Providing ongoing just in time professional development in engineering education

Abstract

[Abstract]: Academics who respond to demands for more collaborative teaching practices do so because they place value on the student experience, scholarship and learning. Unfortunately, a barrier to this change is developing skills across the teaching team. Differences in philosophy, practice and personality can have major impacts on the learning experience. In particular it is important that tutors, the front line troops of teaching and the ones that students often relate to most, understand the approach being taken in the course, especially if it is an innovative one. Even where tutors may be experienced academics in their own right, they may not fully understand the rationale and methods being employed and may need skill development. Professional development for staff in practical learning and teaching initiatives is often overlooked by universities. However, it is vital for staff to engage in new learning and teaching practices and for these practices to be sustainable at the Faculty and University level. This paper reports a professional development program for staff in a Faculty of Engineering engaging in cooperative and collaborative classroom activities. Beginning with a one day workshop to enhance staff skills and confidence in engaging students in team based learning activities both in face-to-face and online modes, it also is developing an ongoing monitoring and evaluation framework. This framework allows for regular capture of information about the effectiveness of the course and allows for timely responses to emerging issues and provides a model that can be adapted to many educational initiatives.