Annual Report 2011-2012 Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Table of Contents Executive Summary page 3 About the Institute page 4 Signature Programs Nexen Scholars Program Collective Scholarship Initiatives Going Public Locally, Nationally, Internationally page 6 page 13 page 14 Financial Summary page 23 Looking Forward page 24 Ernest Boyer’s Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate (1990) first described scholarship of teaching as one element of a four-part categorization that also included discovery, integration and application. It generally includes: rigorous, systematic, and evidence-based study of student learning in one’s own course; the understanding and improvement of student learning and/or teaching practice as its ultimate goal; commitment to disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary peer review and appropriate public dissemination; impact beyond a single course, program, or institution – advancing the field of teaching and learning to build collective knowledge and ongoing improvement. [http://www.mtroyal.ca/ProgramsCourses/FacultiesSchoolsCentres/InstituteforScholarshipofTeachingLearning/ScholarshipDescribed/index.htm] Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 2 Executive Summary The 2011-2012 academic year was significant for the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in that it brought the first major financial gift to what administrators at Mount Royal University have called our “flagship centre of excellence.” Thanks to a $1 million gift from Nexen Inc. the Scholars Program is ensured at least five years of support. Indeed, Nexen Scholars and other Institute representatives are now regular participants in all the major public venues considered important to the field of higher education. Additionally, the Institute successfully accomplished its second Centennial Symposium on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and began new work in collective scholarship with a project in undergraduate studies. This was also a year of regrouping and reconsideration, with a reduction in the size of the Nexen Scholars cohort, the dismantling of the Engaging Departments Initiative, and perhaps most significant the failure to launch a third Canadian Forum on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning because of an unsuccessful bid for external funding. Indeed, the absence of an endowment supporting the Institute means that the ambitious agenda set down two years ago has been sidelined, as resources are focused on maintaining programming rather than expanding outreach and impact. Nevertheless, the Institute continues to serve as an important contributor to the Canadian scholarship of teaching and learning conversation, and it is recognized internationally as a unique research centre. In the coming year, the Nexen Scholars Program will take an even more prominent place in the Institute’s profile, while all other available resources will be directed toward fundraising and the search for sustainable financial support. Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 3 About the Institute Established in November 2008, the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning is an important part of the infrastructure supporting scholarship at Mount Royal University. Building on our long-standing commitment to academic excellence, the Institute scaffolds scholarly inquiry related to teaching and learning on campus and beyond. The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning operates as a ... • nexus for communication and collaboration, providing resources and coordinating initiatives locally, regionally, nationally, and beyond, • community of scholars advancing the existing body of knowledge about teaching and learning, while building a culture of inquiry, • research centre encouraging, facilitating, and supporting investigation leading to deeper understanding of and sustained improvement in student learning. The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning is dedicated to understanding and improving student learning, improving and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience, expanding awareness of evidence-based pedagogical practices, facilitating collaboration and research related to the educational enterprise, and building a culture of inquiry dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning and scholarship. Its local objectives include engaging Mount Royal University students, faculty, staff and administration in teaching and learning scholarship through: • Consulting, mentoring and advising on potential and ongoing projects; • Encouraging faculty collaboration on all facets of pedagogical scholarship; • Establishing venues and opportunities for students to work as researchers; • Sponsoring workshops, forums, symposia, seminars and presentations; • Developing dedicated resources and support materials for researchers; • Administering internal research support, including small-grants programs; • Identifying potential research-funding sources and granting opportunities. Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 4 Beyond Mount Royal University, the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning contributes to the growing knowledge base on teaching and learning scholarship by providing opportunities for colleagues and friends to: • Access and engage with resources and literature on pedagogical scholarship; • Share research, from work-in-progress to completed inquiries and publications; • Participate in issues-based forums on teaching and learning scholarship; • Gather at practitioners symposia on scholarship of teaching and learning; and • Collaboratively build a community of scholars, supporters, and fellow travelers. Administration The Institute operates with one full-time director and one full-time administrative assistant. We also employ Mount Royal University students, and faculty members through stipends and secondments. During the academic year, the following individuals made up the Institute personnel list. • Richard A. Gale, Director • Anne Johnston, Administrative Assistant • Becky Willson (Library), Centennial Symposium • Deb Bennett (General Education), Nexen Scholars Program • Reid Spenser (Theatre, Speech, and Music Performance), Symposium Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 5 Signature Programs Nexen Scholars Program The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning offers an annual research development program designed to encourage and support faculty committed to systematic scholarly inquiry into student learning. The Nexen Scholars program brings together faculty from a range of academic disciplines committed to investigating and documenting significant issues and challenges in teaching and learning. The central work of the Scholars is to develop course-based inquiry projects, conduct research that sheds new light on a significant aspect of student learning, share evidence and findings publicly in an effort to influence practice in the field, and help build a culture of teaching and learning scholarship at Mount Royal University within their own disciplines and beyond. The program engages a diverse and dedicated community of scholars committed to building and sharing pedagogical knowledge, advancing post-secondary teaching and enhancing student learning beyond the individual classroom. In the pursuit of these goals, each Scholar designs and undertakes a research project aimed at improving practice in teaching and learning. Scholars are selected for a one-year term, participate in three multi-day off-site residencies (February, August, February), and engage in monthly collaborative activities. Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 6 Generous Support from Nexen Inc. On February 14, 2012 Mount Royal university announced that Nexen Inc. Had invested $1 million, over five years, in the newly named Nexen Scholars Program. Nexen has supported Mount Royal University in the past and with this donation continued to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing educational opportunities through this gift. This was followed by a special reception to showcase the gift and the work of the Nexen Scholars. That event included supportive remarks from MRU President David Docherty and Nexen CEO Kevin Reinhart, as well as a special ceremony in which the Scholars received acknowledgement and recognition for their important work in understanding and improving student learning. Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 7 2012 Nexen Scholars During the 2011-2012 academic year the Nexen Scholars Program accepted fewer scholars than ever before. This was the result of several factors including the natural saturation of a limited campus population, the need for more dedicated training of scholarship facilitators, and the decision to focus on only the strongest applications. This trend is likely to continue, and the Institute expects the 2013 Nexen Scholars cohort to number no more than eight. Although larger cohorts of course expand the reach of the Institute and add to the richness of residency dialogue, smaller cohorts have important benefits to both the Scholars and the institution. Limiting the number of new Scholars to eight or fewer insures that all members of the cohort work with only the most experienced and skillful facilitators; the 2012 Nexen Scholars are facilitated by Richard Gale, Director of the Institute, and Deb Bennett, 2009 Nexen Scholar with extensive experience in facilitation and qualitative research. Additionally, more focused attention allows for better research preparation, deeper engagement with scholarship, and more substantial opportunities for outreach. The 2012 Nexen Scholars are: • Maria Victoria Guglietti, Faculty of Communication Studies, Journalism • Sally Haney, Faculty of Communication Studies, Journalism • Margy MacMillan, Library • Bev Mathison, Faculty of Health and Community Studies, Child and Youth Studies • April McGrath, Faculty of Arts, Psychology, • Amanda