Fostering Professional Capital in a Faculty Learning Community by Exploring Cooperatiove Learning Strategies to Teach Group/Teamwork Skills in a college of Agriculture at Clemson University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj.v69i1.231Keywords:
Cooperative Learning, Faculty Learning Community, Group Work, TeamworkAbstract
Research-based practices and strategies to help both faculty and students become more successful through delivery and participation in teamwork, an important 21st century employability skill, was the topic for developing a Faculty Learning Community (FLC). The FLC set out to foster professional capital and attracted six participants to engage in monthly FLC meetings and included a variety of teaching faculty in the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences (CAFLS) at Clemson University. FLC leaders consulted with a STEM education research expert specializing in faculty professional development and together developed a strategy for qualitative data collection including creating a participant reflection protocol and plan to use group discussion at each meeting. Findings revealed participants felt more confident identifying assignments to meet the criteria for group/teamwork. Some participants indicated they needed more help learning best practices for assessing group/teamwork assignments, while others indicated they gained more tangible examples to utilize from hearing other FLC participants’ strategies. Participants more clearly stated connections between group/teamwork and career readiness after participation in the FLC. We recommend providing instructors with research-based tools such as peer assessment instruments, team charter documents, and other resources to foster professional capital and build selfefficacy to develop assignments that are appropriate when using cooperative learning as the method of instruction.
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