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Transcript of Faculty Support
Faculty Support
Effectively Integrating Educational Technology
Mary McCollam & Andy Leger
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
Overview
• The Learning Technology Faculty Associates (LTFA) model
• Three surveys on faculty’s use of and attitudes towards educational technology at Queen’s
• Faculty support: ideas & examples
The Learning Technology Faculty Associates
Getting faculty involved in faculty support
Fostering the effective use of technology in teaching and learning
Requirements for Success
• Ongoing Guidance and Vision– Team includes a director or manager from
each of IDC, LTU, and QUL
• Sufficient Funding– Low Funding Limits Pool of Potential
Faculty (no LTFAs from Medicine or School of Business)
• Recognition for Faculty who Participate
Activities of the LTFAs
• Organizing Events– Workshops, Presentations, Coffee Hours,
Teaching Forums
• Overseeing Learning Technology Teams• Fostering Inter-University Connections and
Collaboration• Gaining Top-Down Support from
Administration• Assessing Faculty’s Needs and attitudes with
regard to Educational Technology
Faculty Surveys
Purpose:
To assess Faculty’s• Use of,• Attitudes towards, and• Barriers to the use of educational
technology
Three Surveys
• 1998 – 37 interviews with a select group of faculty who had an interest and knowledge of educational technology
• 2000 – A questionnaire to all faculty regarding their use and attitudes
• 2002 – An on-line questionnaire to all faculty regarding their use and attitudes
A Comparison of Two Surveys
2000Type: paper
(on-line option)
Questions: 43 (likert scale)
Plus 2 open ended
Timing: Aug. – Sept.
Respondents: 245
2002
on-line
samePlus 3 open ended
Nov. – Feb.
170
2000 Survey
• Most agree technology:– Could be useful in their own course– Offers efficiencies in course delivery and
administration– Has the potential to improve student learning– May radically change the way we teach and learn– Provides more opportunities for student interaction– Makes teaching more interesting– Takes too much time to learn
2000 Survey
• Most disagree technology:– Is not worth using until it gets easier and
takes less time– Isolates students and decreases
communication
2000 Survey
• Most are divided or uncertain whether:– Students prefer more traditional methods– Technology is only useful in some courses– Value of technology has yet to be proven– Students prefer to learn with technology
Attitudes About Value
The value of educational technology has yet to be proven
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2000 2002
Attitudes About Value
Educational technology may radically change the way we teach and learn
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Per
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2000 2002
Attitudes About Value
Educational technology is not worth using until it becomes easier and takes less time
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Per
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2000 2002
Attitudes About Learning
There is not enough known about which educational technology improves student learning
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2000 2002
Attitudes About Students
Students prefer to learn by traditional teaching methods
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2000 2002
Barriers to Use
Educational technology takes too much time to set up before class
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2000 2002
Barriers to Use
I do not have access to classrooms with educational technology
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2000 2002
Open-Ended Questions
If you use educational technology, why do you use it?
If you do not use educational technology why don’t you use it?
What is needed at Queen’s to help support faculty use of educational technology? (2002 only)
Why Technology is Used
• Disseminating course-related information
• Preparing and presenting lectures
• Reach more students in more ways
• Saving time
• Outside pressures
Why Technology is Not Used
• Not enough time
• Not enough support
• Doesn’t improve teaching and learning
• Not recognized or required
What Faculty Need
• Time
• Role models
• Recognition
• Wired classrooms
• Support– Technical– Pedagogical
Survey Results
• Faculty appear to have a greater understanding of the role and value of educational technology in their courses
• There are less concerns regarding access to and time to set-up equipment
Survey Results
However, the greatest deterrents to the use of educational technology remain:
1. the lack of time to learn and use educational technology.
2. the lack of recognition.3. the lack of knowledge of how best to use
the available technology to promote learning.
Using the Survey Results
• Ideas for Faculty Workshops and Events
• Ideas for Supporting Faculty in the Development of Specific Projects
Using the Survey Results
• Primary barrier cited in all three surveys: Lack of Time
• What faculty would like in workshops (2002 survey): – How to use educational technology effectively– Good ideas for use that are practical– Case studies and examples of how educational
technology is being used effectively– Results of studies on what’s effective
Design of Workshops & Events
Take known teaching goals and discuss and present good, practical ideas, case studies and examples of how to use educational technology effectively to achieve those goals.