Williams, Faculty of Communication Studies, Journalism Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 8 Nexen Scholars Writing Residencies Since 2008 the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning has offered a writing residency for Nexen Scholars, providing guidance, critique, and independent time to prepare research results, refine analysis and dissemination strategies, and revise scholarly writing for publication. These residencies complete the cycle of development provided by the Nexen Scholars Program, helping researchers build from investigation to impact. Residencies open to all Nexen Scholars who have: completed the analysis of their data such and are prepared to make claims about student learning based on systematic scholarly inquiry; presented their project work publicly at two or more venues prior to the start of the writing residency; and • Committed to producing a draft of a scholarly paper prior to the residency, revising that draft during the residency, and submitting a paper for publication. This process has resulted in two published papers to date: Karen Manarin’s “Reading Value: Student Choice in Reading Strategies” was published in Pedagogy (2012) and Miriam Carey’s “In the Valley of the Giants: Cultivating Intentionality and Integration” was published in the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2012). Several other papers are currently under review. Nexen Scholars who have participated: • Deb Bennett • Katherine Boggs • Miriam Carey • Israel Dunmade • Ron MacDonald • Karen Manarin (also facilitator) • Jane McNichol • Janice Miller-Young • Heather Nelson • Rik Smistad • Qasim Syed • Joanne Szabo Hart • Lee Wertzler • Becky Willson Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 9 Nexen Scholars Going Public Awards In an effort to support the dissemination of research results produced during the Nexen Scholars Program, and promote the work the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the Institute has established the Nexen Scholars Going Public Award. This award may be used to reimburse registration, lodging, transportation, and per diem expenses for Nexen Scholars to make their project work public. The Nexen Scholars Going Public Award is available to all Nexen Scholars who are presenting during the academic year: findings resulting from data gathered during their cohort year as a Nexen Scholar at venues or to audiences beyond the MRU community. This award is an important feature of the Nexen Scholars Program, representing a true commitment to the dissemination of results from sponsored research. Nexen Scholars who have received Going Public Awards: • Deb Bennett • Katherine Boggs • Miriam Carey • Patrick Carmichael • Israel Dunmade • Kelly Hewson • Catharine Lindland • Karen Manarin • Jodi Nickel • Heather Nelson • Melanie Rathburn • Joanne Szabo Hart • Norm Vaughan • Lee Wertzler • Amy Zidulka Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 10 Nexen Scholars 2009-2012 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Alex Bruton, Bissett School of Business (Entrepreneurship) Amanda Williams, Communication Studies (Journalism) Amy Zidulka, RRU Management (Business Communication) Andrea L. Williams, Bissett School of Business (Business Communications) April McGrath, Arts (Psychology) Becky Willson, Library Bev Mathison, Health and Community Studies (Child and Youth Studies) Catharine Lindland, MRU Student Learning Services (Undergraduate Studies) David Finch, MRU Bissett School of Business (Marketing) Geoffrey Archer, RRU Management (Entrepreneurship) Glen Ryland, MRU Teaching and Learning (General Education) Heather Nelson, Teaching and Learning (General Education), Arts (Humanities) Israel S. Dunmade, Science and Technology (Environmental Sciences) Jane McNichol, Communication Studies (Public Relations) Janice Miller-Young, Science and Technology (Engineering) Joanna Szabo Hart, Health and Community Studies (Nursing) Joanne Bouma, MRU Health and Community Studies (Nursing) Jodi Nickel, Teaching and Learning (Education and Schooling) Karen Manarin, Arts (English) Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 11 Nexen Scholars 2009-2012 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Katherine Boggs, Science and Technology (Earth Sciences) Kelly Hewson, MRU Arts (English) Lee Wertzler, Arts (Psychology) Liza Choi, Health and Community Studies (Nursing) M. Helena Myllykoski , Health and Community Studies (Nursing) M. Qasim Syed, Science and Technology (Physics) Margy MacMillan, Library Maria Victoria Guglietti, Communication Studies (Journalism) Melanie Rathburn, Teaching and Learning (General Education), Science and Technology (Biology) Miriam Carey, Arts (Policy Studies) Norman Vaughan, Teaching and Learning (Education and Schooling) Patrick Carmichael, MRU Teaching and Learning (General Education) Reid Spencer, MRU Communication Studies (Theatre, Speech and Music Performance) Rik Smistad, Bissett School of Business (Accounting) Ron MacDonald, Communication Studies (Journalism) Sally