faculty peer mentoring for new online instructors: design, implementation and assessment susan ko,...
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Faculty Peer Mentoring for New Online Instructors: Design, Implementation and Assessment
Susan Ko, Office of Faculty Development and Instructional TechnologySloan Conference 2013, Nov. 21, 2013
Institutional Context
School of Professional Studies—leader in online programs for CUNY—small online classes, instructor ledLarge adjunct faculty group, faculty from CUNY (tenured or not) and non-CUNY campusesSPS now has its own building but online program faculty are dispersed, busy adjuncts
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Assumptions
New online faculty require training and continued support to be effective and satisfiedPeer mentoring can provide new online faculty with practical, professional as well as emotional supportProgram can help bridge gap between required baseline training and actual teaching of first classes
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Dispersed online faculty benefit from sense of communityPeer mentoring avoids some of the problems inherent in supervisor as mentorA formal program of peer mentoring provides structure lacking in informalProviding support throughout an entire semester allows for feedback throughout the various stages of a teaching cycle
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Important points from review of literature
Mentoring is reciprocal relationship and involves direct interaction; consists of emotional support, assistance with professional development and role modeling (Jacobi, 1991)Reciprocity important element in mentee satisfaction (Ensher, et al, 2001)Systematic programs are potentially more effective than informal mentoring (Boyle & Boyce, 1998)
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Important points from review of literature
Mentoring pairs should enter relationship with clear expectations of responsibilities; low involvement and infrequent interaction are problem (Eby et al, 2000; Feldman, 1999; Boyle & Boyce, 1998)Peer mentorships are characterized by mutuality; information sharing, support and feedback (both job-related and emotional) are key aspects (Kram and Isabella, 1985)
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Mentoring Models
Senior/junior model: supervisor or higher ranking faculty in mentor roleMentoring networks: several relationships with different faculty Group mentoring: get-togethers, discussions, brown-bags, etc. Goal focused: accomplish specific tasks, can be “expert” mentoring
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Mentoring Programs
Informal and unstructuredStructured, with specific interaction times or goalsFor networks: mix of different types
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Our Model
Peer mentor; more experienced teaching online but not in supervisory role; easier to do this when most are adjunctsMore formal and structured, with commitment form and final report, regular intervals for contact and detailed manual
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Our Model
Match made by academic program directorMentor and mentee receive manualCommitment forms at start and final report at endMentor and mentee enroll in each other’s online course
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Mentoring ManualBackground on mentoring, our model, distributed to both mentors and menteesRoles of mentor/mentees; tips for smooth interactionScheduled interactions explainedOnline course guidelinesFinal review formsRecommended additional reading
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Our Model
Four required interactions—Pre-term setup; Early semester; Midterm, End of semester
Two optional (webinar for mentors and mentees, review) and others as needed and initiated by mentee
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Pilot
Conducted in 2012-13 college yearMentees: 18 (out of 49 new faculty)Sections taught by mentees: 42 (out of 92 sections taught by new faculty)Disciplines represented: 9Undergrad and grad degree programs
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Pilot
Primary investigator: Susan KoProgram assistants and co-investigators for 2012-13, CUNY graduate students—Helen Chang, Kelley KawanoCurrent co-investigator 2013-14, CUNY graduate student José Muñiz
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Research Questions
What are the long-term effects of formal faculty peer mentoring on the performance of new faculty? (And does effect take time to develop?) Does participation in a formal peer mentoring program increase the likelihood of effectiveness and satisfaction in new faculty, in particular, those teaching online?
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Method
New or new to online faculty matched with peer mentor for one semester—a series of four required and two optional scheduled interactions to complete over the course of a semester. At the end of each of their first three teaching semesters, performance and satisfaction of new mentored faculty and those not—will be compared
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MethodOnline survey to assess faculty satisfaction—the survey administered again at the end of two subsequent semesters to see change over timeStudent pass and withdrawal rates as well as student course evaluation data as a proxy for teaching effectiveness—looked at over 3 semesters
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Data Gathered
Results from three surveys from new faculty mentored and non-mentoredPass/fail and withdrawal data for 3 semestersScores on student course evaluation instructor-related questions for 3 semestersComparison between new faculty with and without mentoring, also looked at baseline training factor (PTO—Preparation for Teaching Online workshop)
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Preliminary Results
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All new faculty All mentored faculty All non-mentored (new) faculty70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Withdrawal rateFail ratePass rate
Preliminary Results
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PTO (mentored) PTO (non-mentored) non-PTO (mentored) non-PTO (non-mentored)0
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40
60
80
100
120
Withdrawal rateFail ratePass rate
Preliminary Results
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1st term (mentored) 1st term (non-mentored) 2nd term (mentored) 2nd term (non-mentored)0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Withdrawal rateFail ratePass rate
Preliminary Results
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1st term (mentored) 1st term (non-mentored) 2nd term (mentored) 2nd term (non-mentored)0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
SCE: satisfaction with instructorSCE: satisfaction with course
Preliminary Results
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PTO (mentored) PTO (non-mentored) non-PTO (mentored) non-PTO (non-mentored)0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
SCE: satisfaction with instructorSCE: satisfaction with course
Preliminary Results
Men
tore
d
Non-m
ento
red
New to
onli
ne te
achin
g
With
prio
r exp
erien
ce te
achin
g on
line
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
I sometimes feel isolated from the SPS faculty community
Overall, I find teaching online to be a rewarding experience
Preliminary Results
Mentored 1st term Mentored 2nd term Mentored 3rd term0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
I sometimes feel isolated from the SPS faculty community
Overall, I find teaching online to be a rewarding experience
Preliminary Findings:Effectiveness
Online instructors improve with practiceThose with mentoring improved more and were more effective than non-mentored by the second teaching semesterThose with both baseline training & semester-long mentor improved the most dramatically and had the highest student satisfaction scores
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Preliminary Findings:Satisfaction
RE faculty satisfaction with online teaching increases and sense of isolation decreases with experience. The mentored group’s levels of satisfaction are nearly equal to those un-mentored, most of whom had started out with prior experience teaching online.
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Issues EncounteredRelatively small number of new facultyVery difficult to obtain sufficient number to participate in satisfaction surveys, let alone repeat this three timesEspecially low response rate on survey from non-mentored after second and third semestersRealized needed to tease out role of baseline training
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Remaining TasksExamine Fall semester 2013 data for those completing third semester, interview subset of faculty from both groups; complete study and publish resultsApply lessons to improve mentoring program and preparation of new facultySeek institutional partners for further exploration, replication of results?
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