Considerations and Resources for the Learning Improvement Facilitator

Autor/inn/en	Smith, Kristen L.; Good, Megan R.; Jankowski, Natasha
Titel	Considerations and Resources for the Learning Improvement Facilitator
Quelle	In: Research & Practice in Assessment, 13 (2018), S.20-26 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2161-4210
Schlagwörter	Academic Achievement; Outcomes of Education; Leaders; Leadership; Educational Improvement; Organizational Culture; College Faculty; Teacher Participation; College Students; Higher Education; Facilitators (Individuals); Alabama + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schulleistung; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Fachleiter; Führung; Führungsposition; Teaching improvement; Unterrichtsentwicklung; Unternehmenskultur; Fakultät; Collegestudent; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen
Abstract	A long-standing purpose of assessment is to help faculty improve student learning; unfortunately, evidence of improved learning is rare. Learning improvement evidence in its most simple form requires practitioners to assess, intervene, and re-assess a student learning outcome. Of course, achieving evidence of learning improvement is not so simple. Technically, assessment expertise is needed to assist with the assess and re-assess components of the model and pedagogical and curricular expertise is needed for the intervene part. Involvement, however, is not limited to faculty within a program, department, area, unit, etc. Other stakeholders and leaders are often involved, such as department heads and other administrators, assessment practitioners, educational developers, industry experts, students, alumni, etc. Coordinating such a diverse group towards a common improvement goal requires a new type of skillset. A practitioner who develops this skillset is considered a "Learning Improvement Facilitator" (LIF). LIFs possess excellent facilitation skills and are attuned to group dynamics, organizational nuances, and interpersonal communication. That is, the LIF analyzes and accounts for "situational factors" related to learning improvement projects. Situational factors are variables that influence one's environment (e.g., the environment in which a learning improvement project is being implemented). Fink (2013) discusses situational factors as the first step of "integrated course design" (p. 68). Based on Fink's work, the authors explore organizational culture, leadership, and faculty experiences--as situational factors--related to learning improvement projects. LIFs consider such situational factors prior to facilitating learning improvement projects. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Virginia Assessment Group. Tel: 504-314-2898; Fax: 504-247-1232; e-mail: editor@rpajournal.com; Web site: http://www.rpajournal.com/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01