University of Hartford
The University of Hartford was chartered in 1957 by the
community for the community and is known as “a private
University with a public purpose”. Students, faculty and
staff annually lend their time to improve lives and
communities locally and across the world. We are the
only private university in the nation that has two public
magnet schools, an elementary school and a high school
concentrating in science and engineering, on its campus.
– Students: 7,366 total, with 4842 full-time UG, 853
part-time UG, 1,671 Grads
– Students represent 45 states and 49 countries, 70%
residential, 33% from Connecticut
Faculty Center for Learning Development
“Encourage Innovative Teaching”
Core Services:
• Blackboard Administration, Learning System
Enterprise v. 7 (upgrading to 8 in August)
• Instructional Technology Center for campus
• Instructional Design/Development Services
• Faculty Training Program for
instructional/educational technologies
• Faculty Help Desk – email, phone
Let’s do the numbers
Blackboard Statistics for Fall 2008
• 1,127 active Blackboard courses out of a possible 2,829*
• Approximately 50% have a dozen files or more files in
them, so we know they are doing more than just email
and hanging a syllabus
• 546 out of approximately 800 faculty using Blackboard
• Top tools used by instructors Fall 2007:
Gradebook, Announcements, Discussion Board, Send
Email, Digital Dropbox
* This 2,820 figure is inflated due to inclusion of ‘one-enrollment’ courses, e.g.,
independent study courses, dissertations, music performance sections.
Let’s do the numbers
Workshops Statistics 2008-9
• 596 workshop attendees
• 355 unique faculty
• 79 Workshops Offered
What accounts for this level of active participation?
What are we doing that could help others?
What are we doing?
• Strategic planning has change management model at core
• Strategic planning is tied to IT plans and also to
institutional plans
• Faculty development program is faculty-focused and
collaborative
• We conduct ongoing assessment to find out faculty needs,
then implement programs based on data
Faculty Development Strategic Planning
2000 Interviewed all FT faculty
Based on interviews/data:
• Faculty-only training
• Faculty-only help desk
• Faculty Development Center
• Teaching lab
• Micro-grants
• Better classroom technology
• Collaboration
…tied to larger IT strategic plan
Strategic Planning for Change
Diffusion is the process in which an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over time among
the members of a social system.
Everett Rogers
Diffusion of Innovations
Strategic Planning for Change
Diffusion is the process in which an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over time among
the members of a social system.
Everett Rogers
Diffusion of Innovations
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Strategic Planning for Change
Training Program
Centralized Support
Faculty Development Center
Computer Lab
Reliable infrastructure
Classroom technology
Micro-grants
All program elements
should be strongly
rooted in faculty culture
and include faculty
input from a broad
cross section of faculty
Literally put yourself in their shoes…
How?
Strategic Planning for Change
• Intersect with their interests
• Focus on teaching
• Offer a little something for all in training and offer high
quality, carefully-designed workshops, etc.
• Put it in words that makes sense to them, be a universal
translator
• Schedule around faculty schedules
• Collaborate with faculty
• Foster community
Intersect with their interests…
“When we started by teaching specific software
programs (e.g. Word and Excel), faculty soon
protested that they already knew these programs or
that they didn't want to invest effort in learning them
until they knew they would be useful in their teaching.
When we started with educational philosophy and
theory, faculty outside the discipline of education
often protested that what they needed most was
practical advice, not the conceptual framework of
another discipline. Consequently, our most successful
workshops start with teaching strategies.”
Faculty Development that Works: An Interview with David G. Brown
Technology Sources Archives, 2000
Emphasize teaching in training programs
“When we started by teaching specific software
programs (e.g. Word and Excel), faculty soon
protested that they already knew these programs or
that they didn't want to invest effort in learning them
until they knew they would be useful in their teaching.
When we started with educational philosophy and
theory, faculty outside the discipline of education
often protested that what they needed most was
practical advice, not the conceptual framework of
another discipline. Consequently, our most successful
workshops start with teaching strategies.”
