Models for Faculty Training in Technology Patricia Ryaby

Models for Faculty Training in Technology Patricia Ryaby Backer Chair, Departments of Aviation & Technology San José State University www. engr. sjsu. edu/pabacker Email: pabacker@email. sjsu. edu Patricia Ryaby Backer

My background • Faculty member in the Department of Technology • “Early adopter”—developed web-based module and two multimedia CDs for current General Education course, Technology & Civilization. These modules are used by all faculty in all sections • Technology faculty-in-residence for AY 19992001 for SJSU’s Center for Faculty Development & Support • Became chair of the Departments of Aviation & Technology in June 2001 Patricia Ryaby Backer

Background: SJSU • SJSU has used many different faculty training models since 1997. • SJSU is an urban university, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. It is part of the Cal. State university system and its primary mission is teaching. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Background: SJSU • Faculty have high teaching loads (generally 4 lecture classes each semester). • Most technological course development is done on top of the regular teaching load. • There are limited funds for summer technology stipends or curriculum development (Learning Productivity Program grants) Patricia Ryaby Backer

Models • First training was funded by MASTEP, a NSF-funded project to improve science and math education in the San Francisco Bay Area. http: //www. mastep. sjsu. edu • Training model was extended to SJSU in Fall 1999. Funded by SJSU Center for Faculty Development & Support, http: //cfds. sjsu. edu/ Patricia Ryaby Backer

First Year MASTEP Workshop Model (Summer 1997) • Attendees: CC and university instructors in science and math • Format: One week beginner's workshop & Three week advanced workshop • Two sessions Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 1: MASTEP Workshop Model (Summer 1997) • Workshop participation in the “basic” workshop ranged from 15 to 25 attendees. • Attendance in the “advanced” workshops was much lower and ranged from 4 to 10 daily. • The “basic” workshops were very structured and introductory in nature while the “advanced” workshops were project-oriented and open-ended in format. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Results • Lack of appreciation for the complex nature of multimedia software and hardware. Participants came into the advanced workshops with the expectation that they could create "plug and play" products. • Resistance from participants to active learning (participation and creation). Many faculty assumed the workshop would have a traditional "chalk and talk" format. • Lack of Skills: Many participants had few computer skills. • Lack of Time: Many participants did not devote enough time and energy to the workshops since they were not compensated in monetary terms. Attendance and attrition during the advanced workshops was a problem. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Year 1 Examples • Hands-on Math -- A teaching/learning module for elementary mathematics education students • RUReady -- A jeopardy-based game for mathematics review in high school • Bayland Web -- A presentation for 4 rth grade students Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 2 A: MASTEP Workshop Model (Summer 1998) • Attendees: K-12, CC, and university instructors in science and math • Format: Divided into four one week sessions. 12 faculty participated in June 1998 higher education workshop. – Week 1: Focused on a pedagogical and philosophical introduction to the use of computers and education. – Week 2: Development of desktop multimedia for the classroom. – Week 3: Development of WWW materials. – Week 4: Special projects. • Week 1 was mandatory for all participants, Weeks 2 -4 were optional Patricia Ryaby Backer

Results • Participant feedback: The participants felt the best aspects of this workshop were the emphasis on and time for hands-on experience, the tutorials, the excellence of resources, and the staff technical knowledge. • Instructor feedback: Most of the faculty had highly defined, preconceived ideas of what they wanted to do. In many ways, students were resistant to any suggestion or teaching that did not fit into their paradigm. • Outcomes: The higher education instructors completed two multimedia and two web projects during the workshop time but these projects varied considerably in the degree to which they incorporated design principles and features. Several HE faculty were resistant to learning. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Examples • Kurt Mc. Mullin's WWW page – Summer 1998 version – Online course CE 265 Fall 1999 • Buff Furman's WWW page – Summer 1998 version – ME 106 Fundamentals of Mechatronics Fall 2001 version Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 2 B: MASTEP Workshop Model (Summer 1998) • Attendees: K-12 teachers in science and math • Format: Divided into four one week sessions. Nine K-12 teachers participated in July 1998 – Week 1 -3: Same as June. – Week 4: The students were paired up and produced two sets of teaching modules. • All four weeks were mandatory Patricia Ryaby Backer

Results • Resistance at first. The teachers expected that the workshops would follow a "chalk and talk" format. In addition, the teachers were dismayed that they had to actively learn and produce tangible products. • High Motivation. These participants received college credit, monetary compensation and the promise of a multimedia station at their school sites upon successful completion of the workshops. • High Level of Compliance. The K-12 teachers were required to produce specific multimedia project outcomes in Weeks 2 and 3 and group-designed activities in week 4. All but one completed the 4 -week session. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Outcomes • Week 2: Each K-12 instructor was required to design a interactive, non-tutorial, multimedia mini-lesson in math or science using Authorware or Power. Point. – Misconceptions in Science A presentation/example for high school students – A Powerpoint presentation on DNA (grades 1112), created by Maria Abilock, Andrew Hill School Patricia Ryaby Backer

