A “Preparing Future Faculty” Presentation September 24, 2010

Faculty Communities of Inquiry A “Preparing Future Faculty” PresentationSeptember 24, 2010 Suely Black, Ph.D., smblack@nsu.edu Department of Chemistry, Norfolk State University Enrique G. Zapatero, Ph.D., egzapatero@nsu.edu Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, Learning, and Advising (CETLA) at Norfolk State University

Vision • The vision of the NSU Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, Learning, and Advising (CETLA) is to become a catalyst in the continuous process of developing and disseminating effective innovations in learning, teaching, and advising students. • In the process, CETLA will positively affect student learning outcomes, as well as persistence, retention, and graduation rates.

Communities of Inquiry • Communities of Inquiry (CoI) contribute to the process of collaborative, synergistic learning that occurs when faculty and staff who have a common interest in some subject or problem form an interdisciplinary team of 5-10 members • They engage in a structured year-long program to share ideas, pool intellectual resources, find solutions, and build pedagogical innovations, thus supporting student learning and development. • The purpose of the R.E.A.S.O.N. CoI program is to provide a collegial and engaging forum for faculty across disciplines to identify, study, share, discuss, design, and implement innovative pedagogical and assessment concepts, contexts, applications, and techniques related to developing critical thinking skills in students.

2009-2010 Communities of Inquiry • Active and Collaborative Learning Pedagogies to Promote Development of Critical Thinking Skills. • Information Literacy as a Foundation for Developing Critical Thinking Skills. • Innovative Critical Thinking Assessment Approaches and Tools.

2009-2010 Communities of Inquiry cont. • Living & Learning Communities to Promote Integrative Learning and Development of Critical Thinking Skills. • Service-Learning Projects to Facilitate Development of Critical Thinking Skills.

Expectations for Individual Members • Each member is expected to undertake a project in which one of their courses is modified in ways that help students reach some of the R.E.A.S.O.N. learning outcomes. The impact of this modification is then assessed. • Each member is expected to reflect critically on the implemented project and submit a five-page report by the end of the semester.

Expectations for Individual Members cont. • Report Format: • Brief description of the project. • Evidence of the impact of the implemented innovation on student learning and development • Original and revised syllabi (Attachment)

Expectations for Individual Members cont. • Each member is expected to participate in at least one Critical thinking Assessment Test (CAT) grading session. • Each member is expected to complete four surveys: • CoI Goals Inventory; • Faculty Survey of High-Impact Practices in College Teaching and Learning; • Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE); • CoI Learning Outcomes Survey.

Expectations for Individual Members cont. • Each member is expected to attend at least: • one web-based seminar facilitated by CETLA, and • one workshop facilitated by CETLA and/or the QEP Committee.

Lessons Learned • Dr. Suely Black was a member of the Spring 2010 Active and Collaborative Learning Pedagogies to Promote Development of Critical Thinking Skills Community of Inquiry.

Learning How to Teach (in a Group) • My experience last spring • “Active and Collaborative Learning CoI” • Novices and seasoned practitioners • Discussions on practices, implementation, results • Based on the literature (breadth) and personal experiences (depth, interaction) • Implemented recommendations in Physical Science literacy course

Collaborative Learning • Means • Value teamwork • Interdependence in learning • Appreciation of and joining in multiple perspectives • Objectives • Greater engagement in learning • Preparation for after graduation

Collaborative Learning Practices • Structured CL Activity Examples • Group icebreakers to uncover pre-existing knowledge and biases in subject matter • Work in groups to solve a complex problem that involves multiple input • Read a case study and as a group write a response

Structured CL Activity Example • Let’s do it • 2 minutes – always time it! • Turn to your 2 closest neighbors, introduce yourself (name, degree program), and say one sentence on your understanding of collaborative learning. • In a classroom setting, you would organize groups, provide some input, and request a formal group output.

Collaborative Learning Practices • Unstructured CL Activity Example • Take turns with your neighbor naming the SI base units (something short and very relevant). • Give students a problem to solve, then ask them to write a similar one to trade with a classmate to solve. • Use clickers to collect responses, followed by students discussing their answers, and answering again.

Collaborative Learning Practices • Let’s do it • Don’t say anything yet… just consider it… • Collaborative learning will take too much time, and won’t allow to cover all the course content • When I raise my hands, you raise your • Right hand, if you agree with the statement • Left hand, if you disagree with the statement • Turn to your neighbors and discuss why you agree or disagree (2 minutes)

How Easy is It? • It is fun, effective, but takes investing • Be a life-long learner • Join a learning-practicing community • Do not get discouraged, but use your experience to improve the practice • Isn’t it wonderful that we will always have another class to teach?

Questions & Answers Thank you for your attention.

A “Preparing Future Faculty” Presentation September 24, 2010