Online Tenure and Promotion Instructional Module

College and Journalism and Communications

Context

The tenure and promotion packet is probably the most important document in a tenure-accruing faculty member’s career. How they present themselves in this document will affect the path of their career at their university, therefore it is of utmost importance that the packet be filled out accurately and knowledgably. This project concentrates on a faculty member’s ability to prepare the packet with the utmost ease and efficiency.

Need for instruction

The packet traditionally moved through the system manually, but the University of Florida is now beta-testing the process in an online environment. The College of Journalism and Communications (COJC) is one of the colleges testing this online process. Since the faculty member fills out the packet two times in a 7 year period, it is imperative that the system be self-explanatory and easy to follow. While faculty have mentors who help them with understanding what content is necessary in the packet, it is up to the faculty member to compile the information so that it best reflects their body of research, teaching and service.

The advent of the online process has highlighted the differences and difficulties that faculty experience when compiling their packet. Some of these stem from a lack of comprehending the requirements of each of the packet’s sections and some from not understanding how to maneuver the new online process.

Learning Theory

This instructional unit combines cognitive and behavioral learning theories. The computer based instruction requires measureable responses to master the content, an acceptable level of achievement to proceed to the next level and the content is presented in small steps in a highly sequenced manner. All of these instructional strategies apply the behavioral learning theory.

Cognitive learning theory with a constructivist instructional strategy is applied to the overall module. A certain level of relative schema in each faculty member is expected. This has been garnered over the six years leading up to the production of their T&P packet. The ability to apply this prior knowledge to new tasks is important to success in this module. The presentation of the information in ‘chunks’ also employs the cognitive learning theory that the working memory is limited in how much it can hold. Finally, the learning will be meaningful as new knowledge is constructed, as they will be able to relate it directly to their personal situation, making it relevant and memorable.

Learner Characteristics

The tenure accruing faculty will be referred to as candidates in this presentation.

All faculty undergoing this process have an education at a master’s or doctoral level.

They are male and female, normally over the age of 25, so they are considered adult learners.

They are multi-cultural and may or may not be native English speakers, however they are all proficient in the English language.

Their attitudes can vary as to the use of an online system: some may fear confidentiality breaches due to putting the information online, some may think it is a bother to learn another process and would rather just do the system manually. Other more tech-savvy faculty may prefer the lack of paper, the portability of an online system and the ease of use (i.e. not having to insert all teaching evaluations manually)

Goals, Objective and Material

The goal of this instruction is for T&P candidates to accurately maneuver the online T&P system. Secondary goals are to increase compliance in packet completion and to increase confidence in the sequencing of the packet process.

Instruction will be conducted with computer based instruction (CBI) supplemented by training leader as guide.

The first 7 objectives will be guided by the trainer. The remaining objectives will be self-paced. The assessments in the CBI training will use ‘answer-until-correct” feedback.

Objective 1:Embed College calendar in personal calendar

Training leader will have the computer projected on to a screen at front of classroom. Candidates will be required to bring personal laptops to class.

The leader will ask the candidates to open a browser window and:

1. Navigate to MyCJC to access Faculty link through the JOU website http://www.jou.ufl.edu/

2. Navigate to College Governance and Administrative Resources

http://my.jou.ufl.edu/governance-and-administrative-resources/

1

2

Objective 1 (cont.):Embed College Calendar

Next, the leader will ask candidates to:

Select College Tenure and Promotion Calendar 2012-2013

Download according to instructions.

This will embed the timeline for College’s tenure process in to their Outlook or Google calendar.

Having the calendar schedule embedded in their personal calendars will help candidates stay on track once their submission process begins.

The calendar will be created so the file can be downloaded in a .csv format and then be imported into the candidate’s Outlook Calendar or Google Calendar.

Objective1: Assessment

Assessment: 100% success rate in completing this procedure. College calendar is embedded in their personal calendar. Teacher will walk around room and ensure completion and assist with anyone having trouble.

Objective 2: Locate the “Guidelines & Information regarding the Tenure, Permanent Stutus and Promotion Process for 2012-2013”

The leader will give candidates the link to locate the guidelines and save them to their hard-drive, or they can keep the guidelines up on their screen for reference.

http://www.aa.ufl.edu/tenure

Explain to candidates that the College is in a pilot testing program for the online T&P system. The program will be University-wide by 2014. Explain the benefits of an online process.

Objective 3: Alert candidates to common compliance errors

While the candidate is looking at the T&P criteria on their computer, the leader will review each section of the guidelines and point out the any idiosyncrasies of a particular section. Some of the areas are described here. There will be 5 main areas that are pointed out where the candidates in the College normally have compliance errors. Examples of these sections that are compliant will be shown. Candidates can also ask questions any about particular sections.

