability to recall or remember specific information

-- Comprehension: the ability to interpret and make inferences

-- Application: the ability to apply information learned to a given problem -- Analysis: the ability to identify basic elements and indicate their relationships to one another

-- Synthesis: the ability to put together parts or elements so as to form something new

-- Evaluation: the ability to render judgement on something in terms of evidence or criteria

With the knowledge of learning style inventory and Bloom's taxonomy [1], each participant is then asked to take up an exercise on designing a course. This is accomplished by listing the course objectives, learning activities planned, the resources requires, and designing procedures for evaluating student learning. The participants evaluate each others' course designs and provide criticism and comments. The next phase consists of asking the participants to write/prepare sample exams and bring them for peer evaluation. The idea is that concepts learned so far be applied and evaluated. Effective methods for writing essay type exams as well as multiple choice exams is also discussed. The advantages of group learning activities and situations where it is best applied are also investigated.

RESEARCH

Any discussion among academicians would not be considered complete without the mention of "R" word: Research. Almost all universities consider research to be oneof their primary functions. New faculty need support to establish their research agenda. At most institutions, some support in the form of internal funding is provided which serves as seed money for new faculty to attract external funding. Sources of internal and external funding are introduced to the participants. The University of Oklahoma has a support facility to help prepare research proposals. Representatives from the support facility conduct Proposal Writing Workshops and provide information about other support functions available such as identification of funding sources and on­line computer search.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of this Faculty Development Program are too many to be counted. Some of the advantages realized by the author are listed below:

-- you learn so much in a short period of time that one participant wrote in the evaluation "it would have taken me 3 or 4 years to learn on my own, without this seminar"

-- it makes all new faculty a learning group and provides an opportunity to learn from each others experiences

-- it provides vitality to the otherwise sometimes boring academic routine

-- faculty get new ideas to change their style and add more spice to the classroom environment

-- students get the advantage of seeing different learning activities planned -- it provides step-wise refinement for the course as well as the teacher

-- you know whom to call or contact when you need help in a specific problem area -- helps develop contacts across the campus over a very short period of time

SUMMARY

We all teach challenging courses providing intellectual stimulus to the students. Most of us have developed a teaching style by emulating the best teachers we had or what we think is best for students. Most of us do not have any formal training in education as the people in the education department have. This seminar provides an opportunity to polish our abilities and accelerates our process of becoming "effective academicians". Given the fact that all schools do not have the same degree of resources, ASC could possibly investigate the feasibility of providing some of the features of this seminar at the Annual Meeting. As participants in the Annual Meetings come from the same discipline and teach same subjects, the benefit of exchange of ideas and teaching tools would most likely be realized.

 REFERENCES

1. Bloom, Benjamin S. (ed.), Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain, David Mckay Co. 1956.

2. Fink, L.D., (1989) Faculty Development Seminar -- Lecture Notes, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.