Abstract
Similar to faculty development offerings at other North American post-secondary institutions, the University of Alberta has delivered orientations and short programs that primarily focus on teaching techniques. While this type of professional development is an important element of enhancing teaching, the literature stresses the need for learning opportunities that encourage reflection as well as time for practice and experimentation. Building upon programs and services already in existence, and in alignment with the University of Alberta’s new vision, a formally structured teaching program called the new professor Teaching program was developed and piloted with faculty. The purpose of the program was to engage new professors in the understanding of the academic scholarship of teaching and provide a supported environment for innovation in their teaching. A research study was undertaken to understand how this new program engaged newly hired faculty in reflection and stimulated inquiry about their teaching. The findings of the data collected from the participants indicated that the program was a success and of value. All participants remarked that the program was helpful in developing their teaching repertoire and extending their knowledge of how to become effective teachers.
Highlights
[teaching in higher education] has been a part of the [academic’s] professional role that has relied on passive socialization, on tacit knowledge, and on the benignly collegial assumptions of competence.Ramsden, 2003, p. xi 145Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching Vol IIIn today’s academic world, university administrators need to ensure that quality educational experiences are provided to all students enrolled at their institutions
The data collected from the participants indicated that their involvement in the new professor Teaching program (npTp) caused them to reflect upon their practice and stimulated further inquiry about their teaching
It was clear that the participants welcomed their role in the npTp and thought that the program contributed to their development as a new faculty member
Summary
[teaching in higher education] has been a part of the [academic’s] professional role that has relied on passive socialization, on tacit knowledge, and on the benignly collegial assumptions of competence.Ramsden, 2003, p. xi 145Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching Vol IIIn today’s academic world, university administrators need to ensure that quality educational experiences are provided to all students enrolled at their institutions. The pressures of publish or perish placed on faculty members (Booth, 2004; DeRond & Miller, 2005) at large research intensive universities and the expectations to provide quality learning experiences can create a unique tension. This can be so when, either institutions or even faculty members regard the conducting of research as more important or prestigious than the teaching of courses (Booth, 2004). It could be argued that institutions need to re-address the imbalance of importance placed on research and teaching and provide greater support for new faculty in order to develop an understanding of how to effectively deliver course content that enhances student learning opportunities
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