From Needs Assessment to Action Planning

1. From Needs Assessment to Action Planning 2019 Institute for New Faculty Developers at UNC Greensboro Thursday, August 1, 10:45 am – noon Cassandra Volpe Horii, PhDcvh@caltech.edu

2. Definitions & Workshop Outcomes Needs Assessment: A systematic process for determining needs, or "gaps," between current and desired conditions • Apply evidence-based needs assessment approaches to your unique context Action Plan: Steps and strategies to be used in service of meeting goal(s), which may emerge from needs assessment • Prepare to move from needs assessment insights to action plans (and actions) with ease In the middle - • Defining goals and outcomes • Assessment and evaluation

3. “Critical engagement requires questioning, forming and challenging opinions, and feeling outrage or inspiration. It is about helping individuals find their voices and learn to trust their instincts. And it is about teaching the value of what [people] know and encouraging them to use their knowledge in the service of their academic, personal, social and political lives.” – Amy Scharf, Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education

4. 1. Opening Reflection PROGRAM or SERVICE CENTER INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE Heuristic adapted from Felten, Little, Ortquist-Ahrens, & Reder, 2013

5. Discussion PROGRAM or SERVICE CENTER INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE Heuristic adapted from Felten, Little, Ortquist-Ahrens, & Reder, 2013

6. 2. Frameworks and Approaches to Needs Assessment Touchstone Story 1: Curry College

7. Curry College Faculty Center Website

8. Individual Faculty; Accreditation Union Negotiations; Collaboration; Trust Seek ExternalFunding Student Data; External Benchmarks Four Rs: Wright, Lohe, Pinder-Grover, and Ortquist-Ahrens, 2018

9. 2009-10 Academic Year: A survey of faculty professional development needs and interests, open focus groups held at multiple campus locations at a variety of times, and extensive discussion with the Excellence in Teaching Committee shaped ideas for a proposal to the Davis Educational Foundation to help start a Faculty Center. Summer and Fall, 2010: Grant proposal was prepared and submitted in late September 2010. The grant proposal was shared and discussed with the Excellence in Teaching Committee again. October 2010: Davis Educational Foundation conducted a site visit, including input from co-chair of the Excellence in Teaching Committee. December 2010: Grant was awarded and announced to the Curry College community. January 2011: Renovation plans were started, involving the Dean’s Office, Buildings and Grounds, and Finance. Grant materials were made available on the Faculty Portal and by email on request. February 2011: Excellence in Teaching hosted a lunch discussion about ideas for the Faculty Center. Participants responded to preliminary plans—for faculty positions, space, and programs. A summary was shared by email and online, inviting further input. This helped shape the specific call for interest in the Faculty Coordinator position. March 2011: All members of Faculty Standing Committees on Excellence in Teaching, Educational Technology, and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee were invited to participate on the selection committee. All who desired to participate did so...

10. 2. Frameworks and Approaches to Needs Assessment Touchstone Story 2: Caltech

11. Caltech Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach Website

12. Teaching Quality; Research Grants Skepticism; Close community; High-functioning/ time efficient Minimal Infrastructure Recent Needs Assessment for Outreach Four Rs: Wright, Lohe, Pinder-Grover, and Ortquist-Ahrens, 2018

13. Quick start! (within about a month of arriving) Initial goals: A.Offer focused programs and services that increase faculty, TA, and student experience with innovative and effective teaching and learning methods. B.Shape the specific mission, programs, timeline, and operational plans for the new center, with broad-based input from faculty, TAs, students, and staff.

14. Parallel Tracks IMMEDIATE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Facilitate access: –Start-up website Enhance existing programs: –New faculty workshop(s). –Provost’s Innovation in Education projects.–TA orientation, development, and resources.–Course ombuds and peer tutors. Plan major events: –Divisional forums. –Caltech-wide events. Promote mid-quarter feedback on teaching: –New resources & workshop(s). NEEDS ASSESSMENT & PLANNING Consult with faculty: –Methods, courses, curricula, innovations, grant proposals. –Training & specialized workshops for their teaching staff (TAs, others). Expand TA professional development: –Explore needs for group TA training and practice teaching for selected courses; other advanced topics. Support student learning: –Evaluate needs for additional programming on student learning challenges and techniques, diversity in the classroom, oral presentation, public speaking... Support K-12 Educational Outreach: –Define, advertise, and hire a dedicated educational outreach coordinator.

