Each year under Title III, selected faculty are chosen to
participate in workshops aimed at enhancing some aspect of their teaching. In
2003, Wesleyan sponsored workshops in two areas, Course and Program
Assessment and Developing and Teaching Online Courses.
The theme behind the Course and Program Assessment workshop was to improve instruction and accountability at Wesleyan, one course at a time. Workshop leader, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools consultant, Margaret Sullivan, guided participants in making curricular and/or pedagogical changes to designated classes in fall 2003 and in developing means of assessing the impact of these changes on student academic success.
Participants included Jane Christensen, Associate Professor of Political Science; Doug Enders, Assistant Professor of English and Writing Lab Director; Steve Ferebee, Professor of English and Humanities Chair; Carol Lawrence, Associate Professor of Math and Chair of Math and Sciences; Kim Martin, Assistant Professor of Psychology; Wendy Peffley, Assistant Professor of Accounting; and Weimin Wang, Instructional Technologist.
As part of the workshop, participants reviewed literature on educational assessment, performed exercises in assessment, and developed an assessment project for measuring the impact of pedagogical or curricular changes on student success. Some of the proposed changes that participants hope will improve student success include
Analyzing the relationship between course assignments and activities and course goals
Clarifying and emphasizing course goals and expectations
Increasing the testing of skills emphasized in course goals
Incorporating student feedback into the curriculum
The program will conclude following the Fall 2003 term when the participants come together to assess and report on the outcomes of their projects and initiate new projects in what the College hopes will become an ongoing institutional-wide assessment project, involving most faculty from each of the College’s divisions.
In an effort to increase the number of online course offerings in the College’s Adult Degree Program, Title III sponsored a second faculty development workshop on Developing and Teaching Online Courses. Dr. Tom O’Connor, NCWC Associate Professor of Justice Studies and long-time online instructor, directed the workshop, which focused on two areas: the pedagogical, technological, and administrative considerations in designing and teaching online courses, and the practical matter of putting courses on the web.
Faculty participants included, Jane Christensen, Associate
Professor of Political Science; Jeananne Kenney, Assistant Professor of Computer
Information Systems; Gloria King, Assistant Professor of Computer Information
Systems; Wendy Peffley, Assistant Professor of Accounting; and Mark Stevens,
Assistant Professor of Justice Studies.
Within the workshop, participants explored the differences between online and traditional teaching methods, discussed essential policies and procedures for teaching and learning online, and reviewed the capabilities of software and hardware resources available to Wesleyan instructors. Participants were also offered hands-on practice in using html and incorporating online chats, forms, testing, grading, and multi-media components into their courses.
As part of the grant’s requirements, each of the faculty participants is to develop an online course ready for delivery within the 2003-2004 academic year, something that should help the College meet the growing online needs of its adult degree students.