ERIC Number: ED645297
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 148
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3813-7376-9
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Supporting Nontenure Faculty in Documenting Teaching Effectiveness in a Faculty Learning Community
Becky Tugman
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Clemson University
Many research studies have found that faculty value collaborative professional development (PD) activities that provide practical applications. Faculty seek out PD for improved skills and career support, including advancements. To acquire promotions in higher education, these employees must complete high-stakes evaluations through annual reviews, contract reappointment, and tenure promotions. Nontenure track faculty (NTTF) in some institutions lack training and mentoring to help navigate their high-stakes submissions. To address this need, a university PD office sponsored NTTF groups to form a new faculty learning communities (FLCs) to explore documenting teaching effectiveness. In this study, the participant's lived experiences were gathered and researched as an intrinsic case study. The case study evaluated how FLC membership impacted NTTF task self-efficacy, attitudes toward creating teaching effectiveness artifacts, and potential pedagogical changes. Using design-based research (DBR), an educational intervention was designed, implemented, analyzed, and then redesigned, predicated on quantitative surveys and qualitative interview program results. Study parameters included two NTTF cohorts that varied in duration and discipline focus. All participants conducted at least one peer-supported review (P-SR) of teaching artifacts to provide feedback and promote reflection on artifacts and pedagogical practices. To assess participant perceptions, semi-structured interviews were evaluated with Colaizzi's method to devise six exhaustive descriptions that members validated. The members were not confident in their teaching effectiveness artifact submission before the intervention. However, submission self-efficacy increased due to FLC meeting dialogue and P-SR. A few members made or planned to make pedagogical changes. While participants found P-SR helped improve their documents, answers varied on whether they would continue to conduct PSR in the future. Nontenured faculty support with high-stakes evaluations can be accomplished through professional development programming. The evidence gathered from this case will be shared with other professional development providers to replicate the FLC with P-SR. The stakeholders who can benefit from this study are the participants, departmental and administrative evaluators, participant departmental peers, and educational researchers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Faculty Development, College Faculty, Communities of Practice, Beginning Teachers, Program Effectiveness, Self Efficacy, Teacher Attitudes, Instructional Effectiveness, Educational Change, Nontenured Faculty
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A