Using a Rapid Prototyping Process to Transform Teacher Education Curricula Beverly Kopper, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Katy Heyning, Dean, College of.
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Using a Rapid Prototyping Process to Transform Teacher Education Curricula
Beverly Kopper, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Katy Heyning, Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies Ellyn M. Dickmann, Associate Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
A case study of:
How a College implemented a fundamental shift in culture through a rapid prototyping process to transform teacher education curricula— DURING hard times. How good work was accomplished during hard times Transformation that was sparked by the Red Balloon Project Result = model guiding process
NOTE
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Four-year, coeducational, residential campus Located between Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago Enrollment: 11,615
Undergraduates: 10,230
Graduates: 1,385
Employees: 1,286
Faculty: 356
Academic staff: 503
WHO WE ARE
SUSTAINING GOOD WORK
Key conditions for sustaining good work in hard times*
1. Positive restlessness 2. Data about students and their successes 3. Academic and Student Affairs collaborate 4. Campus leaders work to increase understanding of the importance of student success *Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh & Whitt. (2011). Fostering Student Success in Hard Times. Change, July-August.
HARD TIMES
2007-09 BIENNIUM
Cash lapse = $1 million 2 percent pay plan in 2009 rescinded
2009-11 BIENNIUM
No pay plan 16 unpaid furlough days = salary decrease of 3.065 percent Cash sweep = $1.4 million 1 percent across the board reduction = $693,068 Additional base reduction = $2.8 million 5.8 percent increase in employee cost of retirement
2011-13 BIENNIUM
No pay plan Health insurance cost to employees increased ($124-$341/month for family coverage) Base budget reduction = $4.3 million in 2011-12 Budget lapse = $2 - $3.5 million in 2011-12
HARD TIMES
Setting/Background
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Colleges College of Education and Professional Studies (COEPS) historical perspective
Leadership transitions (provost, dean, chairs)
Campus and the college expectations
Challenges the college faced
Reputation in the state
External forces
Internal forces
Competitors
What had to fundamentally change?
Culture
From a culture of change that is “event” driven to a culture of ongoing change and continuous improvement
Prioritization of the many needed changes
Middle Child/Early Adolescent Licensure Program
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION TIMELINE
1868 Whitewater Normal School Circa 1980s – Current program created 2009 NCATE and state review 2010 2011 2011 Strategic priorities, faculty adoption Spring semester (awareness and planning process) Summer (15 weeks)
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
Perspective
New Dean from the inside (pros and cons)
Context of hard times
Political turmoil targeting education in Wisconsin
Leadership Challenges
Low morale
Silo philosophy
Prior leadership history
Sparked by the Red Balloon article
Lower cost, time to degree completion Increase student participation Respond to challenges of technology
Purpose set and known by all Reward structures Driving internal and external forces Rapid prototyping model Practical implications
THE PROCESS
THE PROCESS
Phase I—At the onset of the summer work
Reflects support of leadership
Reflects Red Balloon Connection
Reflects good work during hard times
Cultural shift/transformation
Build cross-department relationships, knowledge base, and collaborations Build cross-college relationships, knowledge base, and collaborations Develop a resource list Deadline: Presentation for College— Fall 2011 Develop a prototype
What students should be, know, able to do, and have experienced by the end of their program(s) in the college
PURPOSE-CULTURAL SHIFT
DRIVING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FORCES
Internal
“Nothing will ever change.”
“It’s summer; no one is here.”
Student feedback
Employer feedback
Accreditation feedback
External
International, national, state, local
Definition
Testing, utilizing a group of techniques to approximate actual desired state/outcome
Advantages
Foster communication
Decrease development and implementation time
Minimize necessary changes
Focus on features for sustained/limited timeframe
RAPID PROTOTYPING MODEL
Phase II–During summer work
Reflects support of leadership
Reflects Red Balloon connection
Reflects good work during hard times
Cultural shift/transformation
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Logistics
Timeframe (summer)
Participants (availability and compensation)
Meeting times
Facilitation strategies
Recordkeeping
“The elevator concept”
The frames
Historical perspective
Multiple attempts
Other changes/shifts in the college
Frameworks
The college’s mission The college’s conceptual framework
NCATE standards
DPI requirements (more flexibility than perceived)
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Beliefs, philosophy, data/evidence
What students want/need
What students need to know, be, do have experienced
What we care about most as a college
Critical thinking; early and frequent and high quality field experience; rigor; risk-free; high expectations; collaborations, etc .
Literature review (supply and demand, employment data, etc.)
Provost visit, Chancellor visit (dean stayed away)
Bold direction
“Leading edge not bleeding edge”
Be bold
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Phase III–Outcome
–Reflects support of leadership –Reflects Red Balloon Connection end result –Reflects good work during hard times end result –Cultural shift/transformation end result –Bold direction
SUMMARY
SUMMARY
Department led – ownership given
“Dine and Design”
Department led
First step rearranging building blocks, improving quickly
Next step change program - acculturation
Ex: All methods courses will have a field component
All courses will address: Working with students and families, RTI, Classroom management, Diversity series requirement
Fall, 2012 new cohort launch
2012-2013 curricular processes to new program
Fall, 2013 new program launch
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Timing Don’t stop (slow down…don’t stop) Faculty champions Support non-tenured faculty Hire well Visible responsibility, annual reports, strategic plans Everyone finds “me” in the plan Honor traditions and past efforts without dwelling on them Vigilance – one eye looking in while the other looks out