Faculty Development that Works: An Interview with David G. Brown
Technology Sources Archives, 2000
Emphasize teaching in training programs
Offer a little something for all…
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First Wave, Second Wave focus
User groups focused on specific interests
Longer faculty institutes or spring break specials
Tutorials
“House visits”
Boutiques/Drop ins
Content package to meet different interests
Learner focused training design, materials
…and don’t forget to make it fun and social!
Guiding principles for training & workshops
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Aim for seminars, rather than workshops
Design for an “Aha!” moment within first 5 minutes
Get them in and out of there, don’t cover all app features
Faculty-only is best if you can afford it…
Package different ways for different folks
Use good marketing, e.g., ‘grabber’ titles
Videotape one-time events
Vary offerings and be creative
Take risks…
…and don’t forget to make it fun and social!
When teaching and technology meet…
“
Thank YOU Lorelle for the great presentation
yesterday. I found it very informative and plan on heavily
incorporating this technology into my courses this Fall.
l
If space is still available, I'd also like to attend the
PowerPoint seminar on 8/10. Please also register me
for the seminars on 8/12 and 8/14.
”
-- University of Hartford Faculty Member
Your reputation is your best publicity
“When faculty want to know something, they go out the
door and walk the shortest number of steps they have to
and ask a colleague…the word on the street is how your
program reputation is built.”
Dr. Fred Sweitzer
Dean of Faculty Development
University of Hartford
Training Program: Guiding Principles
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Track workshops: Emerging, Distance, Presentation, Bb
Use images, examples, experiences appropriate to faculty
Embed learning theory
The means justify the ends
Respect their expertise
Training Program: Guiding Principles
Let them learn from one another…
Training Program: Guiding Principles
Source: Carl Berger, The Next Killer App: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/carat.copy/presentations__listed_by_date_
Collaborate with Faculty
• Have faculty lead or co-lead workshops, panels,
seminars
• Create an advisory committee
• Foster faculty networks, connections
• Find out who the faculty opinion leaders are & get them
involved
• Always keep them informed of upgrades and changes
• Bring groups together
Remind them that this is service, that it can be published
Speak a language they understand…
An alumnus, Mark Freedenberg, currently on the cs faculty at Bentley
University, will be speaking next Friday (October 17) at 2pm in
D236 (http://cis.bentley.edu/mfrydenberg/web/)
His topic is Web 2.0 and mashups - in particular, a software web
service called Popfly…written up in the NY Times last February
Mark is an entertaining speaker and on the forefront of educational
technology.
As usual we'll probably head to a local watering hole after the talk.
Ray
Speak a language they understand…
Spend a lot of time Scheduling
• Fun stuff on Fridays
• Schedule summers in accordance to the flow at your
institution
• Avoid all holidays, including major religious holidays (do
they start on sundown the night before?)
• Don’t schedule right before a long weekend
• Avoid peak times
• Schedule with logic – Getting Started right before term
ends, but also at the end
• Try not to schedule on top of other events
• Avoid faculty meetings for active schools and colleges
Make sure faculty can hear you
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Word of Mouth #1
Traditional Media
Ask Faculty
Email
Eye-catching Workshop Program/Book
Websites
Workshop announcements
Web 2.0
In person
Working with other departments
Get involved, act as community leader
‘Moving among the people’ tactic (Zvacek, 2001) :
• Walk around campus, check in
• Make connections - have parties, introduce them to each
other
• Be a refuge
• Be an advocate and mediator
• Be patient, be empathetic
• Act as clearinghouse
What else can the faculty developer do?
• Hire generalists, folks with interest in lots of different
areas and disciplines are great conversationalists
• Ask them!
