2022 Conference Objects

Lessons learned from offering customized faculty development for a community of online educators

Marshall, Lia W.; Marquart, Matthea S.; Garay, Kristin; Chung, Rebecca Yae-Eun

This is a poster for the Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning’s 2022 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium.

Abstract:
The Online Campus at Columbia’s School of Social Work (CSSW) offers tailored faculty development for online instructors and online educational staff that complements faculty development offered by the School and by the University. In this poster, we share about our faculty development programming for online educators, and our lessons learned from our 5+ years of offering optional faculty development that continues to engage instructors over time. The first lesson learned is that customized training for online faculty is needed in order to develop and sharpen their online teaching and online community-building skills, to stay up to date with technology, provide a venue for discussing and learning about challenges, innovations, and ideas that are unique to online classrooms, and to provide instructors with experience as online learners. Second, customized training is required to develop professionals into future online instructors for a growing online program. Third, a commitment to online faculty development can elevate the reputation of an online program and can demonstrate a program’s commitment to quality for students. Fourth, administrators can provide additional benefits such as documenting learning via digital badges which generate conversation on social media regarding the benefits of online education, highlights participant accomplishments and contributes to their sense of professionalism as online educators. Lastly, asking for participants feedback on their satisfaction with trainings and their desired future topics, the provision of free continuing education units for professional licensure, scheduling sessions during evenings with fewest classes increases participation, and allowing for "make-ups" of sessions they miss are also key factors for faculty development of online instructors and online educational staff.