15. Relational: Needs Assessment Interviews • Brief discussion/introductions - CTLs, Process at Caltech; Initial Goals • What is most important, valued, or unique about teaching and learning at Caltech? • What is most challenging or problematic about teaching and learning at Caltech? • How would you want teaching and learning to be different at Caltech, if at all? • How would you like the new Caltech center for teaching & learning to make a difference for (or how would you envision the center serving): FACULTY TAs STUDENTS DEPARTMENTS OTHERS • Are there any colleagues you could suggest for me to meet with, who might share additional ideas and perspectives?

16. 2. Frameworks and Approaches to Needs Assessment The Four Rs: Guiding CTLs with • Responsiveness • Relationships • Resources, and • Research Wright, Lohe, Pinder-Grover, and Ortquist-Ahrens, 2018

17. Communication ←→ Withholding Relational ←→ Detached Prioritization←→Exploration Immediate ←→ Long-term Local ←→ Generalizable Informal ←→ Formal Self report ←→ Direct measure Existing data ←→ New data Internal data ←→ External data Four Rs: Wright, Lohe, Pinder-Grover, and Ortquist-Ahrens, 2018

18. Explore: Immediate ←→ Long-term Local ←→ Generalizable Relational ←→ Detached Prioritization ←→ Exploration Informal ←→ Formal Self report ←→ Direct measure Existing data ←→ New data Internal data ←→ External data

19. Zooming In… NeedsAssessment vs./andResearch Necessary? Desirable? - IRB - Timeline - Pros/Cons Immediate ←→ Long-term Local ←→ Generalizable Relational ←→ Detached Prioritization ←→ Exploration Informal ←→ Formal Self report ←→ Direct measure Existing data ←→ New data Internal data ←→ External data

20. Zooming In… Interpreting surveys Immediate ←→ Long-term Local ←→ Generalizable Relational ←→ Detached Prioritization ←→ Exploration Informal ←→ Formal Self report ←→ Direct measure Existing data ←→ New data Internal data ←→ External data

21. Identifying both high priority and low knowledge: Behar-Horenstein et al. 2014

22. Zooming In… External data / benchmarks Immediate ←→ Long-term Local ←→ Generalizable Relational ←→ Detached Prioritization ←→ Exploration Informal ←→ Formal Self report ←→ Direct measure Existing data ←→ New data Internal data ←→ External data

23. External Frameworks: Educational Development Faculty Development Instructional Development Organizational Development current + future individuals cohorts courses curricula student learning structures systems leadership podnetwork.org/about-us/what-is-educational-development

24. External Frameworks

25. External Frameworks

26. 2016 External Data Please indicate the three primary purposes that guide your program (% of respondents who listed each in top 3)

27. External Data HERI: Eagan et al. 2016

28. External “Curriculum” Principle 1: Establish and support a class climate that fosters belonging for all students. Principle 2: Set explicit student expectations. Principle 3: Select course content that recognizes diversity and acknowledges barriers to inclusion. Principle 4: Design all course elements for accessibility. Principle 5: Reflect on one’s beliefs about teaching to maximize self-awareness and commitment to inclusion.

29. Discussion:

30. 3. Action Plans Needs Assessment: A systematic process for determining needs, or "gaps," between current and desired conditions Action Plan: Steps and strategies to be used in service of meeting goal(s), which may emerge from needs assessment In the middle - • Defining goals and outcomes • Assessment and evaluation

31. 3. Action Plans Common elements: • Goals & Intended Outcomes • Assessment & Evaluation plan • Sequence of steps and tasks (including contingencies and prerequisites) • Timelines • Assignments (if multiple people are involved) • Approach to coordination and communication

32. 3. Action Plans REALITY CHECKS: • Can the plan be carried out at a high level of quality? • Do you have the time/money/expertise required? • Are too many needs being addressed at once? • Could your action plans exceed the participation capacity or “bandwidth” of your participants?

33. Scenario 1: Program/Service Upper administration views and program data are at odds! - In what way(s) is this scenario a “needs assessment”? - What is important to consider in your action plan? Scenario 2: Center Department chairs are on fire about an idea! Your needs assessment data adds another perspective...- How would you go about action planning in this case? Scenario 3: Institutional Change The president’s priority is not shared by faculty! - What does your action plan need to address in a situation like this?

34. Synthesis and Discussion