Haney, Communication Studies (Journalism) Stephanie Zettel, MRU Health and Community Studies (Nursing) Subadhra Rai, Health and Community Studies (Nursing) Valerie Kinnear, MRU Bissett School of Business (Accounting) Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 12 Collective Scholarship Initiatives Since 2010, Mount Royal University has been supporting collaborative and collective scholarship of teaching and learning as one important key to the understanding, assessing, and improving of student learning across the institution. Our belief is that systematic scholarly inquiry into student learning will provide significant data on student learning that can, when organized and aggregated around common institutional or programmatic themes, lead to systemic improvements within specific academic departments or programs and throughout the university as a whole. The initial site for this work had been General Education, where foundation courses were the focus of investigation by four Nexen Scholars under the direction of the Institute. Faculty members collaborated on a scholarship of teaching and learning inquiry, shared a common research question, and focused on the development of critical reading skills. It was anticipated that this research would prove to be a model of collective inquiry, but while this Institute-created project was intended to culminate in a white paper, to date no significant results have been provided. Honoring Student Voice through Qualitative Inquiry: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Deb Bennett & Richard A. Gale, Mount Royal University Research Focus How do first-year students learn the skills and strategies necessary to succeed in university coursework? What are their most significant challenges and how can these best be overcome? Are there aspects of the transition to first-year university study that require particular attention by students, faculty, and institutional representatives? In this study we are addressing these questions through a formal program in scholarship of teaching and learning, using multi-classroom inquiry andcollaborative faculty investigation to understand and improve student learning within undergraduate studies. Background All too often undergraduate students enter university without a clear sense of how to succeed, or even what skills are necessary to survive. Frequently we address this through innovative access strategies and dedicated scaffolding courses, but rarely do we examine these pedagogical support structures from an inquiry-based perspective. One promising approach to understanding and improving student learning at the foundation level is currently underway. Faculty from Undergraduate Studies and the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning are conducting a coordinated research project to gain insight into how students learn and what helps students to succeed. Student voice is at the centre of this multi-term inquiry. Data Collection The data set includes learning question responses collected during the first, sixth and twelfth weeks of class from all students enrolled in thirteen sections of UGST 1001. Students were given five questions designed to elicit their learning experiences, development, and intentionality. The questions were aligned with where students were at in the trajectory of the course, and served as both a source of data and a reflective tool for students to develop metacognitive thinking around their own (and their ownership of) learning. These questions are also being used to develop a second stage learning research question (Data in Dialogue) focused on what students themselves consider evidence of their learning. Initial Findings Undergraduate Studies Undergraduate Studies at Mount Royal University includes two courses: UGST 1001 (Effective Learning in the Undergraduate Context) and UGST 1002 (Change, Challenge, and Choice). UGST 1001 provides students with opportunities to increase their knowledge of effective learning, enhance their use of strategies and reflect on their learning. UGST 1002 focuses on student transition and stresses associated with university contexts and cultures. Both are elective courses, open to any MRU student.. The learning questions yielded preliminary data on significant curricular elements of UGST 1001, and allowed students to identify their own strengths and weaknesses as learners. Students were able to articulate goals, stategies for achieving those goals, and the extent to which they were able to succeed. Absent was any concrete evidence of the ways and means of transfering these strategies to other course contexts. Likewise there was no real indication of what students themselves considered evidence of learning. This provided the impetus for our subsequent study. Currently, the most exciting work of this kind can be found in Undergraduate Studies, and centers on investigating how students understand and present evidence of their own learning. The research project began in the Winter of 2012 and will continue through