7: Student Collaboration in Faculty Development: Connecting Directly to the Learning Revolution

Abstract

Althoughfaculty developers have worked successfully withfaculty tofocus on ways to enhance learning and listen to student voices, developers have rarely formed partnerships with students. This chapter reviews established practices involving students directly infaculty development, such asstudent observer/consultant programs. It also describes the nature, dynamics, and outcomes of some interesting newprograms involving students in teaching development activities, thereby empoweringstudents tojoindevelopers aschange agents ofcampus culture. Finally, this chapter raises issuesforfaculty developers toreflect onasthey consider establishing direct connections-partnerships-with students.

Introduction to faculty learning communities

“…FLCs concentrate less on efficiency and more on the social aspects of building community; off-campus retreats and conferences include times for fun, and some gatherings during the year include family and guests. FLCs place more emphasis on the team aspect of support (while still consulting on each individual's project) and on the ultimate beneficiaries of the program: the students in the participants' courses and students participating as FLC associates (Cox and Sorenson, 1999).…”

10: Marketing Plans for Faculty Development: Student and Faculty Development Center Collaboration for Mutual Benefit

“…This section explores what TASC staff members, in particular those staff in educational development who spearheaded the project, learned from seeing their organization, and even their profession, from an entirely new and unexpected viewpoint. Cox and Sorenson (2000) describe several ways that students have been invited to share their unique vantage point in teaching development-for example, as short-or long-term consultants or classroom observers, as members of faculty learning communities, and as participants and co-presenters in teaching seminars. All such activities empower students to improve teaching and learning.…”

“…This collaboration provided business expertise for the center, a client-based project for the students to apply their skills, and involved students deeply in teaching improvement initiatives on campus. Although students are the ultimate beneficiaries of a teaching center's services, they are not often included as partners in campus initiatives to improve teaching, and are even more rarely involved in setting priorities for the center (Cox & Sorenson, 2000). This chapter describes the collaboration between the teaching center and the students, the students' recommendations for the center's activities,and the center's response.…”

Midcareer and senior faculty learning communities: Learning throughout faculty careers

“…In this informal setting, students feel free to ask questions about faculty life and to share the joys and stresses they experience in their lives as students. A seminar at which faculty and students share their views of teaching and learning is a highlight of the year (Cox and Sorenson, 1999).…”