Wageeh Boles National Teaching Fellow ALTF Forum Presentation – June 2013 ALTF Forum Presentation – June 2013 Support for the fellowship has been provided by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. The views in this presentation do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.

2 Context and Background Methodology Fellowship activities Fellowship impact and outcomes Concluding remarksConcluding remarks Wageeh Boles

The International Scene National scene The Local scene 3 Context and Background Wageeh Boles

4 The International Scene International Accreditation agreements Focus on what is learned rather than what is taught Worker Mobility Context and Background (cont.) Wageeh Boles

5 The National Scene Excellence in Research Australia, ERA Academic Standards and Threshold Learning Outcomes Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, TEQSA Focus on QualityAustralian Qualifications Framework, AQF Context and Background (cont.) Wageeh Boles

6 The Local Scene Challenges facing early- and mid-career Academics Demographics of the Academic workforce Responsibilities of Heads of Schools or Departments Context and Background (cont.) Wageeh Boles

Fellowship Objectives Identify and evaluate international and Australian initiatives for effective teacher engagement and curriculum reform. Assist in mapping program outcomes onto appropriately aligned assessment tasks. Establish a developmental model for designing assessment tasks capable of providing evidence of learning. Facilitate the development of early- and mid-career academics in teaching as well as research. 7 Context and Background (cont.) Wageeh Boles

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9 Research … Why? Teaching … Why?Mentoring … Why? Focus on people and outcomes Focus on people and outcomes Wageeh Boles

Professional Practice Research* is used with investigations characterised as: “Critically-informed,” situated within global and national trends in engineering education, “Politically-activist,” with the researcher acting as an agent of curriculum and cultural change, and “Action-oriented,” involving university leadership, and working with Heads of Schools as mentors. 10 Methodology Methodology * Macpherson, I., Brooker, R., Aspland, T., & Cuskelly, E. (2010). Constructing a territory for professional practice research: Some introductory considerations. In Action research in education: Fundamentals of applied research, Vol. 1, Sage Publications Ltd. [ISBN ] Wageeh Boles

11 Locations visited in the USA Overseas Study Wageeh Boles

People interviewed in the USA 1.Dr. Norman Fortenberry, Director, American Society of Engineering Education, ASEE, Washington D.C., USA 2.Dr. Michael Milligan, Executive Director, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET, Baltimore, MD, USA 3.Dr. Ashley Ater Kranow, Managing Director, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET, Baltimore, MD, USA 4.Professor Milton Cox, Miami University of Ohio, USA 5.Assistant Professor Peter Jamieson, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 6.Professor Anna Dollar, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 7.Professor Osama Ettouney, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 8.Dr. Donald Ucci, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 9.Dr. James Moller, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 10.Mr. Peter Jamieson, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 11.Dr. Dmitriy Garmatyuk, Miami University of Ohio, OH, USA 12.Professor Jeffrey Froyd, Director of Faculty and Organisational Development, Texas A & M University, TX, USA 13.Associate Professor Susan Lord, Director, Optoelectronics Laboratory, University of San Diego, CA, USA 14.Professor Geoffrey Orsak, Dean of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering, Southern Methodist University, TX, USA 15.Associate Professor James Dunham, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Lyle School of Engineering, Southern Methodist University, TX, USA. 16.Professor Richard Felder, North Carolina State University, NC, USA 17.Associate Professor Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Swanson School of Engineering, Director, Engineering Education Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. 18.Professor Sam Spiegel, Associate Director, Engineering Education Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. 19.Professor Larry Schuman, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA 20.Assistant Professor Melissa Bilec, Director, Construction Management Program and Green Construction Program, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. 21.Professor Joe McCarthy, William Kepler Whiteford, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. 22.Assistant Professor Karen Bursic, Undergraduate Program Director, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA 23.Assistant Professor Natasa Vidic, research interests in assessment and evaluation), University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA 24.Professor Annette Jacobson, Teaching Professor of Chemical Engineering, A/ Dean for Undergraduate Education, Director, Carnegie Mellon University, PA, USA 25.Professor Paul Steif,, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering education leader, Carnegie Mellon University, PA, USA 26.Associate Professor Marsha Lovett, Associate Teaching Professor, Director, Learning and Problem Solving Lab, Carnegie Mellon University, PA, USA 27.Professor Michael Prince, Professor of chemical engineering, engineering education leader, Bucknell University, PA, USA 28.Associate Professor Candace Stefanou, Associate professor of education, Bucknell University, PA, USA 29.Associate professor Margot Vigeant, Associate professor of Chemical engineering, Bucknell University, PA, USA 30.Associate Professor David Kelley, Chair, Electrical Engineering Dept. Bucknell University, PA, USA 31.Professor Keith Buffinton, Dean of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Bucknell University, PA, USA 32.Associate professor Geoffrey Schneider, Associate professor of economics Director of the Teaching and Learning Center, Bucknell University, PA, USA 33.Associate professor Timothy Raymond, Associate Professor of chemical engineering, Bucknell University, PA, USA. 34.Professor Maurice Aburdene, Professor of Electrical Engineering (in charge of accreditation), Bucknell University, PA, USA. 35.Rosemary Aguilar, Director, Professional Development and Curriculum, The Infinity Project, Southern Methodist University, TX, USA. 36.Diana McAtee, Director, Academic Relations, The Infinity Project, Southern Methodist University, TX, USA. 37.Professor Sam Spiegel, Associate Director of Outreach & Development, EERC, Pittsburgh, PA. 12 Wageeh Boles