the Winter of 2013. Inquiry plans and early returns have been presented at two conferences to date and it is anticipated that the research will continue through the Spring of 2013. Of special not is the fact that coresearchers for this project include not only Nexen Scholars and the Director of the Institute, but also faculty members previously unfamiliar with scholarship of teaching and learning. Data in Dialogue Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Building on Mount Royal’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning supports research on and off campus. It is dedicated to understanding and improving student learning, improving and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience, expanding awareness of evidence-based pedagogical practices, facilitating collaboration related to the educational enterprise, and building a culture of inquiry dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning and scholarship. When asked to describe UGST 1001 in terms of what they would tell others, students became quite thoughtful about the what and why of the course, providing deeper insights into their own learning as well as the learning that others might achieve. Our interest in students’ articulation of evidence comes from this data, which surfaces their developing understanding of learning as more than instrumental. Beginning in the Fall of 2012 several UGST 1001 instructors will collaborate across multiple sections in an hermeneutic inquiry centred on what students offer, identify, and describe as evidence of learning (their own and others’). Through student meetings (which will include self-identified curricular evidence), we will engage in a dialogue about how learning is demonstrated, understood, and transferred to academic and personal contexts. More to follow … Future projects that have been discussed include work on high impact practices such as capstones and first year experience course, identity development in the professions, and intentional learning. Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 13 Going Public Locally, Nationally, Internationally The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning sponsors a variety of on-campus events as a way of promoting it’s initiatives and the scholarship of teaching and learning generally. Additionally, the Institute is instrumental in supporting individual Nexen Scholars in their work across Canada and around the world. Mount Royal University Venues Featuring Dr. Stephen Brookfield Distinguished University Professor at the University of St. Thomas and internationally acclaimed author of Radicalizing Learning, Discussion as a Way of Teaching, and Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher November 10, 2011, 9:00 am until 11:00 am Room EC1050 Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning Mount Royal University Presented by Student Affairs and Campus Life & the Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Stephen Brookfield has written fourteen books on adult learning, critical theory, critical thinking, discussion methods, and teaching. In 2001 he received the Association for Continuing Higher Education Leadership Award for "extraordinary contributions to the general field of continuing education on a national and international level" and in 2008 received the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Morris T. Keeton Award for "significant contributions to the field of adult and experiential learning.” Stephen has taught at Harvard University, Columbia University, and is now Distinguished University Professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Students, faculty, staff, and administrators are all encouraged to register for this event (Session #47) via www.mtroyal.ca/adc, nfunke@mtroyal.ca, or 403-440-6042 In November of 2011 the Institute co-sponsored with the division of Student Affairs and Campus Life, an allcampus event titled “Radical Learning for a Just World” offered by Stephen Brookfield, Distinguished University Professor at the University of St. Thomas. As the poster states, “For Stephen Brookfield the radical purpose and practice of education is concerned to organize education for, and encourage learning about, the creation of democracy in political, cultural and economic spheres. Political and cultural democracy entails learning how to recognize and abolish privilege around race, gender, status and identity; economic democracy entails learning how to abolish material inequality and privilege around class. Both, in turn, entail the collective determination of how societal resources are to be used for the common good; in shorthand terms, socialism.” Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Report 2011-2012 14 The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning presents the 2012 Scholarship in Progress Series This speaker series provides our MRU community with a forum for sharing, discussing, and critiquing ongoing teaching and learning research. Attendance is open to anyone, and topics range from disciplinary inquiries or small-scale studies to institution-wide investigations and triangulation of multiple data sources. All presentations will be held from 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm in Y324. Please pre-register for presentations individually using the workshop numbers provided below. Register online at www.mtroyal.ca/adc Register by email to nfunke@mtroyal.ca Register by calling 403.440.6042 Identifying and Addressing Threshold Principles in the Study of Classical Voice Reid Spencer (Communication Studies – Theatre, Speech and Music Performance) Thursday, March 1, 2012 – Workshop #108 Narrative Pedagogy and the Evaluation of Clinical Practice in Nursing Education: Fostering Clinical Competency Through Stories Stephanie Zettel (Health and Community Studies – Nursing) Wednesday, March 7, 2012 – Workshop # 109 Understanding How and Why Students Apply Learning Strategies Catharine Lindland (Student Learning Services) Wednesday, March 14, 2012 – Workshop #110 Identifying Credible Sources for Your Term Paper Patrick Carmichael (Teaching and Learning – General Education) Wednesday, March 28, 2012 – Workshop #111 University Access and Student Success – Beginning a Systematic Scholarly Inquiry Deb Bennett and Richard Gale (Teaching and Learning – General Education) and (Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Thursday, April 5, 2012 – Workshop #131 Doin' The Right Thing?: What Happens When Students Use Film Texts to Engage in Critical Race Talk Kelly Hewson (Arts – English) Wednesday, April 18, 2012 – Workshop #112 Title: An Examination of a Capstone Experience. Translating Marketing into Story - An Interim Review David Finch (Bissett School of Business - Marketing) Monday, April 30, 2012 – Workshop # 113 Developing Academic Writers in General Education Glen Ryland (Teaching and Learning – General Education) Thursday, May 10, 2012 – Workshop #114 Exploring What Learning Strategies Students Identify as Supportive to Their Understand of Complex Content Joanne Bouma (Health and Community Studies – Nursing) Wednesday, May 16, 2012 – Workshop # 132 Team Based Learning as a Teaching Strategy: How does it help students? Val Kinnear (Bissett School of Business – Accounting) Thursday, May 24, 2012 – Workshop #115 The$Ins(tute$for$Scholarship$of$Teaching$and$Learning$ proudly$presents$…$ 2011$Teaching$and$Learning$ Scholars$Showcase$ Featuring*the*work*of*the*2011*Teaching*and*Learning*Scholars** and*an*opportunity*for*dialogue*about*the*upcoming* 2012*Teaching*and*Learning*Scholars*Program*request*for*proposals*(RFP)* This%event%offers%the%Mount%Royal%community%a%window%into%the%what,%how,%and%why%of% teaching% and% learning% scholarship.% Join% the% 2011% Teaching% and% Learning% Scholars% as% they% discuss% their% experiences% with% scholarship% of% teaching% and% learning,% where% inquiry% into% student%learning%has%taken%them,%and%how%pedagogical%invesEgaEon%has%changed%the%way% they%view%teaching,%learning,%and%research%within%their%disciplines%and%at%MRU.% %%%%%% Following% the% presentaEon,% those% in% aHendance% will% be% invited% to% discuss% observaEons% about%student%learning%and%how%they%too%might%begin%scholarship%of%teaching%and%learning% inquiry%projects.% %Full%and%partKEme%faculty%members%submiLng%proposals%for%the% %2011% Teaching%and%Learning%Scholars%Program%are%encouraged%to%aHend.%% % 2012%RFP%deadline%is%October%1,%2011%…%for%more%informaEon%go%to%mtroyal.ca/isotl% Central to the dissemination goals of the Institute is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Faculty Presentation Series, which is designed to provide members of the Mount Royal University community with opportunities to share ongoing work and receive constructive feedback about their scholarship of teaching and learning. Speakers are selected from across the university, and attendance is open to anyone interested in participating; visitors from beyond the Mount Royal University community are encouraged to attend. Topics range from disciplinary inquiries and small-scale studies to institution-wide investigations and triangulation of multiple data sources. Indeed, although this is a scholarship of teaching and learning series, we have adopted the “big tent” approach to participation. During the last academic year, ten presentations were offered featuring faculty from across the institution. Presentations were largely focused on Nexen Scholars and their projects, but other faculty members also participated. Finally, each year the Institute sponsors a Scholars Showcase which serves two purposes: to give the most recent cohort of Nexen Scholars a chance to share their projects with the Mount Royal community, and to promote the announcement of the latest Nexen Scholars Program request for proposals. This event usually attracts upwards of forty faculty, staff, and administrators. It has become an important annual venue for the Institute and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Tuesday(September(13,(2011( 10:00(am(un