After you get them there…
…change gears
Caught between two worlds…
Faculty World View
Administrative World View
We are a community of knowledge
The process is important
We like things unstructured
We are informal – no tie
Assessment is a pain
We plant seeds
We like to keep to ourselves
We create knowledge
We are a business
The outcomes/product is important
Structure creates cost efficiencies
We are formal - ‘the suits’
Assessment measures results
We need to justify costs
We look at the whole institution
We create budgets, fund Blackboard
Caught between two worlds…
Faculty World View
Administrative World View
We are a community of knowledge
The process is important
Communication
We like things unstructured
strategies that work
We are informal
no tie
with this– group
Assessment is a pain
We plant seeds
We like to keep to ourselves
We create knowledge
We are a business
The outcomes/product is important
Usually
don’tcost
workefficiencies
Structure
creates
this- group
We arewith
formal
‘the suits’
Assessment measures results
We need to justify costs
We look at the whole institution
We create budgets, fund Blackboard
Working with the Administration
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Know the ‘big picture’
Networking
Collect data
Present data
– Annual Report
– Executive Updates
– Non-executive updates
Working with the Administration
TERM
Acad Year Acad Year Acad Year Acad Year
2004-5
2005-6
2006-7
2007-8
Fall
626
758
939
958
2500
Winter
12
21
24
--Sat
4
8
10
--Spring
603
724
878
918
2000
Summer
105
144
165
--TOTAL
1350
1655
2016
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Blackboard Course Growth
2005-2007
2008-9
2009-10
1127
42
12
1078
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Fall
1500
Winter
Sat
Spring
1000
Summer
TOTAL
500
0
2004-5
2005-6
2006-7
Executive Update for all Senior Administration
Strategic Planning for Change
• Intersect with their interests
• Focus on teaching
• Offer a little something for all in training and offer high
quality, carefully-designed workshops, etc.
• Put it in words that makes sense to them, be a universal
translator
• Schedule around faculty schedules
• Collaborate with faculty
• Act as community leader
Summary Thoughts
• If I had to emphasize three key strategies:
– Focus on teaching
– Offer high quality training featuring faculty
presenters
– Become a member of the community
Summary Thoughts
• Apply change theory in your strategic planning:
Familiarize yourself with Rogers and/or others.
• Analyze and then find the strategies that are best suited
for your campus.
• Remember, you can never publicize and outreach
enough.
• Revise and fine tune. Remember that faculty
development is a dynamic, ever-changing process.
Over time, we found that not only will
faculty come when we invite them,
they will actually ask to come…
References and Sources
Berger, Carl, “The Next Killer App” PowerPoint Presentation. 2001. Accessed March, 2007
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/carat.copy/presentations__listed_by_date_
Bradlee, Dr., Kuhn, Robert M., & Mathews-DeNatale, Gail, “Developing a Shared Vision for Academic
Technology: A Briefing Document for Simmons College” NERCOMP Conference 2007.
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NCP07067A.pdf
Cohen, Bradley A., Linda Jorn & J.D. Walker. “Faculty Development for a New Millenium,” preconference half-day workshop for Educause 2007, October 2
Hagner, Paul R., “Faculty Engagement and Support in the New Learning Environment”
September/October 2000 Educause Review
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0052.pdf
References and Sources
Moore, Anne, Moore, John, and Fowler, Shelli. “Faculty Development for the Net Generation.” In
Educationg the Net Gneration;. Editing by Diana G. Oblinger and James L. OBlinger. Educause,
2005. Accessed June 16, 2000
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/pub7101.pdf
Morrison, James L. and Brown, David G. “Faculty Development That Works: An Interview with David
G. Brown”. The Technology Sources Archives. July/August 2002. Accessed June 7, 2009.
Rogers, Everett M., (2003). Diffusion of Innovations. Fifth Edition. Free Press: New York Toronto
Sydney.
Zvacek, Susan, “Confessions of a Guerilla Technologist”. Educause Quarterly Magazine, Volume
24, Number 2. Accessed July 8, 2009.
http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/Confessionso
faGuerillaTechnolo/157127