Design of Workshops & Events
Goal: Increase student engagement and interaction.
Example Solution: Jeopardy (and other games)
Design of Workshops & Events
Goal: Get students thinking critically about their own learning.
Example Solution: Have students develop the questions for a Jeopardy game.
Further, tell them that if their questions are good, 20-30% of the midterm will be these same questions.
Design of Workshops & Events
Goal: Get feedback from students in a large class.
Example Solution: Use FAST (Free Assessment Summary Tool)
FAST (Free Assessment Summary Tool)http://www.getfast.ca/
Workshop Design Ideas
• Focus events around a theme for the year– 2002-2003 theme: “Building Learning
Communities in Large Classes”
• Design workshop and advertising around key goals and concerns
Life-Savers for Large Classes: Jeopardy, Jigsaws, and Jpegs
Morning: Bridging the Communication GapPractical Tips for:
· Connecting with Your Students· Connecting Your Students with Each Other· Using TAs Effectively· Giving and Getting Feedback· Communicating with Students without Being Deluged· Building a Sense of Community· Deciding Which Practical Tips are Right for You
Afternoon: Guiding Student Collaboration
New Ways to:· Engage Students· Manage Workload· Actively Involve Students in Learning· Enhance Critical Thinking Skills· Teach Students to Teach Each Other· Get Students to Take Responsibility for Their Own Learning
Workshop Design Ideas
• Ensure that faculty experience what is being shown
• Provide practical, useful handouts, including ones showing the results of studies on the effectiveness of educational technology
• Make things interesting, useful, and fun!– Educational Technology Bazaar
Educational Technology Bazaar
1. Using a SmartBoard for Problem-Based Learning
2. Creative Uses of PowerPoint Beyond Lectures
3. Creating a Word Table of Student Photos to Post on a Web Page
4. Library and Web Resources: Photo Archives, Virtual Field Trips, Learning Objects, Videos
Less Than Successful Efforts
• Coffee Hour Discussions– Intent: Informal discussions on teaching
with educational technology
• Three- and Four-Day Sessions – Intent: Build an actual learning community
of the participants and give a holistic view showing the interlinking of ideas
Future Plans
• A series of half-day workshops with lunch
• Award an “Educational Technology Certificate” for completing the series
• A Faculty “Show and Tell” day in December with other universities
LTFA Web Pagehttp://www.its.queensu.ca/ltfa/
Publications and Reports, including surveys, Jeopardy template, FAST info
Resources: Teaching More Students with Fewer Resources: Can Technology Help?
Video we made: Educational Technology at Queen’s
Notices of activities and events
Advantages for the University
• Four Faculty for the Price of One– Course buyout or stipend for each term– Work equivalent to one course
• Faculty From Diverse Disciplines• Natural Turnover in Group
– Influx of new ideas and energy– Ideas and knowledge going back to
departments
Advantages for the LTFAs
• Interesting work• Sharing ideas with faculty in other
disciplines• Learning more about educational
technologies• Course buyout or stipend
– Time or money (what everyone needs!)
• Addition to CV
FAST (Free Assessment Summary Tool)http://www.getfast.ca/
FAST (Free Assessment Summary Tool)http://www.getfast.ca/
Attitudes About Value
Educational technology makes teaching more interesting
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10
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60
Per
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t A
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EE
2000 2002
Attitudes About Learning
Educational technology has the potential to improve student learning
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10
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40
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70
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Per
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t A
GR
EE
2000 2002
Attitudes About Students
Educational technology has the potential to improve student interaction
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10
20
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60
Per
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t A
GR
EE
2000 2002
Barriers to Use
Educational technology takes too much time to learn
05
101520253035404550
Per
cen
t A
GR
EE
2000 2002
Survey Results
• Paper survey received a better response
• Timing of the first survey was better
• The number and type of questions appeared to be adequate to determine how faculty feel about educational technology