THE SOLUTION:
A series of integrated curriculum activities were designed across three time frames. Pre-Institute activities, the Institute itself, and post-Institute activities offered participants opportunities to be involved with the new technical information and with each other over a six month period before the main training event in August and again six months after the main training event.
The pre- and post-Institute activities were designed to foster communication among IT faculty on multiple community college campuses. Multiple pre- and post-Institute assignments were developed to accommodate a wide range of learning styles. IT was utilized to tie participants together form a wide geographical area.
Process
Pre-Institute Activities
The majority of participants were selected six months before the Institute. Participants were surveyed as to what IT technical training they wanted from the summer IT Institute. Four Technical tracks were developed from the participants' responses.
An advisory board was set up with subject matter experts (SME) in each of the four IT technical tracks. A listserv was set-up for each four technical tracks. Selected participants were subscribed to the listserv according to the technical training track they had specified on their surveys.
The SMEs on the advisory board began a discussion with the participants by requesting from each participant three learning objectives for their technical training tracks. This effectively shared learning objectives among all learners on the listserv.
The SME's the developed the learning objectives for each technical training track into one or more levels of curriculum. For example, Networking was developed into two technical training courses: Beginning Networking and Windows 2000 Upgrade Training for Educators. Once the curriculum was developed the E2E Director and SMEs selected instructors.
Two months before the Institute, instructors introduced the curriculum via the listserv. Instructors facilitated a discussion over the listserv about the course curriculum, relating it to participants' background and expectations.
Instructors stimulated participants to start preparing for the Institute and for post-Institute learning activities. Participants were asked to prepare a Best Practice in IT instruction. Participants would share the Best Practice during the weeklong institute.
Instructors also asked participants to brainstorm a post-Institute project that utilized the IT skills and knowledge acquired during the Institute. Participants were told that cross campus team would be formed during the Institute around these projects. Institute teams would reconvene six months later at a one-day Winter Reunion Institute to share the results of their cross campus teams.
WHAT WORKED:
- Participants' learning objectives were tightly aligned with Institute curriculum
- Participants, SME, and instructors dialogued before the Institute to develop an initial bond and the beginnings of an IT professional development community among participants.
99 faculty participated from 33 community and technical colleges throughout the state of Washington.
- Time at the Institute was greatly enhanced by focused participants
- Perception of the Institute as year-long event gained a foot hold over the first year.
- Participants actively used listserv technology as pedagogical tool for their IT learning experience.
- Participants experienced the IT listserv as a statewide community building tool.
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