 Miami University, Oxford, Ohio Faculty Learning Communities  Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET, Baltimore, Maryland Focus on Outcomes  American Society for Engineering Education, ASEE, Washington DC Global Issues  Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas Industry collaboration 13 Places and foci - 1 Wageeh Boles

 Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA Addressing misconceptions  Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, PA Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, and inverted classroom  Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Concept Inventories  Frontiers in Education, FIE, conference, Rapid City, South Dakota Celebrating innovation 14 Places and foci - 2 Wageeh Boles

WHAT, WHY, WHO, and HOW? – What is the FIRE program? – What were the objectives? – How was the program implemented? – Which Australian universities participated? – Who was involved at the participating universities? – How was it managed? 15 FIRE program FIRE = Fellow-In-Residence Engagement Wageeh Boles

FIRE program activities with: University and faculty leadership: Meetings with the deputy vice-chancellor (academic) or equivalent; the executive dean; the assistant dean (learning and teaching) or equivalent. An open seminar (university wide) on the issues of assessment and mentoring. A workshop (co-facilitated by an international scholar, when possible). 16 Wageeh Boles

FIRE program activities with: Head of school: Explore available mentoring programs and how they are achieving their objectives. Work as a shadow mentor with the head of school for academic staff. Discuss relevant issues, as may be determined during the visits. 17 Wageeh Boles

FIRE program activities with: Academics: Individual and small group meetings to explore: – How can assessment be used for learning? – Designing specific assessment tasks. – How can classroom activities encourage student learning? – What are possible resources (websites, papers, books, packages, etc.)? – What are teaching for learning needs and possible ways to meet them? – Networking opportunities, being part of a learning community. – How to achieve steady enhancement without too much overhead. – Ideas on balancing teaching. – Research, etc. 18 Wageeh Boles

A sample discussion starter Which of the following three scenarios best describes your assessment practices? Your answer must reflect what actually happens, rather than what you think should happen. Ask yourself, if someone else examined my assessment, will they arrive at the same conclusion? What about evidence of learning? 19 Wageeh Boles

20 Learning Objectives Assessment task Scenario #1 Wageeh Boles

21 Learning Objectives Scenario #2 Assessment task Wageeh Boles

22 Learning Objectives Scenario #3 Assessment task Wageeh Boles

Evidence of learning 23 Why is evidence of learning important? – For students so that they know how they are progressing. – For academics so that they take appropriate actions to support learning, modify teaching methods, examine or provide resources, link with course objectives, etc. – For accreditation bodies so that they can make an informed assessment of how institutions are meeting their obligations to deliver certified and competent engineers Wageeh Boles

Impact on participating Australian universities Impact on individuals and groups Impact on US participants Impact through the reference group Insights gained Impact on the fellow Evidence of change 24 Fellowship impact Fellowship impact Wageeh Boles

Seminars, workshops and papers Assessment design process and exemplars Assessment resources Mentoring guides The FIRE program as a model for academic staff development and leadership support Data from the US interviews Website: Fellowship outcomes Fellowship outcomes Wageeh Boles

The fellowship was motivated by the changes in the higher education environment, including the demographics of academics. The program had a focus on academic standards and evidence of learning, and also on mentoring. Two components; overseas study, and a Fellow- In-Residence Engagement, FIRE, program. 26 Concluding remarks Wageeh Boles

The links between course objectives, unit objectives and how specific assessment items can address those objectives systematically, are often missing or not made explicit. When the evidence required to demonstrate the achievement of specific learning outcomes is not clearly identified, it will be difficult to choose the most appropriate assessment instrument. 27 Concluding remarks Concluding remarks (cont.) Wageeh Boles

The lack of understanding the role of assessment or the ability to design it appropriately, makes it difficult to defend claims of attainment of objectives, academic standards, or student learning outcomes. This presentation gave a very brief overview of the fellowship activities and impact. Challenges faced and how they have been addressed or managed are highlighted in the fellowship final report. 28 Concluding remarks Concluding remarks (cont.) Wageeh Boles

29 “One might argue that we already have sufficient research on student success (at university)... What is missing in our view is the ability to transform the knowledge that we have into practical knowledge.” Vincent Tinto Professor and chair of the higher education program, Syracuse University Speaking at the US National Symposium on Student Success at College & University November 2006 A quote... Wageeh Boles

30 I believe that our role is not only to help students become better learners, but to also contribute to building their characters; enabling them to become valuable members of society.... and a thought... Wageeh Boles

Questions? 31 Wageeh Boles