Lessons Learned about Empowering Engineering Instructional Faculty through a Group Coaching Model

Gemma Henderson; Ines Basalo; Alexandra Coso Strong; Meagan R. Kendall

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Faculty Development Division (FDD) Technical Session 3
Tagged Division: Faculty Development Division (FDD)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47725

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Paper Authors

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Gemma Henderson University of Miami orcid.org/0000-0002-1782-1273

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Gemma Henderson presently holds the position of Director of Learning Platforms, Academic Systems, Innovation, and Experience at the University of Miami. With a background in educational development, Gemma collaborates and consults with faculty, academic units, and other stakeholders across the University, with a focus on digital pedagogies and curriculum development. Gemma actively participates in information technologies and educational initiatives to enhance both undergraduate and graduate courses, representing Academic Technologies. Gemma currently serves as the Curriculum Development Lead in a collaborative research project, funded by the National Science Foundation, with faculty at the University of Texas El Paso, University of Miami, and Florida International University focused on undergraduate engineering education at Hispanic Serving Institutions.

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Ines Basalo University of Miami

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Dr. Ines Basalo, Associate Professor in Practice in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Miami, received her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Columbia University and has taught since then. She is actively involved in the undergraduate education of students at the College of Engineering, including organizing and executing the annual Senior Design Expo. Before joining the University of Miami in 2014, she was an adjunct professor at Columbia University and the Cooper Union in New York City.

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Alexandra Coso Strong Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0003-4988-361X

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As an assistant professor of engineering education at Florida International University, Dr. Alexandra Coso Strong works and teaches at the intersection of engineering education, faculty development, and complex systems design. Alexandra completed her graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech (PhD) and Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia (UVa).

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Meagan R. Kendall University of Texas at El Paso orcid.org/0000-0002-9940-4405

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An Associate Professor at The University of Texas at El Paso, Dr. Meagan R. Kendall is a founding member of the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership. With a background in both engineering education and design thinking, her research focuses on how Latinx students develop identities as engineers and navigate moments of identity interference, student and faculty engineering leadership development through the Contextual Engineering Leadership Development framework, and promoting student motivation. Dr. Kendall is the Past Chair of the Engineering Leadership Development Division of ASEE.

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Abstract

This ‘lessons learned’ paper outlines an asset-based model for faculty development that engages faculty as leaders of educational change by empowering them to critically reflect on and leverage what they already know. Complementing the format of faculty learning communities, group coaching centers around self-reflection, community building, group accountability, and celebration. In this model, the role of a faculty developer shifts from one of a facilitator to that of a coach. This shift transforms the power dynamic between those of different levels of educational and disciplinary expertise, seeking to create an equitable space that recognizes the individual and collective knowledge of a group. Other notable shifts occur; rather than making decisions for a participant, a coach invites them to share perspectives, goals, and challenges and to see the bigger picture of their development. A coach also shifts ownership of outcomes, inviting faculty to reflect on their goals, make decisions, and take strategic actions that lead toward sustainable and meaningful outcomes. This paper, therefore, will introduce and share reflections on two iterations of a group coaching model within a professional development program designed for Engineering Instructional Faculty (EIF) at Hispanic Serving Institutions. As part of a multi-year action research project to identify learning experiences that develop EIF educational change leaders, we designed and launched a professional development program grounded in prior research and leveraging design theories. A two-day onsite workshop followed and complemented by a virtual group coaching model, engages EIF in reflective activities about their students, their leadership skills, areas for professional growth, and possible opportunities to pursue educational change projects at their institutions. The format and design of the group coaching curriculum was informed and developed by a diverse team of engineering education researchers, engineering instructional faculty, and faculty developers – all with different levels of International Coaching Federation (ICF) based coach training. The first iteration was designed with six two-hour virtual sessions and two flexible make-up opportunities, a dedicated coach and graduate research assistant. After receiving participant feedback, changes to the second iteration included the addition of a peer mentor (a participant from the first iteration), explicit coaching activities during the onsite workshop, and a small group orientation session to set expectations of the group coaching model. To bring awareness to the practicalities of leading a group coaching model with faculty, we will share an overview of our two iterations, including the rationale for changes made and the narrative reflections from the coaching team. Having centered the group coaching around topics on leadership, asset-based perspectives, measuring success, and others related to educational change, we will highlight the importance of balancing the goals of the program with those of the participants. We will also share the role of the ICF model in our design, the shifting role of the coach, and recommendations for others interested in using a group coaching model to support faculty as leaders of educational change. The preferred format for this paper is a lightning talk.

Citation
Format

Henderson, G., & Basalo, I., & Strong, A. C., & Kendall, M. R. (2024, June), Lessons Learned about Empowering Engineering Instructional Faculty through a Group Coaching Model Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47725

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This ‘lessons learned’ paper outlines an asset-based model for faculty development that engages faculty as leaders of educational change by empowering them to critically reflect on and leverage what they already know. Complementing the format of faculty learning communities, group coaching centers around self-reflection, community building, group accountability, and celebration. In this model, the role of a faculty developer shifts from one of a facilitator to that of a coach. This shift transforms the power dynamic between those of different levels of educational and disciplinary expertise, seeking to create an equitable space that recognizes the individual and collective knowledge of a group. Other notable shifts occur; rather than making decisions for a participant, a coach invites them to share perspectives, goals, and challenges and to see the bigger picture of their development. A coach also shifts ownership of outcomes, inviting faculty to reflect on their goals, make decisions, and take strategic actions that lead toward sustainable and meaningful outcomes. This paper, therefore, will introduce and share reflections on two iterations of a group coaching model within a professional development program designed for Engineering Instructional Faculty (EIF) at Hispanic Serving Institutions.  
As part of a multi-year action research project to identify learning experiences that develop EIF educational change leaders, we designed and launched a professional development program grounded in prior research and leveraging design theories.  A two-day onsite workshop followed and complemented by a virtual group coaching model, engages EIF in reflective activities about their students, their leadership skills, areas for professional growth, and possible opportunities to pursue educational change projects at their institutions. The format and design of the group coaching curriculum was informed and developed by a diverse team of engineering education researchers, engineering instructional faculty, and faculty developers – all with different levels of International Coaching Federation (ICF) based coach training. The first iteration was designed with six two-hour virtual sessions and two flexible make-up opportunities, a dedicated coach and graduate research assistant. After receiving participant feedback, changes to the second iteration included the addition of a peer mentor (a participant from the first iteration), explicit coaching activities during the onsite workshop, and a small group orientation session to set expectations of the group coaching model.  
To bring awareness to the practicalities of leading a group coaching model with faculty, we will share an overview of our two iterations, including the rationale for changes made and the narrative reflections from the coaching team. Having centered the group coaching around topics on leadership, asset-based perspectives, measuring success, and others related to educational change, we will highlight the importance of balancing the goals of the program with those of the participants. We will also share the role of the ICF model in our design, the shifting role of the coach, and recommendations for others interested in using a group coaching model to support faculty as leaders of educational change. The preferred format for this paper is a lightning talk.
AU  - Gemma Henderson
AU  - Ines Basalo
AU  - Alexandra Coso Strong
AU  - Meagan R. Kendall
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Lessons Learned about Empowering Engineering Instructional Faculty through a Group Coaching Model
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47725
ER  -