Implementing Undergraduate-Faculty Teaching Partnerships in Your Classroom Anna L. Ball Neil A. Knobloch University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Credits  Anna L. Ball, Lead PI  Neil A. Knobloch, Co-PI  Kara Butters, Research Assistant  USDA HEC Grant

Objectives  Review project, procedures, expectations  Considerations for implementing UFTP  Outline procedures for assessing UFTP

Overview  Workshop  Introductions  Overview of UFTP grant project  Considerations, implementing the UFTP  0:30 Lunch  Workshop con’t, UFTP Outcomes  0:15 Break  Workshop con’t, Assessing Outcomes  Surveys  Open-ended questions  Individual interviews  Focus group interviews  Wrap-up, Evaluations

Expectations  Reflection  Interaction and discussion  Application  Feel free ask questions

Welcome and Introductions  Name, rank, university  Discipline, UFTP class  UFTP  Why UFTP

UFTP Project Overview  Higher Education Challenge Grant  Need more learner-centered teaching  Faculty lack resources  Year 1: Faculty Development Workshops  What is an UFTP?  Awards of innovation  Year 2: Implement & assess UFTP  Year 3: Dissemination

UFTP Project, Year 2  Faculty members implement UFTP projects  Project director(s) data collection  Faculty  Learners  Faculty, assess outcomes of UFTP

UFTP Project, Year 3  Analyze data, report summaries  Best practices bulletins  NACTA conference

UFTP Planning Considerations  Selection  Compensation  Training  Mentoring  Others?

Selecting the Peer Teachers  Application  Interview  Nomination  Volunteer

Compensating Peer Teachers  Volunteer  Service learning  Academic credit  Pay

Training the Teaching Team  Pre-semester  During semester  University workshop  Designated course

Mentoring the Teaching Team  Clearly defined roles  Clearly defined outcomes  Performance evaluations  Timely feedback

Activity: Planning Considerations  Reflect individually (15 minutes)  Explain to partner (5 minutes)  Justify/clarify planning (5 minutes)

Outcomes of an UFTP  Peer teachers:  Learn content  Develop teaching skills  Develop leadership skills  Learners in the course:  Learn content  Sense of community in the classroom  Increased responsibility for learning  More motivated to learn  More positive about learning experience

Outcome statements  Begin with the end in mind  Describe know/do/feel  Be specific  Measurable

Outcomes, con’t As a result of the UFTP you have created….what will the learners in your class know, be able to do, or have experienced? As a result of the UFTP you have created….what will the peer teachers, know, be able to do, or have experienced?

Survey Methods  Benefits: ease & cost effectiveness of administration & data entry  Challenges: items must be worded correctly, cannot probe  Items must directly relate to the objectives  Measure attitudes on a scale

Questionnaire Do’s  Keep it short  Clearly word items  Offer a “no response”/ “no opinion”  Provide clear directions  Base items on your objectives (outcomes)  Ask only what you want to know

Questionnaire Do’s  Put easy items at the beginning  Avoid putting long items at the end of a very long questionnaire  Avoid terms such as “usually”  Avoid biased or negatively stated items  Give examples of how to answer questions

Open-ended questions  Reflections  More depth than closed questionnaires  Good for smaller sample sizes  Must be coded for themes  Could measure “writing”  Some students might not respond

Individual Interviews  Open-ended  Ask probing questions  Field notes, or taped & transcribed  Must establish rapport  Best for smaller samples, key is depth

Focus Group Interviews  Interview multiple participants at once  Opportunity to probe  Some individuals won’t talk in a group  Audio-taped/transcribed field notes

UFTP Assessment Summary  Select tool most appropriate for job  What do you want to measure?  Which form of measurement is best fit?  Begin with the end in mind  What did project aim to accomplish  Design questions accordingly  Quantitative & Qualitative  Different purposes, equal rigor  Weigh benefits and challenges to both

Assessment, con’t  Consider assessment resources  Campus centers for teaching excellence  Campus measurement & evaluation  Ag education/college of ed faculty  Project directors (Ball & Knobloch)

UFTP Resources  Miller, J.E., Groccia, J.E., & Miller, M.S. (2001). Student-Assisted Teaching, A Guide to Faculty-Student Teamwork, Anker Publishing, Bolton, MA.  UFTP Website at  LCT Website at  Anna Ball,

Wrap-up  Ask individual questions  Reflect/share additional ideas Please complete the workshop evaluation. Thank-you!