Description of project
Educators have long recognized the potential value of technologies as tools for improving teaching and learning. However, the integration of technology into teaching and learning is not a simple matter and can be particularly challenging on a decentralized campus. In this proposal, we ask how to help faculty to develop their teaching with technologies.
One strategy that is deemed promising for promoting faculty to adopt technology for teaching and learning is professional development through the fostering of community of practice. Here, rather than the traditional model of workshop training, providing faculty with a community will allow them to learn as a group and will provide them with continued support for adopting and utilizing technologies as part of their teaching practice.
The primary goal of Faculty Development Virtual Communities is to provide a safe, supportive, online community wherein faculty across diverse disciplines can interact and share knowledge of incorporating pedagogy, technology, and areas of expertise to explore new approaches to teaching.
- Provide a virtual space for faculty to ask for help, share ideas, and discuss best practices anytime and anywhere
- Provide a platform for sharing information and resources
- Promote collaboration among faculty with similar interests and teaching goals
- Provide a public, virtual space to showcase faculty projects with technology to encourage uptake among other faculty
- Offer real-time information on campus-wide technology policy and services
- Offer faculty continued technological support and information on best practices in the field of education technology
Faculty Development Virtual Communities is a forum-based system which will be developed based on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework (Mishra& Koehler, 2007). This framework emphasizes the importance of simultaneously integrating technology, pedagogy, and content expertise to guide professional development.
Impact on UCSF's mission and/or community:
This program is aligned with UCSF’s mission to provide superior health sciences training and education by supporting faculty and students with access to advanced educational technologies for teaching and learning.
List of team members and their roles (recruiting programmers)
- Xinxin Huang, Project lead
- Sonia Alam, Project coordinator
- Annette Carley, Faculty advisor
- Currently recruiting one or two programmers who has experience of PHP and mysql programming
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054.
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