Course File Review Process Instructions 2011 - 2012

Todays professional educational practice is characterized by two core elements: Constructivism and Reflective Practice. The basic idea of the constructivist teaching method is that learners construct meaning for themselves, instead of teachers telling them what the meaning is. An easy way to think of it is that the constructivist teaching method is student centered, not lesson centered. Constructivism theory believes that there is no knowledge independent of the knower, only the knowledge that they create for themselves based on the information that they obtain from the world around them. Instead of having a finite answer, constructivism teaches that the learner creates the answer as they see it.1 For reflective practice to genuinely be a lens into the world of practice, it is important that the nature of reflection be identified in such a way as to offer ways of questioning taken-for-granted assumptions and encouraging one to see his or her practice through others eyes. The relationship between time, experience, and expectations of learning through reflection is an important element of reflection, and to teach about reflection requires contextual anchors to make learning episodes meaningful.2

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The purpose of the Course File is to provide a mechanism for a constant quality improvement cycle in the classroom whereby faculty develop their reflective practice and develop constructivist strategies. Beyond simply complying with the requirements of the CAA, course files can provide a means for each faculty member to consistently and continuously reflect and review their teaching in the previous semester. However, for this improvement cycle to be meaningful there must be a system of external review and feedback on the contents of that reflective file. The steps to follow are as follows:

1. Faculty will go to the Provosts SharePoint site and locate your College link. Open the link and you should see a Course Files link on the left hand side. 2. Locate you Name and open The Fall 2011 Folder 3. Set up your Course File See detailed instructions below 4. The course file is to be submitted digitally, complete and properly labeled to the Course File Coordinator as determined by each College. 5. The designated receiver of the Course File will review the course file check sheet and confirm that all elements of the course file are present. If all elements are not present, the course file will be returned to the faculty member for updating. 6. The Course File Coordinator will forward all Course Files to the Dean for further review. 7. The Center for Faculty Development will select a sample of these course files for a more indepth review. Feedback will be provided directly to the Faculty member and will become part of that course file.

Structure of the Course File

For fall 2011-12, the course file will consist of the following documents and sub-folders: 1. Course file checklist 2. Syllabi 3. Folder: Teaching Material a. Copies of Major lectures, PowerPoints, handouts, articles etc. Video and/or Audio material can be listed on a page. Lists of URLs for Websites can be listed on a page 4. Folder: Assessments a. Copies of all significant assessments (small in-class formative evaluation activities need not be included) b. their correct answers and marking schemes/weights
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c. copies of examples of each student assessment in the folder, including one poor, one average, and one good effort if possible d. Form # 5: A comprehensive instructor review of the presentation of the course 5. Summary of student feedback on course. 6. Grade distribution

Instructions for Setting up Course File Folders in Sharepoint.

(NOTE: the example with folders below show a standard computer folder rather than the Sharepoint folder)

1. Open your browser and log in to the ADU Portal: http://aduportal/default.aspx 2. Click on the <Provost> tab 3. Select <Office of the Provost> 4. Select your College 5. Select the Course Files link on the left hand side

6. Locate your name and open that folder 7. Open the Appropriate Semester

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8. Create two more folders.

9. Label as modeled below

10. You are ready to start adding materials to your course file.

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NOTE: The checklist requires a 7th document that has not been created yet: The CAA requires: #7: The results of the administration of the course evaluation form. This document will be the result of a new course evaluation given at the end of the semester and will ask about the students perceptions of how well the learning outcomes were covered in the course. This survey is not yet developed but should be available by the end of Spring 2012 semester.

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