Faculty, staff development key for our transformation

Faculty and staff development is an important part of the Polytechnic initiative. I would like to review a few important concepts related to faculty and staff development, a plan for which is currently being created and will be shared with everyone in the college in a few weeks. 

A 2012 report (PDF) by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Engage to Excel, sizes up the issue in this way:

Traditional teaching methods have trained many STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] professionals, including most of the current STEM workforce. But a large and growing body of research indicates that STEM education can be substantially improved through a diversification of teaching methods. These data show that evidence-based teaching methods are more effective in reaching all students — especially the “underrepresented majority” — the women and members of minority groups who now constitute approximately 70% of college students. (p. i)

I agree wholeheartedly with the National Research Council, whose recent book, Reaching Students, highlights what we are trying to do in the college: "To learn science and engineering well at the undergraduate level, students must understand in depth the fundamental concepts of a discipline. They must develop skills in solving problems and working with the tools of science and be able to apply these skills to new and somewhat different tasks. They must understand the nature and practices of science or engineering and be able to critically evaluate information." (Reaching Students: What Research Says About Effective Instruction in Undergraduate Science and Engineering can be read in full online or downloaded as a PDF for free.).

We can learn from others across the country who have undertaken the task and provided great lessons for our professors. Scott Freeman, a lecturer at the University of Washington who is featured in Reaching Students, didn't revamp an entire course all at once; he started with modest changes. Other points Freeman learned that were particularly telling to me, as outlined in the book, include:

  • The later, more highly structured version of his course shifted more responsibility to the students to learn basic content and vocabulary outside of class through assigned reading, quizzes, and practice exams. This partly addresses a common concern among instructors that if they increase student interaction, they will not be able to cover important content. Just because content is covered does not mean students will learn it.
  • Even in a class of up to 700 students taught in a traditional lecture hall, it is possible to reduce lectures to a minimum and shift the instructor’s role from delivering information to guiding student learning. Rather than directly telling students who are stuck on a problem what to do, the instructor asks probing questions that nudge students to think in a different direction.
  • Simply injecting clicker questions into a lecture does not mean an instructor is implementing a research-based practice. It matters a great deal whether the questions are appropriate in their level of difficulty, address common student misconceptions, are nested within a larger research-based course design, and, most importantly, are presented in a format that allows students to discuss their ideas with their peers.

There is a need for deep learning, mentorship, and continuous improvement of our faculty and staff to prepare them for the changes we expect for the transformation of the college. We should set a goal to have all faculty and staff go through this development plan over the next two years. This comprehensive effort, with a leader assigned, will be well resourced. 

For our purposes the college needs a two-step approach for faculty and staff development:

  • An explanation of why we are transforming the undergraduate learning experience through a review of evidence-based research that backs up the success of teaching and learning methodologies we are advocating.
  • Teaching preparation that prepares faculty for the changed classroom and learning environment we are advocating. 

These are exciting times for the college, and faculty and staff professional development play a critical role in our success – stay tuned for more details!

About The Author

Gary Bertoline's picture
Gary R. Bertoline is Dean of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology, and a Professor of Computer & Information Technology. Prior to becoming dean, he served as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Technology. From 1995 through 2002, Gary served as Department Head of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University.