Section 2: Most candidates in the College keep the section to about a half page, however there is no limit to the amount written

Section 3: Again, a succinct description is best. In the College, this section is normally 4 to 5 paragraphs.

Section 4: Explain here the detail of calculating FAR – do not count on your Chair to do it for you. Candidate should be able to calculate with online reporting. This will eventually be auto-populated in online template.

Objective 4: Material that belongs in Section 33

Leader will explain the purpose of Section 33. This section can have corrections added to it at any time throughout the online process, either by the candidate or the reviewers. Additions can be made until the packet leaves the College and goes to Academic Affairs. If a change or addition is made to Section 33 by someone other than the candidate, the candidate will receive an email notification and they will have to approve the addition. Candidates should know that AA evaluators are told to check in Section 33 before they review the packets, so they will see the corrected versions first; therefore, candidates should not be shy about making the corrections/additions.

Section 33: Review items that are appropriate for this section and those that are not.

Objectives 3&4: Assessment

The candidate will be given a sample assignment table (Sect 4) and be asked to calculate the activity distribution. After they have had adequate time to make calculations, the teacher will show the correct answers on the screen. They will then be given the UFL link and locate their own effort reports. They are given the chance to calculate one or two years of their own assignments. This will make the assessment relevant and useful to the candidate. Any problems can be identified at this time. The leader will also orally ask candidates to describe 5 common errors in packet completion as well as select the items that do and do not belong in Section 33.

Objective 5: Identify roles in the process

The leader will present a slide that describes the main actors in the online T&P process and explain the role that each plays within the College. This will enable the candidate to be aware of who is responsible for which portion of the packet.

#1: The Candidate

#2: The Designee Editor

#3: Department Administrator

#4 : College Administrator

#5 : Chair

#6: Dean

After the roles are explained (aural learning) the instructor will direct candidates to a link where they can click to download on to their computers the names and emails of each of these people. This will give them a takeaway.

Assessment: Distribute a printed matching exercise: have the candidates match the actors to their role.

Objective 6: Locate Faculty Promotion & Tenure link

Leader will have all candidates log on to My.UFL to begin the online T&P process. Explain they must be connected to the Internet, have Gatorlinkpassword. Perform steps 1,2, 3.

Step 4: Navigate to UF Faculty Promotion and Tenure

1

2

3

4

Objective 7: Download and save the T&P template

Navigate to the page: Workforce Development > Faculty Events > Online Promotion and Tenure

Using their personal laptops, the candidates will now download their templates from link shown at right.

Have candidates save these to their hard-drive or USB as a doc file.

Discuss which parts of the packet will auto-populate when they are first downloaded, and they will work from that copy to complete their packet.

The templates will have auto-populated in Sections 5, 7, 10 and 12. Ask candidates to review their packets and note any possible discrepancies. Referring to Objective 5 (roles), have them identify who they should report problems to.

Select

Objective 8: Creating PDF files

The leader will explain the use of PDF files in the packet. After the candidate has created all Sections of their packet, they must convert them to PDF files. Stress that only PDF files can be uploaded on to the online T&P system.

The candidate will have been working with multiple DOC files and now must compile them in to one PDF file to upload.

Ask them to navigate to the tutorial and bookmark the link. They can then watch the process of creating one PDF file out of multiple DOC files. Having this link bookmarked gives them a takeaway to refer back to.

For MAC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG7wZK1R4C8

For PC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Aj8VRt0v6c

Objective 9: Follow the stages of the online process

The leader will now have candidates load the CBI (website to be created). Candidates maneuver through the CBI process by using a self-paced program. By clicking on arrows, the screen will advance to the next step. Arrows will indicate where to go at each stage. A Table of Contents screen on the left will let them know where they are in the process and allow them to skip between sections, or go to ones that interest them. There will be no guided simulation, rather only text and arrows indicating the next step. Unless they skip through on the TOC, they cannot progress until they do the procedure in the correct order.

Candidate now will follow a CBI that guides them through uploading packet and all steps required of them in the process.

Navigation buttons will give the user self paced control

Example: Step 7: Click on VIEW to see packet is uploaded correctly. If user selects wrong button, the appropriate one will flash and the screen will not change until the correct button is selected.

Table of

Contents

Assign

Faculty

Designee

Upload

Tenure and

Promotion

Packet

ETC

User can navigate between TOC when needed

Objective 9: Assessment

100% completion of CBI tutorial. Arrive at final slide.

Objective 10: Identify stage of packet in process

When candidates have completed CBI for T&P process, the program will present a situation to them where they have to organize the tenure and promotion packet process in an interactive flowchart.