Outcomes • Week 3: The basic requirements for the minilesson were the same but the multimedia projects were designed using Adobe Pagemill. – A photo essay on the desert, created by Myra Flagg, Russell Middle School – The Food Web Game A biology classification game for a high school integrated science class • Week 4: The participants were divided into collaborative pairs to devise eight studentcentered learning activities for use in the math & science clubs. Patricia Ryaby Backer

In-between activities • Spring 1997, 1998, 1999 – I taught a class in multimedia development for my department. Many instructional changes were piloted in these classes • Fulbright in Peru, Fall 1997 – to train faculty in the use of multimedia and the web. – I went to nine universities, and two secondary schools for approximately one week each. In addition, I did a four day workshop for the Ministry of Education for 75 students, divided into a morning session and an afternoon session. – Each university decided on the format for its week. This led me to develop an entire series of tutorials and materials for learning multimedia. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Observations from Year 1 and 2 • In 1997 and 1998, the workshop time commitment was too great for most faculty. • Extending training to mainstream faculty rather than just serving the pool of “early adopters. ” • This led to a change to a topic-specific training model with short one to four day training sessions • Each topic specific workshop required that a mini project be completed after initial tutorials. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 3: Short, focused workshops • Summer 1999 (MASTEP). Three topic-specific workshops: Basics of HTML, Premiere, and Authorware • Fall 1999 (SJSU). Eight 2 -3 hour workshops for faculty • Summer 2000 (MASTEP). Three topic-specific workshops: Evaluating WWW Materials for the Classroom, Basics of networking, and Developing a Web Site Patricia Ryaby Backer

Fall 1999 Workshops Three activities • Two to three hour workshops held at CFDS • Portfolio Series -- Open lab at the Alquist Center • Specially designed on-site workshops based upon departmental needs Observations: • The best attended were workshops offered at the beginning of the semester or those that were introductory or narrowly focused on a particular software application. • Portfolio Series underutilized by faculty • On-site workshops popular and well-attended Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 4: Workshop Series • Spring 2000 (SJSU). Faculty received release time to complete a workshop series. Six groups who attended 5 -6 workshops and completed a project. http: //www. engr. sjsu. edu/pabacker/Workshops. htm • Faculty had to commit to developing a technology-based project Patricia Ryaby Backer

Spring 2000 Workshops • Three different series (2 cohorts in each series) – Basic Multimedia and Web Design – Advanced Multimedia – Web CT • Enrollment extended to additional faculty w/o release time. These faculty received a stipend. Patricia Ryaby Backer

Observations • Enrollments quickly filled with faculty on waiting lists. • Attendance excellent due to specified expectations. • Compliance with requirements high • However, the amount of projects finished by Fall 2000 low • Conclusion: Even with release time, faculty did not have the time to finish their projects during the academic year Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 5: Week long workshop • Summer 2000, CFDS offered two one-day introductory workshops (total enrollment 21 faculty) and a one-week session in August that enrolled ten faculty members. • Nine of the ten faculty members in the August workshop successfully completed their web-based projects by the end of the week Patricia Ryaby Backer

Model 5 B: 2+5 day workshop • Two-day introductory workshop followed by a fiveday advanced workshop. They also had to present their project at a Technology Open House. • The faculty were split into platforms: Mac or PC. • Thirty-two faculty completed the workshop series in Summer 2001 (23 have completed all requirements) The projects completed by faculty in the Summer 2001 workshops are linked to the following page: http: //www. mastep. sjsu. edu/Alquist/Summer 2001/faculty_web_page s. htm Patricia Ryaby Backer

Examples • Stephanie Coopman, online class (Sp 00), http: //online. sjsu. edu/COMM 110/ • Prof. Lee Bernstein, Department of Humanities, (Summer 00) http: //www. sjsu. edu/faculty/lbernstein/hum 190. html • Gregory L. Young (Summer 00), http: //www. engr. sjsu. edu/glyoung/ • Bo Mou’s homepage (Summer 01), http: //cfds. sjsu. edu/workshop/june-04 -01/Bo_Mou/ All faculty work from Summer 2001 can be viewed at: http: //www. mastep. sjsu. edu/Alquist/Summer 2001/faculty_web_pages. htm Patricia Ryaby Backer

Reflections • The use of technology is spreading slowly throughout SJSU • Only a small percent of FTF use the CFDS (out of approximately 1000 FTF at SJSU) • Need to develop further outreach for faculty Patricia Ryaby Backer

Current training at SJSU • AY – Technology “brown bags” – Short, targeted workshops • • Web. CT Basic desktop multimedia (Powerpoint, Excel, Photoshop) Introductory Web design Intermediate Web design – Limited consultation by CFDS staff • Summer Patricia Ryaby Backer

Patricia Ryaby Backer Chair, Departments of Aviation & Technology San José State University www. engr. sjsu. edu/pabacker Email: pabacker@email. sjsu. edu Patricia Ryaby Backer