Dr. D & the Apollo Lounge: Innovative Ideas for Faculty Development

Janet Gubbins &

Chris Fearrington

University of West Georgia

Common Training Model

• Herding (group workshops)

• One-on-one assistance

Common Patterns

• Same faculty faces over and over

• Doesn’t reach the large majority

• Time and personnel intensive

Overview

1. Last year’s findings;

how do faculty really learn to teach online?

2. Resulting 5 new initiatives

3. New Research

4. Implications – future direction

How Faculty Really Learn

7%

5%

18%

70%

1 on 1 Training

Group Workshops

From otherFacultySelf-Taught

Total Time Spent in Various Preparation

How Faculty Really Learn

• On their own through readings, tutorials

• “In the hall” assistance from other faculty

• Just-in-time support

• Experience, experience, experience

Innovative Ideas

ROI? Scalability?Effectiveness?

Result: 2 programs

expanded and new initiatives begun…

Initial Research

Dr. D Apollo A

Follow-up Research

Innovative Ideas

Their turf; their terms; *Dr. D House calls

Facilitate community Apollo Program

Join forces Centralized Calendar

Arm the infantry Staff/Student Training

Entice leaders to lead & recruit

Odyssey Mentor Program; *Apollo Awards

Dr. D House Calls

Their turf; their terms… Last year, staff dressed as Dr. D and made house calls by request, to faculty offices for 30 min. sessions

Dr. D expanded:• 1 per week

requirement• Virtual visits for

off-campus faculty

• Check-ups via phone

Dr. D House Calls

Unintended Results:

• Found out stuff we didn’t know that we didn’t know

• Attracted many newcomers

Dr. D House Calls

Research:

– Phone surveys

– Comparison of retention, usage, & scalability vs. workshops

Dr. D House Calls

Results:

• More likely to retain & use

• Reaches more diverse set of faculty-1st hand & 2nd

• Unintended valuable qualitative info

distance.westga.edu/webct05/data.htm

Dr. D House Calls

More likely to retain & use:

Dr D Workshop

Recalled Trainer (s) & Topics

92% 87.5%

Use increased 100% 60%

Incorporated into course

100% 70%

distance.westga.edu/webct05/data.htm

Dr. D House Calls

Shared knowledge Dr D Workshop

Told peers about service

78% 65%

Taught others 78% 60%

distance.westga.edu/webct05/data.htm

Dr. D House Calls

distance.westga.edu/webct05/data.htm

Increased diversity:

45% of Dr D participants never attended a workshop or sought other training from the DE dept. (25 of 55)

75% of those were from highest need college (18 of 25)

Apollo Program

THEN: The Apollo Program was a program by which faculty could win an award by being informal mentors to others…

UWG’s Apollo Award:Attend 3 workshops & certify useTeach 2 courses in a yrPresent to fellow faculty

Apollo Program

NOW: This year a series of informal socials in the “Apollo Café”, helped to facilitate a community of learners.

Free food & prizes; open to 1st 20 faculty – informal with only a list of suggested topics

Apollo Program

Phone survey results:

• 3 unsolicited kudos for allowing informal opp to collaborate & meet other DE fac

Observation:

• Many 1st timers 1st drawn in by Café and then attended training

Centralized Calendar

“In the halls” we learned many faculty still did not know whom to go to for what assistance.

ANSWER: All tech training on a centralized calendar, without taking away autonomy.

www.westga.edu/~training

Student/Staff Training

“In the halls” we learned faculty most often rely on closest/safest options - secretaries & student workers; and that trying to find help for tech-inept students is a major obstacle.

ANSWER: Offered group, one-on-one extended, and Dr. D training specifically for these people. Promoted new student/student mentor program.

Student/Staff Training

Phone survey results:

“WebCT for Secretaries” most productive.

Shared knowledge Dr D Workshop

# told about services

(adjusted minus sec. impact)

37 41 (26)

# taught (adjusted minus sec. impact)

25 34 (22)

What Next?

Success:

• attracting new faculty

• improving quality of courses

Remaining need:

• full programs online

Odyssey Mentor Program

“In the halls” we learned it may not be just faculty resistance but Chair resistance.

Ex. “My Chair won’t let me because…”

ANSWER: Formal Recognition; VP endorsement; Ground-swell of numbers

Odyssey Mentor Program

• Not yet funded

• 7 mentors - $1000 stipend

• 3 mentees each - $300 for Summer institute & teaching 1 distance course

• Website under construction –distance.westga.edu/odyssey/

Future Plans?

• Identifying true program needs

• Careful planning & marketing

• More cheerleading!

Future Plans?

• Improve Self-Teaching Options• Improve online tutorials with interactivity

– NOT just “View” but “Do” – List rotating topics at login point - ex– Possibly tie in w/ tracking, quizzes, surveys, &

automated certificates of success

• Email tip of the week

Future Plans?

• Collaborate

• Don’t lose sight of the objectives

• We’re all on the same side

Your future?

• Get out there and talk to all the faculty, not just the regulars

• Recruit faculty recruiters

Your future?

• Assessment

• Accept one size does not fit all

• Always look for new ideas – be original!

Review

• Last year’s findings; how do faculty really learn to teach online?

• Resulting 5 new initiatives

• Research on Dr D program

• Implications/ future direction

Ideas? Questions?

Janet or Chris

distance@westga.edu