Promoting Learner Success Through Ongoing Facilitator Professional Development

Vicky Zygouris-Coe, Ph.D., Principal InvestigatorFlorida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD)

University of Central Floridavzygouri@mail.ucf.edu

Candace Whitehead, M.A., Facilitator Support Specialist Florida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD)

University of Central Floridacgwhiteh@mail.ucf.edu

A presentation given at the 15th Annual SLOAN-C International Conference on Online Learning, October 28-30, Orlando, Florida.

What is FOR-PD?

Need for Quality Online Facilitation

Facilitator Selection Process

Retention of Facilitators

Mentoring of Facilitators

Monitoring of Facilitation Success

Lessons Learned

Advanced Organizer

History The project was developed and is housed at the University of Central Florida

(UCF) Funded by the Florida DOE Just Read, Florida! Initiative and launched in January,

2003. FOR-PD was developed collaboratively with

literacy and technology experts, school districts, professional organizations, and teacher educators across the state of Florida.

The free 14-week online course is facilitated by reading specialists (who are selected through an application process and are trained to facilitate online via a 7-week online course) and other well-qualified educators.

The project is a highly-collaborative endeavor. FOR-PD works with 67 Florida districts, 5 universities, and more recently, 6 Community College Educator Preparation Institutes (EPIs).

FOR-PD’s Need for Quality Facilitation

FOR-PD Course

100 + Sections each semester

100 + facilitators impacting 2000 + teachers per semester

6000 + teachers impacting 120,000 + students minimum annually!

Success for

Florida’s Students

1. RecruitingThrough districts,

participation in the FOR-PD course and

other facilitators.

3. TrainingBy experienced facilitators in an initial

seven-week training course.

2. SelectingThrough an application process proving they have an established knowledge of

literacy and a literacy leader background.

4. Sustaining With multiple

layers of support

including:Mentoring Ongoing

professional developmentSpecialized FOR-PD staff

FOR-PD’s Process for Selecting and

Retaining Facilitators

Recruiting FOR-PD’s Facilitators come to us by various means.

Districts recommend those people on their staff they see as leaders in the field of literacy.

Many participants who see the importance of the course and the difference it made in their own instruction apply to facilitate.

Current facilitators recommend their top participants or other teachers they know who excel in their knowledge of literacy.

Application Process Some of the requirements for becoming a FOR-PD online

Literacy Coach are as follows:

Three years of teaching experience Proof of advanced knowledge of researched based reading

strategies Master’s Degree in reading (or related field), or a Bachelor's

Degree plus completion of the Reading Endorsement, or currently in a position as a Reading Coach or Curriculum Coach.

Successful completion of the FOR-PD course. Identified as a Literacy Leader

http://forpd.ucf.edu/facilitators/requirements.html

Facilitator Division

1

• Facilitator Support Specialist

2

• Facilitator Leaders

3• Facilitators

FOR-PD Facilitators

Recruited: Through districts, participation in the FOR-PD

course, and other facilitators.

Selected: Through an application process proving they have

a literacy background and an established knowledge of the research, components, processes, and strategies needed to successfully support learners in the reading process.

Initial Training Once chosen applicants must successfully

complete a seven week training course which is taught by a seasoned and successful facilitator.

The course covers the following types of information: The benefits and challenges of online staff

development.

Tips and techniques for online facilitation.

Course management system tools.

Online communication and community building.

Sustaining Facilitators

Mentoring

Ongoing Professional Development

Multilayered System of support

Specialized FOR-PD Staff

Mentoring

From the beginning, new facilitators are paired with a seasoned Facilitator Leader. Mentors provide the following support: Available daily to new facilitators to review

work, work, celebrate accomplishments , and make recommendations.

Keep the FOR-PD office informed of facilitator progress.

Make suggestions for needed professional development for new facilitators.

Ongoing Professional Development FOR-PD offers a variety of professional development

opportunities every semester. The goal is to increase and enhance facilitators’ skill to ensure participants’ success.

• Professional development is offered ion the following topics:• Online Teaching Presence• Facilitating the FOR-PD Content• Personalizing the FOR-PD Course• Facilitating Community• Managing Time and Information

• Professional development is offered in the following formats (synchronous (using ADOBE CONNECT) and asynchronous):

• Self contained two-and four-week courses.• Small group discussions.• Content chats.• Monthly resources in the E-Newsletter.

Specialized FOR-PD Staff

Facilitator Support Specialist Facilitator Leaders Reading Specialist Help Desk

Facilitator Leaders

The Facilitator Leaders

Retention of Quality Online Facilitators

Monitor Online Facilitation Progress

Facilitator Leaders’ Tasks

Facilitation of initial training and professional development courses.

Mentoring and progress monitoring.

Providing facilitation leadership – setting the example.

Contributing to the online facilitator learning community.

Running chats, discussions, offering feedback to facilitator division development.

Facilitator Leaders Tasks’, contd.

Provide expert feedback on course content and assignments.

Review of training and professional development courses.

Assist in writing content when needed.

Identification of areas of need both with facilitators and courses. Evaluate facilitator training.Monitor the facilitator discussion board and provide feedback on: facilitator participation, concerns, and celebrations.

SupportFacilitator Manual

FFF e-Newsletter

Facilitator Professional

Learning Community

Tutorials

Quality Assurance

Checks (QACs)

Facilitator & Content Chats

Carefully Designed Policies

Compensation

Lessons Learned The facilitator as the catalyst for participant

satisfaction and success. Facilitator knowledge of content. Facilitator knowledge of technology. Facilitator knowledge of andragogy and

participant needs. Facilitation of content. Support, accessibility. Online community.

Lessons Learned, cont’d. Invest in Facilitator professional

development. Invest in ongoing evaluation of efforts. Listen to, and incorporate, facilitator

feedback. Empower facilitators and participants to

succeed. Provide mentoring to facilitators.

Next Steps

Create a repository of available resources, tools, and support for all facilitators.

Expand the utilization of technology to facilitate mote facilitator-participant interactions.

Provide differentiated PD for facilitators (e.g., novice, experts).

Develop short “PD treatments” to zoom into key online facilitation issues—for example: Learning effectiveness, teaching presence, student

satisfaction, time management.

Questions?

Thank you for attending our session! vzygouri@mail.ucf.edu

cgwhiteh@mail.ucf.edu

Visit the FOR-PD website at:

http://forpd.ucf.edu