Engage – Encourage – Reward: Leveraging Best Practices Toward Teaching Excellence Through the Teaching Showcase (TS)

Concurrent Session 3

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Faculty and administrators alike focus their work from the perspective of how-to best approach teaching and learning. After all – this is WHY faculty have chosen the teaching profession! That said, there is much can be learned from and through the work of each other. In this session, a case study and framework for a Teaching Showcase (TS) will be presented. In addition to an overview of the framework, administrators, and faculty developers will glean greater understanding of how to engage faculty in ways to best engage, encourage, and reward teaching excellence by leveraging best practices already present within the existing faculty talent.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Helen Hammond, Grand Canyon University

Helen Hammond is a passionate Lifelong learner and enthusiastic encourager. She is committed to the development of others and enjoys seeing them realize their potential. She believes we are 'Better Together'. When she’s not loving 'Lope Life' on campus at GCU…she’s loving 'Arizona Life' on the 40 acres she and her husband have in Northwest Arizona and their adult sons frequently visit! Dr. Hammond is senior program manager and assistant professor in the Center for Innovation in Research on Teaching at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She teaches undergraduate business courses including management, organizational behavior, servant leadership, marketing, and leadership in organizations. Dr. Hammond holds a PhD in In Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her Research interests include servant leadership, management, teaching and learning, and online teaching best practices.

Co-presenter: B. Jean Mandernach, Grand Canyon University

B. Jean Mandernach, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand Canyon University. Her research focuses on enhancing student learning in the online classroom through innovative instructional and assessment strategies. In addition, she has interests in the development of effective faculty evaluation models, perception of online degrees, and faculty workload considerations. Jean received her B.S. in comprehensive psychology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, an M.S. in experimental psychology from Western Illinois University and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Extended Abstract

The Teaching Showcase (TS), provides an opportunity for faculty to nominate individuals based on proven success and innovation in the classroom among an array of categories related to teaching best practices. Previously, teaching online was more of an isolated experience. Faculty were operating behind closed doors and were not necessarily sharing best practices. This program, the Teaching Showcase (TS), changes the siloed approach to best practices and instead encourages and rewards the sharing of best practices through nomination based on proven success and innovation in the classroom among an array of categories related to teaching best practices.

 

Key areas related to teaching best practices in the online modality identified in the literature review include perceptions and attitudes (Irlback, 2008), incentives and honorariums (Irlbeck, 2008), faculty community (Hammond, Coplan, Mandernach, 2019), communication (Hammond, et al; Irlbeck, 2008), and motivation (Stupnisky, BrckaLorenz, Yuhas, Guay, 2018). As administrators and faculty developers alike, it is important to be mindful of faculty perceptions, confidence, and awareness of current trends in teaching best practice. Communication, ability to engage, build awareness, and reward and highlight teaching best practices can assist in motivating faculty toward engaging in teaching best practices.

 

In this session, a case study and framework for a Teaching Showcase (TS) will be presented. In addition to an overview of the framework, administrators, and faculty developers will glean greater understanding of how to engage faculty in ways to best engage, encourage, and reward teaching excellence by leveraging best practices already present within the existing faculty talent. Insights and suggestions will be provided on how faculty development professionals can leverage the expertise of their own faculty in ways that are rewarding to both the presenters and attendees alike when hosting a similar event.  In addition, the presenters will share the evolution of the program – including successes and failures – to provide a framework to help attendees plan and host a successful event.