Assessment: Candidate will arrange the flow chart in the correct order with 100% accuracy. The program will not allow for misplaced stages. (FLASH program to be developed)

OPT notification of Dept Review

Respond

Chair’s letter

Upload Template

Sign Waiver Cover Sheet

Objective 11: Identify when candidate needs to respond

Using the similar flowchart method as in Objective 9, the candidate will place the number of days between each step in which they have to respond or else the material is automatically added to the packet and moves to the next stage.

Department Review

Chair’s letter

Correction to evaluative letter

Dean’s letter

Respond right away. CJC does not have review at this

level

Department Review

10 days

5 days

Respond right away. CJC does not have Review at this level

10 days

Assessment: User will move the objects around to show understanding of temporal sequencing in the T&P process . The objects won’t ‘stick’ if placed in the wrong order. They will turn a color (green) when placed correctly.

Conclusion

Learners will be directed to a link that hosts a graphic of the overall flowchart for the online T&P system. (To be created) This link will then have hyperlinks back to each particular stage of the process.

They will be given a printed handout with a list of whom to contact for technical or procedural problems.

They will also be given a printed handout of the entire presentation to use as a reference.

Assessment/Takeaway: Flowchart will have embedded hyperlinks at each stage of the process that link back to page of the CBI for future referral. This will help give a visual reference while they are going through the online process.

Assessment Experience

I met with two faculty members and gave them a presentation of this instructional unit. As I would need a developer to create some of the processes, a complete instruction was not possible. After the presentation, and combining the connoisseur based and decision-oriented approach, they were asked to provide feedback as to the perceived effectiveness of the instructional module– the interactivity and navigability, and the quality of the instruction (how are instructions, does it give you support, is it organized properly?) and interest: does it motivate you, interest you? What is its perceived value?) I provided them with a questionnaire which they returned to me in digital format.

While it would have been ideal to have more than two people in the small group, it was quite challenging to find professors that had the time to participate in this process. The two that did participate had disparate remarks in their evaluation, and so certainly a third or fourth person will be needed to determine if either of their answers are more representative of the larger group (ie: College faculty)

The overall assessment however was that a course of this type would be extremely useful to candidates and they encouraged the pursuit of bringing this product to reality.

Implementation: CLER Model

Configuration/Linkages:

The key relationships in this instructional unit are between the instructional designer, the administration and the faculty. Most faculty find the tenure and promotion process to be stressful and some view the conversion of the process to an online system suspiciously, while others embrace the idea for they understand it’s aim is to simplify the process. The administrators, adhering to a management model of ‘shared governance’, must be supportive of the desires of the majority of the faculty - they are unable to create a mandate that requires all faculty to take this instructional unit and so faculty could end up choosing to bypass the training and simply rely on ‘self discovery’ to go through the online process.

Environment:

The administration first needs to assure the suspicious faculty that the online process will be easier than the traditional method and that the system is secure. Faculty to faculty relationships are also key as those faculty who participated in the 2012 beta-testing of the online process need to assure the 2013 faculty that the new system is better. If both of these units provide a positive stance on the new online system, the 2013 faculty should be more motivated and willing to take the training and in turn, this should enhance their performance.

Implementation: CLER Model (cont)

Resources

This course requires material, personnel, institutional and conceptual resources, which the administration is able to provide. Access is needed to the College’s network to host the computer-based instruction for the portion of this training. A leader is needed to give the instruction and this could be done by a willing, tenured faculty member or by an administrative assistant who has been trained in the T&P process. Space to hold the instruction will be easily accessed within the College and technical support can be given by either the College’s IT personnel or at the university level, depending on the need.

Sequence for implementation

16 months prior to tenure selection date:

Fully develop materials to be used training.

14 months prior to tenure selection date:

Train two administrative assistants on the instructional materials so they can lead the training. Offer the same or any tenured faculty members who would like to be involved in this service.

Schedule rooms for training.

12 months prior to tenure selection date:

Conduct the training with the candidates going up for tenure.

References

Barron, Ann E., Designing Web-Based Training, University of South Florida Interactive Media Corporation. Retrieved from: http://itforum.coe.uga.edu/AECT_ITF_PDFS/paper26.pdf

Janicki, T., Liegle, J. (2001).Development and evaluation of a framework for creating web-based learning modules: A pedagogical and systems perspective, , JALN, 5 (1)

McAdams, Mindy. (2010) How to do stuff in Flash with Action Scrip 3.0. Retrieved from: http://flashjournalism.com/CS4examples/main.html

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing Effective Instruction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Song, S. H., Keller, J., (2001).Effectiveness of Motivationally Adaptive Computer-Assisted Instruction on the Dynamic Aspects of Motivation, ETR&D, 49,( 2) pp. 5–22

Taylor, B. (2001) Designing a successful web-based tutorial, LLRX.com. Retrieved from: http://www. Designing%20A%20Successful%20Web Based%20Tutorial%20%7C%20LLRX.com.webarchive