INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Office of Instructional Development
Alumni Memorial Hall, Room 119, University of Scranton, Monroe & Ridge Row, Scranton, PA, 18510
Shirley M. Adams, Director, (717)941-7580, (717)941-7937, ADAMSS1@UOFS.EDU.

University of Scranton is a non-profit University with about 254 full-time faculty and 143 part-time faculty, 32 GAs, 33TAs, Undergraduates, and 733 Graduate students.

The Office of Instructional Development (OID) was established in August 1987 to promote personal reflection and scholarly dialogue on the art, the science, and the craft of teaching. It is a line-item in the University’s budget. OID reports to the Academic Vice President and Provost for its faculty programs and budgets. It is organized into various activities: 1) the student evaluations of faculty, 2) seminars, workshops and conference presentations on technology and instructional methodologies and issues and concerns relating to teaching, 3) individual consultations and classroom observations, 4) reading and video resources, 5) course and curriculum planning, 6) faculty support for cultural diversity, women’s studies and writing intensive programs and 7) mentoring programs and 8) student-faculty teaching mentorship program. Permanent staff include a Director (15%), Assistant Director (100%), three Faculty Program Coordinators/Consultants (50%), plus work study students as clerical assistants. Currently, OID has a part-time faculty person to support the writing intensive program. The non-salary budget is $31,000 plus another $15,000 for teaching improvement grant. (For FY 96-97, OID had an additional $20,000 in grants).

OID’s overall goal is to maintain and cultivate an ethos of professionalism in which teaching is valued within the mission of Jesuit education through which our faculty can analyze their teaching strategies and results, pursue new discoveries about good teaching, and share their experiences/finding with their colleagues. OID enhances the quality of teaching by providing assistance in the instructional development efforts of faculty and providing resources about teaching and learning techniques, and assistance in the peer review process. The above activities are illustrative of our programs. OID works closely with the deans, department chairs and faculty to identify workshop and seminar topics, model teachers and various resource acquisitions to improve the greatest potential for pedagogical development.

Student Evaluation Feedback: OID has designed their own course evaluation forms of student ratings of instruction. OID provides a Course Survey Guidebook to assist faculty in the interpretation of the student rating forms. OID communicates with faculty in meeting their course objectives, involving students, communicating subject matter and fair assessment tools and grading procedures for student learning. OID’s process was designed as an instructional development tool, to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. OID aids in interpreting results and finding an appropriate course of action where and when it is needed. Consultation: The consultation process involves individual assistance, including classroom visitation, to help faculty address concerns such as 1)promoting student involvement and active learning; 2) creating helpful instructional materials; 3) improving classroom tests; 4) assisting with interpretation and/or improvement of student evaluations; 5) identifying and resolving classroom difficulties; 6) encouraging improvement in conjunction with a peer review process; 7) providing language/speech assistance to faculty who wish to improve their oral/lecture skills and 8) assisting in creating new courses or redesigning existing ones.

New and Part-Time Faculty Workshops: Four workshops a year are held specifically for new faculty and two for part-time faculty to allow new and part-time faculty to discuss faculty issues, concerns and academics, along with institutional policies and procedures. These sessions include course design, syllabus construction, various teaching methods, tenure procedures, and technology resources, along with community and social aspects of institutional life at the University.

English Proficiency Program: State law mandates the monitoring of the English proficiency of the teaching staff. OID oversees the assessment by providing forms to monitor incoming faculty interviews and provides the state with an annual report.

Materials production and distribution: OID produces and/or distributes materials in support of teaching, including bi-annual newsletters, handouts, handbooks, video tapes, course survey guidebooks, new and part-time faculty guidebooks, brochure, and library/video list. These materials focus on specific teaching tips, research on teaching, classroom activities, issues such as classroom behavior, and the effect of campus and community on the learning environment.

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