Robert L. Nichols rnichols@fgcu.edu

Overview of role

 Undergraduate Instructional Assistants (UIAs)
 Graduate Instructional Assistants (GIAs)
 Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs)

 Scheduling Instructional Assistants
 Hire and manage new GTAs
 Creating payroll information and maintaining records
 Mentor & Train GTAs
 Conduct training sessions in pedagogy and instructional technology
 Facilitate Faculty Mentors and Teaching Cells

 Change efforts should be focused on a single topic (Fuess & Mitchell, 2011)
 Change process should be de-centralized and allow for a more participatory culture from the staff (Fuess & Mitchell, 2011)
 The process of change should include perspective beyond faculty and engage other key stakeholders (Fuess & Mitchell, 2011)
 A culture of mentoring is needed requiring all faculty to be trained in mentoring (Moran,
2012)

 Eight elements for long-term sustainability (Coffey & Horner, 2012)
 A contextually appropriate innovation
 Staff buy-in
 A shared vision
 Administrative support
 Leadership at various levels
 Ongoing technical assistance

Data-based decision making and sharing

Continuous regeneration

 Glickman, Gordon, and Ross-Gordon (2010) noted that teachers that are at a low developmental level need more direction from their supervisors.
 Directive Control Behaviors
 With the lack of experience, the beginning teacher is helped by the supervisor using a more direct approach with corrective feedback.
 Directive Information Behaviors
 This behavior is also appropriate when a teacher does not have as much knowledge about an issue as the supervisor.

 Instructional Assistants works closely with faculty member (Harris, Lowery-Moore, &
Farrow, 2008)
 Silva and Dana (2001) discussed a triad supervisory relationship
 Recognize, explore, and value the collaboration

 Glickman et al. (2005) proceeded to describe various observational types of instruments used for classroom observations.

Categorical frequency instruments

Performance indicator instruments
 Visual Diagramming
 Verbatim and selected verbatim
 Detached open-ended narrative
 Participant open-ended observation
 Focused questionnaire observation
 Stiggins and Chappuis (2005) stated the teacher should be provided with descriptive feedback.
 Glickman et al. (2005) noted observations should be used as a formative assessment to help an instructor improve their and not as a summative assessment.

 Coffey, J. H., & Horner, R. H. (2012). The sustainability of schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports.
Exceptional Children, 78 (4), 407-422.
 Fuess Jr., S. M., & Mitchell, N. D. (2011). General education reform: Opportunities for institutional alignment.
JGE: The Journal of General Education, 60 (1), 1-15.
 Glickman, C. D., Gordon, S. P., and Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2010). Supervision and instructional leadership: A developmental approach . Boston, Massachusetts:
Allyn & Bacon.
 Harris, S., Lowery-Moore, H., and Farrow, V. (2008). Extending transfer of learning theory to transformative learning theory: A model for promoting teacher leadership. Theory into Practice , 47 (4), 318-326.

 Moran, A. (2012). Crises as catalysts for change: Re-energising teacher education in
Northern Ireland.
Educational Research, 54 (2), 137-147. doi:
10.1080/00131881.2012.680039
 Silva, D., & Dana, N. (2001). Collaborative supervision in the professional development school. Journal of Curriculum & Supervision , 16 (4), 305-321.
 Stiggins, R., and Chappuis , S. (2005). Putting testing in perspective; It’s for learning.
Principal Leadership, 6 (2), 16-20.