GLOBAL POSITIONING
Essential Learning, Student Success, and the Currency of U.S. Degrees

AAC&U Annual Meeting
January 26-29, 2011

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education

AAC&U is pleased to offer the POD Network Institute in conjunction with the 2011 Annual Meeting.  The POD Network will also sponsor a Pre-Meeting Workshop on Wednesday, January 26, and a session on Thursday, January 27. (More information is below.) 

2011 Organizational Development Institute

Leading from the Middle:
Faculty Development and Organizational Change

Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

The focus of programs and services of most centers for teaching and learning is traditional faculty development activities—workshops, consultations, orientations, classroom observations, etc.  These activities provide valuable assistance, but do not address the systemic factors that affect the dynamics of the college classroom, such as the degree to which faculty understand and support the institution’s mission, the structure and use of their time, the dynamics of academic departments, and the incentive structure for faculty.  A successful faculty development program, however, will also address critical organizational development issues.

The POD Network Institute will present an ecological model of faculty development, useful as a way to consider the systemic nature of teaching and learning and the variety of forces that affect faculty members’ behavior. Participants will identify one faculty development issue within their institution, analyze it using the model, and identify skills and strategies needed to carry out interventions. Participants will leave with a plan to address the faculty development issue they have identified.

Facilitators:
Catherine Frerichs, Professor of Writing, Grand Valley State University; and Virginia S. Lee, Principal and Senior Consultant, Virginia S. Lee & Associates

For additional information and to register for the Institute, please go to www.podnetwork.org/conferences

Interactive Forum on Thursday, January 27

Linking Faculty Development with Global Learning and Student Success
Creating and sustaining a world class liberal education requires faculty development programs that meet the evolving needs of our institutions, our students, and our world.  What are the characteristics of world class faculty development programs?  How can your school adapt these practices to deepen student learning, improve student success, support faculty innovation, and foster institutional change?  
Facilitators:
Peter Felten, Director, Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Elon University; Deandra Little, Assistant Director and Associate Professor, Teaching Resource Center, University of Virginia; Leslie Ortquist-Ahrens, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Otterbein University; and Michael Reder, Director, Joy Shechtman Mankoff Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning, Connecticut College

Pre-Meeting Workshop on Wednesday, January 26, 2:00-5:00 pm

Starting and Sustaining Faculty Teaching and Learning Programs at Small Colleges and Universities: Theory and Practice
In this interactive workshop ession designed specifically for administrators and faculty who are responsible for overseeing, starting, or building a small college or university faculty development program or center, we examine the challenges—and advantages—of supporting teaching and learning in these settings. We offer a theoretical framework for faculty development programming and then discuss creative strategies and programming that capitalize on the advantages that small college and university cultures have to offer, especially for undergraduate liberal arts faculty. Participants will analyze their own institutional settings and begin sketching a plan for their program that is tailored for their distinctive circumstances. Finally, we will discuss further ideas for programming, reflect upon and share individualized plans for campuses, and complete a brief “next immediate steps” plan for when participants return to their campuses. Handouts include information tailored specifically for small college and university faculty teaching and learning programs.
Michael Reder, Director, Joy Shechtman Mankoff Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning, Connecticut College; Paul Kuerbis, Director, Crown Teaching and Learning Center, Colorado College; and Kim Mooney, Provost, Franklin Pierce University