Educational Teams: Variation at McGill Teaching in a different way Lynn McAlpine McGill University Canada

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Educational teams: a continuum of types Consultancy Team: 2 lecturers and students 1 graduate course MSE Team: 3-4 lecturers 4 core courses in Bachelor program Dean Team: lecturers, students, others Faculty-based academic development (1 teacher/ course) E3 Team: lecturers, students, librarian Collectively design courses in workshops Faculty curriculum (1 teacher/ course)

Educational Teams: Variation at McGill Points of comparison and analysis Purpose: what to be achieved Composition: members, functions Organizational dimension: scope, resources, who dependent on Evidence of impact: lecturer, student, organization Major problems: short and long term, solvable? Overall important ideas

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Purpose Consultancy Use course to analyze teaching practices, policies & issues in Faculty Make recommendations MSE Develop, teach core courses in an environmental studies program Arts & sciences students learn to move fluently across disciplines Dean Support Faculty-wide academic development e.g., training for TA & pre-tenure lecturers, teaching improvement grants E3 Through workshops, re-design Faculty curriculum Enhance interaction in class, out-of-class learning

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Composition: members, functions Consultancy Two lecturers guided the process Students competed to take course & carry out project MSE Academics from across disciplines & program director conceived four core course purposes Smaller teams planned Sub-set implemented Dean Lecturer committee & developer planned projects Dean, HODs oversaw Developer coordinated with lecturers, grad students E3 Committee (workshop facilitators/participants, undergraduate/ graduate students, librarian, developer) planned Coordinator followed up

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Organizational dimension Consultancy Scope – 15/20 graduate students  Faculty Resource medium: 2 X teacher cost for regular course Dedication of individuals MSE Scope – all undergraduates in program ( / year) Resource heavy: 3-4 X teacher cost for regular course (times 4 courses) Dedication of individuals, support of Deans & HODs Dean Scope – all academics & students in Faculty Resource medium: 20% > 40% academic developer salary Institutional: needs invest- ment of others in Faculty E3 Scope – all undergraduates in Faculty Resource heavy: 80% -100% pedagogical coordinator Institutional: needs investment of others in Faculty

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Evidence of impact: Lecturers Consultancy Learned from each other complementary knowledge and skills MSE Experienced new ways of thinking about teaching and subject matter Dean Positive reviews of tenure-track lecturers at midpoint Increase in lecturers seeking teaching advice E3 Re-designed other courses in similar ways

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Evidence of impact: Students Consultancy Expressed broad conceptions of pedagogy, rich understanding of consulting process and own professional skills MSE Improved marks (midterm to final); disproportionate improvements in initially weaker students Dean Marked improvement in student course ratings for tenure-track lecturers E3 Students experienced most curriculum goals (using standardized survey)

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Evidence of impact: Organization Consultancy Similar course next year by others New committee to address report Faculty curriculum project following year MSE Continued funding despite costs Dean Staff & others offering development activities Teaching project budget Lecturer committee reviews project proposals Developer time increased E3 Staff & others offering development activities Formal feedback mechanism (e.g., student ambassadors) Library services integrated

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Problems Consultancy Based on particular need, but could be repeated by going outside Faculty MSE Depends on commitment by Deans & HODs due to heavy resource use Dean Sustainability depended initially on commitment by Dean E3 Resistance after initial roll out  goal to change all courses is in tension with academic independence

Educational Teams: Variation at McGill Important ideas Who can contribute to team? –Undergraduate and graduate students –Cross-disciplinary lecturers –Librarians –Heads of departments –Deans –Other? Student services? What degree of flexibility is allowed? –Ensure disciplinary/ individual choice in how to participate/ contribute What is the reward structure? –$ is often not the issue

Educational teams: Variation at McGill Leadership: …. Stimulate/create/seize opportunities Vision: shared; inspire, motivate Challenge: take risks; experiment, evaluate; learn Support: provide resources and feedback; celebrate achievement