Innovation – Peer Learning in Faculty Development
Every year, more than 2,000 full-time faculty members teach at the University to fulfill the three missions of teaching, research and service. However, with limited time and the responsibility of administrative services, balancing time and energy in teaching and research is a major challenge for faculty members. The secret of success is relying on the valuable sharing of senior and experienced faculty members. Through peer learning in faculty development, teachers lost in the waves of higher education can learn tips for balancing service, teaching, and research.
The Center provides a variety of services for faculty peer exchanges. Based on the different stages in their career and needs assessment, appropriate support programs are recommended. For example, Faculty Mentorship is offered for new teachers. Through one-on-one interaction and experience exchange, teachers have the opportunity for in-depth discussions on classroom challenges, teaching and research balance, and resource development; Classroom Observation Service is available for teachers to step into the classrooms or participate in online synchronous/asynchronous teaching of their peers, and discuss about their course designs, assessment methods as well as curriculum plans. There are many different services to apply for. However, the core concepts of all the services focus on: meeting needs, fostering interaction and exchange, and promoting reflection and feedback so as to pass on experience and develop cooperation opportunities for faculty members.
Peer exchange is an indispensable and important element in developing teaching and research competences. Through in-depth discussions and reflection, teachers have the opportunity to internalize their learning into a solid foundation for exploring their self-worth. The mutually beneficial peer learning can help teachers effectively adjust their pace of teaching, thereby enabling them to achieve innovations and breakthroughs in teaching and research, and create a new page in their academic career.
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